Hello,
I am looking for clarification on employment with the cruise lines. I have heard that you should and that you should not use an agency.

Also that you should not apply on the website, but rather through certified mail, and only after you have added a cover letter, resume, 2 letters of reference, and a photo.

Rumor has it, that the best cruise lines to work for, in order, are Princess, Royal Caribbean, Disney, and then Carnival.

Now just to sort through what is true and what isn't.

I have extensive experience in customer service and library service and would love to find a job on a cruise line in a related field.

Although I also have experience working with children, I prefer the preschool age and worry that I would have to work with the older ones as well. Teenagers are not always the nicest people to be around.

Anyway, I will stop rambling on and end this with saying, "help"!
Please share your experiences and expertise with me. Thanks!
Judy

Judy, have you ever been on a cruise? If so, you will undoubtedly be aware that cruise ship crew members work very long, hard hours. Assuming you know that, I would just suggest contacting each cruise line. Nearly all Americans on the cruise ships work with the cruise director's staff, entertainment (much singing & dancing talent required there) or with the younger children. Most of the teens like to hang by themselves; there are staff assigned to them, but I'm thinking it's not a really intensive involvement. On nearly all cruise lines, the rest of the staff is "international," most from developing countries. And customer service could be used anywhere - keeping the guests happy is what it's all about!

If you want a wider variety of job types on a cruise, you might check the American-flagged lines. By law, their entire crews must be American (or at least a vast majority of them). Of the large oceangoing ones, pretty much your choice is NCL America, which sails Hawaii cruises - and someone experienced in customer service would be most welcome for the passengers onboard! You can also consider the smaller-ship lines, such as Cruise West, American Cruise Line, and Delta Queen/American West Steamboat cruises, both now owned by Ambassadors International. Good luck!

Thank you for your information. I think the ideal position for me would be to work in the library or as a receptionist. I would enjoy the work and the cruise line would benefit from my experience and training. I have visited each cruise website and found the links to apply through them directly; however, I am unsure if this is the best way to proceed. Due to the bad press that NCL has received, I am reluctant to apply with them.
However, that's not to say I have discounted them completely.