Frequently Asked Questions

GETTING STARTED

Get Onboard is currently recruiting for Ambassador Cruise Liners. It is a European based company. If you are interested in working for Ambassador, you are welcome to email your CV with a recent colour photo on it. A member of our team will then assess your working experience to establish whether we can try and assist you with a suitable placement. If your experience matches what our clients are looking for or may look for in the future, we will be in touch with you with information of how we suggest you proceed with your application. Suitable candidates will be invited to attend a free presentation and pre-screen interview, which are currently only held in Cape Town for cruise ship employment.

If you are invited to a free presentation, we will provide you with a list of the application requirements (please see information below). Try and put these items together and bring them with you on the day. Online applicants will be asked to email their requirements to us, and these may differ from the requirements below. The sooner we have your application requirements, the sooner your CV and other requirements will be placed on our database and we can start looking for a suitable position for you.

The following are the joining requirements, which can only be completed once you have been approved and scheduled for a position. No money is to be paid until you are informed that your position is confirmed.

  • Survival/Safety Certificates – all must be obtained from an on land authorised training facility. Certificates obtained onboard are no longer valid as per international maritime law, irrespective of when these were obtained. AMBASSADOR requires 7 safety certificates and you will not be reimbursed for this cost. The current cost is approximately R10,000 for all the certificates.
  • STCW 2010
  • Basic Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting
  • Personal Survival Techniques
  • Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities
  • Elementary First Aid
  • Plus, the following:
  • Crisis Management and Human Behaviour
  • Certificate of Proficiency in Security Awareness
  • Crowd Management and Passenger Safety Training
  • Seaman’s Medical examination – average cost is approximately R3,500 
  • US C1/D Visa – US $ 160 – this visa must be valid for a year from the date of joining. The cost will be reimbursed once on board.
  • Schengen Visa – Euros 80 – valid for a year, multi-entry. The cost will be reimbursed once on board.
  • Australian Visa – for crew members joining the Viking SUN – obtained online free of charge.
  • Passport – valid for 2 years
  • Medical Insurance – is required for a Schengen visa but may not be necessary if you have a Seaman’s Book
  • Seaman’s Book – is not a mandatory requirement but recommended.
  • Police Clearance – is only required for some senior positions and those candidates will be advised.

1 x copy of your comprehensive CV – UPDATED TO PRESENT.
 
Including at least 2 signed Reference Letters & copies of all Certificates/Diplomas you may have plus Appraisals if you have previously worked on a cruise ship.

Your CV must contain the dates you have worked at your places of employment and as much information as possible regarding your duties performed. Start with your current job and work backwards. Salaries and reasons for leaving should not be added to your CV, however clients sometimes request this information on their application forms at a later stage.
 References – please give us at least 2 references from different companies or 1 Company and 1 Character reference from a professional person, school, church etc, if you have only worked for one company.

1 x clear copy of your passport – in colour

If you do not have a passport APPLY for one now. Current passports should be valid for at least 24 months, at the time of receiving a contract. Whilst there are no guarantees that you will be offered a position, if you are offered a contract, you must have a passport, in order to apply for your visas. You do not need a passport before you apply through us, however you should start the process ASAP and not wait until you receive a contract. Temporary passports are no longer acceptable.

1 x full-length* colour photo plus 1 x head-and-shoulders photo of yourself. Dress smartly or in uniform. 

*Full-length means that you should be photographed from your head to your toes. The size of the actual photo can be a normal 10 x 15 cm photo, not A4 size! Poor quality digital photos are not recommended; however, they do not have to be taken by a professional.

2 x colour passport photos These must be proper passport photos with a pure white background taken at a photographic shop/chemist/studio against a screen, as they understand what the requirements are. Selfies or photographs taken on a cell phone will not be accepted especially for visa applications, should you receive a contract.

There are minimum experience requirements for each position onboard. Each candidate will have recent related experience to a position when applying.

Contract lengths are based on position and operational need and vary from 3 to 8 months. The average contract length for most positions is 4-6 months.

Following your interview with GET ONBOARD, you may then be approved for a second interview with our recruitment partners. We will inform you as soon as possible if you have been approved. Approved means that you have been offered the position but will need to wait until you have been Scheduled, which means you will be given the joining date and which vessel you will be joining. The average time it takes to be Scheduled is between 2 – 6 months and sometimes longer, depending on the needs of the cruise company. You are encouraged to continue working at your current employment and only resign once you are Scheduled.

APPLICATION

Visit our vacancies page (link to page) to find additional detail and position information. If you have already registered a profile with us, you can apply directly for the position. If you have not registered, simply complete our simple application form and you will be added to our data base and able to apply.

As soon as we have received your documents, we will send you confirmation of receipt. Your application will then be processed in the human resources department. If you prove suitable for the position, then you will move on the stage of the application. This may include an invitation to an assessment center, a personal interview or an online interview. We will then contact you to inform you of the outcome of your application. If we feel your abilities and experience are a goof match for the position, you will then receive all the details and information regarding the next steps of your contract.

Not to worry, our vacancies page is updated regularly. Simply register with us and you will be notified as soon as a matching job becomes available.

