How Cruise Ships Celebrate Christmas On Board

Posted on 29 December, 2021 by admin

Christmas tends to be one of the biggest holidays in the year, particularly in the western hemisphere. Cruise ships with sailings around this particular day tend to go all out to create a festive spirit across the ship, with special decorations, menus and events.

This typically means that Christmas is a busy day for ship crew on duty. Most guests will want to indulge in something special and treat themselves. 

DECOR

Many cruise ships put up Christmas décor just after Thanksgiving, usually celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. Cruise ship chefs will be tasked with getting started on entire gingerbread villages which can take a while, and edible yule logs. There’s even one in the crew mess room. 

Most cruise lines will, however, stay out of guest staterooms to respect the privacy of those who might want to escape the hullabaloo. Some crew like to feel at home and put up extra decorations or ones they’ve bought in their cabins. It’s important to remember that despite all of this, crew still have to pass cabin inspections.

FOOD

Food is a big attraction on holidays like Christmas. Cruise ships plan an elaborate menu with lots of traditional dishes as well as a few special ones. Dishes will largely depend on the demography of the passengers. Christmas menus are seen in the main dining room – where food is usually included in the ticket price – as well as specialty restaurants, many of which are paid. 

Through December, cruise ship chefs will go all out to have a wide variety of traditional treats available, particularly for children, including cookies, gingerbread and hot chocolate. There’ll also be lots of mulled wine, eggnog and cider. 

The most important meal is Christmas dinner, where one would be hard-pressed to find a cruise ship buffet without a stuffed turkey and all the trimmings. The Royal Caribbean, for example, has previously included honey-baked ham and chestnut truffle risotto alongside its oven-roasted turkey. Its holiday special Christmas-themed desserts included the traditional French bûche de Nöel and a spice cake served with brandy sauce and whipped cream.

The crew are extremely busy on Christmas day so their celebrations are usually a little while after. Cruise ship companies show their appreciation by organising a special Christmas lunch for crew featuring guest-quality food, and an end-of-year Christmas party that often has free alcohol.

ACTIVITIES

The entertainment section on cruise ships puts together special festive shows, often filled with songs, jokes, light-hearted family fun, musicals, plays and also nativities. Guests will also find choirs singing carols.

For children particularly, there’ll be appearances from Santa Claus and the elves, Christmas-themed story-telling and movies screened in-room or at onboard theatres. There are also festive arts and crafts classes, parades and themed karaoke to keep spirits up throughout December. 

Many cruise liners organise religious services such as Christmas mass with a priest onboard, or other non-denominational services. Tree lighting ceremonies, games and holiday trivia are also part of the fun, and on some cruises, crew might dress up as famous holiday characters such as the Grinch.

For crew, there’s usually a secret Santa gift exchange or office party as well as a crew sale at the onboard gift shop where they can buy presents at discounted prices. There may also be a Christmas show as well as a full-ship or department-wise staff Christmas photo that crew receive as a keepsake.

 

Posted in blog | Leave a comment

What Can Cruise Ship Crew Do in Port

Posted on 15 December, 2021 by admin

The COVID-19 pandemic seriously hampered cruise ship operations. Given that coronavirus outbreaks did occur on cruise ships and the high risk they pose with semi-enclosed areas, high population density and limited medical resources, the industry is nervous about extending pre-pandemic shore liberties to crew.

There’s only so much cruise ship companies can do about passengers, but they have greater control over crew behaviour. All companies across the world had suspended shore leave for crew through the pandemic, although it is slowly starting to open up, with Carnival Cruise Line leading the way.

Even pre-pandemic, not all staff were able to leave the ship and explore the ports. Maintenance and vital ship functions carry on through the day and night, and guests who decide to stay on board still need food and beverages, room service and housekeeping. 

Typically, a roster system ensures everyone has some opportunity or the other to go on shore leave during the duration of their contract. Since the itinerary is repeated regularly, they will have a chance to visit every port at some point in their career on board.

If they are permitted shore leave, cruise ship crew can join excursions organised for them by the company or if there is a last-minute non-refundable cancellation. Most, however, prefer to go it alone – on sightseeing tours or trips. However, it’s important that all crew who go on shore leave return an hour before departure. There can be dire consequences – even termination of employment – if a crew member delays and is left behind.

