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Everything you need to know about working on a cruise ship, care & repair, costs to consider, life aboard a cruise liner., hard working.

Working abroad a cruise liner means long hours.

If you have a love for seeing the world, this is the golden opportunity!

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Life on board is not always smooth sailing. Be motivated!

You will make life-long friends from all around the world.

Find your dream cruise ship job!

We, at GRI, are the dedicated Hiring Partners for the worlds premier Cruise Vessels and we are consistently on the look out for professionals who are committed & passionate and who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career at sea!.

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Crew Life at Sea

Crew Life@Sea is a Leading Recruitment Agency based in Cape Town, South Africa. Specializing in Cruise Ship Jobs, Yachts and River Cruises.

In addition, we offer useful information, advice, insights, and resources to help inspire all job seekers to succeed while working abroad...

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Cruise Line Job Opportunities for South Africans

Working on a luxurious cruise ship means that you can do it from anywhere in the world, even in South Africa, where top recruiters and concessionaires on constantly on the lookout for hard working, dedicated South African cruise ship workers.

Well, then cruise ship life might just be for you!

No matter where in South Africa you live, you can easily apply for a cruise ship job. The main ports where you will depart from are Durban and Cape Town, with some of the largest cruise liners in the world berthing here. East London, Port Elizabeth and Richard's Bay along the east coast of South Africa also provide ports of call for cruise liners.

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Durban Harbor has a well equipped cruise ship terminal for passengers, namely the N-Berth on the T-jetty. This is busiest during the summer months between November and May each year, with one cruise ship based there as a "resident." There can be as many as 3 cruise ships in the port at any one time.

Cruise Companies Departing from South Africa

MSC Starlight is one of the main cruise lines in South Africa, based in Johannesburg with itineraries throughout Europe and the Mediterranean. Their fleet includes the MSC Sinfonia and the MSC Melody boasting a crew of around 700 and 530 respectively. You can easily be part of this crew and sail off into the sunset.

Oceania Cruises ship the Nautica departs from Cape Town on various month-long journeys along the African coast, eventually reaching destinations in Singapore and Hong Kong.

The Seaborne Quest departs for various length cruises leaving Cape Town, heading East where stops include Singapore, the Maldives, and Mumbai, India.

Silversea offers two smaller cruise ships, the Silver Wind and Silver Whisper, both offering local cruises to Richard's Bay and international cruises to Spain and Mauritius.

Princess Cruises operates the Ocean Princess out of Cape Town traveling to London and Paris.

Holland America 's Amsterdam cruise liner offers a 24 day grand world voyage departing from Cape Town, visiting The U.S.A and Caribbean Islands.

Cruise Ships Visiting South Africa

South Africa is a popular cruise ship destination amongst the small and large liners. Some of the main lines visiting the South African harbors, in addition to the ones above, include:

  • SeaDream Yacht Club - SeaDream 1
  • Holland America - HAL Prinsendam
  • Hapag-Lloyd Cruises - MS Hanseatic
  • Cunard - Queen Mary 2
  • Seaborne - Seaborne Spirit

Aside from the large, luxury liners, many smaller cruise ships operate out of South Africa with harbor and coastal cruises all along the east and west coasts of the country. What an amazing way to explore the beauty of Southern Africa!

Interested to learn more? Just become a CruiseJobFinder member and you will gain access to all the hiring agents and concessionaire companies - and much more. As a subscriber you will also get detailed company info about cruise lines and recruitment agencies around the world, plus interviews with recruitment agency directors and experienced cruise ship employees, who give valuable advice about getting cruise ship jobs.

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Jobs On Board

Work on board a leading cruise ship.

For cruise ship recruitment enquiries in South Africa, apply through HOLLAND AMERICA GROUP

Click on link to apply https://hollandamericagroup.pinpointhq.com/

+27 (0)11 463 3293

[email protected]

Mon – Thurs: 08:30 – 17:00 Friday: 08:30 – 16:00

804 Hammets Crossing Office Park, Joules House Johannesburg, 2188

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Charting your Course to Success

Allow Portside Consulting to help you start or advance your career at Sea.

Work & Explore 

At Portside Consulting, we understand that securing a role at sea can be a daunting task, but with our expertise and guidance, we can help chart your course to success in the cruise industry. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience working with cruise lines, which enables us to provide comprehensive services to candidates seeking employment at sea.

We can assist you in identifying suitable job opportunities that match your skills, experience, and interests. Our network of contacts allows us to connect you with the right people and increase your chances of securing employment in the cruise industry. Our team of experts can also help you prepare your resume, cover letter, and provide guidance on how to present yourself effectively during interviews. Once you have successfully completed your interview, Portside Consulting will continue to guide you with obtaining all the documentation required to work onboard.

You will have a designated consultant assisting you along the way.

Want to work on cruise liners?

Our team of experts has years of experience working in the cruise industry, dont hesitate to contact us for any enquiries.

ship cruise jobs in south africa

Requirements to Work Onboard 

All Candidates must be over the age of 21 years to apply and have a valid passport.

In order to work onboard you are required to obtain a full Medical examination, STCW Certificate and Police Clearance.

Reference Checks will be conducted by our Agency

All applications are to be submitted with an updated CV

Recruitment Process

We would like to emphasise an important point regarding the recruitment process at Portside Consulting. We want to assure you that we strictly adhere to ethical business practices, and as such, we want to make it clear that no agency fees will be charged at any stage of the recruitment process.

At Portside Consulting, we believe in maintaining transparency and fostering a positive relationship with our applicants. Therefore, we want to emphasise the following:

No Agency Fees:

We want to assure you that we will never charge any fees for our recruitment services. Our commitment is to connect qualified candidates with exciting opportunities onboard cruise ships, without any financial obligations on your part.

Ethical Standards:

We pride ourselves on upholding the highest ethical standards in the industry. Our primary goal is to facilitate a fair and merit-based recruitment process that benefits both candidates and our esteemed cruise line partners.

Beware of Scams:

It has come to our attention that fraudulent individuals or organisations may attempt to deceive job seekers by falsely claiming to represent Portside Consulting and requesting fees for recruitment purposes. Please be aware that we have no affiliation with such practices, and any communication or request for payment should be treated as suspicious and promptly reported to us.

We are dedicated to providing a seamless and professional experience for all applicants, and your trust is of utmost importance to us. Should you encounter any concerns or receive any solicitations that contradict our policy, please inform us immediately so that we can take appropriate action.

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  • HOW DOES IT WORK?

ship cruise jobs in south africa

Simply Follow Our Simple Step By Step Process To Succeed And Land A Cruise Ship Job.

Getting a cruise ship job can be much easier than you think. Many people don’t know the correct steps to take which makes them take far longer than they need to with less success and more rejection. All you need to do is hit the button below.

Here’s How We Help You Land A Cruise Ship Job. Details Of The Program How Does It Work?

  • Complete the quiz to see if you qualify for our coaching program.
  • Pay a once off fee of R379 ZAR which is fully refundable.
  • Submit your CV, and tell us what jobs you want to apply for. 

