Archive for the ‘Cruise Job Tips’ Category

What Does the Cruise Employer Want?

Cruise Job Tips, Cruise Ship Job Interview | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Dec 20 2011

Although a cruise employer looks for job applicants that are qualified, skilled and personable, there is one other aspect that is very important to them. The ability and passion to live and work at sea is an attribute that will determine if the crewmember will actually stick it out longer than just one contract.

The employer doesn’t want to go through the motions of hiring a crewmember only to find out that the crewmember wasn’t prepared mentally for this unique work environment and lifestyle. On paper, a potential job candidate may have all the right skills and experiences. The candidate may even express excitement during an interview about working on a cruise ship.

Keep in mind that the recruitment manager is also looking for that extra knowledge from the candidate for the cruise job. Does the job applicant bring up the fact that they will be sharing a cabin with another crewmember? Does the applicant express understanding that they will work seven days a week for long contracts?

The bottom line is that cruise employers want crewmembers that are serious about working along with a commitment to exceeding the expectations of the passengers. But, recruiters are also looking for potential employees that will embrace ship life and exude a positive behaviour that will be infectious.

WorkOnCruiseShips.com members can also read, Are You Ready to Work Onboard a Cruise Ship?

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Is a Cruise Job a Real Career Choice?

Cruise Job Tips, General | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Dec 18 2011

It’s true that many people are faced with negativity from their family, friends and ex-work colleagues about giving up a perfectly good job on land to pursue working on cruise ships. Beyond your motives for wanting to work onboard, you may also wonder, is a cruise job a real career choice?

Should You Give Up Your Career to Work on Cruise Ships is an article that points out that while a lot of people work on cruise ships for only a couple of fun and adventurous years, many make it a career. Probably one of the hardest things to do is actually make the step of packing in a good career on land to work on a cruise ship. You can read this testimonial.

You need to ask yourself where to you want to be in three of five years from now. Do you want to be doing the same boring job on land or do you want to find a career at sea? Turning a Cruise Ship Job into a Career is an article on the WorkOnCruiseShips.com website that explains how to make working on cruise ships a career choice.

Although you may have to start in an entry level cruise job, it is possible to get promoted quickly if you have the right skills, education and training. In fact many of our members on the Discussion Forum talk about how quickly they’ve been promoted. Don’t get too hung up on the negative criticism that you may face from family and friends. If you want to pursue a career on a cruise ship, go for it!

 

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Facts about the Cruise Industry

Cruise Job Tips | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Dec 16 2011

Working on a cruise ship presents opportunities for travel, making new friends and strengthening your career resume. Although it seems like the cruise industry has some really cool jobs, do you know what the cruise industry is all about?

First of all, you should understand what a cruise is really like. Have you been on a cruise as a passenger? If not, have you seen any documentaries or YouTube videos about cruising? If not, you still need to understand what to expect as a potential crewmember.

When you understand the elements of a cruise, recruiters will interpret that you have done your homework and know what you are getting yourself into. Get to know key parts of a cruise such as embarkation, disembarkation, tender ports, cashless cruising, specialty dining, and onboard entertainment. You could also research the features and amenities available on today’s cruise ships. Further knowledge about USPH and onboard sicknesses will also prepare you for interviews.

Preparedness for cruise job interview is essential since the cruise industry is highly competitive when it comes to landing a job.  WorkOnCruiseShips.com has plenty of resources to help job applicants prepare for cruise interviews. Here are a few articles about the cruise industry itself.

5 Facts You Need to Know About Cruise Lines

Facts About Carnival Cruise Lines

Facts About Royal Caribbean

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What Type of Person Works on Cruise Ships?

Cruise Job Tips, General | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Dec 11 2011

It’s easy to understand that travel is a motivating factor behind people choosing to work on cruise ships. But, what type of person is willing to leave their family, friends and life behind for a career at sea?

Some people are looking for a complete lifestyle change. Some may have just ended a relationship and want to get away and start fresh. Some think that having cruise ship experience on their resume may further their careers on land. And, some are just looking for a new adventure.