Most cruise ship crew find it useful to spend their shore leave in what’s often called ‘crew areas’. These are restaurants, bars and pubs that cater to them, offering inexpensive food and alcohol, high-speed internet and a variety of other facilities. Good Wi-Fi is in high demand since crew can spend time catching up with family and friends around the world.

One of the most exciting parts of working on cruise ships is the opportunity to explore different places. Crew often get inside information on secret beaches and hidden gems tucked away from the tourist eye. These are great places to unwind, relax and get away from the constant requirement to cater to guests all the time. 

Many cruise ship crew also utilise shore leave to buy gifts for family back home, wire money or send and receive mail. There’s an entire emotion involved in seeing a hand-made card sent by your child or a parcel of birthday wishes from near and dear ones. It also offers you a fun way to surprise your family back home with things as simple as a postcard or a small port souvenir that says you’re thinking of them.

With a dreary two years without shore leave of any sort, cruise ship companies are slowly easing restrictions for shore leave in the wake of the pandemic. Carnival Cruise Line allows all crew members who are fully vaccinated to go out in any port on independent shore leave. 

They must adhere to strict rules including staying two metres away from others, washing and sanitising their hands frequently, and monitoring their health after returning to the ship. They have also been advised to stay away from large gatherings and crowds and must wear a face mask if they need to go indoors. 

Local health authority protocols are still in force while in port, and shore leave may be restricted depending on prevailing health conditions on board or as required by port authorities.

Posted in blog | Leave a comment

How to Answer Common Hospitality Job Interview Questions

Posted on 30 November, 2021 by admin

As the world opens up post pandemic, the hospitality industry too seems to be getting back on track. This means interviews to fill roles that may have been laid off or for new positions are up for grabs.
The competition is still high, so get your foot in the door by going in well prepared. Here are a few questions you might commonly be asked.

Tell us about yourself
Interviewers sometimes use this question as a kind of ice breaker, to allow candidates to ease into the session. But it also gives them excellent insight into who you are. After all, they have read your resumé. So instead of repeating what you’ve already written, furnish them with anecdotes that show your professional growth and perhaps where you’d like to see yourself in a few years’ time.

Why are you interested in this job role?
Most companies are looking for loyal staff – they’d rather not hire someone who is going to quit a couple of months after they’ve been trained. You could describe why you like the company – perhaps its work ethics or sustainability practices – and discuss how you have the experience and skills to succeed in the job.

What does hospitality mean to you?
This is another way of asking why you chose a career in hospitality. Avoid descriptions of the hotel industry – the interviewers already know that. Instead, tell them why you will be a great fit in the industry – perhaps you have a friendly disposition, you love meeting new people and enjoy specific challenges of running a hotel or working on a cruise ship. It’s a good time to tell interviewers about any turning point in your life that led you to the industry.

How did you deal with an unsatisfied customer?
If you’ve had work experience before, it’s likely an interviewer will ask you this, particularly if you are in the service side. Be prepared with an experience that shows how you diffused a situation. This works even if you were in another industry in which you dealt with customers or clients. The hospitality industry takes guest reviews seriously, so having staff who can be relied on to deal with the odd unhappy customer is a huge plus point.

Describe yourself in three words.
Sometimes, instead of asking candidates about themselves, interviewers ask them to describe themselves. If you aren’t prepared, the right adjectives might not come to you in the moment. Use words that you can demonstrate solid examples of. For example, rather than being dedicated or passionate, describe yourself as being methodical or reliable.

What is your weakness?
It’s imperative that you turn the answer to this question into a positive. Offer an example of a mild weakness and an intention of how you plan to improve on it. Perhaps you are not as adept with hospitality software/technology as you’d like to be but you are working on it by taking a course.

Why have you been out of work for so long?
There is a possibility that a question like this might pop up. Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic is a perfectly reasonable answer, but there’s no need to leave it at that. Offer information of how you have been bettering yourself during this time – a course, volunteer work, a home-based venture, or even an unrelated hobby.

Posted in blog | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Comparing Hygiene Norms: Cruise Ships vs Standard Food Outlet

Posted on 30 April, 2020 by admin

Comparing Hygiene Norms: Cruise Ships vs Standard Food Outlet
The coronavirus pandemic has made everyone sit up and take more notice of hygiene and safety practices. Theoretically, there may not be a vast difference between standards on cruise ships and in restaurants across India, but the reality is often quite stark.

Restaurants and food service outlets in India come under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare established only in 2011. Since that time, it has been unable to crack down sufficiently on hygiene and safety lapses.

