The Cruise Ship Jobs You Can Get Even Without Experience!

 Neil Maxwell Keys

Other Articles | November 6, 2008

Many people fail to land jobs on cruise ships not because of their lack of experience but because of their lack of know-how. This article reveals why you need to ensure you are applying for the position best suited to your abilities and skills and how this can land you the job you desire! This article also reveals an insiders list of cruise ship jobs that require little or no experience.

If it's your dream to work on cruise ships, find out first what jobs are available and which ones you are qualified to apply for. Certain jobs will require a high level of qualifications or specialized training such as disc jockeys, fitness instructors, dancers or youth counsellors.

Other jobs, however, require little or no qualifications or even experience, so don't be put off applying for cruise line employment if you're certain this is the career for you. Although many people believe it's impossible to break into the industry without prior experience, this just isn't true.

There are thousands of crewmembers who landed jobs with any particular skills or experience. There are many jobs that can easily be carried out using non-vocational skills and full training will be provided onboard.

Most people fail to land work on cruise ships not because of their lack of experience but because of their lack of know-how. Make sure you are applying for the position best suited to your abilities and skills and most importantly of all, is learning the knack of selling yourself. Understanding how to do this properly can quickly get you the job you want!

If you don't have qualifications or experience, here are some positions you may consider applying for right away:

* Cruise Staff - general people skills

* Casino Cashier - some customer service & cash handling experience

* Social Host - public speaking & people skills

* Gift Shop Associate - some retail or customer service experience

* Shore Excursion Staff - organizational & communication skills

* Bar Waiting Staff - full training provided

* Receptionist - organizational & admin skills

* Internet Manager - some internet experience

* Photographer - full training provided but you must show a genuine interest in photography.

* Cocktail Server - full training provided

* Tour Guide - communication & people skills

* Videographer - full training provided

* Guest Speaker - speaking skills with the ability to talk on a specific subject for an hour.

The list above isn't exhaustive but it gives you a good overview of the types of cruise ship jobs you can get with any particular qualifications.

All jobs onboard require a high level of customer service skills, so if you have this use any experience you have in other areas to get started in the industry. No matter how limited this experience is, if it is marketed in the right way you can get your foot on the cruise line employment ladder.

Many crew members have started their careers in this way and have gone on to enjoy great success. It's important to get your foot in the door and take the job you're offered first in order to get that valuable experience. You can then use this to move into another area that you're particularly interested in working in.

If you possibly can, you might consider gaining a few simple certificates that will greatly enhance your chances of success. Water safety instruction, CPR, or anything related to this area will give you the edge over other applicants when applying for cruise ship vacancies and ensure your resume looks even more impressive!

Classes are easy to find in most locations and there should be ones near you. Usually all that is required is one or two day's attendance at each course.

For more information, contact the Red Cross for details of water safety courses or CPR training. Alternatively have a look at these websites: americanheart.org or redcross.org.

After reading this article, you'll realize you already have some of the skills necessary to obtain work on cruise ships, even if you didn't think so before!

Article Tags: Cruise Ship Jobs, Full Training Provided, Cruise Ship, Ship Jobs, Cruise Ships, Full Training, People Skills,Customer Service, Training Provided

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neil Maxwell-Keys is a former crewmember, hiring expert and founder of WorkOnCruiseShips.com: a website dedicated to showing you how to realize your dream of getting cruise ship jobs. Get Neils *free* insider report by visiting =>http://www.WorkOnCruiseShips.com

Using the Right Approach to Get Cruise Ship Jobs

 Neil Maxwell Keys

Other Articles | November 24, 2008

This article discusses why online cruise ship resume blasting services are a waste of time and money and reveals what job seekers really need to do to get hired by a cruise line company. Includes little-known tips and technique for success.

A mistake we see a lot of people make when trying to get cruise ship jobs is to use an online resume distribution service. On the face of it they appear to be a quick, easy and effective solution. But the simple matter is nearly all cruise companies hate this approach.

This type of service works by sending copies of your untargeted resume to hundreds of companies in the industry, in the hope of getting you hired for any available vacancies. All for a fee, of course.

What's more, blasting your resume to several hundred cruise line recruiters in one go is not only certain to NOT get you hired, but it's also likely to get your details permanently blacklisted by their junk email systems.

This type of tactic is known as the 'Shotgun Approach,' and is a particularly ineffective method of promoting your talent when looking for work on cruise ships. Mailing hundreds of resumes, all of which are not focused for any specific position, is not giving you the most beneficial chance of gaining employment. You haven't targeted your skills to any particular job or given a good impression of your desire to land that job.

