This is a question that appears frequently in my email box. Not knowing YOU or your experience or education, there is no way I can answer that question BUT YOU CAN.

Consider the job that you want and ask yourself what your chances would be of getting that same job at a land-based company. For example: If you want a job as a photographer, what do you think your chances are of getting a job in a land-based photography studio? If you are considering a job as a receptionist, what do you think your chances are of getting a job in a hotel? You get the drift.

Compared to other industries, cruise lines have a much higher employee turnover rate. Most people don't work on ships as a lifelong career, they just want to experience the travel and save some money.

Truly, cruise lines are constantly hiring. They do get a lot of applications, most of which get trashed immediately because they are incomplete, inaccurate or sent to the wrong person.

If you can get the job you want on a cruise ship at a land-based company and you know how to apply, I think your chances of getting a cruise ship job are good.

I will share my own personal experience with you. Every time I returned home from a contract, I would do another mailing to all the cruise lines. I did this even when I was offered a good return contract from my present employer. I wanted to see if I could get a better offer and do research for my book. Keep in mind that I had previous cruise ship experience so I was a preferred candidate. Sometimes I would get six or eight job offers. Sometimes I would not get any. You have to get the right materials to the right people at the right time.