I have been offered a job with Norwegian Cruise lines. What is working on a ship like? The good and the bad.

Question

I will be working in Hawaii. If anyone knows anything about working on a ship or has themselves worked on a ship let me know. It is a 5 month comitment. I will be working as a waiter. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can get the information you need at this website:
http://164.109.173.140/ship_employ/eRecruit/ncla_faq.htm
You work around 10 hours a day 7 days a week for 3 months and then you get 2 months off. NCL does not pay you when you are off but the Seafarers International Union (SIU) will give you your vacation pay after you "ship" for a certain number of days. Also The State of Hawaii will give you unemployment compension during your off ship time You don't have to look for a job as long as you are in good standing with and regestered with the union. The card you turn in to get unemployment pay, simply in the employment contacts box write in SIU.

Answer 2

You will work around 8-10 hours per day 7 days a week for a set period of time usually for 84 days and then will be on vacation for usually 28 days. The pay is slightly higher then minimum wage with room and board while on the ship. You will have to join the Seafarers International Union (SIU) and will have to go to the Unions Piney Point, Maryland training center for general firefighting and safety training after the training you will get your MMD (Merchant Mariner Document) AKA Z-Card from the Coast Guard.You will have to pay union dues which is $25.00 per month whether you are working or not. When you accumulate enough sea time the Union will give you your vacation pay whenever you ask for it. It is best to collect your vacation pay when you can so that when you are actual on vacation you will be able to collect unemployment pay from the State of Hawaii(I collected $350 a week) payed every 2 weeks.
Waiters and BR'S (bedroom stewads) recieve generous tips close to $800 per week.

Answer 3

I would think it would be like being a slave! Cruise lines for years mostly hired third world workers and paid them little compared to US workers, great pay for a third world country person. Most started out as bus boys and worked their way up to waiters. Have to pass the cruise lines school to be a waiter. Hawaii basically said to the cruise lines if you want to do Hawaiian cruises than you will hire Hawaiians or US citizens from other states. But the mentality of management is hard to change, most of the officers are either Italians or Norweigans used to bossing around workers from a third world nation. Be careful

Answer 4

I have been on many cruises and talked with my waiters about their work. First, your commitment will require you to work 7 days a week and probably 10 to 12 hours a day or more. When you are not doing regular dinner service you will be serving in other food areas like the buffet, serving and/or clearing tables and helping guests find seating. You will have to get up early to prepare the dining room for breakfast, then after breakfast, get ready for lunch, and then get ready for dinner. Then after dinner clear things for the next day. If you have time off it will be a couple hrs during the day between meals. You may get to bed by midnight. You may get a few hours extra free time on the last day of the cruise when no lunch service is provided. You may ocassionally have time in a port stop to get off ship to browse or go to a beach.

Answer 5

Wow, how fun, if the opportunity ever arose for me to do it, I would in a heartbeat. I asked several people on my cruise last year if they liked doing it, and they said they loved it, even with the cramped quarters they get, and they couldn't dream of doing anything else. Good luck and have fun!

On my cruise I saw several of the people that worked on our ship out having fun, and mingling with guests from the ship doing the touristy thing. Looks like they get time to look around as well in the different ports, but not sure how the one in Hawaii will work. I would call up the person hiring you and ask. =)

Answer 6

In Hawaii will energizes you the fresh, floral air energizes you. The warm, tranquil waters will refresh you and the breathtaking, natural beauty renews you so now is about the time to know this amazing place, starting from with hotelbye because look around! There’s no place on earth like Hawaii. In Hawaii, the six unique islands offer distinct experiences that will entice any traveller. In Hawaii you will discover your ideal travel experience. Waikiki is one of the Hawaii islands and is the Hawaii's biggest tourist attraction. A suburb of Honolulu, Waikiki is easy to reach and offers all the amenities and entertainment of a modern city. At the end of the crescent shaped beach is the extinct volcano known as Diamond Head Crater, adding a spectacular backdrop to the incredible sun drenched beach.

Answer 7

1) First 5 months will be rigorous and stressful.
2) Take the next month off to splurge in Hawaii.
3) Work the next 5 months; see #1 above.
4) Take the next month off to splurge in Hawaii.
5) Repeat #'s 1 thru 4 until after achieving numerous promotions, you wind up as a member of the Captain's crew.

Aloha and good luck!

Answer 8

Island Prince is right. You can make & save a lot of money. No rent or utilities, might as well work hard, then play hard, or whatever, put a down payment on a house or Apt.(1 of my friends has 2 condos, he bought them 15 yrs ago) he was a waiter. Also depends what position you have/how much you make. My friends had stereos & TVs in their rooms & rented cars & partied on their off time on every island. Many of my friends have done it & I have seriously thought about it but never got around to it.

Answer 9

it's brill, but your quarters are like 6' 6" x 3' 1" an next to the engine, you share with 4 others.


an you work 23 hrs a day, except Sun then you do 1 hr overtime



its really fun

Answer 10

It is cramped and hard. I have a buddy that did it. He will never do it again.