Work on a Cruise Ship as a Casino Dealer - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
I am a blackjack and roulette dealer contacting you regarding employment on your cruise line. I have worked as a dealer for two years for several casino event companies.
Please contact me when you have a free moment and I look forward to hearing from you.
Michael W,
Long Beach, CA
Answer
Hello Micheal,
CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding the position of Firefighter nor do we anticipate a future
If you would like to work for the onboard Casino as a dealer etc. we recommend you visit this link.
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Singer - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
I recently took a cruise and I would like to know more about being a singer in one of the onboard lounges, I have been a singer for several years and know I can provide the highest standards with regards to my entertainmnet background.
Thank you
Susan E.
Las Vegas, NV.
Answer
Hello Susan,
CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding the position of Singer nor do we anticipate a future course being offered.
You have several options when it comes to singing onboard a cruise ship, before I explain the options I would like to point out you will be a staff member which normally entitles you to many guest privileges, you will also work on the ship for a period of 4 to 8 months (depending on the cruise line). Securing a position of singer provides ample time off and you do et to enjoy all of the ports of call as no shows take place while the ship is in port.
Production Singer
This position is one of the most sought after for singers onboard. Your job is performing during the major Las Vegas style revue shows. 7 Day runs normally have two shows with two curtain calls each resulting in four shows a week plus rehearsals. You normally have your own cabin without a room mate and your pay scale is fairly good. To be considered for this position you must be a professional singer who can master nearly any genre, previous experience in resorts, casino’s or recorded albums is a plus. If you wish to pursue this position you normally do not need an agent, cruise lines have employee’s who travel the world and offer auditions for these positions. You can contact the cruise lines directly and in many cases they have websites dedicated to these auditions. Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International both offer these websites.
Singer/Dancer
Many cruise lines do not necessarily have a production singer but instead have dancers who also sing in the major production shows. You will have to be a professional singer and professional dancer to secure one of these positions, since you will be singing to tracks your voice needs to be strong but not at the same level required to be a production singer. If you wish to pursue this position you normally do not need an agent, cruise lines have employee’s who travel the world and offer auditions for these positions. You can contact the cruise lines directly and in many cases they have websites dedicated to these auditions.
Lounge Singer
This position is more difficult to secure, lounge bands are contracted by the cruise lines as entire bands including musicians and the singer. In this case having an agent is very helpful (make sure the agent is legitimate), they will require you have a CD and resume, having a DVD in front of a live audience is a really big plus. In turn the agent will do all of the work for you but keep in mind they will also take a cut of your pay.
Happy Hunting, if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Firefighter - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
I would like to know more about the position of Firefighter onboard a cruise ship. I am recently retired from firefighter service and would like to now travel on a cruise ship while continuing my dedication as a firefighter. Your prompt response is appreciated.
Mike K.
Seattle, WA.
Answer
Hello Mike,
CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding the position of Firefighter nor do we anticipate a future course being offered. The cruise industry as a whole does not offer the specific position of firefighter as a position onboard.
The main person responsible for safety/fire onboard a cruise ship is normally the “Safety Officer”. This specific position is usually a deck department designation. Many cruise lines deck and marine officers are from specific countries because the cruise line decided to work with these organizations (like a union) and have a contract, for example Carnival Cruise Line’s officers are mainly all Italian (although CCL has also recently employed some Croatians) and Celebrity Cruise Lines officers are Greek, etc. Becoming an officer can depend on your country although some cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean International employs officers on a international basis not necessarily requiring officers to be from a specific country.
Several crew member teams are trained as firefighters, the training is extensive and on par with international firefighter standards, in turn these crew members have another job onboard and are called into action during a onboard fire emergency. These firefighter teams report directly to the Safety Officer and even participate in weekly training exercises to keep their skills level at the highest possible level. In addition every single crew member onboard is trained in emergency management and usually participate in a weekly safety drill.
The cruise indusrty has long intergrated multipule positions for one crew member, the main reason for this is births (crew cabins), space is very limited which has prompted these long time standards.
