Work as a Librarian on a Celebrity Ship

[linolive]

I work in a library and belong to a regional library listserv. This message was recently posted on the listserv. I thought that it might be of interest.

 

Best,

Linda

 

Dear librarians,

Celebrity Cruise Lines Manager Edwin Rojas contacted me about finding

 

librarians to work on their cruise ships for 6 month stints. Here's

 

what I learned from Edwin (who can correct any mistakes I've made).

 

 

 

You would sign a 6 month contract and you would be assigned to a variety

 

of cruises 7-14 days in length. You would work everyday in the library

 

helping people find leisure reading, get their email, and plan their

 

port activities mostly. You would work everyday, with time off everyday

 

for lunch and dinner and an occasional block of time where you could

 

visit a port. The pay is $1800/month plus room, board, and

 

transportation. After 6 months you can take off 4-12 weeks before

 

signing a new contract. Most librarians work 3-4 contracts. Summer

 

cruises are mostly to Alaska, Baltic, and Europe. Winter mostly to

 

Caribbean, Mexico, and South America.

 

 

 

You need a valid passport and a medical exam. If you are interested, or

 

know someone who might be, send a resume to Edwin below.

 

 

 

Now, doesn't this set you to dreaming?

 

 

 

Connie

 

 

 

Edwin Rojas

 

Manager of Entertainment & Cruise Programs

 

Celebrity Cruises, Inc.

 

Phone: (305) 982-2771

 

(800) 722-5472, ext. 32771

 

Fax: (305) 982-2403

 

Email: ERojas@rccl.com

 

[nu2sea]

Cool.

 

Does this require a master's degree in library science, or is it open to anyone who can read?

 

Susan

[linolive]

Dear Susan,

 

I really don't know. It's not clear from the message that was posted on the listserv. If you are interested, e-mail Edwin Rojas. Let us know if you find out.

 

Best,

Linda

[warmwinds]

There are many jobs on board ships, both short and long term. Bridge and dancing instructors, gentlemen hosts (dance with the ladies), guest lecturers (we had a WONDERFUL one on our Panama Canal cruise, and his wife talked about travel writing), others who talk about Financial Planning, etc.

 

Not to mention youth counselors, musicians, I know I'm forgetting tons others. If you have a talent and would like to take some time off and roam the seas, I would definitely contact various cruise lines.

[TPKeller]

On my Celebrity cruise, the dancers took turns working library shifts. I don't think they liked it very much, but it was good for folks who wanted to go chat with them.

 

Don't forget, the life "behind the curtain" is a lot different than what you have seen as a passenger.

 

I wonder if a full time librarian would ever get tips?

 

Theron

[ocngypz]

Contracts are for 70 hours per week. One thing he left out!! $1800 is not a lot of money for the hours required to work. Comes out to $6.42 an hour.

 

Then there are the uniform costs, your housekeeping gratuities.... and of course, having to share a room... most likely at this wage level.... 4 to a room.

[karen_cpa]

Contracts are for 70 hours per week. One thing he left out!! $1800 is not a lot of money for the hours required to work. Comes out to $6.42 an hour.

 

Are there additional responsibilities besides the library, because there is no way that the library is open 70 hours per week. Most days on the Zenith the library was open for 3 hours in the morning, 3-4 hours in the afternoon and 1 hour in the evening. That doesn't even count the first and last day, when the library was barely open at all. No way it even comes close to 70 hours for a 7 day period.

[trcori]

would the same manager at RCCL/X handle those?

my curiosity on that front was piqued when we sailed Mercury last year & some guy with less than half the experience I have in my often-of-public-interest field was one of the guest lecturers, with anecdotes and supporting materials I could have trumped easily ... never guessed that it would be a field of interest for an onboard lecture!

anyone have a clue what kind of compensation a guest lecturer might get? free or reduced-price cruise?

[TPKeller]

I wonder if they are going to make the librarian a full time position so that they can have it open more hours...

[Liat]

We have had a librarian on two Celebrity sailings. The first was on Infinity, and the second I believe of our Galaxy Transatlantic. We thought it was neat. It was the same lady each time.

[nu2sea]

Contracts are for 70 hours per week. One thing he left out!! $1800 is not a lot of money for the hours required to work. Comes out to $6.42 an hour.

 

Then there are the uniform costs, your housekeeping gratuities.... and of course, having to share a room... most likely at this wage level.... 4 to a room.

 

If this is the case, it is unlikely they would be able to attract at professional librarian. Unless he/she really wanted to cruise (sort of). ;)

 

Susan

[MortgageChick]

We had a delightful young lady named Erin as our librarian on Mercury in Feb. She told me she will be on Summit when we sail next month.She worked regular hours each day. I do believe that she was trained in Library Science, and you could tell she loved books and was very knowledgeable. She definitely did not looked stressed or overworked . $1800 a month including room and food and an opportunity to travel is not too bad a deal for a young single person. You could end up after six months with a nice savings account.