One of our cruise job experts will:

  • Evaluate your CV, skills, and work experience, before suggesting areas for improvement.
  • Tell you what your chances are of getting a cruise job, and what you can do to increase them.
  • Provide you with information about the types of jobs you are best suited for you.
  • Tell you where to send your CV and how to apply for jobs, to improve your chances of success.
  • Answer your questions and much more.
  • You will receive a personalized report and video from our team packed with recommendations and advice.
  • Download your personalized assessment report.
  • Ask any questions to the team.

Who We are!

Cruise Job Coaching was founded by cruise job expert and veteran Jared Koning. Jared is considered to be one of the best cruise job experts in South Africa

Previously working on cruise ships for four years for MSC Cruises. Princess Cruises. Carnival Cruises and offered jobs with Disney and NCL cruises. 

Key experience:

  • Worked on cruise ships for four years.
  • Recruited for a number of cruise companies.
  • Author of ‘How to get a cruise job’ downloaded 27000 times. 
  • Founder of Cruise Ship Academy. South Africa’s biggest cruise job blog website with 13000 monthly visitors. 
  • Coached 400+ applicants over five years with 77% success rate of applicants getting cruise interviews and cruise jobs.

95% Of All Applicants That Apply For Cruise Jobs Will Never Get A Cruise Job Without The Right Help

Sadly 95% of all applicants will never get a cruise ship job. It’s not their fault, they just just haven’t been taught the right way of getting a cruise ship job. It doesn’t have to be this way for you though. 

We can show and coach you to landing a cruise ship job just by following our proven and tested coaching program to help you land a cruise ship job the easy way. Let us help you improve your chances of starting your dream job

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Save Yourself Weeks And Months Of Costly Trial & Error By Using Our Step By Step Program.

Getting a cruise ship job can be much easier than you think. Many people simply don’t know the correct steps to take which makes them take far longer than they need to. We’ve done all the hard work for you, so all you need to do is follow our step-by-step coaching program and you’ll land a cruise ship job in no time. You won’t just save time either. 

Are you ready to start traveling the world and making $$$? Then click on the button below let us help you make 2023 a success by working on a cruise ship. 

Testimonials

Thank you for guiding me. I just landed an interview with Disney Cruises.

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Just started working for MSC. Thank you to the team for the help.

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Deeply impressed with Cruise Job Coaching, you guys rock i'm joining Carnival Vista on Monday.

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Thoroughly enjoyed the program. Just landed a job with Parkwest onboard.

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Highly recommend Cruise Job Coaching, i just finished the program and amped to get a cruise job.

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Great program full of snippets of good info to land a cruise job 🙂

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cruise ship recruiters only hire a handful of positions each year and there is significant demand from applicants to get a job on a cruise ship. We help you to stand out from the crowd, by giving you the advice and formula how to land a cruise job interview with a recruiter. Our program has a 77% success rate of applicants landing a cruise ship interview with a recruiter in under 90 days, we will prepare you and work with you to pass any interview. 

Getting a cruise ship job can be tough, each cruise line company has very strict criteria on the amount of staff they allowed to hire and there’s high demand from applicants, career seekers that want to work on a cruise ship. Most recruiters averagely getting thousands of applications for only a few select roles. 

We help you get in-front of these recruiters by helping you tailor make a CV that stands out, give you insights through years of experience of what recruiters are looking for in each applicant. We give you the hidden and secret formula in helping 400+ applicants get interviews with recruiters, and jobs on cruise ships. 

Our coaching program is designed to help serious applicants that want to have a career on a ship. If you follow our written, verbal instructions we will help you land a cruise job interview in under 90 days, or we will gladly refund you the small fee we charge. 

Our team of ex cruise ship staff and recruiters will take the time to review your your details, CV and work experience, before sending you a detailed assessment report on what to do to get a cruise job. Naturally, we pay our team for their time and advice so we charge a small once off minimal fee. 

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Our Rock-Solid 100% Money-Back Guarantee

When you join us at Cruise Job Coaching, you can invest with confidence because you’ll always be covered by our money back guarantee. 

If you follow all of our written instructions and make the changes and not get an interview with a cruise recruiter, we will refund every cent.

T/C do apply. 

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How to get a Job on a Cruise Ship

So you want to live in the middle of the ocean, see the world's most glamorous ports, and get paid for it? Those in with a chance will be outgoing, friendly, willing to work their fingers to the bone and live in constant proximitfy to other people (you'll share a tiny cabin with up to 3 people). Getting a job in the cruise industry is a bit tricky for South Africans, as the cruise liners are all based overseas, and one needs to avoid the scams that do the rounds with fake jobs, scumbags trying to take advantage of those who are desperate for work - do not use an agency which charges fees for its services - this is a sure sign of a scam. Whilst coveted jobs include working in the ship's retail shops, casino jobs and excursions; you may have to settle for housekeeping or spa work to actually get a job. Once you get the job, do NOT date any passengers on board - you will get fired.

Apply for a job on a ship like the MSC Musica

There are two ways to get a job on a ship:

Apply to a cruise line for a job on one of their ship, or via one of their agencies.

Apply to a concessioner for a job on a ship. A concessioner is a company contracted to operate a spa, retail shop or entertainment on the ship.

Contacting a Cruise Company

Most cruise lines have websites where you can search for and apply for jobs:

  • MSC Cruises: Click here , to search for jobs, and create a profile.
  • Costa Cruises: Click here to check what jobs are available and to create a profile.
  • Facebook page
  • LinkedIn page
  • Instagram page
  • Youtube page
  • Carnival UK , Cunard & P&O Cruises: These 3 cruise lines club together for job purposes. Click here to see their career page.
  • Royal Caribbean : Phone +1 305 539 3920 or click here to find available Royal Caribbean jobs, and apply for one. Here are links to the careers pages of all cruise brands which are part of the group: Royal Caribbean Group , Royal Caribbean International , TUI Cruises , Celebrity Cruises , Silversea and Hapag Lloyd Cruises . There is also a Royal Caribbean Careers Facebook page , a Twitter page and a LinkedIn page .
  • Carnival Cruises: Click here for more info. Applications can be made through Cruise Alternatives .
  • Caribbean Cruise Careers (see below)
  • Cast-A-Way (see below)
  • Cruise Academy UK (see below)
  • Excite Recruitment (see below)
  • Pro Sea Staff (see below)
  • Zest Recruitment (see below)
  • Virgin Voyages: Virgin Voyages launched their cruise line in 2020, to cruise in the Caribbean. They have set up a job portal , so navigate there to begin working with them from their beginning.

Recruitment agencies in South Africa

  • "Blue Ensign" are the agents in SA for Cunard, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Seabourn. Email your CV, a copy of your passport and relevant certificates as well as two references to [email protected] . For more info phone 021 556 7658. Blue Ensign are based at number 21 Blaauwberg Road in Table View, Cape Town.
  • GRISA have offices in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.
  • GRISA phone numbers: Tel: 074-976-3889 or Tel: 073-295-4751
  • There are no costs involved.
  • Email:  [email protected]
  • Or you can send snail mail to GRISA at PO Box 221, Southbroom, 4221, KwaZulu-Natal (south coast), SA
  • Click here to view GRISA openings.
  • Cruise Alternatives . Hiring agents in SA for Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean and Silversea Cruise Lines. Email [email protected] , [email protected]   or phone 012 654 5030
  • Atlantic Medical Recruitment . For those who are members of the medical fraternity. Email [email protected] or phone 082 376 1175.

