
WANTED: People interested in traveling all over the world while watching their bank account grow by thousands of dollars every month.
If you want to take advantage of such a life-changing opportunity, you owe it to yourself to consider working on board cruise ships. We can honestly say that working on board ships has changed our lives in incredible ways, most importantly giving me the freedom to live life on my own terms.
Get started today! Step-by-step instructions on how to apply to every major cruise line plus never-before offered details to guide you through the entire process are only a couple of clicks away.
Want to learn more? Continue reading below…
(Read at your own risk. May cause extreme excitement.)
WORKING ON BOARD A CRUISE SHIP IS NOT AN ORDINARY JOB
Once you walk up the gangway of your first ship, your life will never be the same.
Why? Your life will instantly be full of…

WORLD TRAVEL – Explore (yes, you will have free time to explore) every corner of the globe, from Alaska to the Caribbean, Europe to the Middle East, the South Pacific to Southeast Asia!
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY! – Earn up to $6000+ USD per month, depending on position. And with almost ZERO expenses (room and meals are provided!) you can save $10,000 – $20,000+ in a few short months!
AMAZING SOCIAL LIFE – Live the good life with access to crew bars, crew lounges, internet cafes, hot tubs, swimming pools, a crew gym, crew-only sunbathing decks and endless crew parties and other events!
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES – Spend your evenings socializing in passenger bars, night clubs, lounges and theaters when you’re not working. Get paid to attend exclusive parties and dine in five-star restaurants!
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS – Build friendships with crew members from dozens of countries around the world, and when you’re on vacation, you’ll have plenty of money to visit your new friends overseas!
LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES – Network with crew members, local residents in every port of call and thousands of passengers and you’ll discover opportunities you simply never imagined! (Through networking on ships, I’ve been offered jobs in Greece and Costa Rica and a business partnership on the stunning Caribbean island of St. Kitts.)
2-4 MONTHS OF VACATION! – Enjoy up to 4 months of vacation per year, which you can spend anywhere in the world you wish. You’ll actually work less and save more money than if you were working on land!

HOW TO LAND A KICK ASS JOB ON A CRUISE SHIP
Applying for a cruise ship job is not the same as applying for a job on land. The rules are different, the process can be complicated and without any guidance, it’s nearly impossible to do on your own. Without knowing how to navigate the specific steps involved, cruise lines will never even notice your application. In fact, you’ll have trouble simply trying to get an application if the first place.
THIS GUIDE PROVIDES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET HIRED BY ANY CRUISE LINE
When you purchase this guide…
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING…
- Katie Hart, North Carolina, USA —————————————— |
- Leah Bolton, Vancouver, Canada —————————————— |
- Santana Mackline, USA —————————————— |
- Xander McGrouther, USA —————————————— |
- Jan Kerekes, Vancouver, Canada |
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The low, one-time cost for this detailed 175-page guide is only:
$25 USD
That’s all you’ll ever need to spend in order to land a cruise ship job that will allow you to save $2000, $3000 or even as much as $5000 per month.
When that first pay check comes in, we guarantee you’ll laugh at how little you had to spend in order to land a job that offers so much!
Pay with Paypal or Credit Card: Just click on the “Checkout with Paypal” button on the checkout page & you’ll be able to choose your payment method.
Instant Access!: As soon as your order is placed, you’ll immediately receive your guide via email so that you’ll have instant access to all of the material. (Your guide is in Adobe PDF format.)
Works For Everyone: The information in this guide works for EVERYONE, no matter what country you live in. Cruise lines hire people of all nationalities and the only requirement to apply is that you are at least 18 years of age and not a convicted felon.

Also, every order of this guide comes with my personal guarantee…
60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you don’t believe the information you receive will help you find a rewarding job on board a cruise ship, you have a full 60 days to ask for a refund. Just send us a quick email and we’ll refund the full amount without any questions asked.
ONE FINAL BONUS…
Once you order your guide, you’ll be able to contact us directly with any questions you may have along the way. You’ll find our direct email address on the last page of the guide and we encourage you to use it! We guarantee you that we’ll do our very best to help get you working on board a cruise ship as quickly as possible.
Bon Voyage!






Hi Earl,
I just found your site and I’ve really been enjoying it so far. I’m considering buying your e-book but have a couple of questions.
