How much do cruise staff make?

I've heard various numbers about how much cruise staff make from $50/month to much higher. Does anyone know how much different staff make on average? Does it vary much between companies? I'm interested in base salary without tips, then an average amount of tips.

Consider Photographers, wait staff, Maitre D, bartenders, cabin stewards, etc.

Based on the volume of "tips" I believe the Maitre 'd's make a couple hundred grand a year. Horrible wage !

The cruise ship staff is divided into two main groups - tipping personnel and non-tipping personnel.

Tipping personnel

Tipping personnel are the staff with direct contact with the guests who pay them "tips". There are specified amounts of tips per particular positions which are advised to guests prior to embarkation and which vary from one cruise line to another. Such personnel are waiters, busboys /assistant waiters, bar waiters/waitresses, bartenders, cocktail waitresses, etc. Tipping personnel have a small base salary. Most of their earnings are tips. Approximate sample earnings in this group are (in U.S. Dollars per month):

Waiterfrom $2500 to $4000Busboy / Assistant Waiter from $1500 to $3000Bar Waiter / Waitressfrom $1000 to $2500Bartenderfrom $1500 to $3000

The applicant must have a good command of English, good work experience and appropriate education to qualify for this group (the latter is not obligatory if the applicant has enough experience).

Non-tipping personnel

Applicants who do not have enough experience or do not have a very good command of English tend to be hired as non-tipping staff. They have a good chance of being promoted to tipping personnel later.

The non-tipping personnel on cruise ships are those who serve the crew, i.e. the lower positions in the passenger area - Staff Waiter/Waitress, Snack Steward, etc. They have fixed salaries without tips and their earnings are from USD 350 to USD 500 per week.

Based on the volume of "tips" I believe the Maitre 'd's make a couple hundred grand a year. Horrible wage !

That wage is more than even the Captain makes.

OP

Here are a few sites with wages listed, the wages can vary greatly depending on the cruiseline.

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/position.htm

http://www.cruiselinesjobs.com/eng/wages/

http://www.jobmonkey.com/cruise/html/earning_and_saving.html

When I was on the Imagination last month I was chatting with one of the slot hostesses and she mentioned that she makes $200 a month (she was talking about how her boyfriend on the ship had lost $200 in the casino at Atlantis and that was a month's wages for her)

That wage is more than even the Captain makes.

 

OP

Here are a few sites with wages listed, the wages can vary greatly depending on the cruiseline.

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/position.htm

http://www.cruiselinesjobs.com/eng/wages/

http://www.jobmonkey.com/cruise/html/earning_and_saving.html

Interesting info on those sites. The wages are quite a bit higher than I thought, especially when you consider they have no cost for their room and board while on the ship. Some threads I have read, gave me the impression they were paid much less. Good for them and I will still tip extra for exceptional service. Note: I spoke to quite a few crew members on our cruise in Feb. The wages shown on the web sites above are quite a bit higher than the average wage in their home countries, in some cases 4 times or more higher. What's better making $1500/month when your living expenses are $200.00 or making $8000/month when your lving expenses are $7500/month.

I would also question some of the posted wages... My son is a theatre lighting technician with quite a few years of experience. He makes about $450/week in a staff position. I'm pretty sure that the crew positions make less than that...

I would also question some of the posted wages... My son is a theatre lighting technician with quite a few years of experience. He makes about $450/week in a staff position. I'm pretty sure that the crew positions make less than that...

This is from the above site, sounds pretty accurate, based on what you said. Remember they are adding tips into the avg..your son doesnt get tips.

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/entertai.htm

• Sound & Light Technician (assisting in running the production shows and any activities that require technical assistance) - technical and practical education and /or hands-on experience required. Salary range: $1600-1900 U.S. per month, depending on the cruise line. Possibilities for promotion to Assistant Production Manager.

  
  

................What's better making $1500/month when your living expenses are $200.00 or making $8000/month when your lving expenses are $7500/month.

Big difference would be if living expense paid arrangements include one's family (if they have one). I am sure for young unattached crew it is a great way to make more money that the can at home...... and see some of the world... a little at a time.

