From dance hosts and photographers to social hosts and pursers, there is a shipboard job for just about anyone. If the idea of working on a cruise ship puts a big smile on your face, you will be very happy to know that the cruise lines are always hiring. The majority of cruise ships operate in North America; however, cruise lines hire applicants from almost every country in the world.
So how are you going to be successful in securing a shipboard job?
The competition for jobs onboard cruise ships is high, but the good news is that the cruise industry is one of the fastest growing travel sector in the world. In 2018, a record 28.5 million passengers worldwide went on a cruise. Just consider that there is, on average, one crew member for every three passengers. That translates into a lot of jobs. For example:
| Ship | Number Of Passengers | Number Of Crew |
| Disney Dream | 2,500 | 1,458 |
| Norwegian Spirit | 2,012 | 1,125 |
| Holland America Zaandam | 1,432 | 650 |
| Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas | 5,400 | 2,395 |
The average contract for a crewmember is 6 months, and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reports that as many as 20% do not return to the ship. The reason is because many people don’t work on a ship as a lifelong career. This is why the cruise lines have to continually hire new staff and crew.
In addition, new cruise ships are steadily being built. 19 new ships are expected this year (2023) and 14 more scheduled for 2024. That’s well over 50,000 more passengers and an average of 17,000 more jobs coming up!
So how are you going to get one of these jobs? That’s easy. Let’s start with the basic qualifications plus the four traits the cruise lines are looking for.