I have been working at sea since I was a kid (mostly deck dept, some time in engine room and stewards dept when I was younger). I have worked my way up and now have an unlimited masters license (USA). I’m not really interested in working in a licensed capacity onboard but what other positions would a cruise line be interested in looking at someone like me for (50 yrs old)? I recently worked with a mate who had a pursers job onboard a cruise line. How common is it to be able to find work in a different department than what most of your background is in? Do you cover the marine crew in your ebook? I’m seeing mostly posts from people who are not mariners.
I do travel constantly in my time off, usually solo but I have taken a few group tours. I have a very basic knowledge of Spanish.
I’ve also heard from many sources that the cruise lines (along with most other shipping companies) do NOT like to hire Americans due mostly to our legal system here (Jones Act, etc). Have you found this to be true and if so, how do we make ourselves more likely to get hired?
Thanks
Hey Jill – Thanks for the comment! So, it’s quite common to find work in different departments as, at the end of the day, cruise lines are more interested in people that can adapt to the unique environment of ship life than they are in finding people with very specific work history. Anyone can learn most of the non-technical jobs on a ship, so I don’t think you’ll have much of an issue moving to a different position. As for the hiring of Americans, I’ve never heard of cruise lines avoiding that and there are Americans on every single ship I’ve ever worked on. Most cruise lines have their headquarters in the US anyway and while the ships may be registered in places such as Liberia and Panama, cruise lines are still involved with the US legal system by having their companies on US soil. So I wouldn’t worry about that at all.
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Hi Earl ,
I am an approaching 50year Old lady and have worked with the homeless most of my life . I am looking for a complete life change and would be really interested in a Job on a cruise liner. What age restrictions do they have if any. I live in the UK do you have any information regarding the employment on cruise liners from hear.
Hey Wendy – Cruise lines are generally open to hiring crew members of all ages and I’ve personally worked with crew members ranging from 18 to 70+ years old. And as for the UK, yes, my guide above offers all the information you need to get a job on a cruise ship. You will find all of the contact information and application instructions for a UK citizen to apply to 18 major cruise lines around the world.
Hi Earl, I’ve found your page on pinterest today and it’s great. I’m from Nicaragua, and since you’ve traveled around the world I assume you know where it is. I’m very interested on buying your guide, but I’m only 20 right now and a haven’t finish my college degree yet, I’m planing to do it December next year though, and I think it would be a great experience to work on a cruise, but I’m not a US citizen. Do you think I could found a Cruise that would accept me?
Have a nice day!
I’m really glad I found your page, for sure you will inspire many people.
Thanks for doing it.
Hola Maria! Yes, I know where Nicaragua is and I had a great time visiting your country a couple of years ago. Leon is one of my favorite destinations in all of Latin America
As for your questions, it would be better to wait until you have a university degree as that will definitely help you get a job. But you don’t have to be a US citizen at all. There are crew members from dozens and dozens of countries and actually, only a few from the US. So if you follow the instructions in the guide, you will have a good chance of finding a job on a cruise ship!
Hi Earl, thanks for the reply
I know Leon its a great place, Nicaragua has many places to go and they’re beautiful. I’m also planing to do the same thing you do around the world but in my country because there are a lot of places that I haven’t visited yet.
Again thanks for the advice, I’ll take it. I know I would have better opportunities with a degree. At this time I’ll wait and meanwhile I’ll keep reading your posts.
Have a nice one.
Hi Earl!
I just found your website the other day, and I enjoy very much reading all of your articles. I am sure you inspire lots of people around the world!
I am a 21 years old guy from Denmark, and I love travelling. I am very open to the idea of working on a cruise ships, and I just finished a worldwide-known bartender-education in Greece, with top-grades.
Now, I am wondering if it is possible to get jobs on cruise ships as a bartender in my age. What are your experiences with that?
Thank you!
Hey Andreas – In general, as long as you are 21 years old you can be hired to work as a bartender on board cruise ships, so, you definitely have a chance! And I’m sure that course you took in Greece will help a lot!
hey earl, im’ just thinking about doing a cruise ship job. i speak several languages, english, french, german and a bit of spanish but i just speak german perfectly, in fact that there are no ships around my country, switzerland, i won’t get an advantage out of this. i’d like to work as a bartender, cook or organizing eventy, evenings on the ship. except i had to do military services back home and i was a cook, i don’t have any experiences in those things, except for private use. So, would there be any chance to get a job even if i don’t have the experiences and language skills on perfect levels? i speak all of them kind of fluently but no one perfectly. I know, nowhere is a certainity for things like this, i just like to know if the chances are existing or not and if it’s possible do a job like this for less than 6 months? Thanks in advance and have a good one!