If you receive no reply after a few weeks then contact them again sending a thank you and follow-up letter. Getting hired is often a matter of persistency.

Interviews normally take place in Cape Town or Johannesburg.

International cruise agencies

The following are all agents for Princess Cruises:

  • Caribbean Cruise Careers
  • Cruise Academy UK
  • Excite Recruitment
  • Pro Sea Staff

Jobs on Cruise Ships

Cruise related jobs cover the full monty of careers. Note that you will have to apply for a particular job, as the "I'm willing to do anything" approach doesn't work. So, start off by deciding which job you want to do (which usually comes down to what you're most qualified for).

Note that sometimes the cruise lines will only want males or females to do certain jobs.

Galley jobs (in the kitchen of the ship)

The single most important factor in creating happiness for passengers is the quality of its food. Food critical jobs include:

Head Chefs typically make from USD5000 to USD8000 per month

Sous chefs may make USD3000 to USD6000 per month.

Beginner chefs' starting salary is about USD1000 per month,

Junior sous chef

Pastry chefs

Pastry Assistant chefs

Assistant Bakers

Dishwashers

Pantry chefs

Staff need to be capable of catering for the massive volumes of passengers there usually are on cruise ships, every day.

Cooks need to prepare food in accordance with the cruise line's recipes.

If you in particular enjoy cooking pastries, you could specialise and become a pastry chef or an assistant pastry chef. This would involve not just the making of pastries, but also the display of the food, whilst more senior positions would involve managing people, hiring staff and finding ways to reduce expenses.

Chef tournants are often advertised for, ie chefs who will assist wherever needed.

To qualify for food and beverage jobs:

get a qualification from a hotel, chef or catering school.

get experience working in a restaurant (ideally fine dining)

Fun fact: most cruise ships have over 100 chefs on them.

Restaurant jobs

Think waitresses/servers, chefs; as well as higher level jobs analysing the financials in an attempt to max profit.

Restuarant host/esses and

Waiters typically earn money per head, so if you have 8 people you are serving you will make less money than if you have 20 people. You're in the entertainment industry, so if you can entertain with magic tricks whilst waitering, you'll do better than somebody who can't.

Bartenders make about USD1500 per month as a starting salary; with tips this may increase to USD2500 to USD3000 a month (flair bartenders being at the top end). Selling drinks may be one of the cruise line's biggest sources of profit. Senior bartenders are required to ensure there's sufficient inventory of drinks, that passengers are well looked after and promptly served; and in senior postions bartenders would need to manage the staff who would help them achieve these goals.

Think nurses, paramedics and doctors. Yes, people on cruises get sick too! Sometimes hundreds of passengers can contract contagious gastrointestinal illnesses; resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.

Guest services

The guest services (or hospitality) team is responsible for ensuring that passengers have a positive experience on board the ship. A hostess assumes a multifaceted role encompassing diverse customer service and administrative duties aimed at ensuring passengers have a delightful voyage. Her responsibilities encompass:

Warmly Greeting Guests as they board the ship and attending to their initial inquiries or requirements.

Aiding passengers with Check-in/Check-out.

Furnishing passengers with Information about the ship's amenities, services, and activities, including dining options, entertainment schedules, excursion particulars, and safety protocols.

Managing Reservations for onboard facilities such as restaurants and spa treatments.

Overseeing housekeeping operations to ensure cabins are regularly serviced, maintained, and stocked with essential amenities for passenger comfort.

Attending to passengers' special requirements, including dietary preferences, medical needs, or requests for room enhancements.

Resolving passenger grievances

Planning and supervising special events or themed gatherings onboard, such as cocktail parties, receptions, or themed nights, to enrich passengers' experiences.

Promoting onboard services, merchandise, and promotional offers to passengers, encouraging their participation in shipboard activities and excursions.

Participating in safety drills and procedures to ensure passengers are acquainted with emergency protocols and evacuation routes, prioritizing their well-being and security.

Entertainment Team

The entertainment team hosts a variety of activities with the passengers - from trivia games and informative presentations to exercise classes and DJ'ing at the disco.

Those working at the kids' clubs (for guests up to the age of 17) may also fall into this category. This is a crucial role, as if the kids aren't happy, the parents wont be happy either. A minimum of 2 years experience would typically be required for this job. A typical salary in the kiddies clubs is from USD1800 to USD2200 per month.

The Cruise Director is likely to make USD3000 to USD4000 a month. The entertainment team reports to the Cruise Director (aka "cruise activity director" aka "cruise ship director"). The Cruise Director is expected to perform each voyage and to organise an entertainment program to ensure the guests are having fun and satisfied. The Director will be expected to interact with passengers and handle their complaints. This job suits somebody who enjoys being in the middle and leading the entertainment. Being fluent in other languages additional to english, helps.

Live performances

Live theatre is a big part of the entertainment on most ships. Working onboard as a performer will naturally require that you have the relevant skills, there's often a requirement for:

Singers/vocalists

Circus performers

And the accompanying production staff.

The average salary is USD2000 to USD3000 per month; if you have multiple skills you can earn north of USD3000 a month. Specialist solo acts can earn more than USD3000 a month. In this Tiktok clip, Jack Nolan says that he earned USD400 per month working1 1.5 hours a day 6 days a week (ie USD111 per hour).

@jackcruisesaround Hourly wage of a cruise ship musician😮🛳️ # #cruiseshipmusician # #cruiseshipcrew # #seafarer # #money # #livingwage # #musiciansalary # #bestjobever # #imamusician # #belowdeck # #jackcruisesaround # #virginvoyages # #royalcaribbean # #norwegiancruise ♬ original sound - Jack Nolan - Cruise Ship Life

Thapelo Molomo, the former SA Idols winners, is not working as a waiter as some have speculated, but as a vocalist (singer) on the cruise ship. He says that the weakness of the Rand makes working on cruise ships more lucrative.

Master classes

As part of a cruise ship's entertainment or enrichment programs, they sometimes offer classes or workshops to passengers on various topics. In order to be hired to offer these classes, you would need to be an expert in a subject (e.g. culinary, arts and craft, photography, fitness, music, dance, history and current events).

Shore Excursions

With so many different ports and the need to ensure that passengers are 100% satisfied with their excursions, a quality shore excursion team is required. Working in guest services onshore excursion, you may make about US500 to USD2000 a month, plus tips (it's not as easy to earn tips in excursions as, for example, bartending; unless you're a tour guide); with managers making USD2000 to USD3000 per month.

Photographers & videographers

The photography department normally falls under Entertainment. Selling photographs and videos is a big money spinner for cruise lines - they're sold at high prices, but it's difficult to say no to the purchase if the Mrs has her heart set on these mementos. To get this gig you should have at least a year's experience in photography and the relevant computer skills.

Photographers and videographers typically make USD800 to USD1500 a month, with managers making more.

Information Technology

Think maintenance of servers, networks and computer systems (including desktop). A minimum of 2 years relevant experience would be required, together with the appropriate academic qualifications.