This technique is unlikely to bring you any success. If it was a guaranteed method of landing cruise ship employment, everyone would be doing it and the companies would never need to advertise for staff ever again!

A much better tactic is the 'Rifle Approach.' This involves creating a resume and cover letter that are targeted to a particular vacancy and mailed to only one company at a time. This type of approach is much more likely to catch a recruiter's eye than an unfocused application that has been sent to hundreds of companies.

If you are having difficulty obtaining cruise ship jobs or are uncertain of some aspects of industry requirements, the following points may guide you in the right direction.

* If you aren't having much success in getting replies to your applications, check you meet the minimum requirements for the job you are applying for. Try creating a dazzling resume and a powerful cover letter, designed to catch the attention of the recruiter. Remember too, companies receive hundreds of applications each week from applicants looking for employment and neither have the time nor the resources to respond to each one individually.

* Just because you've had a letter of rejection back, it doesn't mean that you can't apply to the same cruise line again. Check over your initial application once more. Do you meet any minimum requirements? Do you have a dynamic resume? An effective cover letter? Do these show off your skills and talents to your best advantage?

If not, spend some time redoing them, not forgetting to ask a friend or relative to proofread and give an honest opinion on them. Have you included everything asked for such as references, photographs and certificates? Once you have all the necessary information and a powerful resume, there is nothing to stop you reapplying.

* The minimum age for being accepted for any position is usually 18-21, depending on which job you are applying for. In particular parts of the ship including the restaurant, bar and duty free shops, you need to be 21 years and over to secure a position. This is due to legal requirements when alcohol is being sold or served to the passengers onboard.

The starting age for entertainers, spa staff and youth staff is typically 18 years old, but be sure to check with each individual cruise line you're applying to as this varies from company to company. Whether you're just below these ages, it is still a good idea to start applying. Often the hiring staff will review an application from somebody who will be old enough shortly.

* Don't worry if you cannot swim, as this is not usually a job requirement.

* It's a good idea to include two photos in your resume - one passport sized and one full-length. Always ensure you look well groomed and cheerful in these photos! You can include these in both posted and emailed resumes, not forgetting to keep the image file small in size when sending by email.

Taking the right approach, ensuring you meet all requirements, and creating a sparkling application will certainly set you well on your way to getting cruise ship jobs.

Article Tags: Cruise Ship Jobs, Right Approach, Cruise Ship,Ship Jobs, Cruise Line, Cover Letter

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neil Maxwell-Keys has hired thousands of crew for the biggest cruise lines in the world. He has written a popular *free* step-by-step e-book which shows you how to get cruise ship jobs, quickly and easily. Get your copy from => http://www.WorkOnCruiseShips.com

Finding Cruise Ship Vacancies: The Pro-Active Approach

Neil Maxwell Keys

Other Articles | February 11, 2009

97% of cruise ship vacancies are never advertised, so it's important to have a strategy in place when looking for crusie jobs. This article reveals a strategy you can use to stay one step ahead of your competition and be first in the queue when the positions become available.

It's always a good idea to have a strategy in place when looking for cruise ship vacancies.

Trawling the top websites searching for jobs unfortunately isn't enough. In this industry, a much more pro-active approach is required.

Usually when people are looking for cruise ship jobs, their first stop is recruitment websites. However, did you know around 97% of vacancies are never advertised?

That doesn't mean to say you should ignore these sites - of course not - however if you're really keen to get a cruise job then it's important that you take that extra step.

The jobs that are not advertised, how do they get filled? Well, most of them are snapped up, long before they even need to be advertised, by eager job seekers who apply directly to the cruise ship companies.

Just because you haven't seen cruise ship vacancies advertised doesn't mean the jobs don't exist or aren't available. Many people keep one step ahead by posting cover letters and targeted resumes directly to cruise line employers to ensure they're in with a good chance of getting just the job they want.

If there is a particular job you fancy doing onboard and have never noticed a vacancy advertised, don't assume no staff are needed or the post isn't available. Try this pro-active approach and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Often there are positions totally unique to a cruise line, or even a particular cruise ship, and these little-known positions rarely get advertised. Unless they're an experienced cruiser or have spoken to crewmembers, a person on the outside would have no clue that these types of positions even exist.