Cruise ship companies on the other hand are governed by strict maritime law. Many leave from US and European ports where hygiene and safety laws have been quite strict for decades.

A large part of the restaurant and food service industry in India is unorganised – around 65-70 per cent according to CARE Ratings. This sector consists of roadside vendors, food carts, street stalls, small-time restaurants and dhabas which often hire unskilled workers who are pre-dominantly unaware of the strict hygiene rules that ought to govern processing and serving food.

For cruise companies, at least basic educational qualifications are required, with additional experience, depending on the level at which a cruise ship chef is hired. Companies also include orientation sessions for new staff and frequent refresher courses to ensure everyone is aware of the most recent hygiene and safety regulations.

The industry in India is also riddled with discrepancies in the supply chain. According to a recent report in The Hindu, India has the world’s largest livestock population, is the largest producer of buffalo meat and produces about 100 billion eggs annually. But the conditions under which a significant domestic portion of these finally reach consumers – including many restaurants and food service outlets – are dubious at best.

A simple visit to the local wet markets will show the condition of the slaughterhouses and meat vendors. The butchers themselves rarely wear gloves or proper shoes, and it is not common to see a washbasin in every shop. The eggs one buys at a local store are often tainted with dirt and droppings. Goa itself was embroiled in a controversy last year over the alleged presence of formalin in fish, a toxic chemical used to delay decay.

It is possible that the way animals and poultry are reared for meat in many parts of India do not follow the welfare standards suggested by the FSSAI and are at risk of passing on infections due to poor immune systems.

Adulteration of food has also not been curtailed. Only last month, the Dairy Reporter suggested a five per cent increase in adulteration of milk in Maharashtra alone, with 85 per cent of the 413 samples collected found to be tainted, including 73 samples from branded companies.

This suggested that the regulatory bodies are not looking into the situations well enough, nor taking appropriate action against offenders.

Cruise ship companies, on the other hand, buy much of their stock from large vendors who are under threat of losing a significant chunk of business if it is discovered that they are supplying low quality, unhygienically processed or stored produce.

Celebrity Cruises, for example, was supplied by The Apollo Group that even ages beef in Miami under strict health and safety conditions before sending it to vessels around the world. In addition, surprise inspections are held regularly on every cruise vessel by organisations like the Center for Disease Control, checking everything from cleanliness and sanitation to dress codes, storage temperatures of dishes and fresh produce, labelling, and even how cleaning liquids are stocked. Cruise ship vessels that do not rack up scores good enough are not permitted from plying until they pass the follow-up inspection.

Additionally, payments at land-based restaurants and quick service enterprises in India are often done in cash, which itself can be a carrier of germs. Generally, only clients at high-end restaurants use cards for convenience.

On cruise ships, the norm is contactless payments through a cruise card which works as the guests’ key card, credit card and ID. A major chunk of payment for the cruise happens online, before the trip. Any additional expenses on board are added to the card when swiped and a final bill is cleared once at the end.

However, since the coronavirus outbreak, standards of hygiene are being scrutinised the world over, and only those food service outlets that meet regulations are allowed to operate. In such cases, cruise ship chefs are at a distinct advantage for their knowledge of hygiene and safety rules in food processing and service.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hope For Chefs during Lockdown

Posted on 22 April, 2020 by admin

Hope For Chefs during Lockdown
This isn’t the most bullish of markets – many restaurants are shut, cruise ships are grounded, staff has been laid off and people are staying home. But it doesn’t mean that all is lost. The general public still needs food, and having the food service industry function at least partly can ensure some movement of money in the economy.

The Goa government has joined other state governments in making the food service industry more accessible during the coronavirus lockdown. Restaurants are working with minimal staff and must adhere to safety and health guidelines. Cruise ship chefs are well-versed with some of the toughest safety measures in practice. Their expertise and knowledge are a big asset during this time.

Restaurants typically have wholesale sources for produce. These contacts can help greatly to stay up to date with availability and delivery of essential ingredients. Cruise ship chefs, like restaurant chefs, are also adept at making the most of available ingredients – swapping where necessary or creating whole new dishes when required.

Working in tandem with food delivery operators such as Swiggy and Zomato, it is now possible to operate even during a lockdown. Cruise ship chefs will do well to follow all safety guidelines even if they decide to work from home while the economy is recovering.

Home delivery of delicious food offers a small respite to families struggling to cope with being stuck indoors. Eating one’s favourite food has a positive effect on the body’s natural pleasure chemical dopamine.