You may want to work as a dealer (e.g. blackjack, roulette), a slot technician, cashier or casino host. Typically casino staff make USD2000/month to USD3000/month plus tips (which can be substantial).

Navigate to www.oceancasinojobs.com - they represent AIDA, Carnival Cruises, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Seabourn. You'll be required to have at least a year's experience and be at least 21 years old.

Click here to see when the next interviewing cycle is in South Africa.

Along with working in the shops, working in casinso gives you the most time off, as you are only working when at sea.

In this video, Chris Wong sets out what his job as a casino host is like on Royal Caribbean; where he runs the loyalty program for the casino, which is different to the cruise line's loyalty program, and depends on the amount which is gambled on. Chris needs to identify the people who are MVPs, ensure they're having a good cruise and want to cruise again with Royal Caribbean. He also tries to get new people participating at the casino.

Retail sales ("Boutiques")

Think jewelery, watches, fragrances, cosmetics, handbags, apparel, sunglasses and liquor sales. Positions include the likes of jewellery sales specialists, fragrance consultants, sales assistants, cosmetic consultants and watch sales specialists.

To become a "shoppie" (this is what the retail staff on a ship are known as) you'll need to have at least 2 years experience in retail, be able to take inventory, and be good at working with customers. Being able to talk multiple languages is an advantage, as well as having a degree on your resume. If you've been at sea before and have the relevant experience, you may want to take a job as a manager or trainee manager.

Harding Retail are hired by some cruise companies to run the retail shops on their ships. They offer a service to Azmara Club Cruises, Carnival, Celestyal Cruises, Cunard, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Louis Cruises, Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Saga, Seabourn, Swan Hellenic, Thomson Cruises, TUI Cruises, Viking, Voyages of Discovery and Voyages to Antiquity. They offer a wide variety of brands including Cartier, Clarins, Fossil, Gucci, Mont Blanc, Ray-Ban, Swarovski and Tissot. Click here to apply for a job with Harding Retail. Your application will be processed by their team in Bristol. On average you can expect to get off at 2 ports out of 3.

Applications for a job as a shoppie which are sent to a cruise company will usually be forwarded to their concessionaire (that's not to say you shouldn't send to them anyway, as it gives you another chance to get your name in front of everybody). If you're chosen there will probably be a short course to attend.

Salaries are target and commission based, which means that there's a lot of volatility in earnings.

Working in the shops (along with casinos) gives you the most time off, as you only work when the ship is at sea; you usually work from about 5pm to 11pm.

House keeping

The average starting salary for housekeeping staff is under USD1000 per month, but including tips one can make USD1500 to USD2000 per month. Responsibilities include cleaning rooms (cabin stewardss), public areas, doing laundry and moving baggage. To get this job first get experience in the hospitality industry and ensure your communication skills are up to scratch. Jobs include:

Housekeeping staff

Housekeeping assistance manager

Housekeeeping manager

Storekeeper

Laundry attendants

Jobs vary from masseuses to personal trainers, nail technicians, barbers, receptionists and hairdressers. Typical starting salaries are USD2000/month; with managers usually making over USD3000 a month. Passengers can enjoy facial therapies, acupuncture, massages or fitness training. Whilst not attending to passengers, expect to spend time marketing your product and taking inventories.

Navigate to www.theonboardspa.com - they represent Carnival, Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Silversea, The Yachts of Seabourn, P&O Cruises, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Click here to find their application form. Find out when there are interview dates in South Africa . The regional managers are Nadine Brits (email [email protected] or phone 079 5285 161) and Daniella Diem (email [email protected] or phone 071 497 3797).

The spa is usually found near the top floor of a cruise ship. The amount you'd earn is based largely on tips and commission.

Techinical & Deck Work

Even the ship's Captain falls in this category! Think safety, navigation of the ship and maintenance of equipment. This includes propulsion systems, air conditioning, power systems and entertainment support systems. For example watchkeeping officers ensure that the boat is safely navigated (and no Costa Concordia incidents!), there are plumbers, engineers and electricians.

Deckhands are the unsung heroes who do the grunt work of keep the ship running smoothly. In South Africa, entry-level deckhands typically earn salaries that range from ZAR 60,000 to ZAR 120,000 per year, depending on various factors such as the employer, geographic location, type of vessel, and the individual's qualifications and experience. Very roughly, the average salary range for deckhands is $25,000 to $50,000 per year (this can vary widely). . Deckhands who engage with passengers on cruise ships may receive tips or gratuities as well.

Deckhands are involved in:

  • maintaining the condition of the ship's decks in a pristine state (you will often see them washing down the decks early in the morning or latee at night)
  • handling cargo
  • assisting with intricate navigation maneuvers
  • securing the vessel during port arrivals, and releasing for departures
  • conducting safety drills
  • embarkation and disembarkation
  • operating tenders for shore excursions

By obtaining various certifications you may increase your chances of getting a job as a deckhand:

STCW Basic Safety Training

STCW Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats

Seafarer Medical Certificate:

Seaman's Book: Serving as your passport in the maritime world, this document is a testament to your seafaring credentials and employment history, often a prerequisite for securing maritime employment.

Radar Observer Certificate:

Vessel Security Awareness: equips you with the knowledge to recognize and respond to security threats onboard.

Small Boat Handling Certification: Particularly valuable if you'll be involved in tender operations or handling smaller vessels, this certification underscores your competence in maneuvering and managing smaller boats efficiently and safely.

Advanced firefighting, pollution prevention, or specialized skills like crane operation or forklift handling.

Captain & officers

We may have a good idea of what the captain does, but what does her living quarters look like? In this Tiktok video, Captain Kate McCue shows you her cabin on the Celebrity Edge cruise ship; complete with king size bed, couch, fridge, office and picture of St Nicholas (the patron Saint of travelling); her cabin is attached to the bridge of the ship to allow easy access in the event of emergencies.

@captainkatemccue CRIBS: Captain's Quarters, Suite Life Edition & tour du jour. You asked for it... #fyp #foryou #captainscabin #celebrityedge #cruise #captain #room ♬ Alone - Petit Biscuit

Human Resources

Yes, you even get HR staff on board the ship. They'll implement the shipping line's HR policies with the onboard staff. A bachelors degree in HR will help you get this spot, as well as any relevant experience.

Cruise ticket sales

Yes, they sell cruise tickets on cruise ships for future cruises (!), with staff anything anything from about USD2000/month.

Shoreside jobs

Cruise lines offer a wide variety of shoreside jobs:

Head office corporate jobs

Supplies management:

  • Fuel sourcing
Typically a cruise company will hire a procurement manager for fuel for each of the major ports from which its cruises start their voyages (e.g. Miamis). The procurement manager would be involved in engaging with: suppliers: to vet which suppliers to use suppliers: to negotiate rates for fuel suppliers: placing orders, keeping track of which orders have been fulfilled, managing payments. vessels: understanding their fuel needs, placing orders on behalf of them, and keeping track of whether the orders which have been made have actually been fulfilled. suppliers to build the logistics required to transport the fuel to the ships.
  • Ship maintenance jobs
  • Marketing jobs

If you're a social media influencer, cruise ship companies may want to hire you to help market their voyages and ships.