WORKING ONBOARD

In order to find your job on a cruise ship, all employees must meet these basic requirements:

  • Be at least 21 years old
  • While some candidates over the age of 18 are accepted for certain positions, such as childcare, this varies between each cruise liner.
  • Hold a valid passport
  • Have the relevant visa or work permit. You will usually apply for the necessary visa after you receive a job offer.
  • Hold a valid medical certificate. Each employee must have an ENG1 or ML5 seafarer medical fitness certificate to work at sea.
  • Have a valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificate. In some instances you will get an opportunity to take the training after you join your ship. However, candidates who already have valid STCW certificates are usually prioritised.
  • Meet the language requirements relevant to your position. English is required by all crew members. German hugely advantageous and any other European language is a bonus.

Our cruise partners success is based on trust that guests and employees place in them. The safety and health of everyone onboard the ships and in the global destinations is always a top priority. In addition to the high hygiene and health standards already in place, our Cruises partners have developed enhanced health and safety protocols in conjunction with the relevant national and international authorities and implements a wide range of preventative measures to protect against Covid-19. This includes making full COVID-19 immunisation (including booster vaccination) mandatory for all our crew members when working on board the fleet.

A cruise ship is essentially like a floating town or city and as such, there is a wide range of different job roles available to ensure each cruise sails smoothly. Every ship needs a huge variety of staff, both behind the scenes and customer facing, right through from technical roles, to food & beverage, accommodation, entertainment, medical, sports & fitness, guest services, office, and many more.

Typically, a cruise ship salary will range between $1500 and $8000 a month, depending on your position and your experience. This is just a guideline and the size of the ship, the cruise company, position onboard will all affect this. If you are in a guest facing role, you can expect to earn more than your salary due to receiving tips.

When you work on board, you receive a fixed seasonal contract. The term of employment may vary based on the position on board and the department. Generally, you can assume an employment term of 4-6 months.

Prerequisite for employment on board is relevant training or studies and initial work experience. In addition, all employees on board require a Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate and a current criminal background check. Once the contract has been concluded, various training courses prepare employees for their work on board.

The best part about working on a cruise ship is that they sail all over the world, from the UK, to Europe, The Mediterranean, across the Atlantic to the Bahamas, Caribbean ,Asia, South Africa and Alaska. The list is really endless but the itinerary will depend on your cruise line.

Getting hired as a couple or with a friend can be difficult, although it is not impossible.

Special arrangements are more commonly made for married couples, however, there are no guarantees. The process is the same for a couple or set of friends as it is for an individual. You need to apply separately and progress through the interview process as such. Once you are in the later stages of the interview process you can let your recruiter or the HR department know of your request to work on the same ship. If there is a position available for both of you aboard the same cruise line, most employers will do their best to accommodate requests of this kind.

Married couples will request to share a room on board and if you have both been hired then typically the cruise line will be happy to accommodate this. You can also request to share with a friend if you have both been lucky enough to be hired on the same ship, but there is no guarantee.

Physical and mental fitness are important prerequisites for employment on board. Before starting work on board, every crew member of a cruise ship must present a national Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate, which only certain doctors may issue after a medical examination. Here, certain illnesses such as epilepsy, type 1 diabetes, vision problems, hearing problems, or a BMI of over 40 may result in the individual being deemed as not fit for service at sea.

Generally, there is a 7-day work week. Working hours and rest periods are set in accordance with the established standards and regulations of the internationally binding Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and depends on the type of employment on board.

For regular embarkation and disembarkation of crew, our cruise partner bears the costs for transportation from the home airport to the ship and back. The crew member bears the costs for transportation to/from the airport.

A variety of meals and beverages are offered that can be selected according to preference. The meals are well-balanced and are geared toward the diverse requirements of our international crew.

We employ an international crew on board. English language skills are therefore essential. The onboard language for interaction with our guests is German.

On board the ships, the crew has its own crew mess hall, a crew sundeck, a crew sauna, a fitness studio, and a recreational room including a crew shop. The crew can watch TV and video films in German or English. Internet access is offered on board our ships. The crew may, of course, take shore excursions in their free time.

All crew members receive uniforms on board our vessels. Shoes and socks must be brought by the crew members.

The contract with each cruise line employer will be different so it is difficult to outline the specific outcome of breaking your contract. Typically, you would incur any costs to return home and may lose aspects of your benefits package as well. You would also be blacklisted by the employer so you will find it very difficult to find another job on board. We do not recommend breaking your contract.

You are covered medically for any injury or sickness you sustain for the duration of your employment. There is a doctor and medical facilities onboard that all staff members have access to for free (there will be specific crew opening hours).

If you are on any medication, it is recommended that you take enough with you to cover one contract as you may not be able to get the same medication when you are away at sea, and that you inform the medical centre in the first few days after you sign on.

It is always wise to investigate the company’s health insurance policy before you embark, and if comprehensive coverage is not available seek out independent or traveller’s health insurance for yourself.

Get Onboard is currently recruiting for Ambassador Cruise Liners. It is a European based company. If you are interested in working for Ambassador, you are welcome to email your CV with a recent colour photo on it. A member of our team will then assess your working experience to establish whether we can try and assist you with a suitable placement. If your experience matches what our clients are looking for or may look for in the future, we will be in touch with you with information of how we suggest you proceed with your application. Suitable candidates will be invited to attend a free presentation and pre-screen interview, which are currently only held in Cape Town for cruise ship employment.

If you are invited to a free presentation, we will provide you with a list of the application requirements (please see information below). Try and put these items together and bring them with you on the day. Online applicants will be asked to email their requirements to us, and these may differ from the requirements below. The sooner we have your application requirements, the sooner your CV and other requirements will be placed on our database and we can start looking for a suitable position for you.

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