Hey Rico – Your language skills are more than enough and it doesn’t matter if there aren’t any cruise lines near your country. Most cruise lines are based in the US with only a small handful based out of Europe. As for your chances of finding work, if you do have cooking experience from the military, then that would be excellent and could definitely help you get a job. You probably won’t get hired as a bartender though if you don’t have any previous bartending experience.
Your guide book looks awesome. I have been looking into checking out cruise ship work to see more of the world.
I havent done a lot of travel. but am about to backpack through central and south america for 6-8 months solo and in terms of job experience I dont have much experience in anything like hospitality or customer service however I have a degree and have been working in Video games industry for 6 years not sure if that will really translate over.haha I’m hoping I can fill the gap in my resume by proving I can live on a cruise ship from my extended travel experience and hope to do various volunteer work over my travels seeing as hopefully that will help I hope. I don’t really care what job I do
I will definitly be buying your book in the next few months when I get closer to looking for a job on a cruise ship
Hi Earl! I just found your website on StumbleUpon and I am definitely loving it. I’m seriously considering working on a cruise ship starting in January, and I’m pretty sure I’ll purchase your guide, since all the efforts I’ve made so far on my own have turned up with nothing. I’m American, 21 years old, and one semester shy of finishing my college degree. I need to take a year off before I graduate, and I was hoping to do so by working two 5-month contracts aboard a cruise ship (Jan-May, Sept-Jan). My ideal position would be working in the children’s programs on board, since I’ve worked at a residential summer camp for 2 years, but all of the job listings require a college degree. I’m willing to do almost any onboard job, do you think that two months is enough time to secure a placement, and would I be a desirable candidate?
Also forgot to add that I am fluent in both English and Spanish. Hopefully you’re still reading comments on a post that’s a bit old!
Hey Nancy – Thanks for the comment and welcome to the site! While it’s definitely possible to land a job within 2 months, especially in the youth program area given your background, you wouldn’t be able to necessarily choose when your contract would be. The cruise lines would decide that based on when they need you, so you could end up with a 3 or 4 or 5 month contract in the end. And then they will tell you when you would need to be back for your next contract. While you usually will get 6-8 weeks of vacation, it can change, again, based on the staffing needs of the cruise line. But if you’re alright with that, then you definitely have a chance. Have a degree would certainly make things easier but it’s not impossible to get a job on a ship without one!
asslam o laikum Earl, it is an amzing to go through your wonderfull and so much informative site, i read it today and find my self love in travelling and nomadic life style. i am from pakistan. received masters in agricultural sciences and 28 years old. is ur guide is helpfull for pakistani guys to find tips to get jon in any cruise ship …. thanx..
Hey Husnain – My guide will help anyone from anyone country apply for positions on board cruise ships!
this may sound like a frivolous question but, what if you have tattoos?? will the hire you?
Thanks so much!
Hey Daniela – If your tattoos are somewhere on your body that is either covered up while wearing your uniform or can be covered up (such as on the arm as they can provide a sleeve to cover it), then you’re all set. If the tattoos are more visible and in places that can’t be covered at all, then they might not hire you.
Hey I’d just like to jump in here (I saw this site when being on a travelling for free website)
Tattoo’s and piercings are all depended on the position you apply for and also the company.
I work as example in the entertainment department. in one company both piercings and tattoo’s are not allowed. on another company you can have tattoo’s in places that are most of the times hidden. (that means: not on the face/arms/shoulders/back/legs.)
Take the normal rule though: If it’s visible even with a sleeveless shirt and shorts it’s a no-no for most type of companies in the touristic branche.
Hi Earl,
I’m from India, I’ve been working in a corporate environment for two and a half years. I’ve completed my Bachelors degree in Business Management. My one and only dream is to travel around the world. I came across this website and found it intriguing. I am passionate and would love to work on a cruise. Before I purchase the book, I wanted to know if my Indian citizenship would help me get a job on the cruise? There are barely any cruise lines around here and also tentatively how long would the contract be for? Thank you very much!