US Tiktoker @ericafromamerica , with 654,000 followers, has the world's greatest job: stress testing facilities on ships and vlogging about them on Tiktok. And in case you're wondering the "stress testing" is far from stressful - Erica gets to test the likes of spa facilities, cocktail drinks and crew parties. Here's a video she took of "A day in the life of working on board a cruise ship":

@ericafromamerica I promise I also showered #cooljob #cruiseship #cruise #shiplife #travelforwork #learnontiktok #dayinmylife #vlog #roomtour #traveltiktok ♬ original sound - Erica From America

Working remotely on a ship

Many passengers take work with them on a cruise ship, and stay in touch with the shore via the ship's internet wifi connection. However, we now have a new genre of remote workers on ships; digital nomads who carry on with a full time remote job on ship whilst remaining on a continuous holiday. Virgin Voyages started advertising specifically for this in March 2024.

Life on board a cruise ship

There's no space to spare on a cruise ship. Your new home will be a small cabin at the bottom of the ship with no windows, and shared with up to 3 people who might snore at night. The cabin will typically have a shower, a TV and a storage cupboard. You'll be required to keep that cabin spick and span. The people in the cabin may not be the type of people you'd normally hang out with.

There are 3 main categories of staff: "crew", "staff" and "officers". Only the officers and staff may be in guest areas when they're not on on the job, and socialise with guests. However, you will be fired if you date guests, but you may date members of the crew (who are often younger, better looking and more vivacious), although an unwritten rule is that you may not date officers with a higher ranking.

Expect to work very hard! Crew members work 7 days a week, and about 11 hours per day (usually a maximum of 14 hours) - this is not a holiday. Ships purposely fly flags of convenience, and there are few workers' rights.

You are not cruising - even the term "cruising" is used to describe somebody who is slacking on the job. Having said that, if the job has been done properly, then your manager may give you some time off.

You'll be required to attend every safety drill.

On the upside:

Meals are free, as is the accommodation. Meals are eaten in the staff dining area (better known as the "crew mess"), and are buffet style. But if you want to drink soda, you'll have to pay for that.

The biggest expense of crew members on board is typically the wireless internet (e.g. USD12 will get you about 3 hours of internet a day).

There are regular crew events such as poker nights and karaoke.

Ships tend to follow the sunny weather, perfect for those who want to permanently be out of the cold and rain.

Being away from it all for so long and surrounded by people from all walks of life and all over the world, gives one a chance to reflect and put life into perspective.

If you ever have some free time you can hang out at the crew bar (much more reasonably priced than for passengers)...these occassions often spill over later into somebody's cabin...

Go to the crew's special jacuzzi/pool, play table tennis, pool or pump iron at the gym.

Crew parties, with free booze if you're lucky.

If you get free time, then sometimes the shore excursions are offered free to staff.

Cruise ship staff are male dominated (client-facing roles have more females), with about half the staff being younger than 30.

It can take up to 3 weeks to get used to life onboard. If, after 3 weeks, you're not enjoying it yet, then this probably is not the life for you. If you leave early then you'll have to pay for your own way back (if you finish your contract, usually the cruise line will then pay for your plane ticket back).

Requirements

What is required will vary immensely by the job; but to give you an idea, here's some of the information which you'll typically be asked for:

Are you 21 or more years old?

Do you have any tattoos or piercings which are publicly visible?

Do you have a criminal record?

You'll have to pass a medical examination.

You must have a valid passport.

Working as a Couple

Would you like to go work on a cruise ship together with your partner? The bad news is that this is difficult to get right; as for one thing each applicant is considered on her/his own merits.

A typical contract on a ship lasts for 6 to 8 months, depending on the operational requirement. During the contract you'd usually be on one specific ship (which you may well find visits the same destinations again and again during that period...so much for seeing the world!). You'd then get a couple of months leave, and if you've been up to standard you'll get invited back for another 6 to 8 month contract.

Disney Cruise Line Jobs

STCW Training

STCW stands for "Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping". STCW Basic Safety Training is a requirement for all seafaring crew; ie you'll need to do it if you are working on board a cruise ship.

In South Africa you can do STCW training at:

STC-SA, phone 021-418-5065 / 021-418-5062 (email [email protected] )

Grindrod Shipping Training Services, phone 031-302-7650 (email [email protected] )

Sea Certification SA, phone 031-360-7715 or 031-054-5471 (email [email protected] )

The STCW training takes about nine to eleven days. You will learn:

Personal safety and social responsibility

Personal survival techniques

Marine Fire Fighting

Seafarers Edentity Document (SID)

Most (185) countries require the crew of cruise and other ships to always possess a SID when they leave a ship or board a ship; this includes Mexico, Canada and the United States; The UN International Labour Organisations regulations require the crew to each have a SID since the 2nd May 2024. This regulation is inter alia to prevent human trafficking, where victims are sometimes disguised as being crew members.

Kenya had unfortunately not implemented the SID convention at the time of writing, although in 2022 they ratified it; placing Kenya crew members in danger of having their livelihood taken away from them. In Feb 2024 this led to an MSC cruise ship which had previously docked in Kenya, and was now docking in Mexico, having 18 of their crew (all Kenyans) being prevented from entering Mexico.

Degree in Cruise Line Management, internship with Silversea

On 20 March 2024 Silversea Cruise Line and Les Roches made a joint announcement that they were launching a postgraduate cours in cruise line management; where candidates will learn how to managee different areas on board cruise ships (like housekeeping, food and beverages, events, the financial side of things and making sales). The sections of the course includes:

Ship Ops, learning to tbe a manager of cruise operations

Staging Events on ships & learning to be an events manager

Ensuring cruise passengers have luxurious rooms to stay in

Ensuring cruisee passengers in general have a luxurious experience

Food and Beverages on board

  • a brand strategy dirctor
  • a commerce direector on the ship
  • an online marketing expert

The course takes placee in Marbella in Spain at the campus of Les Roches.

Candidates can choosee to do an internship and project on a Silversea's ship.

Click here to read the Les Roches brochuree on the cruise line manageement course.

CPUT Maritime Studies | Granger Bay, Cape Town

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) offers two bachelors degrees in maritime studies at its Granger Bay Campus:

  • Bachelor of Nautical Studies
  • Bachelor of Marine Engineering

To be eligible for the course you'll need to pass a SAMSA (SA Maritime Safety Authory) eye test and medical examination.

The course has a specific dress code: black trousers, black socks, black shoes, white shirt & a black tie. k

Email [email protected] or phone 0214405752.

The Survival Centre at the Granger Bay Campus also offers a variety of short courses:

In early 2017, Michelle Linger from PE, was scammed out of R14,000; by a company purporting to be representing Princess Cruises Australia, in SA. She received an email informing her about the job, applied, and a while later received a contract which she signed and returned. She was then sent an AU Visa 187 application; and then was told that she had to pay R4000 for an Australian Foreign Intelligence Certificate. She was later told she had to pay another R10,000 for a residence visa. Their next step was to tell her that R20,000 was required to be deposited for living expenses, telling her that her travel documents would be cancelled if she didn't pay.