Why do people always want to know how much crew members make. When you go out to dinner do you ask the waiter how much he/she makes a year. How about the last time you stayed in a hotel. Did you ask the maid how much he/she made last year? I bet you didn't so why should you ask while on a cruise?:confused: :)

Why do people always want to know how much crew members make. When you go out to dinner do you ask the waiter how much he/she makes a year. How about the last time you stayed in a hotel. Did you ask the maid how much he/she made last year? I bet you didn't so why should you ask while on a cruise?:confused: :)

I guess some people would like to quit their sucky rut of a jobs and kick their spouse to the curve and get a cool job out at sea where you can travel the world. If I knew of cruising way back I wouldn't of joined the Navy and would of found a cruiseline job somewhere. I guess in my next life time, you will know where to find me LOL.

Fred

Everytime we cruise, my dh and I look at each other, and "pick" a job we would like to do, or think we would be good at. i.e.: dh would be a great social host, and I would also like a p.r. job on a ship, such as purser's desk. . I was also always curious what the wages were. I think it is human nature to "question" salaries - expecially for jobs that are unknown to us. I, like Fred, would love to "work" a cruise ship when I retire. In reality, it probably won't happen. I would never ask what someone makes to their face - that is rude. But I would do some research if the job interested me. I think that is what the op was doing - just simple curiousity of the unknown.

Why do people always want to know how much crew members make. When you go out to dinner do you ask the waiter how much he/she makes a year. How about the last time you stayed in a hotel. Did you ask the maid how much he/she made last year? I bet you didn't so why should you ask while on a cruise?:confused: :)

I have a huge appreciation for the hard work done by cruise staff and when I heard from someone on our cruise that the staff get paid terribly, I was hoping that wasn't true so I posted this question. I wouldn't ask how much a waiter makes at home because I have a rough idea already. However if I was really curious I would do my research without having to ask the waiter directly (ie. internet). I had no idea about cruise wages and asked out of curiousity. Further, I didn't ask while on the cruise as you suggested, I'm asking now that I'm back home as a general discussion topic about wages. I feel it's rude to question someone directly about their personal salary, but it's not to have general discussion about what one can make in a certain career. Lastly, I work with teenagers that are always trying to sort their lives out and figure out what they might want to do for work when older and it would be helpful for me to have some info. about various possible jobs.

I do believe that the crew works extremely long hours

and for a long duration of time for that money ...

after figuring in their hours worked , and all ...

and possibly some of the stuff they have to deal with

while onboard...

passengers...

not seeing their families for extended periods of time...

You really have to appreciate all they do for us

and mostly the manner it is done

usually with a BIG SMILE !!

Why do people always want to know how much crew members make. When you go out to dinner do you ask the waiter how much he/she makes a year. How about the last time you stayed in a hotel. Did you ask the maid how much he/she made last year? I bet you didn't so why should you ask while on a cruise?:confused: :)

I was thinking the same thing. Want to guess what my answer would be if someone was rude enough to ask me how much my paycheck was?

My DS wants to work on a ship for a year or so after college. He has 1 more year to go and then he is going to look into it.

He is very outgoing, involved in theatre and quick on his feet. He just thinks being a social host on a ship would be a great experience for him before he follows his major into the working world.

We agree, of course we have a hidden agenda, family members get great perks for cruising when someone works on a ship. I read that on CCL's website. Of course we nudged him a little but he made the decision to do it. He is going to put his app into CCL halfway through his senior year and see what happens.

A&B Mom, I'm thinking the same thing! I've got a 21 year old aimlessly wandering through life and I think I'll mention some of these "opportunities" to him! I would have loved to do about a year when I was a kid!

Donna

I have a huge appreciation for the hard work done by cruise staff and when I heard from someone on our cruise that the staff get paid terribly, I was hoping that wasn't true so I posted this question. I wouldn't ask how much a waiter makes at home because I have a rough idea already. However if I was really curious I would do my research without having to ask the waiter directly (ie. internet). I had no idea about cruise wages and asked out of curiousity. Further, I didn't ask while on the cruise as you suggested, I'm asking now that I'm back home as a general discussion topic about wages. I feel it's rude to question someone directly about their personal salary, but it's not to have general discussion about what one can make in a certain career. Lastly, I work with teenagers that are always trying to sort their lives out and figure out what they might want to do for work when older and it would be helpful for me to have some info. about various possible jobs.

I asked a similar question some time ago and got jumped on with a snarky response.

I truly appreciate the friendly and helpful staff we've encountered. It's always enriched our cruise experience. I'd just like to hope that they're reasonably well compensated for that, and that I'm directly tipping extra to those that have gone above and beyond for us.

