Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Cruise Ship Salaries: A Comprehensive Guide

cruise ship crew salary

Being a cruise ship captain demands immense responsibility, with duties spanning safety, navigation, crew management, and compliance with international laws. Now that we know the total payroll amount for all the ship employees and the number of employees, it’s simple division to see that the average Carnival employee working on a ship earns $23,558. You read that right — across more than 100 ships the cruise line has nearly 85,000 crew members, coming from over 100 countries! These workers range all the way from engineers that keep the ship running to the captain to the waitstaff in the dining rooms. Chief engineers are responsible for supervising the engineering, electrical, and mechanical departments as well as all other technical operations aboard a cruise ship. Additionally, they are essential in improving the whole experience of passengers by interacting with them, greeting them, handling complaints from them, and providing excellent customer service.

What Do People Working on Cruise Ships Make?

The employee’s employment contract also states the expected hours that will be worked. For example an employment agreement may state that you can expect to work an average of 11 hours per day, seven days per week. Alternatively, the contract may state that the employee may work up to 70 hours per week, seven days per week.

cruise ship crew salary

Other Cruise Ship Jobs and Services

Entry-level kitchen positions usually have the lowest wages found on cruise ships. However, on the plus side, they have the highest opportunities for advancement. Furthermore, wages may be low in this area, but the tips and gratuities make up for 95% of the difference. Accommodations for staff are typically more compact and less luxurious than guest cabins. The number of people sharing a room varies by cruise ship and the worker’s position.

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They do not save a lot of money but they do spend their money in a way that makes them happy, fulfilled for most of the time. Generally speaking, during each cruise on each ship, passengers pay gratuities which go into a “pool” that is divided between the crewmembers that are part of the hotel and dining pool. For many cruise lines, the gratuities are automatically deducted from the passenger’s onboard account to be paid out to the crew at the end of the month. Embarking on a career in the cruise industry can be both exciting and rewarding.

Cruise-ship workers reveal how much money they make

cruise ship crew salary

One of the 74 recommendations of the Healthy Sail Panel is "Crew should be placed in single-occupancy crew cabins whenever possible to minimize extended periods of close contact with other crew members." Officers, higher ranking crew members, and temporary crew may earn themselves a larger room, or even the opportunity to not share a cabin with someone else. Crew members work very hard onboard, and their schedule is different than the 9-to-5 schedule many Americans think of when it comes to a work day. Any crew member that is caught engaging in any kind of a personal relationship with a guest can be terminated immediately. Just like everything, people will search the internet for answers to these questions, and I have assembled the top questions about crew members on a cruise that people are searching for on the internet. The captain liaises with port authorities for smooth transit and compliance with various regulations.

Still, according to our recent survey, more than 80% of those surveyed said they leave additional gratuities (in addition to those automatically charged) at least sometimes. Even with that, however, there’s no doubt that by American standards, shipboard crew work extremely hard and for wages that many of us would not be willing to take. Major cruise lines like Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian are actually part of larger public companies that trade on major stock exchanges. As a result, the parent companies are subject to certain SEC filing requirements.

Best Cruise Tips, Tricks, Secrets, and Freebies

This also means that even if you’ve worked in the industry forever there’s always a chance you won’t get another contract. Most companies do a good job of bringing back experienced employees but legally they’re not required to give you another contract even though they have before. If the crew member starts their contract halfway through the month they may have to wait until the end of the next full month to be paid. This depends on the cruise line you work for and your employment agreement. The average salary listed here includes everyone from the captain of the ship to the steward cleaning the room. Within this report are facts and figures about every aspect of the cruise line’s business… including what it pays employees.

Chief Engineer

Overall, the salaries of cruise ship medical staff reflect the importance of their work and the value they bring to the cruise industry. According to Business Insider, a cruise ship crew member for Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line can earn an annual average between $16,000 to $20,000. For leadership staff on board cruise ships, the annual salary can be much higher from $30,000 to $100,000. Despite incurring some additional expenses, cruise ship staff find that they can save more money than in many land-based jobs due to providing lodging and meals. According to Business Insider, the median annual earnings of cruise ship workers is between $16,000 to $20,000. If you’re considering getting a job on a cruise ship or a curious passenger, you’re probably wondering how much do cruise ship workers make?

FAQ on Cruise Staff Salary

That gives us not only a glimpse into how much the top brass at the company makes in total, but also what those who work on the ship earn as well. That means there is no set compensation list for every cruise line that shows what different positions make (at least publicly). Cruise lines cover the cost of food and a place to stay for crew members working onboard. The most common scenario is two crew members will share a cabin together, although on some ships larger cabins can accommodate a third crew member. Often crew members will disembark the ship while it is in port during the afternoon for a break to visit the port of call.

This office looks after the crew payroll including the payment of gratuities. While working onboard, the crew office is your link to head office and all correspondence about payroll issues need to be sent through the crew office. Not all employees that work in the same department and in the same position make the same salary. Each employment contract is different depending on crewmember’s nationality. For example, a youth counsellor from the Philippines makes less than a youth counsellor from Canada. This also explains why some cruise lines hire a limited amount of counsellors from North America.

This article will explain how much cruise ship employees make and give you details on some of the jobs that are available on board. Additionally, good communication and public speaking skills are a must, as the cruise director often serves as the public face of the ship and is expected to interact with guests on a regular basis. Overall, the cruise director role offers a challenging and rewarding career path for those with a passion for entertainment and hospitality. To become a cruise director, one typically needs several years of experience in the entertainment industry, as well as strong leadership and organizational skills. They must have the ability to manage a large team of staff and work collaboratively with other departments on the ship.

Their schedules are structured in shifts, allowing for some time to rest, but full days off are rare during their contract, which can last several months. Cruise ship workers typically work long hours, often ranging from 10 to 14 hours per day. Cruise lines will often pay once a month, on the first business day of the month. You have the option to request a cash advance of up to 50% of your salary to be paid on the 15th of every month. You will receive your full salary plus tips and commission, if you are on a tip or commission salary, at the end of every month.

In addition to their salaries, these jobs often include benefits such as free room and board and meals. Many cruise ship positions, particularly in the hospitality and service sectors, receive a significant portion of their income from tips and gratuities. To maximise your earnings, focus on providing outstanding customer service to create memorable experiences for guests. This will not only lead to increased tips but also improve your chances of receiving positive feedback and recommendations, which can help you advance in your career.

This may involve taking on additional responsibilities, participating in professional development courses, or actively seeking promotions within the company. Demonstrating a strong work ethic and commitment to your role can make you a prime candidate for more senior positions, which typically come with higher salaries and better benefits. As with other positions, the salaries mentioned above can vary based on factors such as the cruise line's reputation, the ship's location and itinerary, and individual qualifications. However, they provide a general understanding of the earning potential for deck and engine department roles within the cruise industry. How much cruise ship workers make is determined by the size of the vessel, the cruise line, and the level of experience the individual has.

Some positions, such as the ship’s entertainers, may only work a few hours daily. It’s important to remember that the annual salary figures don’t consider the number of hours worked. Crew members work long hours of up to 14 hours per day, seven days a week. While it may sound like the exotic vacation of a lifetime, there is much work behind the scenes. Now it's not that anyone earns more than the next person over, but have you ever wondered why you see a lot more of certain nationalities than others onboard? Some nationalities struggle to find work back home while others earn a lot more abroad than they ever could at home.

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