It does take a unique person to work and live on a cruise ship, though. Just because the motivating factors are there, it doesn’t mean that a life on board will work for everyone. It can be a daunting experience to meet, get to know, work and live with a new set of crewmembers each time you join a ship for a contract.

How adaptable and flexible are you? Can you work with multiple nationalities? How easy is it for you to start communication with someone you meet for the first time?  Can you tolerate living with a cabin mate that is completely opposite from you? Will you suffer from homesickness? All of these questions determine the type of person that works onboard.

The WorkOnCruiseShips.com site has many resources to help potential cruise applicants understand if a life at sea is what they want. Members of the site can also read,

Are You Ready to Work Onboard a Cruise Ship?

Overcoming Homesickness

Coughing, Concoctions, and Cabin Sharing

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How Strict are Cruise Ship Rules?

Cruise Job Tips | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Dec 09 2011

Many of us are familiar with companies that have a code of conduct while at work. These policies normally include rules when it comes to sexual harassment, performance related issues, theft, and many other reasons for disciplinary action.

Just as in land-based jobs, all cruise lines also have a code of conduct for the crew and officers that work on their ships. The only difference is that you not only work onboard but you live and play onboard, too. This means that the code of conduct also applies when you are at the crew bar, ashore, hanging out with friends, mealtimes, etc.

Whether you are on duty or off duty, you can be disciplined (or fired) for not abiding by the cruise line’s code of conduct.  A cruise ship’s security department have cameras all over the ship to monitor the safety and security of passengers and crew. In addition, the ship’s security officer has the equipment to breathalize a crewmember or officer.

Here are some basic guidelines that cruise ships follow.

  • Cruise lines do not tolerate violence, harassment, bullying or threatening behaviour.
  • Cruise lines do not tolerate racial or inappropriate language and behaviour.
  • Cruise lines do not tolerate theft, vandalism, drugs, or drunkenness.
  • Cruise lines do not tolerate negligence in your job obligations.
  • Cruise lines do not tolerate when crew arrive back on board late (regardless if you have to work or not).
  • Cruise lines do not tolerate lateness or absenteeism when it comes to safety training and emergency drills.

Will you be able to comply to the code of conduct of a cruise line? For more detailed information, WorkOnCruiseShips.com members can read, Cruise Lines’ Code of Conduct.

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Finding Contact Names in the Cruise Industry

Cruise Job Tips | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Dec 01 2011

One of the most important cover letter tips that we give to our members on WorkOnCruiseShips.com is to address their cover letters and resumes to a specific person.

When you don’t send your application package to a specific hiring manager or recruiter, chances are it will not end up on the right person’s desk, lowering your chances of even getting an interview for a cruise job. This is all great in theory, but where does one find this valuable information?

If recruiting manager’s name is not given on the websites of the cruise line or the cruise agency, chances are you’ll have to work for it. Although you may have to do a little bit of your own investigating, it will pay off because the recruiter will see that you’ve done your homework.

This is one reason why our members value the Discussion Forum on the WorkOnCruiseShips.com website. Our members and moderators share email addresses of where to send resumes and there are also numerous threads on who interviewed who for which cruise job.

Finding the contact name of a hiring manager can be a tedious job in itself as many of our members have shared through the forum and one has shared in a feature article on the site. Keep in mind that you could send out dozens of resumes but if they don’t reach the right person, what’s the point?

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How Old is Too Old for a Cruise Job?

Cruise Job Tips, General | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Nov 20 2011

Wondering about working onboard a cruise ship but worried that you are too old to get hired? The age question is a common concern with our members at WorkOnCruiseShips.com that are over the age of 35. So, does age matter and how does an “older” applicant increase their chances of getting hired?

The truth is that there are some positions on cruise ships that are filled only by younger applicants. On the other hand there some cruise jobs that are actually better suited to more mature applicants.

Since the hours and days onboard are long and erratic, the trick is to convince the recruiter that you are not only full of energy but also more experienced than a younger applicant. You want to assure the recruiter that you are physically, mentally and medically fit to carry out your duties and responsibilities.

