Cruise Ship Workers

Employers

There are 85,000 water transportation workers, and 300,000 recreation workers, including cruise ship workers, employed in the United States. Many cruise lines are members of the Cruise Lines International Association, comprising the majority of global cruise capacity. Most employees are contracted to work four or more months at a time. Some major employers include Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Corporation (Cunard Line, Holland America, Princess Cruises, etc.), and Disney Cruise Line.

Starting Out

Applicants without college degrees and little shipboard experience are usually assigned to entry-level positions such as wait staff or housekeeping. If you have experience in retail sales, then you may be given a job at the duty-free shop; hospitality experience may land you a position in the purser's office.

The best way to learn about jobs is to visit the Web sites of major cruise lines. At many sites, you can apply for jobs. Visiting All Cruise Jobs (https://www.allcruisejobs.com), which provides job listings and general career advice, will also be useful.