Shipboard personnel are ranked into three groups: Officers, Staff and Crew. Here is a brief description of the three shipboard personnel groups:
Officers
Officers are licensed professionals hired to navigate, operate and administrate the ship. They are considered senior personnel and generally will have their own cabins.
Staff
Cruise staff are directed by the Cruise Director and work with passengers in the following areas: cruise programs, children’s activities, entertainment, casino, gift shops, fitness facilities and spas. Cruise staff have the privilege of being allowed in certain public areas when off duty, but they must adhere to the shipboard rules and regulations that apply while in public areas.
Crew
Crew members are the many people that maintain the workings and operations of and within the ship from the Food/Beverage and Steward Department to the Deck & Engine Department. Crew members are not allowed into public areas while off duty. They are free to spend time in crew designated areas and in the ports of call. Crew positions are usually filled by citizens of the flag country where the ship is registered or by those hired through agencies in non-industrialized countries where low wages prevail.
Crew positions are usually filled by those hired through agencies in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Indonesia and Eastern Europe. Canadians, Americans and British may be hired for crew positions, but long hours and low wages make it undesirable to even consider such positions.
Most Canadians, Americans and British on ships hold positions in either the purser’s office or in the cruise staff department. When you have found a position of interest, confirm the title given by the cruise line for that position. Some cruise lines will refer to an Assistant Purser as a Receptionist. Be sure to use the proper position title to avoid confusion. An easy and quick way to find out the position title is either by calling the cruise line’s employment line or by checking their website.
To help you decide which position is right for you, think about your skills and relate them to a position. It is important to have some experience in the position that you wish to obtain for the cruise line to consider your application. Think about it from their side, the less training that they have to invest in you the better for them. It’s all about their advantages for hiring you. Also, please realize that if you haven’t worked on a ship before, it’s unlikely that you will be hired for a high-ranking position such as Cruise Director or Hotel Manager. The officers and staff that hold these positions have worked hard to climb their way up the ladder of stripes. Their pay is better, but the work hours can be much longer and the responsibilities also much greater.
The Captain
The Captain is the ship’s Master. All departments must answer to the Captain. Every crew member strives to please the Captain and carry out his
Hotel Department
Hotel Manager The Hotel Manager is a member of the ship’s senior management team. This team consists of the Captain, Chief Engineer, Staff Captain, Hotel
Cruise Staff Department
The cruise staff department of the ship is responsible for arranging entertainment and other recreational activities onboard and ashore for the passengers. Cruise Director The
Steward Department
Onboard the ship, the Steward Department provides services related to housekeeping and those that work in this department are often from the flag country (where
Food and Beverage Department
Entry-level employees in the Food and Beverage department are usually citizens from the flag country or personnel hired through Recruitment Agencies in non-industrialized countries. However, if this
Galley Positions
As with the Food and Beverage Department, many of the entry-level jobs in the Galley Department are held by citizens of the flag country or
Bar Department
The Bar Department employs personnel from a variety of countries; however citizens from non-industrialized countries fill most entry-level positions. To work in this department, beverage-related
Deck and Engine Department
The Deck and Engine departments are responsible for the maintenance, navigation and engineering of the ship. Individuals interested in working in the Deck or Engine
The Captain
The Captain is the ship’s Master. All departments must answer to the Captain. Every crew member strives to please the Captain and carry out his
Hotel Department
Hotel Manager The Hotel Manager is a member of the ship’s senior management team. This team consists of the Captain, Chief Engineer, Staff Captain, Hotel
Cruise Staff Department
The cruise staff department of the ship is responsible for arranging entertainment and other recreational activities onboard and ashore for the passengers. Cruise Director The
Steward Department
Onboard the ship, the Steward Department provides services related to housekeeping and those that work in this department are often from the flag country (where
Food and Beverage Department
Entry-level employees in the Food and Beverage department are usually citizens from the flag country or personnel hired through Recruitment Agencies in non-industrialized countries. However, if this
Galley Positions
As with the Food and Beverage Department, many of the entry-level jobs in the Galley Department are held by citizens of the flag country or
Bar Department
The Bar Department employs personnel from a variety of countries; however citizens from non-industrialized countries fill most entry-level positions. To work in this department, beverage-related
Deck and Engine Department
The Deck and Engine departments are responsible for the maintenance, navigation and engineering of the ship. Individuals interested in working in the Deck or Engine