People on a cruise ship come from diverse backgrounds, filling roles in Hospitality (stewards, servers, bartenders, retail), Entertainment (DJs, musicians, activity coordinators), Technical/Deck (engineers, deckhands, officers), Medical, Security, and Wellness (beauticians, massage therapists), with a global mix of nationalities, often from regions like India, the Philippines, and Indonesia for crew roles, while staff roles attract people from many countries for guest-facing positions.
EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES
Cruise Ship Worker Salary. $29.8K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers. The median wage is $39.4K / yr.
Crew encompasses the majority of the workers on board and covers the service-related jobs like cleaners, housekeepers and waiters as well as all the "below deck" roles like the engineers and cooks.
If you're interested in working on a cruise ship, there are a variety of positions you can pursue—even with no experience. Whether you want to work in human resources or as part of the crew, you can find a position that suits your skills.
You will receive free accommodation, meals, medical care onboard, and travel to and from the ship.
The minimum age to work on board is 18 years. Depending on the fleet and position, this can be 21 years or more (e.g. in supervisor and management positions). There is no maximum age. Before you go on board, however, you have to prove your fitness for sea service, which selected doctors can issue for you.
I've worked on cruise ships for over six years, so I'm familiar with how the crew lives on board. Staffers typically live with a roommate in tiny cabins that have bunk beds and small closets. We usually eat at our own buffet and hang out after work at the crew bar.
Ordinary seaman
The lowest-ranking personnel in the deck department. An ordinary seaman (OS) generally helps out with work that able seamen do. Other tasks include standing lookout, and generally cleaning duties.
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie is the code for a security threat aboard Royal Caribbean ships and the code for upcoming helicopter winch operations aboard c-bed accommodation vessels. Code blue usually means a medical emergency. Delta, delta, delta is the code for a possible bio-hazard among some cruise lines.
We do not get days off during the contract. We may have a few hours off to go into port, but then it's back to work. We work everyday until our contract is over. Eff Alexander have befriended many crew members and they've all said they get days off.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $59,000 and as low as $12,500, the majority of Waiter Cruise Ship salaries currently range between $24,000 (25th percentile) to $35,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $44,000 annually across the United States.
Crew members who meet specific length-of-service criteria have the option of requesting "relatives travel," a benefit that allows family members to sail onboard for a limited period of time.
Basic Requirements for Working on Cruise Ships
Contract durations vary by position and cruise line. Generally, contracts can be 4, 6, or 9 months long, after which the employee has a vacation period of approximately two months without pay.
The 5 Best Cabin Locations On Any Cruise Ship
Crew Overboard (COB)
Chief Officer/Mate is the right-hand man of the captain and responsible for the exterior along with the deckhands.
Nurses are 2-stripe, and the senior nurse a 2.5-stripe officer.
On a cruise, an upside-down pineapple is a subtle signal used by couples to indicate they are part of the "swinging" or "lifestyle" community, signaling they are open to meeting other couples for partner swapping. This can appear as a decoration on a cabin door, a pin on clothing, or even clothing with pineapple motifs, letting others in the know understand their interest without being explicit.
Poop on a cruise ship goes into an onboard sewage treatment system (black water), not directly into the ocean; it's treated using bacteria and filtration to break down solids, then sterilized (often with UV light), and the resulting clean water is either discharged far from shore (following strict international rules) or stored until the ship reaches port for disposal on land, while solids are often incinerated or landfilled.
9 Things to Avoid Eating on a Cruise
Most In-Demand Jobs On Board Cruise Ships
Seniors bring a wealth of experience, maturity, and professionalism to cruise ship roles, making them invaluable assets to any cruise operation.
How do my kids qualify? Kids sail free is a limited time promotional offer that allows for guests 12 or younger to receive a free cruise fare.