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Please ask questions here. We love to assist. No question is too easy.

ship cruise jobs in south africa

Waitre d' Recruitment

Waitre d' Recruitment

South Africa’s Finest Overseas Recruitment Agency

Working for Viking Cruises

Viking Sea

Requirements for working on a Cruise Ship

  • Previous cruise ship, 5-star Hotel or fine dining Restaurant experience, depending on the position
  • Applicants MUST be over 21yrs of age and residing in South Africa
  • Preferably with a minimum of 2 years experience in a similar role
  • Applicants must be medically fit
  • Applicants must have a clear criminal record
  • We do not hire couples
  • No visible tattoos which can be seen when wearing your uniform.
  • We have a directive to recruit only candidates from South Africa and Zimbabwe
  • Contract length depends on position – average 6 months on, 2 months off
  • Accommodation – managers – single cabin, crew – 2 per cabin

Frequently asked questions.

Waitre d’ Recruitment is currently recruiting for Viking Cruises. It is a European based company, with its Head Office in Basel, Switzerland. If you are interested in working for Viking Cruises, 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.

Viking Cruises will refer you back to us, as you definitely need an agent to assist you with the recruitment and joining process. As we do not charge any fees, it is to your advantage to work with us, as all our services are free and you will need the advice and support. Please note that Viking Recruitment is NOT connected to Viking Cruises and therefore you should not apply with them if you are wanting to work for Viking Cruises.

Every candidate who is selected by our agency must be interviewed in one way or another and for you to make an informed choice, you must get as much information as possible from us and from conducting your own research. If you are based in Cape Town, you will need to attend a pre-screen interview. If you are based outside of the Western Cape, alternative arrangements may be made. All candidates must be able to attend the final interviews with the cruise company in Cape Town.

Yes, you can. Many candidates do this, in order to obtain more information and ‘check us out’ before handing over their Application Requirements. The most important thing is that you attend the presentation, submit an Application Form and then have your individual one-on-one meeting with the recruiter from Waitre d’. After that, you can email your Requirements to us at Head Office in Cape Town. If you are still waiting for your passport, forward the rest of the Application Requirements in the meantime. Please do not wait until you receive a contract before applying for a passport. While there is no guarantee that you will be offered a position, if you are and you do not have a passport, this can slow down the recruitment process and could exclude you from being considered for some positions.

We will be looking for relevant experience, candidates who meet the criteria, as well as candidates who have the finance to pay for their joining requirements. The cost of some joining requirements will be reimbursed once on board, however, you will need to have the finance to cover these expenses upfront. Please find more information below. There are many people who have the desire to work on cruise ships, however Viking Cruises, together with most cruise ship companies, is looking for candidates with previous cruise ship experience for some positions and mostly at least 5-Star experience for the other positions. Qualifications in Hospitality or Tourism is preferred. There is no time for training staff once they join, so experience is very important. Ideally, candidates should be single with no dependants but this is not a requirement.

Interested candidates must email us their CV and photo and if selected, they will be sent an invitation via email to attend a presentation and pre-screen interview. If you have friends or family who are interested in attending, they are welcome, as long as there is sufficient seating.

We will post a list of positions on our website and on Facebook, however details of salaries will only be given to those candidates who meet the criteria. We are looking for various chefs, who do not require previous cruise ship experience, some senior staff who must have previous cruise ship experience and junior staff who do not require previous cruise ship experience. All candidates must have the equivalent of 5* experience.  

  • Relevant qualifications and experience in a 5* establishment
  • Previous cruise ship employment is essential for some positions
  • Candidates must be over 21 and not older than 40, but the maximum age depends on the position
  • Medically fit – chronic conditions such as Diabetes, Epilepsy will exclude you
  • No visible tattoos and piercings are restricted to one ear piercing for females
  • Valid passport with 2 blank pages and valid for two years
  • Clear criminal record – police clearance is required for some senior positions and you will be informed if you require one.
  • To have the funds to pay for the requirements once you are hired, some of which are reimbursed.
  • If you are not South African, the US Government must be able to issue you with a C1/D Visa which is valid for a year. Candidates from the DRC will unfortunately not be eligible.
  • Non-South Africans must have the necessary permit to be in South Africa.

Viking Cruises is the only cruise ship company we are recruiting for at this time, so we are unable to assist with other cruise companies. We do however recruit for various companies in the Middle East, mostly in the United Arab Emirates with Dubai and Abu Dhabi being the main destinations. In this region, we recruit for many different types of positions, some requiring very little work experience. Refer to other information on our website and keep checking Facebook for updates. Once you have more experience, you can consider applying for the cruise ships.

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. Viking Cruises requires 7 safety certificates and you will not be reimbursed for this cost. The current cost is approximately R10,000 for all the certificates.
  • 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 but is reimbursed once on board.
  • 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.

Following your interview with Viking Cruises, 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.

Contracts for senior roles are usually 4 – 6 months and for other roles, 7 – 8 months, with 2 month vacations. Contracts are renewed depending on your performance.

Senior crew receive their own single accommodation and other crew members will share a 2 or 3 berth cabin, all with bathroom facilities.

It is not possible to place friends or a couple together, whether married or not. It is important to note that you are offered a position and may not stay on a specific vessel, so once you join, you must be prepared to transfer to another vessel within the company if required to do so.  

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.

Please click on the links below to see the itineraries for the 4 vessels:

  • http://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Viking-Sea-1032
  • http://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Viking-Star-974
  • http://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Viking-Sky-972
  • http://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Viking-Sun-975

Salaries, as always depend on the position.

Salaries quoted are made up of the following:

  • Public Holiday compensation
  • Guaranteed Overtime
  • Guaranteed Gratuity – tips are not dependent on occupancy
  • Vacation pay compensation
  • Good basic salary plus other financial benefits, as mentioned above.
  • Free flight to the joining port and return flight on completion of your contract.
  • Accommodation, meals, medical insurance whilst on board
  • Free Wi-Fi, crew recreation areas and outdoor gym.

No. You are assigned to a position and they will allocate you to a ship, where you are needed.

You will be provided with more information.

F & B candidates may have to demonstrate carrying a tray, serving wine etc – go and GOOGLE examples before the interviews!

Senior Chefs – from Executive to CDP – will be asked to do a cooking trial.

Kindly email our Head Office in Cape Town at   [email protected] . You will also be given more detailed information if you are invited to one of our free presentations.

General enquiries: [email protected]

Head office: +27 21 689-1065 Monday – Friday 09:00 – 16:30 (GMT +2)

© Waitre d' Recruitment (Pty) Ltd

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Ship Chandler

  • Western Cape
  • Job Type: Permanent
  • Posted: 26 Apr 2024 56 Days left

SFG Engineering Services

Gourmet Recruitment International (GRI) is a specialist hospitality cruise ship recruitment agency based in South Africa, since November 1999. We have agency resources in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

As a recruitment specialist our management team has collectively gained many years of hospitality and recruitment experience and skills in all levels and facets of the industry.

We are committed to establishing a long-term relationship with each client, which allows us to gain a thorough understanding of the clients business practices, procedures and environment.

We demonstrate the same level of commitment to our candidates, thereby providing us with a thorough understanding of their skills, abilities, past achievements and future ambitions.

S election and Interview Process

Our recruitment strategy is focused not only on the client, but also the candidate, thus ensuring the best possible match for both parties.