My DS wants to work on a ship for a year or so after college. He has 1 more year to go and then he is going to look into it.

 

He is very outgoing, involved in theatre and quick on his feet. He just thinks being a social host on a ship would be a great experience for him before he follows his major into the working world.

 

We agree, of course we have a hidden agenda, family members get great perks for cruising when someone works on a ship. I read that on CCL's website. Of course we nudged him a little but he made the decision to do it. He is going to put his app into CCL halfway through his senior year and see what happens.

hey !!

Now thats what I call a great idea!!

Ive got 2 kids ...;) LOL

Anyone know what exactly those perks would be ?

Age limits?

etc....

details....details ...por favor:D

I was thinking the same thing. Want to guess what my answer would be if someone was rude enough to ask me how much my paycheck was?

The OP is asking us not the crew members.

hey !!

Now thats what I call a great idea!!

Ive got 2 kids ...;) LOL

 

Anyone know what exactly those perks would be ?

Age limits?

etc....

details....details ...por favor:D

I think there is something with being able to stay with them in their cabin or severely reduced rates something like that. I'd really have to read it again. I was about 6 months ago when I was looking at it. There was a limit as to how much you could use the perk in one year but I know the perk was there somewhere.

The perk is: Family members, spouse, children, parents and step parents, brothers and sisters.

*Comp cruise - Employee cabins - No Charge

*Employee cruise - employee cabin $20 per day

*Confirmed space cruise low season - 1st and 2nd $30 per day, 3rd and 4th $25 per day 6 guest cabins per voyage

*High season confirmed space 1st and 2nd $40 per day, 3rd and 4th $25 per day. 3 guest cabins per voyage.

There are a bunch of restrictions which was expected. It is based on employees seniority and I'm sure like sky miles programs there are only a certain amount of cabins they give up for this.

If you have low seniority the chances are slim to get in. Your cruise allotment as an employee are actually mixed with every other employee, land or sea, full or part time.

I believe you have to be 18.

You can look around on here. It is posted on their site http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/fun_jobs/fun_jobs.aspx

...and the employee must be on contract for at least 6 months to get any of those benefits... we are waiting for our son to decide whether he's going to sign up for another 6 month contract to see if we are going to be able to take advantage of that benefit...

the free cruise sounds great, but you have to remember that most employees are sharing a cabin with at least one other employee, so staying in the room with them would be a little uncomfortable unless both roommates wanted to let you have a rollaway... my son's cabin is upper/lower, so can't imagine how there would be space...

and yes, it is seniority based, and since many of the techs change ships every 6 months, you can't plan too far ahead...

sounded wonderful to us until we looked at the logistics of it all... if we were retired, it would be easier! :D

They make more than I thought.

...and the employee must be on contract for at least 6 months to get any of those benefits... we are waiting for our son to decide whether he's going to sign up for another 6 month contract to see if we are going to be able to take advantage of that benefit...

 

the free cruise sounds great, but you have to remember that most employees are sharing a cabin with at least one other employee, so staying in the room with them would be a little uncomfortable unless both roommates wanted to let you have a rollaway... my son's cabin is upper/lower, so can't imagine how there would be space...

 

and yes, it is seniority based, and since many of the techs change ships every 6 months, you can't plan too far ahead...

 

sounded wonderful to us until we looked at the logistics of it all... if we were retired, it would be easier! :D

Thanks for the clarification Cheryl. I knew there was probably more to it then it showed. It's nice that you had the inside scoop to take some of the icing off the cake.

I never gave thought to their contracts only being for 6 or 8 months and that you couldn't book too far in advance or even them sharing a cabin.

See. it's good to have some inside info. Thanks for the reply to clarify.

Interesting info on those sites. The wages are quite a bit higher than I thought, especially when you consider they have no cost for their room and board while on the ship. Some threads I have read, gave me the impression they were paid much less. Good for them and I will still tip extra for exceptional service. Note: I spoke to quite a few crew members on our cruise in Feb. The wages shown on the web sites above are quite a bit higher than the average wage in their home countries, in some cases 4 times or more higher. What's better making $1500/month when your living expenses are $200.00 or making $8000/month when your lving expenses are $7500/month.

Tips should be in accordance with the service you receive. Their home, their color, their income, their family, everything personal about them are not factors. Only the service. Their income is no more our business than our income is their business.

Dan