The WoCS forum is filled with threads from applicants over the age of 35 that have successfully landed their dream job. Typical jobs for mature cruise applicants include Future Cruise Sales Manager, Youth Staff, Port and Shopping Guide and Guest Entertainers.

For more info on getting hired over the age of 35, WoCS members can read, Getting a Cruise Job – Does Age Matter?

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Cruise Jobs that are Use Concessions to Get Hired

Cruise Job Tips, General | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Nov 19 2011

Many cruise jobs are recruited through concessions rather than directly through the cruise line. This means that for certain cruise jobs you could be wasting your time by sending your resume directly to a cruise line. Get to know which cruise jobs use concessions along with some resources at WorkOnCruiseShips.com on how to get hired for these types of jobs.

A concessionary company is not an agency rather it’s a third party vendor that sells services or merchandise onboard. Concessionaires are independent companies that recruit and train employees to work onboard the cruise ships that they partner with. Here are the onboard concessions along with the jobs they recruit for.

Onboard Gift Shops – The onboard shops sell items such as jewellery, watches, make-up, clothing, novelties and souvenirs. These concessions employ Sales Associates, Assistant Managers and Managers. For more info, read how to Get a Sales Job on a Cruise Ship .

Onboard Spa and Fitness Facilities – The onboard spa offers services including hair, makeup, nails, facials, and massage. They employ stylists, massage therapists, nail technicians, and spa receptionists. Under the umbrella of the spa are also the onboard fitness facilities which staff fitness trainers. For more info, read Overview of Spa, Salon, and Fitness Jobs and Get a Job with Steiner.

Other Onboard Concessions – Other cruise jobs that utilize concessions are Photographers and Videographers, Port and Shopping Guides, Art Auctioneers, and Internet Cafe Managers.

 

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How to Use a Cruise Agency

Cruise Job Tips | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Nov 17 2011

Do you know when you should use an agency and when you should apply directly with the cruise line? What’s the difference in the application process?

A cruise line agency qualifies potential crew members for positions with a cruise line. For this service, the cruise lines pay the agencies a fee for each crew member that is successfully hired and placed onboard.  Most agencies cover a wide range of cruise lines, departments and jobs for their cruise line clients.  And, some agencies are even referred to as an official hiring partner for the cruise line. (Be careful of Recruitment Scams, though).

One example is Royal Caribbean International. They provide links to their hiring partners through their website. These partners actively recruit for their cruise line. Alternatively, there are also agencies that represent a number of cruise lines at the same time.

WorkOnCruiseShips.com offers A-Z Directories for Concessionary Companies as well as a directory of reputable agencies located throughout the world.

In addition, WorkOnCruiseShips.com features articles such as Using an Agency to Get a Cruise Job and Using a Cruise Line Concessionary Company to Get Hired.

Next blog….Which Cruise Jobs Use Concessions?

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Applying Directly to a Cruise Line

Cruise Job Tips, Cruise Jobs Resumes and Cover Letters | Posted by Renee Ruggero
Nov 15 2011

Once you start your search for a cruise job you’ll see that there are quite a few cruise lines. Should you apply to all of them or concentrate on just a handful? How do you go about applying for a cruise job directly with a cruise line? Will your online application get noticed or should you send your resume by email as well?

Many of these questions and more are answered through the articles that WorkOnCruiseShips.com publishes for their members such as:

The Do’s and Don’ts When Contacting Cruise Lines

Cruise Ship Recruitment Scams

Pros and Cons of Resume Blasting

Guidelines for Online Cruise Applications

After you get an idea of who the major players are within the cruise industry, you need to understand if the job vacancy you are applying for is recruited directly through the cruise line. Each cruise line website stipulates which jobs are recruited in house and which ones are recruited through agencies or concessions.

Job applicants must understand that it’s a waste of time to start sending resumes to every cruise line, if the job you want isn’t recruited directly through their head office. The fact is that the cruise lines use hiring partners (agencies) and concessions to handle the bulk of recruitment.

Next blog….Using an Agency to Get a Cruise Job

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