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2025-07-15 00:09:31

Work on a cruise ship: a trip around the world with a surcharge

Work on a cruise ship: a trip around the world with a surcharge

The dream of a luxury cruise on a fashionable (and there are no others now) transocian liner haunts many. True, these days, due to the ill-fated coronavirus, such events are not held in the most rampant phase, but by the end of the year, according to rumors, a number of companies plan to resume swimming, to the delight of travelers.

Together with tourists, the cabins on board are occupied by a team and numerous staff - the same people who make your voyage truly inimitable and memorable for a lifetime. A friend of mine worked on such a ship a couple of years ago and shared her memories.

She served on a ship that sailed the Atlantic, visiting European and African ports, briefly peeking into the Mediterranean. It is one of the largest ships in the U.S. Cruise Fleet.

There are many employment options, but specific knowledge and competencies are needed for positions. So she applied for admission to the kitchen as an assistant waiter. The requirements, in general, are universal:

  • Age. More than 18, in some cases more than 21. It is implied that you are an adult and responsible person who is able to be responsible for all the difficulties that have arisen during the voyage;
  • Health. The applicant will have hard work associated with a long stay on his feet, running with heavy trays, and not everyone is able to withstand such loads;
  • No tattoos. Not to mention the aesthetic side of the issue, some colors or images may have an offensive context in the culture of a number of peoples and ethnic groups, religious groups. If the tattoo is hidden by clothes - everyone up;
  • Conversational English. The level of "Moscow from the capital ov ze Russian Federation" is clearly insufficient. For communication needs with superiors, crew and passengers, you should focus on a level not lower than B2;
  • Work experience. You must have served in the service sector for at least a couple of years. It is best if the anamnesis will be the appropriate diploma of graduation from the profile institution;
  • Weight. Employers prefer to hire slender girls and guys, they are not happy with fat people. But if we are talking about North American companies, everyone there is tolerant and body-positive (there are boundaries, and they are due to safety - you have to fit in a life jacket, on a boat or a raft).

After overcoming barriers and trials, you go for an interview in the office of the company. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, they have no representative offices, so you will have to ride to London, Lisbon or New York - there are concentrated representative offices of cruise travel companies. There you will once again cope with the language abilities and conduct face control: sullen beeches on board the ship will not be popular.

The salary is different: for an assistant waiter, it ranges from 800 to 1400 dollars plus numerous and diverse allowances.

The routes are also different - from the United States you can "drive" along the transatlantic route to Europe, travel to the islands of the Caribbean archipelago, the Bahamas and Central American states. Before going out into the ocean, there will be several trainings on lowering boats and landing in them (you will be taught to accommodate passengers, provide first aid and cope with tantrums).

It's funny - getting on board, you hand over your passport to the captain (or rather, the senior steward acting on his behalf). This is done to avoid border incidents: it happens that employees, once in a good country, get off and stay there. Instead of the document, a special card containing all your data is issued. On it you can go down to land and climb aboard.

In the days of the Titanic, luxury was peculiar only to the cabins of the first and second class - most of the passengers and crew lived in huge cabins and slept on two- and three-story bunks of the "nara" type.  This is in the past – now the team and staff are accommodated in double and quadruple cabins. Often they do not have a porthole, and the ceiling is slightly lower than in the passenger. The area is quite sufficient - from 12 to 18 "squares". Each has a shower, TV, wardrobe for personal belongings - in general, everything you need to relax (except time).

Helping a waiter is not easy. In fact, you are expected to perform the duties of a waiter, only in less responsible areas, as well as duty in the morning and afternoon in cafes and restaurants on board. You will collect used serving utensils, wipe tables, clean the floor and help find your places in the hall. In another case, you can change napkins or jugs of water or soft drinks, serve the buffet.

At first, get used to the new huge space and a huge number of people - there can be more than five thousand passengers on the ship with one and a half thousand stewards, cooks, waiters and so on. It is a huge city with its libraries, halls, cafes, restaurants, promenade decks, baths and swimming pools, not to mention navigation systems. It takes months for beginners to learn the scheme of the vessel. But more often employees are limited to those places where they serve - a couple of institutions, a sleeping block and office space.

At first it will not be easy, but after a couple of flights and about a month of hard labor, addiction will come. It will not be possible to delay between working shifts - the harsh rules are merciless to violators, you can fly out of work or even go to prison.

The reasons for penalties may be:

  • Talking in Russian language in passenger areas – guests of the vessel should not experience discomfort from conversations in an incomprehensible language. Only English – it is assumed that everyone speaks it;
  • Wearing open frivolous clothes in dining rooms and halls;
  • Scandals and conflicts with guests and colleagues;
  • Drinking alcohol or being in the service in a drunken state;
  • Being late for the watch or the ship as a whole.

The following misdemeanors are grounds for shore write-off or criminal prosecution:

  • Gambling
  • Entering the passenger's cabin without express permission
  • Fight
  • Theft.

The restrictions are quite reasonable, in our opinion.

Of the advantages of the work - food at the expense of the shipowner five times a day, the opportunity to explore the city during parking on a par with passengers (only in turn - there are schedules), something to buy or go to the museum.

There is also a possibility of career growth - if at the start you get a little, over time there is a chance to become a waiter and double your earnings.

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