 

I think this would be a great opportunity to gain job experience for someone newly graduated.

 

We have had the dancers run the library on other cruise lines and it is a bad idea.

[dsawyer]

I just retired in June as a school librarian. I would want my own cabin, eat the same food as the passengers and get off in every port in order to be interested.

 

However, I think I would have to bunk up with the crew and eat their food which is considerably less appealing than the passengers' and only get off the ship occasionally. I am sure they would come up with various "other duties" from time to time.

 

I think the word "cruising" might have a whole new meaning. :rolleyes:

[Scott Cyn]

As to the 70 hour per week question, I noticed the ad also included "helping people...get their email". I don't remember Words having any way to get e-mail. Perhaps the plan is for the "librarian" to double as an attendant in the internet cafe?

 

Scott

[Mysteryreader]

I even have a little figurine attesting to the fact that I'm The World's Greatest Librarian!

 

On our AK cruise a guest lecturer (John Johnson--did a great program on composers to SRO crowds) was on the first leg of a b2b. He had an inside cabin down the passageway from us.

 

Put me and dh in a cabin and feed us in the DR, and I'll do the librarian thing with a big smile.

 

M/R

[Jeanne S]

Cool.

 

Does this require a master's degree in library science, or is it open to anyone who can read?

 

Susan

 

 

On a QM2 cruise the "fill in" or covering staff member at the desk was on of the Ship's Dancers.

[caviargal]

I have both worked aboard doing short term contracts and placed employees on ships. My employees were cruise staff so shared with one other person.

 

As someone who has seen both sides, I can confirm that life is very different unless you are a senior officer or CD.

 

Then again, I wish I would have done this at 20 because I was not so spolied then : )

[Jeanne S]

On a QM2 cruise the "fill in" or covering staff member at the desk was on of the Ship's Dancers.

 

I also wanted to point out that just because on is hired for one job that does not necessarily mean this is all you will be performing. Take the cruise ship dancers. They do not just cover the library, on Carnival they assist with Bingo. We used to see our sommelier working the midnight buffets every night on QE2, having worked since lunch time.

[dsawyer]

Once my hairstylist applied for a job on a Carnival ship to work in the salon. She was told they only hired haistylists who could double as an entertainer. :D

[Jeanne S]

Once my hairstylist applied for a job on a Carnival ship to work in the salon. She was told they only hired haistylists who could double as an entertainer. :D

 

In a song from the musical Hairspray I'll bet!

[moondoggie]

My DH and I are avid readers, and the first thing we do upon boarding is make a beeline to the library. We have always had terrific librarians, Erin included! It's like having your own private librarian making recommendations for you. We make friends with them, and have learned lots from them. Yes, they each have a roommate, and do work a lot of hours, but what a great way to meet people, sail the world, and be able to save $$$ having almost all expenses paid. We've never seen librarians other than the 'younger' ones, but hey, I'd do it if I was retired and single! My DH would also take the job!

[woodofpine]

Love X. And have X. And tell US About IT!

 

Jeez - if you be single (THAT MEANS MARRIED) and are less then 50 Years, then...

[Liat]

Glad that someone else remembered Erin the Librarian. I told the Cruise Director that we thought it was a great idea for X to have one, and he seemed to be pleased.

I don't believe she worked anywhere else on the ship.

On all ther ships the "librarians" have been the show dancers. I also recall Russian dancers on Carnival's Elation struggling, but not too hard, to sell Bingo cards.

Guest Lecturers are a different story. They are not paid, but travel as passengers with their spouses. And they really only work on sea days for a hour or so. Of course their preparation, which often includes slides and other visuals, takes some work; but once done, is good for many cruises. The dance hosts similarly are not paid, but travel as passengers.

I can't imagine a hairdresser being asked to act as an entertainer. Most of these people work for consessionaires, as do the store personnel. When you start thinking about it, the variety of occupations on board ship is fascinating. Thanks should go to the person who started this thread.

[sailinglisa]

The "Hair dresser" would have been an employee of Steiner Ltd. But they would have other responsibilites on board.....EVERY crew member, whether librarian, dancer, musician, spa employee, etc. ALL participate in the lifeboat drills and ALL have specific duties in case of emergencies. That is where the 70 hrs/week comes in.

[suewms1]

I agree, this really is a fascinating thread. I'm a professional librarian, but I just wish I were younger and not married, and I would jump on this in a flash. I can't imagine a more wonderful setting than a cruise ship to work on.

 

The helping with email certainly falls within "librarian" duties. As far as doing other jobs around the ship, my feeling is that the job would fall into a category like that of the ship's doctors and nurses, for instance. Or perhaps the information technology/computer people on the ship. I don't think they fill in elsewhere, except of course for life boat drills. Just my thoughts.

 

Thanks for finding the ad.

 

 

Sue