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The job requirements and qualifications for each position may vary, but one thing remains constant – the commitment to providing exceptional service to guests. When it comes to housing, most cruise ship employees are provided with accommodation while they work on board. The type of accommodation depends on the position and the ship, but it can range from shared cabins to private rooms with a balcony. Some cruise lines even offer housing for employees in between contracts, which is a great benefit for those who want to save money on rent.
Do cruise employees hook up with passengers?
And if you’ve been a crew member on a ship for several years, the savings can become quite substantial. Cruise ship hotel managers make around fifty thousand USD annually, as well as any tips received by passengers. It is also important to remember that working on a cruise ship is not like a vacation, and will require a lot of dedication, hard work, and long working hours. Business Insider looked at data each company shared with the US government to get a sense of how much they pay their employees. The data Business Insider analyzed is from 2019 and 2020, and represents an average or range among some of the employees included in Carnival and Royal Caribbean's disclosures. Physical stamina, rope and rigging skills, and endurance are requirements for the role.
Cruise Ship Worker Benefits
This commitment to excellence translates into creating a positive work environment for cruise ship employees. Most cruise ships have spas that offer a wide range of services, such as massages, facials, and body treatments. The cost of these services can vary depending on the cruise line and the type of service, but they’re typically more expensive than what you’d pay on land. However, many people are willing to pay the extra cost for the convenience and luxury of having spa services available to them while on vacation.
What are some of the biggest challenges that cruise ship workers face?
When you are in a Port of call you can be tempted to go blow all your money outside. Most likely at the beginning of a contract, you will want to go to explore and see as many things as you can, and saving money won’t be on your mind. Just remember that the places that the cruise ship goes to are well-known tourist places with inflated tourist prices. Once you pay all your fixed bills, depending on your salary and circumstances, you might have some money left. That money, let’s call net income, is the money that’s yours to spend any way you like it; be it at the movies, drinks, parties, travel, etc. That money, your true net income, is the money that you should compare against the salary offered to you by the cruise line.
Is there a cost associated with working on a cruise ship?
Honestly, being a captain on a cruise ship seems like a high-paying and prestigious job. According to the table below, the average salary for a cruise ship captain is $98,000. However, this varies depending on the size of the ship and the captain’s experience.
The money saved onboard was enough for me to pay my bills and travel on my vacation, adding more destinations to my travel bucket list. There are some people that can save a lot of money during their contract onboard. I have heard of stories about crew members opening businesses back in their home country; using the money to buy property; some people made good money that they didn’t have to come back to ships. While some people decide to go for the savings route, others decide to go work on ships for the experience. They do not save a lot of money but they do spend their money in a way that makes them happy, fulfilled for most of the time. While many cruise ship workers work long hours and earn less than the average American employee, there are some benefits to working on a cruise ship.
Cruise Ship Doctor
Entry-level positions such as housekeeping staff, food and beverage servers, and entry-level entertainers typically earn between $1,000 to $2,500 per month. These positions often include free accommodation and meals as part of the compensation package. As with servers, cruise ship bartenders work long hours, with very few days of leave. A typical annual salary for a bartender on a cruise ship is between twenty and thirty thousand USD but it may be even more if gratuities are included.
Strict hierarchy on cruise ships creates gap in pay, living conditions - Business Insider
Strict hierarchy on cruise ships creates gap in pay, living conditions.
Posted: Thu, 28 Nov 2019 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Furthermore, it’s important to consider that salaries on cruise ships are typically indexed to the cost of living on the ship itself. While the salary may seem modest compared to land-based positions, the fact that most onboard expenses are covered can contribute to a higher overall standard of living. It’s important to note that these factors vary from one cruise line to another and are subject to change. Now that we have explored the factors that can affect cruise members’ pay, let’s move on to understanding the average salary ranges of cruise ship employees.
Hotel
When I started working on cruise ships, we got paid in cash, which was not an ideal scenario. Walking around the ship with a stash of money made me feel richer but vulnerable at the same time. Walking around downtown Miami with an envelope full of cash was scary, to say the least. When working on a cruise ship one of the biggest perks is that you don’t have any fixed bills like you would have if you lived on land.
But we wanted to get the real scoop on what a cruise line pays its employees. For that, we turned to some recent financial statements from Carnival Corporation. Ultimately, the decision to work on a cruise ship should align with one’s personal goals, interests, and adaptability to the unique working environment it entails. Due to the demanding and important nature of their job, nurses have some of the higher salaries on the ship and can make around seventy-one thousand USD annually. They are also responsible for members of the crew, such as musicians and performers, youth staff, entertainment/stage staff, activities staff, or technicians for the sound and lighting. Cruise ship servers are in charge of many tables and guarantee prompt, top-notch customer service.
The beauty of working on a cruise ship is that your home is moving away with you. Your commute can be as short as a couple of minutes from your cabin to your workplace. Depending on the cruise liner, living expenses for cruise ship workers may be minimal or nearly non-existent. Any additional costs, such as laundry services, are usually quite nominal and crew members often have discounts.
Apart from their technical responsibilities, Chief Engineers need to have excellent communication skills to interact with other ship departments and outside vendors. They offer technical assistance and organize alterations and enhancements to the ship’s equipment. It’s critical to keep in mind that the yearly compensation figures do not account for the number of hours spent. One of the 74 recommendations of the Healthy Sail Panel is "Crew should be placed in single-occupancy crew cabins whenever possible to minimize extended periods of close contact with other crew members."
Working on cruise ships allows individuals an opportunity to gain experience in a multitude of industries and the ability to encounter diverse cultures. Living expenses are minimal, which allows many workers to save a high percentage of their income. This blend of financial savings, unique benefits, and the opportunity to travel the world makes working on a cruise ship an attractive option for those seeking an unconventional career path. However, potential employees should weigh these benefits against the unique challenges of this work environment, such as long hours, strict regulations, and limited personal space. Like every organization, the salary of cruise ship employees varies by position, experience, and skills. All in all, however, with an average salary of under $24,000, it’s clear that most cruise lines employees aren’t getting rich by American standards.