Regards,
Riddhi
Hey Riddhi – There are many Indians working on board cruise ships so you definitely can apply. And you don’t have to worry about cruise lines not being around India. There are about 18 major cruise lines in the world and you just apply to those and if you get hired, they send you to one of their ships which can be located anywhere in the world. Chances are you’ll end up on a ship in Europe or North America/Caribbean as those are the two areas that have the most ships these days.
i speak both french and english
hi earl! i hope this note reaches you in good spirits
its the end of the year and one of the things that i need to start doing is to TRAVEL. It’s amazing that you’ve got the courage to just leave everything behind and just deal with the NOW, you inspire me. So, inline with that (and the new year around the corner) the cruise thing really caught my eye as it would enable me to travel and work at the same time (work like not working=perfect) but im afraid i dont have any skills to offer. ive been in the BPO industry for the past 8 years- i know how to deal with people mainly and speak only english. is there by the love of the universe something i can do (offer) to be able to get on those cruiseship + i dont really know how to swim! (yes i lived a boring life!) help?
thanks
Hey Chin – The good news is that there are hundreds of positions on board ships and as long as you have a decent education and work history, it is often quite possible to find a job on ships. The thing is, cruise lines also want people who can handle the unique challenges of ship life more than they want someone who has very specific job experience. Most people can learn most of the jobs available on ships so if you can prove that you would make an excellent overall crew member, it’s quite possible to find a cruise line that would want to hire you!
Hi Earl,
I am wondering if cruise ship companies will hire someone who is 55-60 year old as a crew member.
Thanks
Hey Dee – While it will be a little more difficult to land a position, as long as you have some solid/relevant work experience, cruise lines are open to hiring people of almost any age. I’ve worked with crew members ranging from 18 – 75 over the years myself. It’s possible, just takes a little more effort to convince them!
Truth be told, it all seems a little too slick. Too commercial. If your life is so full of adventure, if you’re doing so well financially, or at least not considering living in your car (Like I am)…why do you need to sell this?
If you want us all to live life to the fullest, why are you trying to SELL us these secrets? I cannot afford to buy a book that might be completely bogus. I cannot afford to spend money on a potential scam.
It’s great, you can go and travel the world and meet amazing people and amazing cultures…but a lot of the people that you are claiming to want to help simply cannot afford to start your lifestyle.
I’d give almost anything to be able to work on a cruise ship, but everywhere I turn I only find people who are trying to SELL you the answer on how to land a job on one. It’s pathetic really…sorry.
Hey Jesse – Thanks for the comment but unfortunately, people do need to earn money in order to survive, no matter what their lifestyle choices are. And this eBook, which I worked extremely hard to put together and to ensure is the most useful of its kind, is one way that helps me earn some money. And this is no scam because why would I throw away everything I’ve built on this blog (you can see the active community just by reading any of the posts)? That wouldn’t be so smart of me at all.
And you’re right, a lot of people can’t afford this lifestyle, which is exactly why I charge a low amount for a product that has a huge success rate in helping those people get started, by helping them get work on cruise ships.
Hey Jesse – Thanks for the comment but unfortunately, people do need to earn money in order to survive, no matter what their lifestyle choices are. And this eBook, which I worked extremely hard to put together and to ensure is the most useful of its kind, is one way that helps me earn some money. And this is no scam because why would I throw away everything I’ve built on this blog (you can see the active community just by reading any of the posts) by creating a product that didn’t provide what it promised? That wouldn’t be so smart of me at all.
And you’re right, a lot of people can’t afford this lifestyle, which is exactly why I charge a low amount for this product that has a huge success rate in helping those people get started, by helping them get work on cruise ships. While I would love to give everything for free…if I did, that would be the end of the blog and then I wouldn’t be helping anyone at all.
Hey Jesse,
Just chiming in here. I worked on cruise ships for 2.5 years (check my blog if you want to read some stories). I’ve read Earl’s ebook. He’s the real deal and $25 is dirt cheap for what you get. Honestly, I managed to find a job myself before reading his ebook. But it took me 4 months of online research before I gathered enough information to find a job on cruise ships. I wish I just got his book earlier.
Basically, you can do it yourself – just depends on how much your time is worth!
Hey Earl!
Greetings from Munich, Germany!
I’m currently studying abroad and traveling as much as I can before returning to the United States to finish my undergraduate degree. I would be super interested in investing in such an ebook as this, but unfortunately not for at least another 18 months. Do you have any plans to keep what you are writing up-to-date in the coming years? I’m only assuming that the cruise-line work industry changes just as rapidly as any other.
Congratulations on earning an income on doing what you love and sharing it with others! (:
Hey Dominique – My eBooks are updated every month so whenever you are interested in buying it, you can be sure to receive the most up to date information possible!
