How much do cruise staff make?

[Carolinamamasita]

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

 

That isnt too bad ...

if you think about it ;)

$40 day during high season....

 

I still have to wait until he finishes school

but I'm keeping that in the back of my mind :p

Wouldnt think of trying the free stay though

[mydream]

Just like to add that not all people employed on ships come from 3rd world countries. Many people in the casino, shops, photography, entertainers for example come from New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Europe and USA.

Earning US$ is not so strong at the moment compared with what it used to be for non 3rd world workers.

Starting rate in the casino (for a newbie) is about $10 per day or about $300 per month. On top of that they get a share of the tips. This is why tips are so important to them. Tips vary each week, and on each different ship. So tips go up and down according to who is on the cruise and how generous or happy they feel about the service they are getting. (As it should be).

Yes they do get very basic food and board paid but most of them still by extra drinks and have their own personal expenses ie washing clothes, buying extra food and drinks, toiletries, buying phone cards, internet etc. Their rooms are very small and they have to share unless they are in the higher staff levels.

They also tip other crew for jobs they do for them. And when they do get off the ship in port, the prices are mostly the same for them as everyone else.

 

So... Yes having a job on a cruise ship is great experience for young people.

 

They meet people from all over the world.

Make fanstastic new friends they never would have met if they stayed at home.

Get to see wonderful places in their time off.

Learn a lot about human nature.

They learn how to conform to rules and self-discipline.

They work hard and long hours.

They earn enough money to go out and have some fun.

 

Stay away from home for 6 to 8 months at a time.

Can be unlucky enough to miss family Birthdays, Weddings, Funerals, Easter or Christmas, depending on the term of their contract.

Pay for their own airfares to their ship of employment and back home.

If they do their jobs well and get good comment cards they may get promotions and earn better money.

Learn to deal with whatever drama comes their way and stand on their own two feet.

 

Learn to appreciate how lucky they are to live in the countries they do.

Be greatful for their own families when they come home.

 

So, in answer to your original question, YES it is a great experience and is a wonderful WORKING HOLIDAY and life experience.

If you know someone interested in travelling and seeing the world while earning some money and with a safe place to sleep each night, tell them to go for it!

Good Luck!

:)

[cheryltwin]

 

Stay away from home for 6 to 8 months at a time.

Can be unlucky enough to miss family Birthdays, Weddings, Funerals, Easter or Christmas, depending on the term of their contract.

Pay for their own airfares to their ship of employment and back home.

 

Entertainment Dept. staff members have their airfare paid both ways unless they get kicked off the ship... and that is also between contracts if they want to take a few weeks off... Carnival paid for my son's flight from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale and will fly him home as well... but the waiters, etc. have to pay their own...

[turs]

A friend of mine was the singer on RCI for several years after finishing college. He made decent money. He picked that cruiseline because he only had to do performances and practice, no bingo, etc. He was able to mingle with the passengers. (Some employees are not allowed to chat/interact with the passengers unless it is part of their duties. ) He would call from Hawaii, Jamaica, Alaska. Not a bad gig for a young person. He was able to save up enough money to go to NYC and give Broadway a try.

[Chacooe]

I have a very close friend who's daughter started working for a cruise line when she was 19. Their shifts are 12 hours on 12 hours off, they work one week, get the next week off. Her tips alone were around $1500.00 a week. The passengers were required to leave $5.00 per day per person and when you are given 20 cabins a day to clean that is good tips especially where their are more then 2 people in the room. She earned a base wage which was just about $6.90 hr (this was in 1999). Just her first year of working she made over $39,000.00 her very first year. That is fantastic wages for someone right out of high school. She could also make extra money if she wanted to work in the restaurants at night, which she did. She is still working for the same cruise line and is now earning over $82,000.00 a year, so these people make really good money. In the last 10 years she bought her own home and has paid it off, she bought a new car and paid it off, how many people can do that before they turn 29, not many. She loves her job and she would not change it for anything. In fact she is the one that has set my cruise up for me. She found out that I have never been on a cruise and because family members can travel at cost, she is paying for a Mexican Riviera trip this year and an Alaskan trip next year for her mother and I, who is not only my best friend for over 50 years, but she is also my caregiver. So I know the truth on what people who work the cruise line really earn. I will ask her what staff on a cruise ship do not get any portion of the tips.