Many cruise ship vacancies come under this 'insider position' tag such as jobs within ice rinks, cinemas, bowling alleys, internet cafes or any other leisure amenities. If the ship has the facility, then suitably skilled staff will be needed to run it.

Many of the super liners have features like these - and many more. Some smaller liners may have too but remember - positions like this are rarely advertised.

Another great way of finding out what's available is by attending a cruise ship job fair. Many companies are now using this method to attract staff and promote their business.

Auditions and interview days are also a new way of hiring and along with job fairs are a great way of meeting current staff, getting insider information on life and work onboard, as well as giving you an excellent opportunity to make a good impression.

Recruitment days and job fairs are held throughout the year in many different countries and locations. Keep an eye out for one near you, as they are a great way of getting hired quickly.

Remember, to ensure success it's important to be pro-active in your approach to job hunting. Staying a step ahead and actively seeking out cruise ship vacancies will give you that added advantage over your competitors and mean you're first in the queue when it comes to available jobs.

Article Tags: Cruise Ship Vacancies, Cruise Ship, Ship Vacancies, Pro-active Approach

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ex-crewmember, hiring specialist and author of "Get a Cruise Ship Job!" Neil Maxwell-Keys has written a popular *free* report which shows how you can getcruise ship jobs, quickly and easily. Claim your copy now => http://www.WorkOnCruiseShips.com

Carnival Pride Review cruise ship

 Yvon Marier

Travel Articles | March 31, 2005

Have you ever considered taking a vacation with no driving, no hassle and no worries for 7, 10, 14 days or more? How about a cruise? If you've never been to one and not sure whether it would be right for you, read on. With all the cruise lines, cruise destinations and various range of price available, there is a cruise for just about everyone.

We were a group of 4 from Canada. We booked a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise with Carnival Pride departing from LA, USA. We made arrangements to stay a few days in LA where we visited Hollywood and the famous Venus Beach. It was the perfect start of our vacation.

On the day of our cruise departure, we head over to the pier and upon our arrival, we were immediately struck by the awesome sight of the Queen Mary, and our cruise ship was absolutely enormous as it sat there waiting for us.

It took about 45 minutes to check our luggage in and board the ship. Once on the Pride, we found our beautiful stateroom with private balcony, met our room steward, and our luggage magically appeared in our cabin. It's true that Carnival ships remind many people of newer Las Vegas resorts. We unpacked at once and made ourselves feel at home for the duration of the cruise. After watching the ship set sail from our balcony, we went for walks to get our bearings. We discovered a spa, overlooking a fitness centre filled with exercise equipments, and a hot tub in the middle of the work-out area separated by a glass wall from the rest of the room.

The first two days were sea days. We ate everything in sight, and just acted like people on vacation. The crew members are some of the friendliest and most entertaining folks I've ever met. The second day was nice and warm, we lounged around on the deck. They have plenty of deck chairs at the centre lido pool, we never have problem finding seats.

The cruise vessel has activities for the whole family 24 hours a day. A state-of-the-art theatre for quality shows and entertainment, which are all included in the cruise price. Different entertainment are featured in the theatre every evening of the cruise. They also have a number of theme bars, lounges and a disco with live music that are open into the early morning hours.

If nightlife isn't your style, you can enjoy the onboard pool, spa, library, fitness centre, shopping and other amenities. If you have children on the cruise, they have play areas and programs geared to different age groups.

All meals are "world class cuisine" and "gourmet meals", and combined with impeccable service to insure that the onboard dining experience is truly memorable. It is all included in the price of your cruise. The Pride take into account the modern casual lifestyle and provide a variety of restaurants and snack bars on board. There is a varied and plentiful breakfast and lunch buffet similar to what you would find in Las Vegas. Or you can eat breakfast or lunch in one of the ship's restaurants, order exactly what you want from the menu. Restaurants are usually open for meals for extended hours and buffets are generally open all day and into the night. Not the mention their 24-hour pizza parlour!

Cruises typically stop at a different port of call each day or every other day, depending upon distances and sailing time between points of interest. You may stay aboard the ship all day or disembark at any stop. You are free to explore each destination on your own as long as you return to the ship by the designated time. Our ports of calls were Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Los Cabos.

Puerto Vallarta:
We made arrangements to take the city tour. Riding in the comfort of a big, air-conditioned tour bus, Puerto Vallarta was a beautiful sight. Our highlight of the day was swimming with the dolphins. We literally got inside the dolphin pool, touched and kissed the dolphins. It was an experience of our lifetime.