Hey Earl! Have been following your blog for the last couple months. I’ve always been inspired to travel and so far have dabbled a bit; 6 months studying abroad in Australia, took a 2 month road trip around the U.S and currently just moved to Colorado for a ski-season. It’s funny how some people just have that get up and go mentality. I am glad to know I’m not alone and have been reading other blogs from your links page. My friends and family think it’s absurd that I can take off to unknown territory. I know you’ve been traveling for a lot longer, but what do your friends from home and family say/think about your constant traveling?
Kind Regards,
Randy
Hey Randy – In the beginning, family and friends weren’t so thrilled with my constant traveling as they felt I was just bumming around, wasting my education. But once I started showing them that travel could be an actual lifestyle and that I was earning money and fully able to support myself, and not bumming around, they all came around and started supporting me.
Hi Earl
) tell me if i don’t have any credit cards is there any other means for me to get your guide and how??
I’m from Namibia, Africa don’t know if u’ve ever heard about our country. I have been trying to land a job on cruise lines before but unfortunately with no success. So im hoping this time i’ll have a bit more luck, im currently working as a Receptionist at a College and aslo studying Accounting but this has always been my dream so it would be great if i could land something in the admin/accounts department maybe? or anything else would also be fine ofcourse i have done some waitressing before aswel
Hey Ashlene – Of course I’ve heard of Namibia
If you want, send me an email using the “Contact” link at the top of my website and I’ll see about getting the eBook to you using another payment method. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
I guess what I want to ask is, if in the event I purchased the ebook today just out of interest, but only actually required the up-to-date materials in a year or so, would there be a way of accessing them then without paying again? (Given that you are still updating it, of course.)
Sorry if the question is unclear. Simply, would I be able to be kept up-to-date on this ebook in the future if I only paid one-time today?
Vielen Dank!
Hey Dominique – Absolutely! Whenever you want an updated version, simply send me an email and I’ll send the latest version to you. The main thing that I update each month are the links that will take you to the application forms and employment pages that you’ll need to access. Sometimes the links change and so I make sure that I change them in the eBook as well. So whenever you start applying, I’ll make sure you have the updated links!
Hi Earl,
I am 36 years old and live in Ireland, my work background is in accounts. I am currently thinking of a life change, would I have a chance on a cruise ship?
Hey Sarah – Absolutely! Every ship has an onboard accounting department and that would be a great area to work in with your background.
Thanks for the reply, would I have to travel to the states to apply to the cruise ships? Will your book help me when I live in Ireland? I’d really like to do it but I’m quite nervous about doing something that’s a bit drastic.
Hey Sarah – You don’t have to travel anywhere to apply…you simply apply from your home country. And since most cruise lines have their main offices in the US, the interviews are all conducted via Skype or telephone. Also, the information in the guide will definitely be relevant for you living in Ireland!
Very nice site!! My question is what if my girlfriend and I plan on doing this together? Is this possible at all or would we need to both get lucky and get offered jobs by the same company? Any way to make this easier? Thanks
Hey Mihai – It is possible to get jobs on the same ship but not every cruise line will hire couples, only some of them. The thing is that you wouldn’t be hired for the same department so you would have to apply for separate jobs and separate departments in order to be considered. And if you choose the right cruise lines to apply to, there’s no reason why they wouldn’t consider a couple.
Hey Earl,
And we are thinking of buying your e-book especially after reading the above mails.
My question to you is (and this also counts for your other e-book that we are interested in) can we work on cruise ships as a married couple applying as dive instructors.
Thanks….
Hey Angelica – You can find work on board a cruise ship (some of them, not all of them) as a couple, but you almost always need to work in separate departments. Just for conflict of interest reasons cruise lines almost never hire a couple to work together unfortunately.
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Hi:) I just bought your guide, and read that you cannot have any visible tattoos.. Is that a big problem? Because I have a small one on my finger, and sometimes it is not even visible.
Hey Marianne – It all depends on the cruise line but in general, if it can be covered up (such as with a bandaid or a a small piece of tape) then it’s no problem at all. And I imagine that your small tattoo could easily be covered up if it’s just on one finger.
Hi:) I just bought your guide, and I read that you cannot have any visible tattoos… Is that a very big problem? Because I have a small one on the inside of my finger, and sometimes it is not even visible.
Hey man,
Graduating college this summer and am very interested in getting into the travel industry with a start in cruise ships. I was wondering if I would have to start all the way at the bottom of the food chain for jobs on a ship (dishwasher, etc) in order to get the experience and move up the ladder. I have great work experience which translates really well to customer service to the rich and wealthy with long work hours, however my field of study isn’t exactly travel related.
