Working on a luxury cruise ship is an opportunity not only to get good money, but also to see the world, improve your knowledge of foreign languages, and gain a unique experience. Of course, without special education, you can only count on the position of service personnel, but many are quite satisfied with this.
Modern cruise ships are real floating palaces, giving their passengers the opportunity to fully experience the luxury of travel. Naturally, the seamy side of this luxury is the hard work of several hundred people who provide comfort and convenience to more than a thousand passengers.
Traditionally, liner-owning companies recruit service personnel through special agencies. Unfortunately, there are no representative offices of such agencies on the territory of Russia, but there are intermediary firms that help candidates in organizing interviews, preparing the necessary documents, and solving visa issues. The services of such an intermediary cost around 400 US dollars, while no one gives a 100% guarantee of employment. However, on the Internet you can find links directly to recruitment agencies located in Europe, in particular, in Riga and Warsaw.
Unfortunately, these $ 400-500 are far from the only expenses. You will also have to get to the city where the interview will take place at your own expense. In addition, in the case of employment, you will need to pay the consular fee for obtaining a visa, air travel to the port of departure and take some money with you. In total, you need to count on about one and a half to two thousand dollars. After a successful interview, you will need to go home and wait for a letter with a contract. It usually comes within a month.
The most popular positions for employment on a liner without special education and experience are a waiter, steward's assistant, cleaner, dishwasher. Estimated salaries for these positions hover in the region of a thousand dollars. However, after a certain period of time, you can ask for an increase. Candidates who have some experience in the service industry can count on positions as chefs, bartenders, administrators, massage therapists, and fitness instructors. Here the reward starts from one and a half thousand dollars. Naturally, knowledge of English will be an added benefit for all job seekers.
It should be borne in mind that the work on a cruise ship is quite difficult and the schedule can be very tight. In fact, the change of service personnel can last up to 14 hours, while there can be no days off on the flight. On the other hand, the company provides food, accommodation in a small but rather comfortable cabin, access to a gym, Internet, telephone connections. In addition, there is nowhere to spend money on the liner itself, so at the end of the contract you will have an impressive amount on your account. Typically, a contract involves 6 to 8 months of work, followed by 4-6 weeks of vacation.
