Cruise job

[therosecat]

Hi everyone,

I'm seriously thinking of getting a job on a cruise. I have many years of working experience in a hotel. I was a Reception Manager in a five-star hotel before I quit my job in Feb this year. I'd love to work in the hotel department of a cruise which is of the same calibre. Wonder what position on a cruise would be similar to that. I realised the hotel department of a cruise do not have such position and most are entry-level positions (i.e. as a JAP or Receptionist) .My questions are as follows:

- Is it wise to apply for either entry-level position mentioned above although it seems like I'm overqualified?
- Would this be a good way to explore what it's like to work on a cruise and explore the organization chart and other avenues and how the various departments work?
-Do you know of anyone who had been in more or less the same situation as me and started off a cruise job from the bottom level and moved his way up?
- Should I try more than one position on the same cruise at the same time?

I'm sorry..I DO have plenty of other questions to ask but the ones above need to be answered first

I really appreciate your kind help on this matter. Thanks very much!

Best Wishes,
-R

[Shipmunk]

It is VERY hard to get a position on a ship that is not entry-level. This is because cruise ships are very different from any other job given the time you are away from family and friends. The cruise companies don't want to put somebody in a managerial position only to have them quit after a couple weeks (happens all the time). Whether it is wise or not to apply for entry-level depends on your current lot in life. If you have kids or a family, perhaps a cruise job isn't for you. If you don't and you are willing to work your first or second contract before getting a promotion, then go for it. The hierarchy on a cruise ship is just like that of any other job. You won't be able to work two different positions on-board unless you change departments. That would sacrifice service and safety.
If you want to see what it's like working on a ship and you are somewhat adventurous and able to leave home for extended periods of time, do it! It is a lot of fun. If you don't like it, quit. Seeing how experienced and qualified you are, I'm sure you won't have a problem finding a nice job back on land. But who knows, maybe you'll love it on-board and make a career out of it.

[therosecat]

To Shipmunk:

Thanks for the insight. I'm single, no kids, no baggage. I love travelling and am a very customer service-oriented person. I've heard about the crappy living condition onboard but my passion for people & travelling the world more than make up for that.

What I meant about the different positions to apply at the same time was if it would be possible to apply several positions to increase my chances of getting into any one position.

Thanks again for the informative reply.

[girlatsea]

Hi,

[MrMate]

Since when did the pursers become in charge of the safety onboard

[girlatsea]

;;;kk

[MrMate]

You make it sound like the purser is in charge of the safety. The safety officer is. And you're right - I should know - since I'm a safety officer.