Read Me First

I set out to find a cruise ship job and found a sea of misinformation. As a result, my search for cruise line employment took months but I finally got lucky. I worked on eight different cruise ships and four different cruise lines.

It all started when a friend gave me a booklet about how to get a cruise ship job. The information seemed out of date so I purchased two more similar "booklets." These publications promised days off in tropical paradises, parties, romance and cheap drinks in the Crew Bar. They were right about the drinks.

I followed the instructions perfectly and mailed about 60 resumes to what I thought were the cruise lines. Then, I waited. Not one phone call. Not even so much as a "no thank you" rejection letter. I had made one simple mistake. I APPLIED FOR A JOB THAT DID NOT EXIST!

I learned the hard way that the information I paid big bucks for was wrong. It was like someone's best guess at how to get a cruise ship job. Many of the addresses turned out to be cruise travel agencies, not cruise lines.

These tricky little devils fooled me into spending 40 or 50 bucks but the worst part is they tricked me into believing I would get the job with their booklet. The waste of time and energy was much worse than the waste of money. These tricky little devils are still around.

If you are seriously considering cruise line employment, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get accurate and complete information. Learn how to apply, which jobs are available to you and which job you want. Some jobs on cruise ships are actually fun. Some jobs require long hours. Some don't. Some pay better than others. You should know exactly what to expect before you commit to a major life change.

The time that I spent working on cruise ships was exciting and enlightening. Sure, there were great travel experiences but there was lots of work. To be happy working at sea you should get a job that you enjoy or at least can tolerate. Most of your time will be spent working. There are no days off. You don't get to go home on the weekends. Decide which job is right for you and find out exactly how to apply for it.