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Doctor / Nurse - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
I am a RN with 25 years of experience seeking employment as a cruise ship nurse. I have prior experience in critical care and first aid. I look forward to sharing how my background and personality could be a great match for your organizaiton. I thank you for your consideration
. Wayne B.
Undisclosed Location
Answer
Hello Wayne,
CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding the position of Doctors and or LPN / RN Nurses nor do we anticipate a future course being offered.
Nurses and Doctors are mainly hired directly through the cruise lines medical department and reputable agencies working with medical position specific applicants. I cannot offer too much information regarding this position; however I do know as a minimum you will need to have extensive E.R. and CCU experience. You are normally considered a Officer onboard which also includes an officers cabin (without a room mate) and Officer privileges which includes guest privileges and additional perks. Contracts usually last at least 2 months and during that time you are on call 24/7. Consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden during this time. You will have rotating shifts with fellow nurses onboard which normally do not include a day off.
Being a Nurse onboard does provide several perks, Officer Status, Single Birth Cabin which is much larger than standard crew cabins and in many cases includes a port hole, pay is pretty good in relation to other positions onboard allowing you to save a considerable amount, since your shift is usually a set schedule you get to enjoy the ports of call and all of the guest amenities when off duty.
I hope this information assists in your job search, I have included some standard contacts for medical positions onboard cruise ships (Please see below), I cannot guarantee these contacts are still valid, you may have to do some more leg work but this info should put you on the right track.
Steve Williams, RN, CEN, CFRN
Director of Medical Operations
Carnival Cruise Line Executive Offices
3655 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, FL 33178 USA
Phone: (305) 599-2600
E-mail: SWilliams@carnival.com
Benjamin Shore, DO, FAAP, FACEP
Fleet Physician for NCL & Orient Lines
7665 Corporate Center Drive
Miami, FL 33126 USA
Phone: 305-436-4466
Fax: 305-436-4135
E-mail: BShore@NCL.com
Fleet Medical Director P&O Cruises
Richmond House, Terminus Terrace
Southampton, SO14 3PN England
E-mail: medical.recruitment@pocruises.com
Fax: +44 -2380-534393.
The Medical Department
Cunard Seabourn Ltd.
Mountbatten House
Grosvenor Square
Southampton, SO15 2BF U.K,
Phone: +44(0)2380 716502
E-mail: info@cunardmail.com
Grant Tarling, MD
Vice President, Princess Fleet Medical
24305 Town Center Drive
Santa Clarita, CA 91355 USA
Phone: 661-753-2664
Fax: 661-753-0122
E-mail: gtarling@princesscruises.com
Chief Surgeon Emeritus
President of National Ship’s Doctor Association
Director of Medical Department for Costa Crociere
E-mail: info@costa.it
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Server / Waiter - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
My name is Edmond Cxxxxx, I’m a french-Italian gentleman looking to get back in the Hotel/Restaurant Industry as a Head Waiter or Maitre D’. I believe my experience will be an asset to your company, I’m looking forward to your questions, I’m ready to give my whole 110% efforts to ensure the business success.
Edmond C.
Naperville, IL
Answer
Thank you for your contact, CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding F&B positions nor do we anticipate a future course being offered.
If you would like to inquire about Maitre D’ / Head Waiter positions onboard a cruise ship our advice is that you contact the cruise lines directly (do not use an agent or recruitment company regarding this position).
We understand you are reviewing every avenue available to you including cruise ships, initially one may consider F&B as a fairly easy position to secure considering the amount of Maitre D’ / Head Waiter needed onboard. The bulk of Maitre D’ / Head Waiter onboard come from around the world and rarely (if ever) include Americans, the top reasons are some of the restrictions placed on the F&B department. With the exception of managers all F&B crew members are classified as crew. Within the crew onboard are normally three distinct categories, officers (and managers), staff and crew. Officers and staff normally receive guest privileges allowing them to enjoy many amenities as do the guests.