[Chacooe]

They do flock to these positions. There are cruise job headhunters in 3rd world countries that secure jobs on ships for the locals. And the locals PAY THEM large sums [like a years pay] for getting hired.

 

Dan

 

That also happens in this country, there is a big one in Portland, Oregon for the Cruise lines and one in Seattle. A friend of mine just got a job working in Dutch Harbor Alaska and the starting wage is $72,000.00 a year, with room and board. They also gave her a $20,000.00 bonus for taking the job (although that is split, she gets half up front and the other half when her contract expires), so it is not only 3rd world countries that hire them, we do to.

[Philip217]

Working on a cruise ship?

I have done it for 34 years.

I have had one Christmas off in 34 years.

I work 8 months without a single day off.

Every working day is 13 hours with multiple split shifts.

I have a good salary, but when you divide it by the 390 hours I work every month, it comes to about $5 per hour.

I get paid in US Dollars but live in Japan and China.

My salary has lost 15% against the Yen and 40% against the Renmminbi in the past 6 months.

 

If you have a US Passport, you will have a very difficult time finding a job on an international cruise ship. Most cruise lines just do not hire Americans - except as singers, dancers, or child care. Occasionally we see an American working in the Spa or Shops, but they don't last very long. They usually get fired for alcohol, drugs, or refusing to work.

[AandBmom]

Working on a cruise ship?

I have done it for 34 years.

I have had one Christmas off in 34 years.

I work 8 months without a single day off.

Every working day is 13 hours with multiple split shifts.

I have a good salary, but when you divide it by the 390 hours I work every month, it comes to about $5 per hour.

I get paid in US Dollars but live in Japan and China.

My salary has lost 15% against the Yen and 40% against the Renmminbi in the past 6 months.

 

If you have a US Passport, you will have a very difficult time finding a job on an international cruise ship. Most cruise lines just do not hire Americans - except as singers, dancers, or child care. Occasionally we see an American working in the Spa or Shops, but they don't last very long. They usually get fired for alcohol, drugs, or refusing to work.

 

Thanks for sharing your personal experience. Can I ask what makes you stay working on cruises?

[Philip217]

I stay because I love working on ships.

 

But with the weak US Dollar, many long-time cruise ship employees are re-thinking our employment options.

If the cruise lines don't start paying us in Euros, many will be leaving to make more money at home.

[momofmeg]

I stay because I love working on ships.

 

But with the weak US Dollar, many long-time cruise ship employees are re-thinking our employment options.

If the cruise lines don't start paying us in Euros, many will be leaving to make more money at home.

 

what about lines like P & O and Pulimar? Since they are based in Europe and the med, I would think their crew are not paid in US dollars. Maybe you should look into getting a contract with a line like that.

 

In fact the way things are going here in the good ole USA, I beleive

less americans will be cruising, or at least less often, I keep wondering when we will hear that some of the cruiselines will be going belly up as the airlines are doing.

 

It might be smart for you to consider doing this before we see this happening.

[Philip217]

momofmeg,

 

Don't lose any sleep over the cruise lines staying in business.

They are suffering just like the airlines. But they have a huge advantage.

The cruise industry has not even begun to tap the European and Asian Markets yet.

 

The Europeans and Asians are discovering cruising as the Americans are being priced out. And the Europeans and Asians can well afford it.

 

It won't be long before the Americans are a minority on cruises, the daily announcements are in Chinese or German, and all the prices are in Euros.

 

That's when we start getting paid in Euros.

[gebo]

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?

 

I work for the government and like many others, my pay scale is considered public information.

[crew mom]

I have a huge appreciation for the hard work done ... 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.

My son started at 18 yrs old and has worked on board for the better part of 7 years. The first year or first couple of contracts, is usually rough since these young people are learning to be away from home, work a full time job, share a room with strangers, missing family, holidays etc. You need to be in a stable frame of mind to accept work on a ship due to it's logistics. It's really stressful for some.

