 |
 |
Cruise Industry Information
Background The Cruise industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in international leisure travel and, with ten to twenty new luxury liners being built every year, this growth has also meant an increasing number of jobs being available. If you add the American, European and Asian fleets, the number of ships sailing the oceans is more than 220 and they carry between them over 8 million passengers every year. When each new ship is launched there can be up to 1,000 new onboard positions (depending on the size of the ship). New ships tend to be staffed using existing personnel from throughout the fleet, leaving many vacancies for new applicants to apply for. Nature of the work Cruise Liners sail with a variety of itineraries ranging from two-day sails to three month world cruises and they visit ports in many countries, with the Caribbean and the Mediterranean being perhaps the most popular with European passengers. Life on board is not for everyone as you will sometimes be required to share cabins with other members of staff, work long hours seven days a week, and adhere at all times to the safety rules and the discipline of the ship. You will need to enjoy being surrounded by people and be willing to put the passengers’ needs first all the time. The skills and qualities to be an excellent team player are the key to all the roles on board. There are many benefits to working on board. There is sometimes time to sightsee around the various ports of call, so travel experiences are pretty good. There are opportunities to earn good salaries and save money, as most of your expenses on board (for example, bed, board and food) are met by the Cruise Line. There is the opportunity to meet a wide range of people from many different backgrounds and experiences, while developing your professional skills. All positions on board are normally salaried (with the exception of Gentlemen Hosts) and are paid monthly. Most companies pay a bonus to the employee when they complete their contracts. There are different types of contract available on board with most positions being fixed term for the particular season or cruise. Depending on performance you may be offered a new contract for the next schedule. Some contracts are ‘evergreen’, depending on company policy. Qualifications and Certificates required All technical and skilled jobs such as Medical staff, Chefs, Engineers, Electricians etc will require the usual qualifications showing competency and/or experience. Other certificates that may be required whilst working onboard ship are: Current Medical Certificate – ENG1 Certificates of Competency – for Master, Staff Captain, Safety Officer, Chief Officer, OOWs, Engineers etc GDMSS Basic Fire fighting/Advanced Fire fighting
Elementary First Aid/Medical First Aid Jobs on board Cruise liners are like huge hotels floating on the sea. They are open 24 hours a day and cater at all times for the pleasure and satisfaction of their passengers. Many liners have casinos, theatres, cinemas, gyms, beauty parlours, and gift shops, as well as the usual hotel operations on board. This extensive range of entertainment, health & fitness, travel & tourism, hotel and hospitality roles means there are many different types of job available for all age ranges and backgrounds. The crew onboard a ship are split into three different categories: Officers In the European fleet, ship's officers tend to be European. The Officer positions are highly technical and will require appropriate certification. Staff These positions include crew who work in casinos and beauty salons, photographers, gift shop personnel, pursers and receptionists who usually fall under the management of the Hotel Manager on board. Staff positions also include entertainers, musicians, lecturers, social hosts and cruise staff. These posts report to the Cruise Director. Crew Crew positions generally refer to all other positions below Officer and Staff level throughout the ship and cover mainly the hotel, and deck and engine departments. They include such position as waiters, cabin stewards, housekeeping staff, bar stewards, staff who oil and grease the engines etc. Job Descriptions Listed below are a variety of jobs carried out on cruise ships. However, it must be noted that each cruise line has its own job descriptions and those below are a general guide only. Some cruise ships will also employ staff such as photographers, videographers, scuba staff, international host/hostess, gentlemen hosts, and members of the clergy. Beauty Salon Staff - Most cruise ships provide beauty, spa and fitness centres that offer a wide range of treatments to passengers, such as aromatherapy massages, facials, mud baths, body wraps, spa treatments, hairdressing and make up. The qualified staff, who work in and manage this area, are usually hired by concessionaire companies and not crewing agencies.
Bar Staff – Besides regular bartending duties, bar staff are also responsible for stock-taking and cleaning of the lounge / bar they have responsibility for. Bar waiters are responsible for providing drinks and refreshment services in lounges, beside the pools and in the dining rooms. Bar staff are expected to have had previous related beverage experience and training, know the proper cocktail mixes, drink mixes, glasses to serve each type of drink in, and the associated garnishes. Casino Staff – Those cruise ships with casinos usually recruit their own casino managers, dealers/croupiers, cashiers and slot technicians, although some still use concessionaire companies. Casino staff only work whilst the ship is at sea and so have port days off.
