No matter what your academic background, work experience, or qualifications, cruise ships will almost certainly provide suitable roles, and the range of cruise industry jobs means there are usually positions that will appeal to you. Here, you will be able to learn everything you need to know about the available main jobs.

Table of Contents:

An Overview of All Cruise Industry Jobs

Below, you will be able to find an overview of the main cruise industry jobs you could choose from.

Deck Crew

The deck crew is responsible for everything from overseeing the movement of passengers as they embark and disembark from the cruise ship to steering the ship, navigating, and ensuring that everyone on board is safe. Cruise industry jobs in this department include captains, masters, officers, watchkeepers, and more.

In most cases, to work in these roles, you will need to have undergone specific training. You will likely need experience working on a deck in a similar setting, or you will have to have completed a relevant maritime course.

Entertainment

Entertainment is a major part of the cruise experience, and a wide range of cruise industry jobs exist in this area. For instance, most cruise ships will hire a DJ and stage staff, to keep passengers entertained during the cruise. In contrast, many cruises will feature sporting activities and physical activities that will need to be supervised.

The entertainment department will also offer cruise industry jobs for light technicians, technical stage crews, and sound engineers. Meanwhile, some cruises are based around particular forms of entertainment, meaning those working as comedians, musicians, or aquatics experts may also be able to find work in the industry.

Onboard Security

Onboard security personnel are tasked with making sure the cruise ship is a safe and secure place to be. This will mean, among other things, staying alert for any potential security issues, taking preventative measures, responding to any threats that arise, and taking decisive action to protect passengers and cruise ship staff.

To work in any cruise industry job related to onboard security, you will need to go through specialist security training. In many cases, you will also need experience working in a similar role.

Hotel Management

One of the most unique aspects of the cruise industry is that it provides both transport and hospitality jobs. Hotel management positions on cruises are similar to more conventional hotel management roles, where you oversee core operations, report to key stakeholders and take charge of things like hiring and firing.

To work in this role, you must have significant industry experience or have completed a relevant degree program, such as a business management course. Sometimes, there may be requirements to step into other roles to help out or deal face-to-face with cruise ship passenger queries or complaints.

Food & Beverage Services

Food and beverages are a key part of the service on a cruise, and jobs in this area are among the most accessible cruise industry jobs, often requiring little formal academic qualifications or prior work experience. Examples of roles here include waiting staff, bar staff, baristas, and restaurant hosts.

As you progress through a career in this particular field, or if you already have extensive experience, you may instead be interested in working as a bar manager, restaurant manager, or food and beverage director. These roles tend to be more complex, so you will usually need relevant qualifications to work your way up.

Culinary

Working closely with the food and beverage staff, several cruise industry jobs fall within the category of culinary roles, ranging from chefs and cooks through to bakers and butchers.

These roles are actively involved in food preparation, and many cruise companies appeal to their customers through their culinary offerings so it can be a critical department. At the top of the pecking order are head chefs or executive chefs, who take on managerial responsibilities too and may be tasked with creating the menus.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping is one of the tourism jobs that is accessible to people from all kinds of backgrounds and age groups. Working in this department, you will be tasked with cleaning, maintaining hygiene standards, ensuring cruise ship passengers are comfortable, and assisting passengers with laundry.

Cleaning roles can be considered entry-level positions, but they also serve as a solid foundation to build and advance to more senior housekeeping roles. Other positions in this category include laundry masters, cleaning specialists, senior housekeepers, and more.

Guest Activities

The guest activities team will work closely with the entertainment department, and the cruise industry jobs in this area tend to be related to helping passengers to participate safely in specific activities.

For example, youth activities staff will be in charge of any activities aimed at children and may even operate dedicated kids’ clubs. Meanwhile, dive instructors may be on hand to help passengers participate in diving activities. Depending on the nature of the cruise, there may also be a whole host of other onboard activities.

Guest Services

Cruise industry jobs based around guest services are usually very much focused on delivering customer service and ensuring that the customer experience is what it should be for passengers aboard the cruise ship.

Examples of positions in this area include front desk staff and concierge staff, which are very similar to the equivalent roles in conventional land-based hotels. With this in mind, the hotel experience can be advantageous. Additional guest services may include things like room service and event planning.

Human Resources

Professionals in cruise industry jobs related to human resources (HR) are usually responsible for hiring and onboarding staff, assisting with staff development, monitoring performance, and ensuring sufficient training. Additionally, the role involves helping to implement people-related policies.

As a member of the HR team, you may be required to sit in on important meetings or create and implement policies to avoid situations where the cruise line is accused of discriminatory practices. You may need to help resolve disputes, oversee firings, track data, and help create and maintain an appropriate corporate culture.

Medical

If you are exploring travel jobs and have a medical background, the medical department of a cruise ship may be ideal. Cruise ships need doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, medical secretaries and others in similar positions. This also provides a unique opportunity to practice medicine while also traveling and seeing different parts of the world.

To work on a cruise ship, you are likely to need some prior experience in professional medical settings, and you will also need a valid medical or nursing license. Progression opportunities also exist, such as moving from nurse or doctor to a role like a chief nurse, chief doctor, or chief physician.

Casino Operations

Many cruise ships will feature a casino for passengers to visit. Within these casinos are various roles, ranging from cashiers and general attendants, where customer service and cash handling skills are required, to roles like casino dealers, where more specialist training may be needed.

