CONTRACT
Work on board cruise ship usually lasts six to eight months followed by approximately 2 months vacation at home. Management and Officers usually have shorter contracts – 4 to 5 months.
Although such employment form is called contractual, the job on board may become your permanent work place. Your contract will be constantly renewed by the employer if you perform well and would be willing to continue working for the company. Cruise companies sign contract (crew agreement) with each employee either before joining the ship or upon arrival on board the ship.
Crew agreement outlines crew member’s salary and all other work and life on board terms and conditions. Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) may also be available on board as an integral part of crew agreement.
WORK SCHEDULE
Crew members work 7 days a week providing excellent service to cruise ship guests all year around. Different duties are carried only when the vessel is on planned refurbishments or quick repairs. Daily smooth service is ensured by department Managers who create work schedules for all crew on board every cruise. Depending on department – there are morning, afternoon, evening or even night shifts. You may be assigned few shifts a day as well, but they will definitely include decent breaks for meal and rest. You may work different shifts and various number of hours each day, but in average it should not make more than 72 hours of work per week. In case of sickness, Ship’s doctor is authorized to sign a sick leaflet, during which you will have to stay in your cabin and follow doctors instructions.
SALARY
Salary is paid twice a month during your contract, and usually it is being transferred to the bank card provided by the cruise company (for example OceanPay, Brightwell, or MyCrewWallet systems), and via online banking you may transfer money to another bank or to your family members. You may also withdraw cash in any ATM – on board or ashore during your contract.
You will be paid in the currency indicated in your Crew Agreement and usually it is USD, whereas some cruise companies may pay crew in Euro or British Pounds.
LIVING CONDITIONS
Crew accommodation on board depends on the rank and the available ship facilities. Usually 2 people of same gender share one cabin, and you may be assigned a roommate of any nationality, race or religion. During the contract you may switch cabins with your colleagues of the same department in case there are empty spots. Usually crew cabins are located in the lower decks and are inside cabins with no windows / portholes. You will be very limited in storage space as cabins are rather small, however there will be all basic things such as bulk beds (one above the other), shower/toilet, phone, TV, closet and desk. Accommodation is free of charge for crew, but they have to observe cabin rules related to hygiene and safety at all times.
FOOD
Food is free of charge for crew members on board in crew canteen (mess room), and it is served many times a day so that every shift could have meals during their breaks. As there are many nationalities on board, the food is usually international, however may be sometimes more suited for Asian crew. You can not keep perishable food in your cabin but you can bring drinks and snacks from ashore. Drinks and snacks are also available for purchase with good discounts in the crew bar on board.
LEISURE
Even though most of the service personnel are not allowed to the passenger areas (except their working area), there are gyms, sunbathing areas, dining rooms, bars, computer rooms, and other recreation facilities for crew on board. Some of them are free of charge, whereas there are also some paid services that you can get with good discounts such as goods at Duty Free shops, Wi-Fi, drinks at crew bar, hair cut or manicure at ship’s spa during certain hours. There are a lot of interesting things happening apart from hard work as crew welfare representatives organize all kinds of activities for crew such as shore excursions, crew parties, sport competitions, costume parties, birthday parties, international dinners, etc.
WI-FI
Most of cruise companies have paid access to the Satellite Internet for their guests and crew, thus depending on the company discounted packages or sometimes even free access to Wi-Fi will be available for crew on board. Free internet is often limited to social media and messengers, and in any case you can not expect to stream videos or download large files while you are on board. Crew often use any public internet of Crew Internet Cafes available in ports of call when they have shore leave, and many ports have them close to the pier for crew convenience.
GOING ASHORE
Crew members can go outside during their time-off hours when ship is in port and if there are no restrictions or migration ban for certain nationality that may happen from time to time. Depending on the itinerary the ship may stay in port several hours during day time, and sometimes even overnight. Thus, taking into account your work schedule, in each port you may have different time to go ashore. You can go on organized tours (usually free or with crew discounts) or just wander around or take free shuttle bus to the city center that is usually available in many ports. You may choose to go to the beach or shopping, but in any case go only if you definitely have time to get back in time. Your ship will not wait for you if you are late, and you may lose a lot of money to catch her in another port at your own expense, and you may even lose your job if the reason of you missing the ship will not be weighty.
SMOKING & DRINKING
You are allowed to smoke only in designated for crew members areas during your work breaks or when you go outside. It is forbidden to smoke in any other areas on board including cabins. Smoking restrictions are also valid for passengers, and nowadays many ships are completely smoke free.
Drinking during work hours is strictly forbidden, whereas drug consumption or storage is illegal and always reported to authorities. You will lose your job and will be sent home if found positive during regularly performed random drug or alcohol test.
SAFETY ON BOARD
All cruise ship employees have to regularly attend safety meetings and lifeboat/fire drills, where they practice how to rescue their own and passengers’ lives in case of emergency. Safety is always number one priority on board, thus not attending safety training will result in losing your job. Safety drill usually happens when ship is at sea, and also may happen during your off-duty or night hours.
NO HARASSMENT POLICY
The cruise companies employ multinational crew that vary in their beliefs, skin color, and traditions. When working on board people from different countries and of different genders have equal opportunities. Any discrimination, harassment, or persecution is strictly forbidden. Every crew member, that notices or experiences any kind of discrimination, is responsible for reporting the case to the immediate supervisor or to the person in charge of harassment cases investigation.
COUPLE POLICY
Cruise companies do not hire families – each crew member is placed on board solely based on company operational needs. Some cruise companies do not have couple policy, thus you can not even apply as a part of a couple. Other cruise companies may be more flexible, but in any case there is no guarantee that a couple will be assigned to the same ship on same cabin especially during their first contract. Later on, there may be more opportunities for couples to request sign off and sign on together, as well as couple cabin if available. Note that it is often required to present a documentary proof for the couple to be linked in company system.
HEALTH INSURANCE
The cruise company covers crew medical insurance meaning that all needed medical services except beauty and dental surgeries will be covered in case you get sick or injured during the contract. If your disease is serious and can not be quickly treated, the cruise company will also pay your ticket home and compensate your medical treatment expenses until you become fit for duty to continue employment on board or reach maximum medical improvement.
UNIFORM
Depending on cruise company crew members may get free uniform items on board, but also my need to bring onboard or purchase some items while on board. In case certain uniform items are available to purchase on board then the cost of such uniform will be deducted from crew wages. Uniform items that were provided must be returned at the end of the contract. The employees can do their personal laundry on board for small fee, and sometimes even for free depending on cruise company, however uniform items are usually being cleaned free of charge anyways.