Before we commence a recruitment exercise, we invest considerable time obtaining as much knowledge as possible about the position, the competencies and skills necessary to meet the requirements of the vacancy. We also develop a thorough understanding of the clients organization; its structure, working environment as this serves as a dual benefit, which will allow GRI to select the most suitable position for our candidates, which meet their needs, values, aspirations and provide career satisfaction. For the client, they will receive the best possible candidate, to become an integral part of their organisation.

PRE-Recruitment Process:

  • Marketing and Advertising Campaign and Awareness Programme
  • Process and selective screening of candidates
  • Personal Interview and Testing
  • Short-Listing of prospective candidates and communication of “regret” policy
  • Reference and Security Clearances
  • Recruitment administration and Co-ordination Preparation of final interview schedules, including accommodation and facilities requirements;
  • Co-ordination and facilitation of final offers

POST-Recruitment Process:

  • Facilitation of Employment Contracts & Conditions of Employment
  • Assistance of US Visa Application
  • Assistance of additional Visa requirements
  • Facilitation of Medical and Safety at Sea Certification

Contact Us:

Email: [email protected] Samantha Hurley – Owner / Recruitment Manager Email: [email protected] Michelle Haigh – Group Administrator Email: [email protected]

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AVERAGE RATING ON SHIPLIFE.ORG

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WE TRANSFORM THE WORLD!

The CAST-A-WAY name is synonymous with quality, professionalism, and dedication within the cruise line industry.

Since 1998 CAST-A-WAY has continuously provided the industry with the highest quality crew, onboard crew and land-based staff for resorts. 

We love recruiting for major cruise lines, concessionaires and resorts, and we will always go above and beyond to meet our clients' expectations. It's part of our core values to provide exceptional customer service to our clients and candidates.

  CAST-A-WAY started in Canada and only hired for the entertainment and hotel divisions, but in the years since we have rebranded the company as a global organization and expanded our"wings" into all continents, and we increased the team of four to forty-two staff, otherwise known as the CAST-A-WAY Family. 

OUR BRANCHES

Cast-a-way cruise & resort hiring agency inc..

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WHICH COUNTRIES SHOULD WE EXPLORE NEXT?

TESTIMONIALS

"As one of the Casting and Booking Supervisors who oversees the recruitment and staffing of half of Carnival Entertainment, I can attest that CAST-A-WAY Hiring Agency is an absolutely pleasure to work with. I look forward to continuing our amazing relationship and look forward to what is to come between CAST-A-WAY and Carnival Cruise Line in the future."

Sarah R., Casting and Booking Supervisor

CARNIVAL ENTERTAINMENT

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Atrium System: Revolutionizing Cruise Ship Recruitment

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Exciting News from the Princess Cruises: Your Invitation to a Voyage Like No Other!

Exciting News from the Princess Cruises: Your Invitation to a Voyage Like No Other!

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Cast-A-Way's Mark At Sofia Cruise Job Fair.

Announcing the Hot List Winners of 2024

By CNT Editors

Image may contain Architecture Building Hotel Resort Adult Person House Housing Villa Plant City and Couch

It’s inevitable: Every spring when we pull together the Hot List , our annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants , and cruise ships , a staffer remarks that this latest iteration has got to be the best one ever. After a year’s worth of traveling the globe—to stay the night at a converted farmhouse in the middle of an olive grove outside Marrakech, or sail aboard a beloved cruise line’s inaugural Antarctic voyage—it’s easy to see why we get attached. But this year’s Hot List, our 28th edition, might really be the best one ever. It’s certainly our most diverse, featuring not only a hotel suite that was once Winston Churchill’s office, but also the world’s largest cruise ship and restaurants from Cape Town to Bali. We were surprised and inspired by this year’s honorees, and we know you will be too. These are the Hot List hotel winners for 2024.

Click here to see the entire Hot List for 2024 .

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Angama Amboseli Kenya

North Island Okavango

Angama Amboseli

Jannah Lamu

Farasha Farmhouse , Marrakech

Kozo Kigali

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island — Seychelles

SOUTH AFRICA

Nikkei Cape Town

Molori Mashuma , Mana Pools National Park

Image may contain Nature Outdoors Scenery Architecture Building Shelter Plant Tree Landscape and Vegetation

Pemako Punakha

Regent Hong Kong

Mementos by ITC Hotels, Ekaaya Udaipur

Naar , Darwa

Papa's , Mumbai

Cap Karoso , Sumba

Further , Bali

Locavore NXT Bali

Le Pristine Tokyo

The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza

Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park , Tokyo

Shinta Mani Mustang - A Bensley Collection , Jomsom

SOUTH KOREA

JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa

Pot Au Phở , Ho Chi Minh

Announcing the Hot List Winners of 2024

Le Foote , Sydney

Southern Ocean Lodge , Kangaroo Island

Sun Ranch , Byron Bay

Image may contain Leisure Activities Person Sport Swimming Water Water Sports City Urban Architecture and Building

MIDDLE EAST

Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain

SAUDI ARABIA

Six Senses Southern Dunes , Umluj

The St. Regis Riyadh

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Guild , Dubai

SIRO One Za'abeel, Dubai

Soul Kitchen , Dubai

The Lana, Dorchester Collection , Dubai

Image may contain Home Decor Lamp Architecture Building Furniture Indoors Living Room Room Couch Adult and Person

Koan , Copenhagen

Hotel Maria , Helsinki

1 Place Vendôme , Paris

The Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel , Cannes

Datil , Paris

Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin , Paris

La Nauve Hôtel & Jardin , Cognac

Rosewood Munich

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino

Monument , Athens

One&Only Aesthesis , Athens

Lodges at Highland Base Iceland

Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll

Bulgari Hotel Roma , Rome

Trattoria del Ciumbia , Milan

Hotel La Palma , Capri

La Roqqa , Porto Ercole

Nolinski Venezia , Venice

Palazzo Roma , Rome

Saporium , Florence

Hotel Violino d’Oro , Venice

Mamula Island

NETHERLANDS

De Durgerdam , Amsterdam

Canalha , Lisbon

Andreu Genestra , Mallorca

Barro , Ávila

César Lanzarote , Lanzarote

Hotel Corazón , Mallorca

Grand Hotel Son Net , Mallorca

Palacio Arriluce , Getxo

Son Vell Menorca , Menorca

The Peninsula Istanbul

Image may contain Lamp Person Door Art Painting and Table Lamp

UNITED KINGDOM

Broadwick Soho , London

Chishuru , London

The Devonshire , London

Chelsea Townhouse, London

Estelle Manor , Cotswolds

Fish Shop , Ballater

Raffles London at The OWO

Image may contain Architecture Building House Housing Villa Summer Hotel Chair Furniture Resort and Palm Tree

Colima 71 , Mexico City

Maizajo Mexico City

Maroma, A Belmond Hotel , Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya EDITION

The St. Regis Kanai Resort , Riviera Maya

Puqio

SOUTH AMERICA

Casa Lucía , Buenos Aires

Trescha , Buenos Aires

Oseille , Rio de Janiero

99 Restaurante, Santiago

Our Habitas Atacama , San Pedro de Atacama

Puqio , Arequipa

Image may contain Summer Chair Furniture Person Plant Tree Palm Tree Fun Vacation Outdoors Nature and Beach