It is important to think of the kinds of food people might miss during the lockdown. Perhaps it is a particular exotic cuisine not easily replicated at home – say Thai or Mexican. Or dishes people normally eat at their ancestral homes or made by their grandmothers who they are unable to meet during this time – local Goan teatime specialties and desserts.

As the transport of essential goods gets smoother with necessary safety precautions, ingredients are expected to be more easily available. This will allow skilled chefs to widen their repertoire or use better quality ingredients.

Still, the idea typically has been to offer small, manageable menus that can be changed frequently based on the ingredients available. Using other media such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, chefs can garner a steady stream of orders.

Working is ingrained into a restaurant chef’s life and many are finding the urge to do something with their time during the lockdown rather than just sit around. They are uploading videos of cooking classes, posting recipes and generally helping their followers put together meals from what they have in their kitchen. This is a great way to increase your fan following too. If you are the inventive sort, this is also the perfect time to work on a cookbook of your own recipes.

Others can volunteer their time to cook meals for the needy, allowing them to feed their passion as well as a hungry stomach. Cooking thousands of meals a day comes naturally to cruise ship chefs and they thrive in the chaos, adapting to crisis situations as the need arises – from line cooks suddenly falling sick and ingredients running out to power blackouts.

Restaurants can also work to save themselves from an impending economic recession by selling vouchers and tables for the future. Those that are able to are working with minimum staff to cater to home deliveries. So chefs with the most skills will always make the cut.

Posted in Chef jobs, Cruise Ship Jobs, cruises, Hot Jobs | Leave a comment

What Makes A Dish Delicious

Posted on 21 April, 2020 by admin

As a consequence of the evolutionary process, our brains are trained to find food that looks good appetising. As a cruise ship chef, the idea is to make even the simplest dish taste and look good so guests keep coming back for more. These points are easy enough to practise even while you’re on leave from work.

TASTE

Fresh Ingredients
One of the key ways to make sure a dish tastes good is to ensure fresh, high quality ingredients. Cruise ship companies have a network of vendors located along their ports of call to ensure their stocks are always fresh. Provisions managers and store keepers request fresh produce in various stages of ripeness so cruise ship chefs can use the most ripe first while leaving the others to ripen for use over the later part of the journey. Overripe produce can be used in soups or tarts, while items like dry bread are perfect for puddings or French toast.

Fresh spices
Pre-ground spices and spice mixes are a common household convenience. But in a chef’s kitchen, these can make the difference between decent and delicious. Freshly grinding whole spices can enhance their taste and calls for a lower quantity to be used, a luxury cruise ship chefs can use.

Salt & herbs
Seasoning well is often just a matter of using the right amount of salt and sometimes a dash of herbs. The latter can take the dish to another level altogether by adding hints of different flavours. Often salt is added in small quantities at the beginning and adjusted for taste at the end. The key is to remember that one can always add salt, but never remove it.

Patience
This is an important factor in a cruise ship kitchen. There is a constant pressure to get a large number of dishes served quickly. But it’s important to take a step back and ensure that each step of the cooking process is completed just right before moving on to the next stage. It can make the difference between a raw onion flavour and a well-blended one in a curry, chewy or crispy squid rings, medium rare or a medium well steak.

Taste tests
To ensure they’re on the right track to a dish well done, cruise ship chefs are constantly testing for taste. After a while, you get pretty good at estimating quantities, but you must never let your guard down. The absolute basic of a good dish is to know what it tastes like before it is served.

PRESENTATION

Presentation is an important factor in making a dish taste good. Humans have a hormone called ghrelin that makes food look more appealing and influences memories of food. It’s what makes people hungry, sometimes even when they don’t actually need food.
This is what happens when people see photographs of chocolate oozing out of a donut or barbeque ribs slathered in sauce. It makes them feel hungry. If your dish does not look delicious, even though it tastes nice, it might not be appetising.

Flavours
Ensure you have your mise en place before you begin plating. Having all your components in front of you will help you better envision how all of your flavours will come together, not just in the mouth, but also what they will look like on the plate.

Portion size
Most dishes, especially mains, are a well-balanced mix of the main food components – protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. Make sure you are serving a well-balanced meal without compromising taste for presentation. Do not overcrowd the plate and place moist ingredients such as sauces and purées first so they are less likely to slide around during service.

