I started a new contract in the fall, terrible heat of summer past me by. Working on an open deck in the sun is not an easy job. All the guests have a nice sunbathing, enjoying; wait on you to deliver water, juice or some alcohol.
One of the things that have always worried me over the past 6 years working on ocean cruise ships is; Will I get my suitcases at the airport and will the company agent welcome me.
Work in the cruise industry is a wide topic, believe it or not. When deciding that you want to work on board, you should consider the following items. First of all, you need to choose which position you would like to work on board based on your work experience. You must have a minimum A2 level of English proficiency to apply for a lower position and a higher level of English for administrative positions on-board.
For all future crew members interested how to get a job on a cruise ship, and what awaits you once on board, you can find detailed accounts in the book “Living and working on-board a cruise ship” written by a former crew member. The author of the book Tamara Wolf describes her personal experience from the first day of her journey and everything she lived through during her contracts. There is practical advice on how to better handle everything and how to avoid the mistakes that she made.
In the last 12 years, the cruise industry has progressively shifted work-related mindsets related to crew members. This is quite apparent with the story of a girl who became pregnant with her partner while on board a cruise ship and made the decision mutually to continue her pregnancy while completing her contract.
Virgin Voyages has unveiled several pieces from its new crew uniform collection for their first cruise ship Scarlet Lady, set to sail next year. Designed by the British fashion icon Gareth Pugh the entire concept is quite unique and like nothing, we have seen on the other cruise lines. The new concept of crew uniforms combines the “Modern Romance of Sailing” motif promoted by Virgin Voyages and Pugh’s high-fashion modernist approach.
It is funny how there is always talk about all the Values of the company only to find out that nobody in authority follows the same values they try to impress upon the lower echelons of staff.
Crew members on ocean and river cruise ships work long hours. Rather than working standard five-day weeks, cruise-ship employees work seven days a week 10 to 14 hours a day, for the duration of their entire contracts. Day off does not exist when working on cruise ships. Usually, employees get lunch off or dinner off, and even with this so-called offs they work 8 hours.
Most of us when we board our first cruise ship all we can think about is to have some fun, see the world, meet amazing people, and make some money along the way. After several months on board, we may start thinking about how many hours we work versus how little time we have to rest and have the fun we wanted to. But then hits the hard question after several contracts when we’re at a family function such as a wedding and a family member asks us what is it that we do on the cruise ship.