At the higher end of the hierarchy here, casino managers are responsible for overseeing overall casino operations. To work in this kind of role, you will likely require significant prior casino experience. You may also need managerial experience and/or a relevant degree, such as business management.

Refurbishment/Facilities

Much like hotels and other accommodation forms, cruise ships are often sold based on how they look inside. Of course, to maintain the attractive appearance that will generate sales, there needs to be a team of staff that can carry out any refurbishment work or redecorating, as required.

Moreover, facilities management is another key area offering cruise industry jobs. This can include things like overseeing the provision of key facilities, ranging from toilets to card payment systems, but it can also include things like plumbing and carpentry, which may be needed if facilities break down.

Financial Services

The financial services department on a cruise ship will usually manage, monitor, and issue staff pay and deal with any associated issues. In some cases, they may also be involved with maintaining records on things like revenue and profit/loss and creating financial reports.

To work in financial services, you will need strong mathematics skills and usually a relevant qualification, such as a degree in accounting and finance. This department is sometimes combined with marketing and revenue.

Marketing and Revenue

The marketing and revenue department is concerned with promoting the cruise and the specific products and services available and is also concerned with managing revenue and optimizing revenue generation. Working here will often involve finding creative ways to alert passengers to some of the onboard offerings.

Jobs range from entry-level marketing and photography positions to marketing managers and revenue managers. The higher up the marketing and revenue department hierarchy you are aiming for, the more important it will be to have relevant qualifications and previous experience working in a similar position.

Shore Excursions

While passengers will spend most of their time aboard the cruise ship, most cruises will also include stops at specific ports, allowing passengers to get off the ship, see local attractions, enjoy local activities and shop on land. This is where shore excursions staff come in.

If you get a job in this field, you will help passengers make the most of their time off the cruise ship. This may mean helping them arrange activities, going with them on sightseeing tours, or ensuring they know how to get to the shops. Excellent communication and customer service skills are required for this role.

Engineers/Maintenance

Cruise vessels are complex vehicles powered by propulsion systems and other advanced technology. With this in mind, things can potentially go wrong, and cruise lines need engineers and maintenance staff.

Some of the key roles within this category include senior engineers, engine mechanics, general-purpose mechanics, maintenance employees, and the operators of some of the more complex machines or systems. In most cases, relevant experience and/or academic qualifications will be a prerequisite.

Electricians/Electrical Engineers

For a cruise to run successfully, power is needed, and it is the job of electricians and electrical engineers to ensure that this power is always available, that it is allocated appropriately, and that any problems are fixed quickly. To work in this department, you will need relevant qualifications and to have completed the necessary training.

Electricians and electrical engineers are crucial for the success of a cruise and they will usually work collaboratively with engineers and maintenance staff, to ensure everything is working as it should.

Environmental Jobs

Increasingly, cruise companies are now under a lot of pressure to operate more sustainably and to demonstrate that they take environmental concerns seriously. This has created a new range of cruise industry jobs linked to eco-friendliness, including environmental officers and policy managers.

In this job, you may be tasked with creating and implementing environmental policies aboard a cruise ship. It may also involve compliance checks and similar duties. Some environmental jobs are open to people with few qualifications, but environmental management roles may require a degree in environmental sciences.

Apply for Cruise Jobs Directly Through Cruise Lines

One of the best ways to find cruise industry jobs is to search the websites of the major cruise lines. Most of these companies will include a section on their website where they advertise vacancies and allow you to apply online, so this can be a quick, easy, and relatively stress-free way of finding work.

Check out “Cruise Jobs: Apply Directly For a Job at The Best Cruise Lines” for a list of some of the biggest cruise lines, so you can build up a list of websites to check out during your job search.

Helpful Tips to Get You Started With Your Cruise Career

Getting started with a cruise industry job is not always as simple as it may seem. To give yourself the best possible chance, you should take the right steps before applying, optimize your CV or resume, work on your interview technique, and ensure you get the most out of online platforms and offline networking opportunities.

Read the “Cruise Careers: Tips to Start Your Career at a Cruise Ship” article, where you can discover some useful tips that will help you as you begin a career within the cruise industry.

Other Websites to Use When Looking for Cruise Ship Jobs

Using cruise line websites to apply for jobs is one thing, but to give yourself the best possible chance of finding work, you should use other channels too. For instance, job boards are a good way of finding job advertisements from many employers simultaneously, while social networks like LinkedIn can provide opportunities too.

In the “Cruise Ship Jobs: List of Websites to Find The Best Job Vacancies!” post, you can access some of these websites, including specific cruise industry-focused job boards and recruitment agencies.

Learn All You Need to Know About the Cruise Industry

Regardless of the cruise industry job you ultimately opt to apply for, developing your background knowledge as much as possible makes sense. In particular, it can help to learn what the cruise industry is, what the main cruise lines are, and how cruises can be broken down into different categories or types.

Take a look at the “Cruise Industry: All You Need to Know About Cruises!” article, and you will be able to find out all of this information and everything else you need to know before starting your career.

The number of different cruise industry jobs can help ensure there are always options, no matter what your skills or preferences. Using the descriptions in this article, you can gain a much clearer sense of what roles exist and what each job involves, making it easier to decide between these options.

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This article is written by:

Martijn Barten

Hi, I am Martijn Barten, founder of Revfine.com. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I specialize in optimizing revenue by combining revenue management with marketing strategies. I have successfully developed, implemented, and managed revenue management and marketing strategies for individual properties and multi-property portfolios.