Colour & contrast
Think of your plate as a canvas and you as the artist. The first guideline is to choose the right serving dish – size, shape, colour. They need to highlight your dish. You should also look at placing the star of your dish either on the left or right of the plate, so it falls in line with the design rule of thirds.
With your mise en place, you will be able to see colours that pair well together or can be highlighted against a monotone plate. All of these can make your dish look that much more appetising.

Sauces & garnishes
These two are not just ingredients but can also add visual appeal. You can drizzle sauce over the main ingredients, use blobs as accents on the side or smear it across the base so your main rests on it. They add colour and breaths of fresh air to your plate.
Garnishes perform a similar role. Vertical food presentation is a trend in fine dining restaurants where the highlight is placed in the centre of the plate while the rest remains comparatively empty. Other trends include landscape, free form, futuristic (using metal or glass as your serving dish), organic materials like wood or stone, and even unconventional alternatives such as test tubes and jars.

Cruise ship chefs can practise these tips even with simple, everyday dishes while they are home on leave from work.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Coronavirus:‌ ‌Cruise ‌Ships ‌Tackling Epidemics

Posted on 9 March, 2020 by admin

Coronavirus:‌ ‌Cruise ‌Ships ‌Tackling Epidemics
The latest coronavirus scare has been causing concern across the world. Only recently 138 Indians including cruise ship crew on the Diamond Princess cruise ship were screened for the contagious virus, with more than a dozen testing positive. The rest were repatriated. Due to thousands living in close proximity on board cruise ships, contagious diseases such as coronavirus can spread easily, causing an epidemic outbreak. Cruise ships have safety standards in place to avoid such instances, which explains why the percentage of epidemics of highly contagious diseases such as norovirus is low compared to the number of vessels being run.

Coronavirus is in fact a group of viruses which cause illnesses from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), itself a global concern a few years ago. The new strain COVID-19 has not been previously identified in humans and is thought to have been transmitted from animals. The most common symptoms include fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. The virus, which originated in Wuhan in China, has travelled to over 100 countries with more than 1,09,000 confirmed infections and over 3000 deaths so far (as on 09 March 2020) according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). There is currently no cure and vaccines are under investigation.

Many people hit by COVID-19 – around 80 per cent – are able to recover without special treatment. They may suffer from the common symptoms, and perhaps also from general body ache, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and diarrhea. In very mild cases, some people infected with coronavirus may not even show any symptoms or feel unwell. In severe cases, it causes impaired organ function, severe cough and pneumonia, which many succumb to.

Coronavirus is spread through droplets from an infected person’s nose or mouth that often land on objects or surfaces around them. Like norovirus on cruise ships, COVID-19 is transmitted to other people when they touch these objects on surfaces and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. It’s also possible to breathe in these droplets if you stand within a metre of the infected person.

One of the main ways to avoid contracting coronavirus is following correct handwashing techniques, a point taught to every cruise crew member. Cruise ships avoid epidemics by ensuring that all crew members on board wash their hands thoroughly and often. It is also recommended to guests.

To avoid getting coronavirus, especially on cruise ships, it is important to wash your hands as frequently as possible, particularly after being in public spaces. Keep an alcohol-based hand santiser on you for times when handwashing with soap and water is not possible.

When washing your hands, wet them with clean running water, turn off the tap and apply soap. Lather well and scrub your palms, the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails. Remember particularly to scrub your nails and the backs of your hands as these are the spots we often miss and places easy for the virus to cling to. This process should take at least 20 seconds – the Centre for Disease Control suggests humming the Happy Birthday tune from beginning to end twice through for time. Rinse well with clean, running water, and then use a clean tissue or automatic hand dryer. It’s important to use a tissue to turn the tap off so you avoid the risk of re-contaminating your hands.

The WHO also recommends sneezing or coughing into the crook of your elbow or into a tissue, which should be disposed off immediately and properly. If you are feeling unwell, stay at home. If you are on board a cruise ship, inform your supervisor immediately and recuperate in your cabin or the medical room as recommended.
Cruise ships have long followed strategies to keep epidemics at bay, which can certainly help in the fight against the new coronavirus.