THE CARIBBEAN

Silversands Beach House

Image may contain Lamp Bed Furniture Indoors Interior Design Spa and Floor

UNITED STATES

The Celestine , New Orleans

Dawn Ranch , Sonoma, California

The Fifth Avenue Hotel , New York

Fontainebleau Las Vegas

The Georgian , Santa Monica, California

The Global Ambassador , Phoenix

Hotel Bardo, Savannah

Ilis , New York

Kiln , San Francisco

Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort , Kona, Hawaii

Maty's , Miami

Warren Street Hotel , New York

Yess , Los Angeles

Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Yacht Boat Ship Cruise Ship Nature Outdoors and Sky

World Voyager, Atlas Ocean Voyages

CRUISE SHIPS

Silver Nova , Silversea

Norwegian Viva

Seven Seas Grandeur , Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

Oceania Vista

World Voyager , Atlas Ocean Voyages

Scenic Eclipse II

Emerald Sakara

Celebrity Ascent

Seabourn Pursuit

Icon of the Seas , Royal Caribbean

MSC Euribia

Viking Aton

Resilient Lady , Virgin Voyages

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IMAGES

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COMMENTS

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    View all HotelJobs.co.za jobs - South Africa jobs - Sous Chef jobs in South Africa; Salary Search: Pastry Sous Chef International Cruise Line salaries in South Africa; See popular questions & answers about HotelJobs.co.za

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    Waitre d recruits hospitality staff for cruise liners and offers an extremely efficient and personalized service. We are the only company in South Africa that gives free presentations and interviews. We also place many candidates in 5-star hotels and resorts in Dubai. A comprehensive list of companies based in South Africa that recruit ...

  3. 12 Cruise jobs in South Africa

    Celebrity Cruises. Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Actively Hiring. 1 week ago. Today's top 15 Cruise jobs in South Africa. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. New Cruise jobs added daily.

  4. 27 cruise Jobs in South Africa, April 2024

    27 Cruise jobs in South Africa. Must have a valid South African Passport. All applicants must be willing to travel, 6 months at sea. Currently working as a Cook in a restaurant or hotel.…. Cruise line experience or work exposure at a 4/5-star property. Maintain company standards of food presentation and service.….

  5. Everything You Need to Know about Working On a Cruise Ship

    Find your dream cruise ship job! We, at GRI, are the dedicated Hiring Partners for the worlds premier Cruise Vessels and we are consistently on the look out for professionals who are committed & passionate and who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career at sea!. More Information.

  6. Crew Life at Sea

    Crew Life@Sea is a Leading Recruitment Agency based in Cape Town, South Africa. Specializing in Cruise Ship Jobs, Yachts and River Cruises. In addition, we offer useful information, advice, insights, and resources to help inspire all job seekers to succeed while working abroad...

  7. Waitre d' Recruitment. South Africa's Finest Cruise Ship Recruitment Agency

    Waitre d' Recruitment first started recruiting for the Cruise Ship industry in the late 1990s when Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Starlight Cruises approached us to recruit crew and entertainers for one of their cruise ships sailing out of Durban. The recruitment was seasonal, until MSC decided to bring their foreign crew from Italy ...

  8. How do I apply for a job on a cruise ship in South Africa?

    Embark on a thrilling cruise adventure and explore the stunning landscapes, vibrant cultures, and diverse wildlife. Join us for a journey that blends relaxation with excitement as we set sail along the captivating coastlines of South Africa, work onboard a cruise ship now.

  9. Cruise Ship Jobs in South Africa

    Cruise Ships Visiting South Africa. South Africa is a popular cruise ship destination amongst the small and large liners. Some of the main lines visiting the South African harbors, in addition to the ones above, include: SeaDream Yacht Club - SeaDream 1. Holland America - HAL Prinsendam. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises - MS Hanseatic. Cunard - Queen Mary 2.

  10. 7 Cruise Ship jobs in South Africa

    MSCL. Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Be an early applicant. 3 weeks ago. Today's top 7 Cruise Ship jobs in South Africa. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. New Cruise Ship jobs added daily.

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    Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa $20,999 - $152,771 4 months ago. Today's top 373 Cruise Specialist jobs in South Africa. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. New Cruise Specialist jobs added daily.

  12. Jobs On Board

    For cruise ship recruitment enquiries in South Africa, apply through HOLLAND AMERICA GROUP. Explore our Jobs On Board page to see if there are current vacancies on board any of the world's most renowned cruise lines.

  13. Portside Consulting

    Work & Explore. At Portside Consulting, we understand that securing a role at sea can be a daunting task, but with our expertise and guidance, we can help chart your course to success in the cruise industry. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience working with cruise lines, which enables us to provide comprehensive services to candidates ...

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    Founder of Cruise Ship Academy. South Africa's biggest cruise job blog website with 13000 monthly visitors. Coached 400+ applicants over five years with 77% success rate of applicants getting cruise interviews and cruise jobs.

  15. How to get a Job on a Cruise Ship

    Recruitment agencies in South Africa. "Blue Ensign" are the agents in SA for Cunard, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Seabourn. Email your CV, a copy of your passport and relevant certificates as well as two references to [email protected]. For more info phone 021 556 7658.

  16. Finest Cruise Ship Recruitment Agency in South Africa

    South Africa's Finest Overseas Recruitment Agency. Working for Viking Cruises. Requirements for working on a Cruise Ship. Previous cruise ship, 5-star Hotel or fine dining Restaurant experience, depending on the position. Applicants MUST be over 21yrs of age and residing in South Africa. Preferably with a minimum of 2 years experience in a ...

  17. Cruise Ship Jobs in South Africa

    Western Cape. Job Type: Permanent. Posted: 26 Apr 2024. 60 Days left. Find Cruise Ship Jobs in South Africa that suit your needs. Careers24 has a wide range of South Africa Cruise Ship Jobs. Create a profile and upload your CV to get more exposure.

  18. About GRI

    Gourmet Recruitment International (GRI) is a specialist hospitality cruise ship recruitment agency based in South Africa, since November 1999. We have agency resources in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. As a recruitment specialist our management team has collectively gained many years of hospitality and recruitment experience and skills in all levels and facets of the industry.

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    The CAST-A-WAY name is synonymous with quality, professionalism, and dedication within the cruise line industry.. Since 1998 CAST-A-WAY has continuously provided the industry with the highest quality crew, onboard crew and land-based staff for resorts.. We love recruiting for major cruise lines, concessionaires and resorts, and we will always go above and beyond to meet our clients' expectations.

  20. South Africa. May 2025

    Africa & the Middle East - South Africa. May 2025 - Plan to spend 3 weeks of May 2025 in South Africa. Looking for recommendations. After some research have a few ideas. Flying into Joburg on 2nd May.

  21. Increased voyages for South African travellers as Silversea Cruises

    The cruise line and Cruise Vacations explained that the launch of this new ship is part of their commitment to delivering unparalleled luxury cruise experiences to South Africans, both on local ...

  22. Announcing the Hot List Winners of 2024

    The best new openings in travel, from the fresh hotels we'd plan a trip around to the dining and cruise ships to travel for next. By CNT Editors April 24, 2024