Computer Specialist – Most cruise ships have computer suites on board. Passengers are able to pick up their e-mails and access the Internet. Cruise lines also provide basic computer skills course for passengers and so a computer specialist is required to teach, provide individual help and tuition where required as well as trouble shooting PC problems, software and hardware problems. A thorough knowledge of computers, software, and computer and Internet services is required, as is the ability to communicate understanding and knowledge of computers to the passengers. Cruise Staff – Cruise staff are responsible for all passenger activities, social activities, functions, shows and information talks regarding disembarkation. They encourage participation in activities and on board games, introduce passengers to one another and to the Captain, and will help on shore excursions. They are constantly circulating, interacting and socialising with passengers. Entertainers – Entertainers either form part of a production cast, made up of professional singers and dancers or guest entertainers who perform a speciality act for a short period of time aboard a number of different ships. Comedians, jugglers, singers and musicians usually form part of this group and are sourced through agencies or direct through crewing agencies. The production cast will put on ‘Las Vegas’ type shows and operate together as a dance team for the duration of their contract. Again these positions are filled either through specific entertainment agencies or direct by a crewing company. Fitness Instructors – With the increasing trend towards fitness centres on board there is an increasing need for qualified fitness instructors who can offer programmes such as aerobics, yoga, dance classes, water sports etc. Fitness instructors are usually hired through concessionaires who are responsible for all health, beauty and fitness on board. Galley staff – Galley staff are the chefs on board a ship. They, with the management team, are responsible for operation and maintenance of the main galley and storage areas, kitchens, cafes, crew galley areas etc. They also have responsibility for ensuring that safety policies relating to food and hygiene are carried out. Chefs have to have relevant technical qualifications, and experience within first rate hotels or restaurants. Gift Shop Personnel – These staff have responsibility for running, stocking and generally maintaining the gift shops on board. The shops generally consist of boutiques, perfumery and cosmetic shops and souvenir and gift shops. Experience in the retail industry is an advantage. Housekeeping – Most housekeeping positions on board cruise lines are filled using employment agencies and applicants are recruited from all over the world. Positions generally tend to be filled with applicants from eastern Europe or the developing countries. Lecturers – There are two types of lecturers on board. The guest lecturer tends to specialise in a particular subject such as computers, culture, health, science, arts and crafts etc. Celebrities also fall into this category. They will only work on a short-term contract basis. The port lecturer, however, is a full time position and is responsible for tour, shopping and port information. Medical Staff – All ships have a comprehensive medical department which will have one or two doctors and between one to four nurses. All hiring of such staff is done through either concessionaire companies or by the cruise line medical departments. Purser - The purser’s office is responsible for all guest relations, cabin allocations, custom and immigration regulations. They are based at the reception desk on board and generally provide first point of contact for passengers, helping to solve on board problems. They are responsible for administration on board as well accounting and budgeting work.
Production Staff – The production staff are made up of stage managers and staff, sound engineers and light technicians etc. They are there to support the cruise staff activities and entertainment programmes. Applicants are hired either through the cruise line’s agency or through the production company itself.
Social Staff - Social hosts have responsibility for a variety of tasks. They have to work very closely with the entertainers, cruise staff and pursers, and act as spokespeople for the ship. They are constantly in the public eye and require loads of energy, enthusiasm, excellent communication skills and the ability to work well under pressure. A background in public relations is an advantage as is a lively, vibrant, outgoing personality.
Waiters – Waiters have responsibility for serving food and drink to passengers in the restaurant areas. They have to know the names and ingredients of the food on the menus and be prepared to serve passengers in a friendly and respectful manner, using basic service procedures found in any first class restaurant. Waiters tend to be promoted from within the department and so the starting position for most crew waiters is that of Assistant Waiter. Progression can be fairly quick for the right candidates. This jobs list is by no means exhaustive. If you require further information on what jobs are available then please contact us or go to one of the linked websites for further information.
Back
|
|
|
|
|