Posted in Cruise Ship Jobs, cruises | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

River Cruising Destinations Around The World

Posted on 28 February, 2020 by admin

RIVER CRUISING DESTINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
One might imagine cruise lines as typically massive luxury vessels coasting along the seas. And while popular cruises generally stop by gorgeous seaside ports, there is unbeatable romance and beauty to be indulged in during the best river cruises in the world. Here are just a few:

DANUBE
Europe is one of the prettiest continents to take in from the river. Medieval architecture, small towns and beautiful mountains are best seen from a river cruise. As Europe’s second longest river, the Danube offers excellent opportunity for sightseeing. And since Central and Eastern Europe have many countries packed tightly together, this river runs through more countries than any other in the world.
From its starting point in Germany, it flows 2850kms to the Black Sea via Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Servia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. There are also a number of islands in the Danube, and it is one of the most popular rivers for cruising. During peak season, there can be more than 70 cruise liners plying its waters.

RUSSIAN WATERWAYS
Russia throws up worlds of mystery and distinct architecture. For many Americans, it’s a mixed bag of emotions leftover from Cold War perceptions to intrigue about its local culture and natural beauty.
River cruises in Russia run along a complex system of canals, lakes, rivers and inland seas which take River Volga leisurely towards the Baltic Sea. Along the waterways lie some of Russia’s most picturesque cities including Moscow and St Petersburg. This is the most famous stretch to cruise down with stops at smaller towns such as Volgograd, Yaroslavl, Nizhniy, Novgorod, Kazan, and even far off the beaten path to places like Uglich. Food and beverage is distinctly Russian including traditional dishes like borsch, chicken Kiev and kulebyaka.

YANGTZE
Its 6,300km span offers a plethora of opportunities for river cruising, from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea. The Yangtze has many endemic species of flora and fauna, and some sections are now classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the gorges of western Yunnan.
With more than 700 tributaries, the potential for river cruising on the Yangtze is immense. Cruises allow guests to take in the mountains of Tibet, the plains of Jiangsu and the coastal region near the East China Sea. Important sections include the Three Gorges with the world’s largest dam and the river cruise port of Chongqing, taking in Witches Gorge, the walled city of Wushan and the beautiful Twelve Peaks.
Guests typically visit ancient monuments along the way such as the 12-century Shibaozhai Pagoda, with excursions to the Great Wall, and stops at Guilin, Shanghai and Xian.

NILE
Cruising down the Nile is one of the most popular river cruises in the world. According to travel company Kuoni, the Nile topped the list for best-selling river cruises in its report for 2020. Options for river cruising down the Nile, include regular cruise vessels, yacht cruises, steamer cruises or dahabiyas, a traditional shallow-bottomed vessel with two or more sails that have been used to sail the world’s longest river for thousands of years.
Major points of interest along the 6,650km-long Nile include the majestic pyramids, the Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, Hatshepsut Temple, the Philae Temple and the famous rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel. Most cruises sail between Luxor and Aswan, with separate cruises on Lake Nasser nearby.

AMAZON
The Amazon region is considered one of the most exotic and far-flung locations to cruise, owing to the thick rainforest cover along the 6400-km long river. It’s the perfect place for guests to immerse themselves in the lush environment, mystical shamans and natural wonders.
There are cruises through Peru, Brazil and Ecuador that touch on various themes from wildlife and adventure to food and culture. Guests have the opportunity to visit Iquitos in Peru, the world’s largest city unreachable by road – just by air or river, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, as well as local villages and wildlife that live in the Amazon Basin.

Posted in cruises | Leave a comment

Cruise Ship Jobs: Diverse Crew

Posted on 22 February, 2020 by admin

Cruise Ship Jobs: Diverse Crew
Cruise ships are probably some of the most culturally diverse workplaces on the planet. Often cruise vessels can have more than a thousand people working as crew itself. Symphony of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, carries a 2200-person crew of people from the far corners of the world.

Diversity in nationality
According to the Royal Caribbean cruise line, there are more than a hundred different nationalities working across their fleet. Some of these might be part of their shore teams, but a large majority of nationalities comprise their cruise ship crew.

A diverse crew allows companies to cater to a wider range of cruising guests. For example, the number of Indians holidaying on cruise ships is steadily increasing. In 2017, we recorded a 27 per cent increase in passengers in Singapore alone, according to Cruise Lines International Association. Meeting crew from your own country adds a feeling of extra warmth and comfort to the guest cruising experience.

Typically, cruise ship crew in catering, service and housekeeping tend to be drawn from south east Asian markets where conversion rates to the dollar allow them to earn salaries higher than standard shore jobs. India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, etc are popular nationalities in this sector.
But as part of the crew, you will likely meet people working in all other sectors as well, from entertainment and sales to human resources and youth services. It’s possible to meet people from as far as Peru, Israel, Jamaica and Guatemala to even lesser known countries such as Guyana, Dominica, Zambia and Moldova.

