Age, gender, nationality

  • Age: Minimum age limit is 21 years old for most American cruise companies
  • Some companies allow 18+ for certain positions
  • Cruise companies do not have maximum age limits. However, you must meet ALL other requirements for the chosen position including medical fitness.
  • Gender: All cruise companies hire both male and female applicants. However, it can be openings for a particular gender. It happens when a cruise company is lacking of a particular gender and needs to fill the gap.
  • Nationality: Cruise companies hiring ALL nationalities. There is no age, gender or nationality discrimination among cruise companies and recruitment agencies. However, crewing agencies recruit only particular nationalities in their region. Therefore, in order to apply for a cruise ship opening, you should contact your regional crewing agency.

For applicants

Personality

    • Cruise companies are looking for talented people that are interested in personal and professional growth. You shall go through personal job interview and to prove that you are the right candidate to take the position as you possess the following:

  • Hospitable and sincerely friendly – smiling and positive even under stress

  • Team player always ready to help others

  • Highly motivated to get this particular position and grow within the company

  • Open-minded and flexible, able to work under pressure

  • Attentive to details and seeking to achieve perfection in every assignment

  • Proud about what you are doing and enjoy making customers happy

It is possible to train any person to speak better English or to set up the table. However it is impossible to make someone start loving people, smile and be happy.

For applicants

Language knowledge

  • Conversational English language is needed to work on all cruise lines. Intermediate English level is sufficient for entry positions such as buffet server, facilities cleaner, cook, room service etc. Fluent level is needed for other positions such as waiter, bartender, reception, sales, management, shore excursions, photographers, animators etc.
  • Additional languages knowledge may be required or become an advantage when considering your candidacy for front-of-the-house positions (most popular languages: Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Mandarin, Japanese).

For applicants

Work Expierence

  • Some cruise companies may accept candidates with short-time seasonal job experience for entry positions, whereas other cruise companies may demand 2-3 years of recent work experience in the same role.
  • There are strict requirements to qualification and skills for certain positions (for example Accountant or Youth Counselor), whereas some positions may involve on-board training, and so previous experience would not have such a big influence (for example Aquatic Attendant).
  • As your Hiring Agent is well aware of the cruise companies requirements, you should make this point clear during the pre-screen interview with your Agency.

For applicants

Education

  • Diplomas and certain education may be required by certain cruise companies for particular positions such as children animators, sound/light technicians, receptionists, financial specialists, ships doctors, engineers, navigators, welders etc.
  • If your CV will be selected during initial application process, then your Hiring Agent will provide you with the Job Description for the position you would be considered for. There you will see all the requirements towards education and experience needed to take this role on board their ships.

For applicants

Not acceptable

    • There are certain restrictions for successful employment on board cruise ships that may vary depending on cruise line or position on board. Some of them are common for all cruise companies such as:

      • Tattoos or piercing on visible parts of the body
      • History of criminal record
      • Visa violations
      • Serious chronic disease
      • BMI over 30
      • Fraud during application process

Ask your Agency for more details on the above restrictions.

For applicants

Medical examination

    All joining crew members must take a medical examination. In order to join the ship, cruise company must be sure that you are healthy and can handle the job. Therefore, you take medical examination in your home city/country in a special medical center with whom cruise company has an agreement. Each cruise company has its own requirements for passing this exam and the amount of tests you need to take. You will discuss the detailed information with your agency manager.

For joining crew

Safety certificates

Some cruise companies even require their crew members to attend STCW safety training courses in their home countries before joining. These might be Basic Safety Training, Crowd and Crisis Management Training, Security Awareness Training. You may also need to hold Seaman’s Book in order to join. The agency will provide you with information on procedures of obtaining these documents.

For joining crew

Proper documentation

Once you get your ship assignment (LOE) and start preparing to join the ship, you might need help in preparing your documents properly. For example, documents translation into English language, collecting and properly prepare document package for visa application, etc.

For joining crew

Visa

United States C1D (transit / crew member’s visa) is mandatory in most of the cases (with very few exceptions when vessels sail in Asia or Europe only), and you have to obtain it at the nearest U.S. Consulate in person before starting your contract. Note that this visa does not grant you a right to work, travel or study in USA, so you would break the law if you decide to use it for the purposes other than joining the ship.

Other visas might be needed to join the ship or serve on board depending on your nationality and ship itinerary, such as Shengen visas, Australian eVisitor or MCV visa, Brazil crew visa etc. Your Agency will provide you with the instructions on which visas you need to obtain in order to join and work on board. All joining visa consular fees are reimbursed on board if you provide ship’s office with valid cash receipt.

For joining crew

Joining ticket policy

First joining ticket is almost never covered by a cruise company (there might be exceptions depending on the cruise company and your position). Note however that all cruise companies usually pay all other repatriation and returning tickets. Therefore only your initial joining costs may get expensive as you need to fly overseas. The airline tickets at marine fare are booked by your Hiring Agent and entered to the employer’s system, so that all entry and travel arrangements are done by the cruise company and respective port agent in advance. Marine fare tickets may be not the cheapest option, but they allow last minute cancellations at no fee and in most cases include additional luggage items. Your Hiring Partner is fully responsible for your first joining to be timely and orderly, therefore taking risks is not acceptable.

For joining crew

Joining port

Your joining port will depend on the assigned ship itinerary and it may appear to be any place in the World. You have to strictly follow cruise company instructions in order to safely and timely join the ship. Travel arrangements will be sent to your email several days prior to joining. In some cases cruise company will require to join the vessel same day upon arrival, whereas in other cases you will be required to overnight before joining.  Port agents may be assigned to meet you at the airport and transfer to the hotel / vessel, however in many cases shuttle bus or taxi may need to be taken. Note that joining instructions should always indicate an emergency contact phone number or email for all unexpected situations during your travel.

For joining crew

Not acceptable

    • There are certain restrictions also for placement stage in the recruitment process:

      • You cannot get tourist USA visa once you are waiting for your ship assignment. The reason is that if you get rejected with tourist visa, you will 100% be rejected for C1/D visa as well and won’t be able to join the ship.
      • You cannot buy a plain ticket without notifying us in advance.

Ask your Agency for more details on the above restrictions.

For joining crew