Thanks
Hey Fred – It all depends…if you have some good work experience, a university education and you come from a western country, you have a good chance of going straight into one of the staff/officer positions. Of course, it all depends on your exact experience but it’s definitely possible. When I first started, I managed to begin in the Tour Office, which is a great department to work for.
Hi earl, does that mean that if I’m not from a western country and no university degree, they would hardly consider my application?
Hey Laurie – In general, cruise lines only hire people with some sort of university education, whether it be a 2 year or 4 year degree. And that is the same for both western and non-western applicants. The majority of crew members on ships are from non-western countries but that education part is something that the cruise lines do look for.
i really wish you had this book in a print copy, i don’t have an e-reader and reading online for extended periods kills my eyes and usually ends up with a headache. after reading you experiences you’ve cemented in my mind that this is something i really want pursue, and i would love to read more about your experiences and advice on how to go about getting myself a job like this working for a cruise line.
Hey Zach – The reason I don’t have this in a print copy is that I update everything every single month. And inside, I provide the direct links to the applications, employment pages and many other sites you need so that all you have to do is click on the link and you’re all set. With a print copy, this wouldn’t be possible of course and I wouldn’t be able to ensure that it is always up to date.
Could you give us a bit of insight into what the accommodations and starting salary might be? Do you need a work visa if you are not a citizen of the country that the boat is registered in?
Hey Kathryn – The accommodations are generally 2 people per cabin with your own bathroom but it does depend on the position. Some positions get their own cabin and others don’t. As for salary, again, it all depends on your job as there are well over 100 jobs on board a cruise ship. Some people are earning $500 USD per month while others are earning $5000 or more per month. As for a work visa, if you are not a US citizen, you will need to obtain a US Seamens Visa but it’s easy because the cruise line will send you all the paperwork you need once you are hired. You will not need a work visa for any other country. Hope that helps!
Hi Earl,
Is there a particular time of the year that the cruiselines do most of their hiring? Also, if I am not planning on applying for a job until a few months from now, is it best not to purchase the ebook until a later date so it is more up to date with opportunities since I saw in a previous comment that you update the book consistently? Or will I receive any updates after purchasing the book? Thanks so much!
~Rachel
Hey Rachel – Cruise lines are actually hiring all year round as they always need new crew members. And I would apply around 2-3 months before you want to start work. As for the eBook, what I actually update each month are the links to various employment pages and other important sites you’ll need. For some reason, cruise lines love to change the URLs all the time so I make sure that they are up-to-date. I would say you should get the eBook about 3 – 3.5 months before you want to work as it will take some time to follow the advice and recreate your resume/CV so that it details exactly what the cruise lines want to see!
Hi Earl,
I’m just wondering whether your book has any information for couples wanting to work on a ship together? Is this something that cruise lines are willing to accommodate?
Also, what qualifications do medical staff on ships usually have? My husband is a qualified Paramedic (with a university degree). Will this be recognised or do they generally just hire doctors and nurses?
I’d have a few job options as I’m a qualified fitness instructor and ex pool lifeguard. I’m also nearly finished a business degree and have worked in finance and customer service.
We’re both Aussies and unfortunately neither of us speak a second language.
Do you think we have a chance of finding some work on the same ship or should we start chasing a different travel dream?
Hey Rachel – The book does cover couples and how you could find work on the same ship/cruise line. Some cruise lines don’t allow couples but there are several that welcome couples working on the same ship. For the medical staff, you would typically need to be a doctor or nurse as those are the only medical positions on board. And it’s no problem about not speaking another language and I do think you would have a chance of being hired on the same ship if you choose the cruise line carefully (which the book helps you do). The only potential issue is other job opportunities on board ships for your husband since he probably wouldn’t be hired for the medical department. Apart from that, your background is definitely a good match!
Hi!!
This looks like a great ebook! I have a question – I am a 24 year old Bangladeshi citizen and I have to jump through a lot of hoops to get visas that people of many other countries don’t have to go jump through. Will my citizenship be an impediment to me getting a job on a cruise ship? Thanks and keep up the great work!
Hey Shikha – If you are hired to work on a cruise ship, the cruise line will give you all the paperwork you need to obtain any visas that would be required. Usually, the only visa you need is a Seaman’s visa for the US, which all crew members generally need to have, no matter which ship they are on. But again, the cruise line helps you get this visa if you’re hired.
Hey earl!