 

In addition when you factor in food, lodging, clothing, etc. it is much more than you imagine. (Before anyone says they are packed in rooms, etc. they are still getting room and board, that they would have to pay for on shore.) In addition there are usually crew rooms with cheap alcohol, and a store to buy a lot of their personal items at really cheap prices.

 

On the cruise line my son works on most crew members do share small rooms with 2 or more people. And just when you just get used to your roommates habits - they are gone and you have a new roommate.

They have a crew mess which is buffet style and is not the same menu as the passengers buffet. Many of the dishes are ethnic foods that the crew members would find in their home countries. My son lived on rice and bagels and spent his paycheck on food on shore whenever he had the chance until he reached officer status! The officers mess does get to order off the menu. And they get their own room but it's smaller then a passenger room.

They do have a crew bar and a crew store, both with reasonable prices. No booze or food allowed in their room. They do room inspections. And no kitchen priviledges so if you end up working thru dinner and don't get off work until late - you're out of luck until tomorrow. DS loves home cooked food when he "vacations" - at home!

 

 

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

 

Again, I'm only speaking for one cruise line here. Most cruise lines offer a " Friends and Family" rate of some sort. Rates vary according to the itinerary and port fees etc.. Of course tips are not included. I have only taken advantage of it one time and looked for deals for the other cruises I've taken. Main reason - if the ship sells out - they can sell your room and you could be left at the pier waving goodbye. So since I have to spend $$ to get to the embarkation port - I'm going to be on that ship and the only way I can be sure of that is to pay for the cruise the same as every other passenger on board.

 

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...nd_saving.html

 

I did find that those wages quoted were on the high side. Without going into it I do know the wages of 4 different positions and these were not close. There are many factors to the wages. Many of the crew is hired thru a contractor of sorts. They have a different pay scale they work off. Let me say that according to US pay scales they are vastly underpaid BUT according to the pay scale of their homeland they are well paid and the jobs are coveted. This is why you'll find employees that have worked for the line for years. They have a great job in comparison to what they would earn at home. US, Canadian, Australian, UK crew are paid closer to what they would be paid in their own country but again it all depends on what they are doing on board.

 

Also - if your fired, or you chose to quit before the end of your contract - you pay your airfare. Otherwise the cruise line provides your airfare to and from, hotel if necessary and transportation to the ship.

 

Biggest advantage to working on a ship - You get to travel and see the world on their dime, and get paid for it. However, just because the ship goes to Rome that doesn't mean that YOU get to see Rome. YOU may have to WORK that day and not be able to go ashore.

[Bonnie J.]

BUT, what are salaries BEFORE tipping???????? Waiter once told me he was paid $75 a month by the cruise line! Also was once told the cruise line deducts an amount each month and puts it aside for the, in this case another waiter, round trip air fare for employee to go home and come back when they go on vacation. Staff on board get paid very little which is why tipping is so important to them!

[Philip217]

Most cruise line employees are members of international maritime unions. These unions negotiate working contracts with the major cruise lines.

 

Most tipped employees working on ships have official salaries (without tips) that range between US$40 and US$80 per month. Normally, union dues (between $15 and $30 per month) are deducted from that base salary.

Before tips, the average tipped employee earns about $1 or $2 per 13 hour working day.

 

Some crew are required to pay for their air ticket to the ship. Nearly all cruise lines pay for their air ticket home at the end of the contract.

 

Some crew are required to pay for part or all of their uniforms.

 

Most crew are required to pay for medical exams, fire training courses, lifeboat courses, English courses, and other pre-employment training provided by the manning agencies.

 

Some crew must bribe the manning agent with as much as one year's pay to get the job.

 

Most cruise lines have a minimum guaranteed salary for each tipped position. This covers dry docks, or cruises where many passengers cannot or will not afford to tip them.

 

A typical average waiter's guaranteed minimum salary would be around US$1800 for 390 hours of work in one month.

[sail7seas]

That brings us to the pooled tip question. If one waiter is exceptional and receives many over and above tips, is he contributing all of those tips to the pool? I don't mean tips from people who removed automatic tip from their account but ALL extra tips they receive. A very gregarious, charming waiter probably earns more than a more shy, less friendly steward but in order for all to receive the minimum guaranteed monthly salary, are they all contirbuting all of their tips to the pool?

