:: Get a Cruise Ship Job Mini Course: The Very Best Time to Apply for a Job on a Cruise Ship

It's always great to hear from ex-crewmembers.

Here's an email I got a few days ago from one of my subscribers. It contains some really useful information:

Dear Neil,

Great advice you are giving. I have already worked on several liners, the QE2 being one of them, I applied by walking into their ship management office in Limassol, Cyprus and saying that I wanted a job.

They asked for a resume written stating my work history, and within days I was flown out to Barbados to join the ship. It was Christmas Eve the day I joined the ship. I did the Christmas Caribbean cruise and the world cruise as a chef aboard this fine ship.

I can strongly recommend working on cruise ships!

Your advice is so true of what the cruise industry require in its staff aboard its ships. It's a job that has great opportunities to travel and see the world yet also the requirement of an employee aboard are demanding, discipline is vital and so too is punctuality. An ability to work in rough seas is so important as I know only too well. How many times I have found myself alone in the galley when the other kitchen staff go down like flies with seasickness?

Also a preparedness to carry out vital orders as to safety at sea, lifeboat drill and fire drill. So before one applies for this rewarding job, one also has to look at the realities that go with the job. My experiences have been to say the least rewarding for me.

Sincerely,

Clive Smith

Thanks for your input Clive; you've dished out some really good, valuable advice that I hope my readers pay attention to. Firstly, visiting the cruise line companies at their own offices is an excellent way to get a cruise ship job. It FORCES them to consider you.

It's so much easier to trash a resume, delete an email or fob you off on the phone. But when you professionally present yourself in person, they can't ignore you quite so easily, can they? It also gives you chance to really sell yourself instead of having to rely on a piece of paper i.e. your resume.

If you live fairly close to the offices of a cruise line then it's well worth paying them a visit. And if you ever go on vacation near to a popular cruise ship port (e.g. Florida - Miami in particular) then it's definitely worth taking a day out of your vacation to knock on a few doors!

The next thing Clive mentions is being flown to Barbados and starting his new adventure on Christmas Eve. I don't know about you, but that's what I call a nice Christmas present to yourself! I've mentioned this before - the months leading up to Christmas present some of the biggest opportunities to get a cruise ship job.

You see many staff members sign-off right before the festive season to be home with family and friends. This often leaves gaping holes in the departments of many cruise lines. Use this knowledge to your advantage.

Last of all, he mentions three highly important words that I'll touch on a little here:

Working on a cruise ship requires DISCIPLINE to do your job to a high standard and adhere to the safety rules of the ship. Safety is the *number one* priority onboard any ship. If you flout the rules and put the safety of the passengers or fellow crew at risk, then expect to be reprimanded or even dismissed!
Working on a cruise ship requires PUNCTUALITY - turn up late for work regularly and you could find your contract ending much sooner than you planned! Good timekeeping is absolutely essential. Remember to mention how punctual you are during your interview ;-)
Working on a cruise ship is DEMANDING. Some days you'll work long hours into the evening, other days just a couple of hours here and there. Sometimes it's an early morning start and sometimes an evening start. Of course, you'll get plenty of time off too. But these kinds of varied working shift can really take it out of you both physically and mentally.

Many websites would have you believe that life onboard is always rosy. Yes, it is great fun and very satisfying – but it can also be damn hard work, never forget that.