My boyfriend has dread locks! He can put them back in a ponytail and wear a headband wear it looks decent but have you seen any crew members with dreads?
Hi Earl! Firstly, what an awesome blog you have! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful, amazing and jaw-dropping experiences with all of us! I have been so very impressed and touched at how you clearly try your best to reply to almost all comments and that you’re so sincere at helping all us budding travellers! So a BIG thank you for that!
I’m actually going on my first cruise ship adventure based in Japan this upcoming summer as a Seasonal Youth Staff to figure out if working on a cruise ship is the life for me! If it is and I decide to pursue a job in the cruise industry, I am definitely getting this book as it seems like an awesome book that would tell me everything I need to know. One thing I’ve been finding lacking before I even embark on my adventure is that information about the details of a cruise ship job is not exactly readily available online so I can imagine this ebook will be a massive help to anyone interested in this industry x)
By the way, I was also hoping you can answer some questions I have regarding the position of a Seasonal Youth Staff.
1) Do you know roughly what kind of hours I should be expecting? I can’t imagine it being quite the same as some of the other more demanding positions where staff work 12-14 hours but is that just my misconception?
2) Can you briefly explain to me how the shore leave system works? Do you have to apply for shore leave in advance if I want to get off at certain ports? Is there also a rough number of shore leave per month an employee is allowed to take? If so, is that different for seasonal staff?
Thanks for reading my comments and I look forward to your reply =)
Hey Michelle – A rough estimate would be about 10 – 12 hours of work per day. It can be a few hours more or a few hours less depending on the situation but in general you will work as much as all of the other members of the cruise staff department. As for shore leave, it depends on the cruise line but in general, whenever you have free time, you’re free to get off the ship (if it’s in port of course!). You don’t apply for anything, you just walk off
And you can do it any time you want, any number of times, whenever you don’t have to be working.
Thank you so very much for answering my questions Earl! The 10-12 hours sound daunting but the fact that I can walk off any time off the shop when it’s in port and I have time off sounds very appealing. I certainly look forward to the latter aspect very much~
In the mean time before I embark on my own adventure, I’ll be living vicariously through your awesome travel experiences xD
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Hey Earl! I’ve just discovered your website and I literally can’t go to sleep! I’m teaching English in South Korea right now and am heading to India in 6 months to do yoga teacher training. It crossed my mind to look for jobs on cruise ships teaching yoga when I finish there and now that I’ve read this page I’ve gotten even more excited! What are your thoughts on this? In your experience, have there been many yoga teachers working for cruise lines?
Hope you’re having the time of your life, wherever you are.
Hey Allie – Welcome to the site! As for yoga teachers, I’ve seen a couple but usually they look for overall fitness instructors that can teach a variety of fitness classes, including yoga. So if you can teach something else too, then you could apply as such an instructor. That’s not to say yoga isn’t enough though as there are cruise lines that would certainly be open to hiring specific yoga teachers, but in all honesty, I don’t know off the top of my head which ones do that.
Hi earl, happy Easter. Hope you are well. I’m still thinking about working on a cruise ship, but just a quick question I don’t have an actual degree in accounts but I have a qualification as an accounts technician and I have over 10 years experience, would that be enough? Is there anything else I should have that would give me an advantage such as first aid etc? Thanks
Hey Sarah – Yes, that should be sufficient, especially since you have the 10 years of experience. And you should definitely put down first aid as well and anything else, any kind of certification that you have, on your resume/CV. It all makes a difference.
Hi, I’d also be very interested in the answer to this question. I’m a qualified yoga teacher with experience and I have also done a fitness instructor course which qualifies me to work in a gym and teach various classes such as step aerobics, circuits etc.. But yoga is my real passion
I have been researching into cruise ships and would quite like to apply for a job in one but I am hesitant as from what I’ve seen from researching and also what I’ve heard from some others is that fitness instructors make most of their income on selling products. So your role is basically a sales person. This does not appeal to me and I would find it very difficult to sell products, particularly “nutrition” products that I do not believe in. Are there any cruise lines where fitness/yoga instructors don’t have to also be sales people to make a living?
Would love to hear your knowledge on this Earl.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Christine
PS. Allie I also taught English in South Korea last year ^^ Hope you enjoyed the experience and good luck with the yoga teacher training course.
Hey Christine – The way it works is that fitness/yoga instructors usually work for the Spa Department and as a result, the Spa wants to try and sell their products as well. So anyone who works in the Spa will have to do some selling but in all honestly, I’ve never really heard of fitness instructors having to hard sell anyone. Most of the ones I know earn their money by the number of people that sign up for their classes.