 

[dan40]

That brings us to the pooled tip question. If one waiter is exceptional and receives many over and above tips, is he contributing all of those tips to the pool? I don't mean tips from people who removed automatic tip from their account but ALL extra tips they receive. A very gregarious, charming waiter probably earns more than a more shy, less friendly steward but in order for all to receive the minimum guaranteed monthly salary, are they all contirbuting all of their tips to the pool?

 

Different cruiselines handle tips according to how they think best/wish?

Carnival does NOT pool tips except for the $1.00pppd to the bistro staff.

If a client leaves the auto-tip in place and tips more in cash, the tippee keeps all of it. [he may have to share if he has helpers, as Room Stewards do]

If the auto-tip had been removed, it is unclear if the tipee keeps any cash tips or if he has to turn them in to be pooled. I think he has to turn them in, others think not.

Princess, on the other hand, while in the Carnival family, pools all tips.

 

Extra cash tips on Princess, I do not know or care what happens to them. I tip extra cash to the people I want, what they do with it is not my concern or business.

 

Since I have no interest in a cruise job, how much any service person makes on a ship is not my business.

 

Dan

[CHARLESV32]

I normally always take out the automatic gratuities and I tip the people who deserve it accordingly.

[AmoMondo]

They may not all be from 3rd World countries but those who are do not get anything like the sdame deal as those from the developed counties. I have a good friend from peru who works on cruise ships as an assitant barman. he works up to 14 hours per day, 7 days per week right throughout his contract of usually 9 months. he has to pay for his own uniform, visas and the rest. he also has to pay his agent who seems to not work too hard to negotiate a good deal for him. he had a supposed 9 month contract last year and was due to go home in january. They sent him home 3 months early because they didn't seem to need so many staff over winter. he was told by his agent that he would definitely be starting back in feb and would need a US Visa as he'd be based in the caribbean, then it was march and then April, he eventually got restarted early this mponth based in Europe and had to pay for an Italian Visa (Us Visa surplus to requirements but obviously no refund). In total he has pais almost $2500 to his Agent or in visas (average earnings in peru are $50-100 per month). he can't make too much fuss with his agent or he wont get any work at all on cruise ships. So why does he put up with all this? because he wants to help his family and has no choice about how he is treated. I also have got to know some other people who work on cruises (because I've been on the same ship many times) and there stories are similar. The Western Europenas and American crew get a far better deal and treatment than those from South America, bali and the Philipines and Africa get.

 

I sometimes feel guilty that they are almost being exploited by us as passengers but then agin, it's one of the few opportunitues where they can make much better money than at home and will sacrifice being away from their families almost all the time, sharing a small cabin with someone they may not even like just to make the lives of their families better, to pay for medical treatment or education for them. I don't envy cruise staff the tips they get or their lives. Whatever they get, they work very hard for.

[momofmeg]

momofmeg,

 

Don't lose any sleep over the cruise lines staying in business.

They are suffering just like the airlines. But they have a huge advantage.

The cruise industry has not even begun to tap the European and Asian Markets yet.

 

The Europeans and Asians are discovering cruising as the Americans are being priced out. And the Europeans and Asians can well afford it.

 

It won't be long before the Americans are a minority on cruises, the daily announcements are in Chinese or German, and all the prices are in Euros.

 

That's when we start getting paid in Euros.

 

Just as I said. You won't be paid in dollars if mos tof your customers are not Americans

[lovesublime]

Working on a cruise ship?

I have done it for 34 years.

I have had one Christmas off in 34 years.

I work 8 months without a single day off.

Every working day is 13 hours with multiple split shifts.

I have a good salary, but when you divide it by the 390 hours I work every month, it comes to about $5 per hour.

I get paid in US Dollars but live in Japan and China.

My salary has lost 15% against the Yen and 40% against the Renmminbi in the past 6 months.

 

If you have a US Passport, you will have a very difficult time finding a job on an international cruise ship. Most cruise lines just do not hire Americans - except as singers, dancers, or child care. Occasionally we see an American working in the Spa or Shops, but they don't last very long. They usually get fired for alcohol, drugs, or refusing to work.

 

Or because they won't work for those low wages!