Since the F&B department is the largest onboard almost every position is categorized as crew with no guest privileges, essentially you are only allowed in guest areas while on duty. The main reason for this is due to the size of the department, normally a cruise ship will have nearly five hundred F&B members, if the department were allowed in guest areas when off duty the experience of the guest would be severally affected causing accommodation issues. Many Americans due consider a F&B cruise ship position but can find the lifestyle restrictive and captive, in our society we are not used to being restricted in such a manner and normally do not take into account that a cruise ship has limited space and that the paying guest will always come first.
Maitre D’ / Head Waiter positions are normally fulfilled by internal advancement. New applicants are normally hired as Assistant Waiters, advance to Waiter and then move on to Head Waiter.
There are several other factors that play a major roll in Americans deciding not to pursue an F&B position onboard including very long hours, crew accommodations and pay versus workload. If you are still interested in perusing this avenue we recommend you contact NCL cruise lines as they are the only cruise line with a U.S. registered ship which requires all crew, staff and officers to be United States Citizens. I do believe the same restrictions apply regarding the position but this is your best bet.
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Chef / Cook - Question and Answer
Question
Re: Chef Positions
I would like to inquire about being a chef onboard a cruise ship. Please find my qualifications and experience enclosed, I look forward to hearing from you regarding any available positions.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Personal chef for over 10 years.
• Knowledge of special dietary needs.
• Strong ability to adapt and work quickly.
• Extensive supervisory experience.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
Susan B.
North Hollywood, CA
Answer
Good Day Susan,
Thank you for your contact, CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding F&B positions nor do we anticipate a future course being offered.
If you would like to inquire about chef positions onboard a cruise ship our advice is that you contact the cruise lines directly (do not use an agent or recruitment company regarding this position).
We understand you are reviewing every avenue available to you including cruise ships, initially one may consider F&B as a fairly easy position to secure considering the amount of chef’s needed onboard. The bulk of chefs onboard come from around the world and rarely (if ever) include American Chef’s, the top reasons are some of the restrictions placed on the F&B department. With the exception of managers and top level chefs all F&B crew members are classified as crew. Within the crew onboard are normally three distinct categories, officers (and managers), staff and crew. Officers and staff normally receive guest privileges allowing them to enjoy many amenities as do the guests.
Since the F&B department is the largest onboard almost every position is categorized as crew with no guest privileges, essentially you are only allowed in guest areas while on duty. The main reason for this is due to the size of the department, normally a cruise ship will have nearly five hundred F&B members, if the department were allowed in guest areas when off duty the experience of the guest would be severally affected causing accommodation issues. Many Americans due consider a F&B cruise ship position but can find the lifestyle restrictive and captive, in our society we are not used to being restricted in such a manner and normally do not take into account that a cruise ship has limited space and that the paying guest will always come first.
There are several other factors that play a major roll in Americans deciding not to pursue an F&B position onboard including very long hours, crew accommodations and pay versus workload. If you are still interested in perusing this avenue we recommend you contact NCL cruise lines as they are the only cruise line with a U.S. registered ship which requires all crew, staff and officers to be United States Citizens. I do believe the same restrictions apply regarding the position but this is your best bet.
As an alternative avenue many American Chef’s are successful at pursuing positions on privately owned yachts, commercial vessels and similar travel positions, here is a good link for you to review- http://www.vships.com/
Here is another useful link (Yacht specific) http://www.crew4crew.net/ (this is run by crew for crew)
Lastly, I have heard this website has been useful for many crew on small luxury vessels http://www.crewfinders.com/
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Fitness Instructor - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
I would like to inquire about being a Fitness Instructor aboard cruise ships. I have all the required certificates and have over five years experience including references. Can you assist with job placement onboard a cruise ship?
Thank you for your Attention, I look forward to hearing from you.
Ann J.
Spokane, WA
Answer
Thank you for your contact,
CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates. We currently do not offer any courses regarding F&B positions nor do we anticipate a future course being offered.
If you would like to inquire about Maitre D’ / Head Waiter positions onboard a cruise ship our advice is that you contact the cruise lines directly (do not use an agent or recruitment company regarding this position).