Awesome! Thanks for the info Earl, and thanks for the positive vibes Christine
Hey Earl,
I was lucky enough to buy this ebook right before a job fair for a cruise line and I just received a conditional offer! However, I was told that the contract would be for 5 months. I am still in college and I have at most 4 months over the summer to work. My question is, what would be the consequences of ending my contract early? I did not want to ask them during the interview as I was afraid it would ruin my chance of getting the job.
Thanks in advance,
Jack
Hey Earl who is liz? have you traveled with a girlfriend?
Hey Marco – Liz is my friend who I met on board cruise ships and we created the guide together.
Hi Earl,
My name is Cristian Bularca and I am a former cruise line employee just like you. I read your post often and I was wondering if you can maybe help me get back on working on cruise ships.
I have extended experience and a very good hotel management education but I can seem to get a job that would make me happy.
I would like to send you my C.V. but couldn’t find an e-mail address.
Maybe you can use your connections to help me, in that case I would make a donation in your account.
All the best and looking forward to your reply.
Hey Cristian – I think the best option is to check out the eBook above as that will give you the best chance of getting back into the industry.
Hi Eral !
).
I was so lucky and excited that I searched ur blog. It almost lighted my life up. (I meant it. You have no ideal how many people you saved by your blog like me..haha
I was doing working holiday last year at NZ. I was living in miserable since I back to home cause I still want to go abroad to explore this mysterious world and meet people. I tried to find the way to earn the money while traveling. I felt so useless about I don’t have any passion or special talent like writing blog, have the qualification of bandertander or else to earn money. However, I couldn’t find the one until I think of cruise ship job which someone told me about her job while I hitched hike in NZ. And then, I searched by google. I find the website of “allcruisejobs” , your eBook and your blog. I bought your eBook right away and stay up all night to read it till I finished. I haven’t stay up late for several years …lol… Anyway, I just want to let you know how I appreciate your selfless of sharing your way and experience of traveling.
After more and more research of working on aboard. I know that’s the life I have wanted for a long time. !!WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD!! I want to work on aboard after December. I am a 25 years old girl from Taiwan. I worked as front desk officer for 5 months and now transfer to receptionist of Business Center in a 5 starts Hotel in Taiwan(I will total get at least one year work experience when I apply the job). I worked as waitress at restaurant of NZ for 7 months and 5 months in Taiwan.
First question, is there any crew member come from asia ? Because I did some research, I didn’t see any information mention about asia staff. Especially, I am not from the country like singapore which first language is English. ( No matter what I will still give a shot. Just want to know how big I can dream about first)
Second question, my dream position is work as concierge on cruise ship. I am afraid they won’t hire me consider of my langusgue skill. But I think my experience of working in 5 starts hotel will be the plus. Should I just go for concierge officer or start as waitress will be easier to get the job on abaord?
BTW, How long will it take averagely to get hire sine apply ? Just want to have plan in mind.
Thank you sosososo much n enjoy your mysterious trip
Jean
Hey Jean – There are many crew members from Asia. Actually, most crew members on all ships are from Asia, usually Indonesia, India, Philippines and many more. As for the concierge position, you would have to be fluent in English, so if you are, then you will be considered if you also have the necessary work experience.
And it can take anywhere from 1 – 6 months from when you apply until you get hired. There is no standard timeframe and it really can be anything.
Hey earl, I haven’t had a chance to buy your book yet but I’m a junior in college studying recreation management. What are the chances a African American male from Missouri would have to be hired on to a cruise ship? And are there any second languages you recommend learning?
Hey Lawrence – You’ll have just as good a chance of being hired as anyone else on a cruise ship. And as for languages, Spanish, French and German would be the most useful for such work.
Hi there Earl, I am a graduate of a reputable University from the Philippines. I would like to work in a Cruise Ship, but am having second doubts since I do not have any pertinent experience working in a cruise ship before. I am 40years old and had office job for more than seven years after that I resigned and had stayed at home since then. Is there a possibility that someone with my age who has not been working for more than 10 years still be able to land an office related job in a cruise ship? Or any job for that matter but with possible growth and promotion. Thank you so much Earl.
Hey Adora – Thank you for the comment and while it is possible, I’ll be honest and say that it will be difficult for you to get a job on board a ship. One of the most important things that cruise lines look at is your work experience. It doesn’t have to be experience directly related to working on board cruise ships but they do generally require consistent and recent work experience.