While many cruise ship employees have found adventure and great pay on the high seas, others are less enthusiastic about the nomadic lifestyle and cruise ship living amenities. Therefore, if you’re a land lover of this sort but can’t tear away from the amazing benefits and travel perks working for a cruise line affords, perhaps you should consider a job in one of the corporate offices.
A corporate cruise line job is another amazing employment venue within the industry. While most of these jobs are located in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and Florida, there are others scattered around (even in Europe!). Working in a corporate office offers employees the same amazing benefits that working onboard a cruise ship offers. Travel benefits and discounts, medical insurance, 401K and retirement programs are just a few of the perks corporate employees can expect from working for a cruise line company. For people who potentially want to work in an administrative position on a ship at a later time, work experience in a corporate office is a great segue to work onboard.
The variety of jobs available in cruise line corporate offices are many and if you’re interested in pursuing one, submitting a resume and letter of interest to a cruise line directly is a good way to begin. Remember, most jobs aren’t advertised so it takes some ingenuity and research on your part. Administration jobs that are listed online are often outlined in a different area than the ones that advertise for jobs onboard, so some Internet navigation may be required. The following are some areas of employment you might expect to find during your search.
Accounting
Because finances must always be attended to, and with the cruise industry doing so well, there are many accounting needs that require attention. Jobs in Accounts Payable, Bookkeeping, Auditing, Operations Analysts and Business Analysts, Tax Analysts and Financial Examiners for different ship departments are just to name a few. Most of these positions require a degree in finance, accounting, business or extensive experience in the field. These positions are commonly paid on salary.
Administrative
Administrative work is an excellent place to gain entry-level employment. Jobs such as Data Entry, IT Engineers, Payroll, Administrative Assistants, Human Resource workers, Customer Service representatives and Office Managers are all positions that fall within the Administrative department. While there are often quite a few entry-level positions available there is also job potential for professionals who are required to have years of experience and who will earn higher salaries. Most jobs in the Administrative department require computer and office skills. These jobs are paid hourly and on salary depending on the position.
Airline Operations
With so many people flying in order to meet ship port times, the cruise lines often employ their own airline officials to assist with bookings, cancellations, flight discounts and complicated travel schedules. Some positions are required to work directly with airline personnel and almost all require some experience in the air travel industry. These positions are often paid on salary.
Marketing/Public Relations
People who work in this department have a variety of responsibilities and job titles. Some positions are available to entry-level college graduates while others require a more seasoned working professional. Employees in this department generate revenue for the cruise lines by advertising cruises and cruise services and by marketing cruises to the public. Jobs in this department might include: Public Relations employees, Media Relations, Brand Managers, Account Executives, Financial Analysts and Marketing positions.
Cruise Reservations and Sales
Employees working in reservations do just that, book and solidify reservations for passengers. Sales are what keep the cruise industry going. They are trained to answer questions and field concerns and as well as sell potential passengers on the benefits of cruise vacationing. They up-sell passengers and develop lasting relationships with continuing customers.
Sales representatives work within companies as well as with passengers. A sales positions isn’t as cut and dry as it might seem and they are often responsible for generating interest to passengers and the general public.
Both areas of these departments require working professionals with experience as well as entry level applicants.