We understand you are reviewing every avenue available to you including cruise ships, initially one may consider F&B as a fairly easy position to secure considering the amount of Maitre D’ / Head Waiter needed onboard. The bulk of Maitre D’ / Head Waiter onboard come from around the world and rarely (if ever) include Americans, the top reasons are some of the restrictions placed on the F&B department. With the exception of managers all F&B crew members are classified as crew. Within the crew onboard are normally three distinct categories, officers (and managers), staff and crew. Officers and staff normally receive guest privileges allowing them to enjoy many amenities as do the guests.
Since the F&B department is the largest onboard almost every position is categorized as crew with no guest privileges, essentially you are only allowed in guest areas while on duty. The main reason for this is due to the size of the department, normally a cruise ship will have nearly five hundred F&B members, if the department were allowed in guest areas when off duty the experience of the guest would be severally affected causing accommodation issues. Many Americans due consider a F&B cruise ship position but can find the lifestyle restrictive and captive, in our society we are not used to being restricted in such a manner and normally do not take into account that a cruise ship has limited space and that the paying guest will always come first.
Maitre D’ / Head Waiter positions are normally fulfilled by internal advancement. New applicants are normally hired as Assistant Waiters, advance to Waiter and then move on to Head Waiter.
There are several other factors that play a major roll in Americans deciding not to pursue an F&B position onboard including very long hours, crew accommodations and pay versus workload. If you are still interested in perusing this avenue we recommend you contact NCL cruise lines as they are the only cruise line with a U.S. registered ship which requires all crew, staff and officers to be United States Citizens. I do believe the same restrictions apply regarding the position but this is your best bet.
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Bartender - Question and Answer
Question
Dear Sir Or Madam,
Are You interested in a Bartender who:
• Has a few years of hands on experience in bar management?
• Has excellent oral communications skills for the hospitality field?
• Is creative, possesses quick wit and has a great sense of humor?
• Has a passion to learn and increase vital bartending skills?
• Can bring in new customers and build rapport with customers of all ages?
• Works well with others, is very dependable and trustworthy?
If so, then I am the Bartender for you, and you will see by my resume that I meet these qualifications.
I would very much like to schedule an interview with you that will allow me the chance to prove my worth. I don’t speak any other languages but I am willing to learn. I can be reached at (323) XXX-XXXX from 10 A.M. till 10 P.M., but you can leave a voicemail message and I will return your call.
Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I am looking forward to talking with you.
Also I have attached my photo and pasted my resume.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rain Y
Los Angeles, CA
Answer
Hello Rain,
CSCA is a Cruise Ship Academy providing courses where we assist graduates with job/carrer placement. The CSCA course is specific to Cruise Staff applicants.
A bartender position is not normally an option for Americans, the cruise lines are an equal employer, it’s not the fact of citizenship, it’s the failure rate of these applicants. Being a bartender onboard a cruise ship is nothing like working on land. The weekly workload versus the pay/tips are not at the same level of American standards when you add up the hours to pay ratio. In addition bartenders are technically crew not staff or officers. Crew positions do not allow you access to guest area’s outside of work. There are only a handful of positions that you will find an American working in; youth staff, shops onboard, cruise staff and entertainment, etc.
We understand you are reviewing every avenue available to you including cruise ships, initially one may consider F&B as a fairly easy position to secure considering the amount of chef’s needed onboard. The bulk of chefs onboard come from around the world and rarely (if ever) include American Chef’s, the top reasons are some of the restrictions placed on the F&B department. With the exception of managers and top level chefs all F&B crew members are classified as crew. Within the crew onboard are normally three distinct categories, officers (and managers), staff and crew. Officers and staff normally receive guest privileges allowing them to enjoy many amenities as do the guests.
Since the F&B department is the largest onboard almost every position is categorized as crew with no guest privileges, essentially you are only allowed in guest areas while on duty. The main reason for this is due to the size of the department, normally a cruise ship will have nearly five hundred F&B members, if the department were allowed in guest areas when off duty the experience of the guest would be severally affected causing accommodation issues. Many Americans due consider a F&B cruise ship position but can find the lifestyle restrictive and captive, in our society we are not used to being restricted in such a manner and normally do not take into account that a cruise ship has limited space and that the paying guest will always come first.