Mazatlan:
We booked the city tour with tour-guide Frank. He gave us a private tour, took us to many places. We shopped, explored, ate, relaxed, and we had a fabulous time.

Cabo San Lucas:
There are the standard cruise shops, a marketplace of crafts and clothing, and some random street vendors doing the "braid your hair", "take a ride on my water taxi" thing. The trip on the water taxi was really nice and redeemed the Cabo experience for me. We rode around the Land's End, went up to the pelican colony, not nearly the number the pelicans living at the fishing pier in Mazatlan, went to look at the sea lions, and checked out the Pacific side of the peninsula.

Our last day on the cruise was a sad day. We had early disembarkation due to early flights (12:30). The ship was very organized and we were able to get off the ship very quickly.

All in all it was an excellent vacation. I'm very pleased with Carnival cruise.

With all these great services available at a reasonable cost, why not take a cruise vacation?

Article Tags: Carnival Pride, Cruise Ship

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carnival Pride review is published by Yvon Marier 
Looking for information about cruises? Go to:http://www.easytraveling.net
Travel Articles: http://easytraveling.blogspot.com

Getting a Cruise Ship Job Made Easy!

 Neil Maxwell Keys

Other Articles | June 21, 2007

This article reveals how applicants can dramatically increase their chances of getting hired by a cruise line company by applying to some of the little-known concessionaires and agents that work for many luxury cruise line companies. It also tells why anyone of any nationality can work onboard a luxury cruise ship.

Don't limit your chances of success by only applying directly to the cruise line companies themselves. You might be surprised to know that concessionary companies and staffing agents are actually responsible for hiring a large percentage of cruise ship employees.

Too often job seekers miss this opportunity because they mistakenly assume that applying through a hiring agency or concessionary company is not the best way to get hired. For this reason the applicant 'pool' tends to be much smaller.

You can use this knowledge to your advantage and greatly increase your chances of success by making sure that you apply to as many concessionaires and staffing agents as you can, as well as applying directly to the cruise line companies.

If you're unsure what the difference is between a cruise line, concessionaire and staffing agent, then here's a quick overview:

The cruise line is the company that actually owns and runs the cruise ship. However an onboard concessionaire has a contract with the cruise line company to operate a particular service across their fleet of ships (e.g. the onboard beauty salons and the onboard gift shops, etc).

This is similar in the way that a large shopping mall will have lots of retail stores inside. The retail shop provides the particular service and the mall provides shoppers and the outlet.

It's important to know that if you're employed by a concessionaire, then you are employed and paid by that company and not the cruise line (although you still follow the same rules and regulations and get the same privileges onboard as all other staff members).

A staffing agent is someone who works on behalf of the cruise line company (or concessionaire) to provide staff for usually a wide range of departments onboard. Once you have been placed by a staffing agent, their job is usually done and all the rest of the details are handled directly between the cruise line and the employee.

Cruise Ship Jobs for International Staff?

A question I get asked quite a lot by cruise ship job seekers is:

"Is it more difficult for a non-American to get a job on a cruise ship?"

The answer of course, is a resounding "NO!"

And if you've ever been on a cruise ship and met some of the staff who work onboard, you would probably laugh at this question! For non-American cruise ship job hunters this seems to be a fairly common concern.

In fact, sadly, some people actually write and tell me that they're giving up on the idea of working on a cruise ship because they're not American...

Cruising is one of the fastest growing leisure sectors. It's a huge industry worth billions of dollars - and the biggest cruising market is... yep, America!

For this reason most of the world's cruise line companies at least have a presence there (mainly Miami). And of course, it's fairly close to the Caribbean which is the most popular cruising destination.

But does this mean that it's mainly Americans who get to work onboard and have all the fun?

Nothing could be further from the truth!

The cruise line industry is an international industry that employs tens of thousands of staff from the world over. What's more, this is probably one of the few industries that employs people from virtually any country you can think of. And many more from Countries that you didn't even know existed!

On my first ship (Carnival Fascination) there were SEVENTY TWO different nationalities of people working onboard ONE ship. This was split over about 900 crew (which also gives you a little glimpse into how much fun it can be working and socializing with all these different people from so many different backgrounds!)

And this is fairly typical.

There are tens of thousands of staff from English speaking countries working on cruise ships right now, including; Americans, British, Irish, South African, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand.

Not to mention the tens of thousands of staff from Europe, the Far East, the Middle East, South America & the Caribbean, Russia and many more.

