Salaries

Cruise Ship Workers, Staff and Officers – What’s the difference?

The Cruise ship hierarchy is strict like in military organization. Considering the high number of over 5.000 cruise passengers on board, debating decisions in dangerous situations is not an option. Every employee group lives by slightly different set of rules.



The small and tight group of Cruise Ship Officers is the highest paid and the most privileged group on board.
The 4-8 years long education in navigation and high safety responsibility gives them the right to be that.
They all have single cabins, separated mess with the best food, companion presence for months at the time, short contracts, excellent pay, retirement plan, free cabin cleaning service, free laundry service, free internet access … Cool Jobs or what!

The second best group of cruise ship workers is the Staff Crew.
Cruise Staff salary rarely depends on tips, and is middle ground between the Officer’s salary and common Cruise Line Crew salary. The Staff Crew enjoys less privileges than the Officers, but still have a great life on cruise ship.
The Staff Mess, access to passenger’s dining option and above average crew cabin are some of the perks.

Since the Cruise Industry offers international career opportunities, cruise ship salary is a fantastic opportunity for nationals from undeveloped countries from all over the world to upgrade their ordinary lifestyle.
The common salary of an Indian or Filipino national in their countries is in a range of $200-$300.
Thanks to the Tipping System on board a cruise ship, they usually earn over $1.000 per month.
If they are not on a tipping position, two things work against the Common Cruise Ship Workers, and those are their local Cruise Ship Agency and Employment Pay Rates.

The Cruise Line Industry has developed a system that allows employees from developed countries to get paid more for the same job than employees from undeveloped countries.
This unfair system is based on a notion that employees from developed countries have higher cost of living in their respective countries, and their cruise ship wages do not go as far in Canada of UK as they go in India or Thailand.

Cruise Ship Agency is a problem because in those countries, nobody can control them. They take fees not only at the beginning of people’s employment, but all the time during their cruise career. If someone objects, he is suddenly replaced on employee list by another candidate and his cruise salary is history. Indian, Filipino …etc cruise ship employment agencies silently hold cruise ship salaries of their employees under full control.

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4 thoughts on “Salaries

  1. Good Afternoon

    Well, I have worked on RCCL, an I want to get a reference letter with my evaluation about my last performance, please could you tell me where I should ask via email?
    Actually, I need that letter to show it in my previous job in my country. Any information will be welcome.

    thank you

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