If you really want to work as a bartender onboard a cruise ship NCL is your best bet. They have a mega liner sailing in Hawaii that is U.S. registered. Any U.S. registered ship must employ Americans in every position. Alternatively you may want to look into bartending abroad at swank resorts and hotels. This option gives you the freedom of enjoying tropic locations and a more leisure type atmosphere.
As a side note, be aware of any online scam that charges application fee’s to get you a job on a cruise ship or sells books of “How to get a job on a ship”. They are a waste of money and some are out and out scams.
If you would like to know more about a Cruise Staff Position check out our website at
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Lounge Act/ Entertainer - Question and Answer
Question
Dear sirs:
Having just been on a week cruise on the SOLSTICE and having enjoyed the staff as well as the shows, I wanted to know if you were interviewing/auditioning for cruise ship entertainers. I am a singer and have a 1 hour cabaret show that I think cruise vacationers would enjoy in a smaller, lounge or club setting. There is a children’s show as well that I perform in preschools, libraries, parks, etc.
I am also a retired NYC teacher who teaches sign language through music to children and adults, so if you had need or desire for something new and unusual, I could teach a course as well.
Perhaps we could discuss these and other possibilities.
Thank you very much,
Elayne K.
NYC
Answer
Hi Elayne,
We are an academy with job/career placement for the position of Cruise Staff, CSCA is the first to offer an actual course lasting eight days where if you graduate we assist with real cruise ship job placement.
The position you are looking for is called a “Lounge Act”. My first suggestion is for you to assemble a media package with a DVD of your shows plus your credentials. Almost every cruise line uses an agency for lounge acts but you can also send the media packages directly to each cruise line. Using an agent is a catch 22, they will take a small portion of your pay and in turn get you the “cruise ship gig”, the Cruise Line and Agent relationship has long been established. I will enquire with a college of a reputable entertainment agent and email it to you.
In Closing, the cruise ship position you are considering usually holds a contract you sign with the cruise line, you will be onboard from four to eight months straight, will have to hire your own musicians and pay for your own audio equipment.
Work on a Cruise Ship as a Hair Stylist - Question and Answer
Question
Hello,
I would like to work on a cruise ship as a Hair Stylist . I have all the required certificates and have over ten years experience including references. Can you assist with job placement onboard a cruise ship?
Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you.
Mandy G.
Las Vegas, NV
Answer
Hello Mandy,
CSCA is a vocational academy for the shipboard position of Cruise Staff, we do provide job / career placement assistance to our graduates.
We currently do not offer any courses regarding the position of Hair Stylist nor do we anticipate a future course being offered.
99% of the Fitness Centers and Salons onboard cruise ships are operated by Steiner’s Inc which is a European based company; this includes all of the fitness centers and salons on the major cruise lines.
Steiner’s offers a full training program shoreside before employee’s board their first ship, however American applicants are rarely employed due to the amount of applicants from the European, South African and Australian markets. As Steiner’s is based in the UK you can see why many applicants are first accepted in the European countries leaving a minimal window for American applicants. Personally, I have sailed over a million miles on over 28 ships, during this time I can not recall any Americans working in the fitness center of the salon. I am not saying Americans are not hired as I know Steiner’s is an equal employment company.
When you factor in travel expenses to Europe for training (you normally pay these expenses), the amount of time being trained and the general salary once onboard the position is not as lucrative as first anticipated.
If you are more interested in traveling rather than the salary you can visit the Steiner website at http://www.str.co.uk/home.asp for more information regarding shipboard employment.
I am aware there are allot of companies / recruiters and agents offering cruise ship “Job Placement” as long as you pay “Application Fee’s” or pay a monthly membership. Beware, in regards to this position Steiner’s is the only legitimate company (to my knowledge) that hires Hair Stylists, Hairdressers and Salon Staff. You do not have to pay any fees or membership.
If you have any further questions I am happy to help, Good Luck on your seach.