So I'm always amazed when people tell me that they can't get a job onboard a cruise ship because they're "not American"!

I hope this has dispelled that "myth" and will prevent you from giving up and missing out on a fantastic and life-changing opportunity.

Article Tags: Cruise Ship, Cruise Line, Staffing Agent, Staff From

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neil Maxwell-Keys is THE cruise ship jobs expert and best-selling author of "Get a Cruise Ship Job!" Each week he sends out a FREE tip, technique or strategy about how to get a job on a cruise ship quickly and easily. For further information visit:http://www.WorkOnCruiseShips.com

10 Tips for Success When Applying for Cruise Ship Employment

 Neil Maxwell Keys

Other Articles | October 9, 2008

When applying for cruise ship employment it's important to spend some time getting your application just right. A little time and effort at this stage will help you on your way to success and clinching that interview. By following the advice in this article you should be well on your way to a successful application for cruise ship employment. Here are ten top tips to ensure a winning cruise ship application.

When applying for cruise ship employment it's important to spend some time getting your application just right. A little time and effort at this stage will help you on your way to success and clinching that interview. Here are ten top tips to ensure a winning cruise ship application.

1. You should create a list of any previous positions you've held before, paid and voluntary. Write down any certificates you've gained from school, training or higher education. Don't forget to add any training courses you've taken part in and skills you have acquired.

2. After you have completed your list, rewrite it with your best strengths listed at the top all the way down to your 'least' strength. Be honest about your strong points and weaknesses.

3. Now it's time to find out what cruise ship vacancies are presently available. The majority of cruise lines will place advertisements with the leading job websites online, so spend some time looking through these. Use a search engine to locate the top employment sites.

4. Consider the available positions and weigh up which vacancies are best suited to your experience, your qualifications, your skills, your personality, and your aspirations. Take some time to consider what cruise ship employment is the best fit for you.

5. After you've chosen which cruise ship vacancies to apply for, start building your resume. Check it carefully to ensure no spelling mistakes and make sure it looks professional i.e. typed correctly with proper spacing and aligned margins, etc. Try to make your resume as imaginative and interesting as possible to stand out from other applications.

6. Write confidently! Select powerful words that portray you as a confident person with a strong belief in your own abilities. Never over-estimate your capabilities but at the same time don't undervalue yourself either. Just be honest and choose words that sound right for you.

7. If you are applying for more than one cruise ship job, optimize your resume accordingly for each vacancy. Change it a little to target the positions you're writing your application for, ensuring that any relevant abilities and skills you have in this field are highlighted. This point is essential in the cruise ship industry.

8. Once your resume is polished and sparkling, give it to family and friends to critique. This is a good way to spot any errors you may have overlooked and get an honest opinion on its appearance and content.

9. Now your resume is out of the way, its time to concentrate on your cover letter. This part is crucial so spend extra time getting it just right. Your cover letter is the key to enticing the recruiter to read your resume; and your application should invite the hiring manager to call you and practically beg you for an interview!

10. Once everything is completed, it's now time to send it. Don't spend days or even weeks drafting copies until its perfect. If you can, start right now and get your cruise ship employment application ready as soon as possible. Concentrate on nothing else until it's ready, you want to secure that interview within the next week.

That's it! Now just sit back and wait until that interview letter pops through the door. While you're waiting, here are three bonus tips to improve your chances even more.

Bonus Tips

1. Ensure your application is addressed correctly. Have you spelt the receiver's name correctly? Did you make sure you got the correct position for them? Always double check because the last thing you want is to make a mistake at this important part!

2. Whilst you're waiting to hear from the company, brush up on your interview techniques. Consider the questions you may be asked and think how you will answer.

3. Keep a record of all cruise ship jobs you have applied for. Write down which companies you have applied to, which positions you applied for, the date you applied, the name and position held by the recruiter, the name of the agency, and their physical and website address.

By following this advice you should be well on your way to a successful application for cruise ship employment. Remember, if it doesn't work out this time, keep persevering and polish your application next time until it stands out from the rest. Good luck!

Article Tags: Cruise Ship Employment, Cruise Ship, Ship Employment, Some Time

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neil Maxwell-Keys is an ex-crewmember, hiring expert and best-selling author of "Get a Cruise Ship Job!". Claim Neil's popular free e-book TODAY which shows you how to get cruise ship jobs, quickly & easily. Available at: => http://www.WorkOnCruiseShips.com