Cruise ship companies ensure that a wide array of crew activities are organised to help break the ice among personnel on board. From theme nights to regional festival celebrations such as Diwali or Holi, to regular crew parties, companies ensure that everyone feels welcomed and has the opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds.

Diversity in gender
Diversity is required not just culturally but also in gender. A 2017 consensus by the Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs estimated that just two per cent (or 24,000) of the 1.2 million seafarers around the world (IMO figures) are women. Of the 24,000, just 20 per cent are women, and most have cruise ship jobs.
The cruise industry is working hard to improve gender diversity on board. Celebrity Cruises boosted the number of women working across their fleet from three per cent to 22 per cent in just four years.

In 2007, the cruise industry saw the first woman appointed captain – Sweden’s Karin Stahre-Janson took over the helm of Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas. Since then, many other lines have had female cruise captains, including Cunard, P&O Cruises, Windstar – whose Belinda Bennett became the first black female captain, Sea Cloud Cruises, AIDA, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Women have proved themselves in positions of authority and are now being recognised for it too. The IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea in 2016 went to Captain Radhika Menon, of Indian descent no less and the first woman to receive this honour. She was recognised for her role in rescuing seven fishermen from a sinking fishing boat.
There are still many barriers that prevent women from working at sea, especially in high-ranking positions and technical roles, but organisations such as the International Labour Organization are working to improve gender diversity on board.

Posted in Cruise Ship Jobs, cruises | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How To Progress In Your Cruise Ship Career

Posted on 31 January, 2020 by admin

Important Qualities To Succeed In Cruise Ship Jobs
There’s a lot to look forward to in your first cruise ship job. The work environment is quite unlike the shore-based hospitality industry in many aspects. So many prospective cruise line employees wonder what their career graph will look like in the future.

With cruise ship jobs, you can get on board in one department and then switch within the company after a few contracts and find something else you might like. Or you can stick with the same department and climb the hierarchy within.

Many companies offer training programmes that enable you to upgrade your skills and apply for higher posts. You could start off as a line cook in the galley and move up to being the head chef of a particular restaurant, simply by honing skills and applying for vacant positions when they open up.

For higher posts, cruise companies require previous experience on a vessel, so sticking with cruise ship jobs can help build on that time needed. A junior assistant food and beverage manager on Princess Cruises, for example, requires two years of experience in a management position, while an assistant manager requires three years.

To oversee operations as the food and beverage manager, the applicant will need at least five years of experience in a senior management position with thorough knowledge of all the processes involved. If you have entered the cruise industry in an entry-level position, you will have to work your way up from there to a senior management position where you will be for five years before getting a shot at the position of food and beverage manager.

Most often, applicants with experience in the cruise industry will be considered first because they have an in-depth understanding of working on a cruise ship, from the long hours and seven-day work week, to the connections between various departments and hierarchy involved, to first-hand training in emergency drills and possibly even crowd management.

Remember that for dozens of entry-level staff on cruise ships, jobs are an interim feature, particularly if they are European or North American. Many see these jobs as a means of making quick money to pay for further education, or to travel the world more cost-effectively for a short period of time. In such cases, the competition for promotions decreases and only those who are committed to cruise ship jobs long-term remain in the bid for higher positions.

Understand that management is looking for not just experience and skills, but also personality and passion for the job. So when vacancies open up, you should showcase these in the interviews. Sometimes, additional skills can make a big difference. Service staff such as bartenders, maitre d’s and waiters who speak more than one international language will probably have an edge over others. Particularly if the language is common among their guest demographic – say Mandarin, German, Italian, French, Spanish and even Portuguese, which are among the top 10 cruise-loving nations in the world.

Other skills such as crowd management, designated security duties, emergency training in first aid, fire fighting or related sectors can also give you an edge over others. Some cruise companies have skills enhancement training on board, but it can be tough to find the time.

However, it’s possible to do these courses during your months off too. Typically, cruise ship crew can get between two to four months off between contracts. It can work to your advantage to use some of this time to broaden your skill set. Most emergency training courses last a week or so, while intensive language courses can be completed within a couple of months.

Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities and open up your horizons with cruise ship jobs.

Posted in Cruise Ship Jobs, cruises | Leave a comment