How do you become a cruise director or simply get a job with the cruise lines?
Getting paid to travel and have a good time. What could be better than that?
You want to become a cruise director or work in entertainment on a cruise ship? Then this is what you need to know..
For anyone who enjoys the idea of performing and travel, the position of cruise director, or simply working on a cruise ship in the entertainment field, projects glamour and excitement. But is it as good as it looks?
Certainly, what I describe here can apply generally when looking for a job on a cruise ship, and not necessarily just that of becoming a cruise director. So, if you know someone, are just curious or you yourself are interested in working on a cruise ship, read on.
“How do you become a cruise director, Rob? This question from a guest is usually followed by “I think my granddaughter/grandson would love this job”
I give, what I hope to be a helpful answer of relative simplicity. “Do you think they would want to do it?” That always a receives a perplexed look, as if to say, “stupid question”. But is it?
From the outside, I guess it looks like a dream job, and it is. Certainly in the scheme of occupations, it is one of the ‘holy grails’….But it comes at a cost.
I would say this – I would not trade it for anything else. What other occupation can encapsulate a love of travel, an enjoyment of people and the satisfaction of making a difference in others’ lives?
Is it for everyone? No. There are always downsides to any occupation. But, before we talk about those, let’s rewind and see how do you become a Cruise Director on Ocean or, as it is sometimes referred to, a Program Director on rivers?
Cruise line jobs and their positions may have the same title, or similar everywhere, but the job descriptions can vary. That is worth keeping in mind.
It is a growth and learning curve, and while there is not really any diploma at the end of it, it is still an occupation that requires diligent learning. Cruise line jobs are varied and you start in one department and make your way to where you want to go.
If on ocean, and you wanted to become a cruise director, you would more likely start in the entertainment department. Usually it would be as cruise staff, but performers also do phase into the position.
“Does this mean I must be able to sing, juggle or do magic tricks?”
A good question. Look, it is an attractive asset for many cruise lines. If they are paying you a good salary, any performance value (as in doing a show) would be more bang for the buck. So, that’s an advantage. Personally, I think if your persona as a leader and speaker is strong enough, that should be enough.
Lord knows, I have seen and heard many a cruise director who perform and think to myself, maybe they should stick to their day job.
You should be really top notch as a performer if you want to combine that with being a cruise director. And frankly, if you’re that good as a performer, why would you want to be a cruise director?
So, back to the aspect of cruise lines jobs. Whatever you choose in the entertainment department, be it cruise staff, youth counselor, or social host, there are elements to your character that I feel are important to have. Definitely, these are valuable attributes to be adept in:
Characteristics to become a Cruise Director Program Director Tour Director Social host Cruise staff
- Communication skills and public speaking should be in your arsenal of talents
- You need to really love people (not just like them). Like will expire. To be passionate about people will not.
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A good command of English is essential and to speak other languages would help
- You need to be organized
- You must be able to deal with stress and pressure without exhibiting any sign that you are feeling these emotions
- A keen sense of empathy and sensitivity is required.
- You need to have a confidence about yourself - this is not a job where you will not be criticized along the way. If you're sensitive, toughen up
- You need to be assertive AND diplomatic
Before becoming a cruise director, you obviously need to Get into the industry
Welcome to your first big hurdle. The steps to take in getting into the world of cruising can be easy for some and challenging for others.
You may know someone who can get you an ‘in’. Or you may have to apply with the thousands of other hopefuls.
Beware of scams. Unfortunately there are a lot of dodgy operators taking peoples money with e-books and ‘recruitment placements”.
You have to search for a reputable agency that has a track record. On this, you MUST do your due diligence. Research! Look for several reviews from different sources.
Applying directly in response to industry ads and to the cruise line website is the most effective way of avoiding the scams. It is also the most realistic way to increase your chances of entry. You want to read up on the company you’re applying to.
Try and find some videos of guest reviews and perhaps the cruise staff/CD doing their work.
Most importantly you need to have a good understanding that this is a great fit for you and you for them.
Learn about the cruise line, their market demographics, their service promise and their treatment of the crew. This last bit is very important. You can find employee reviews all over the Net.
Obviously you will have those who are disgruntled and have an axe to grind, so do not focus on one review. Get a general feel from many reviews across the forums to have a more accurate appraisal.
CV’s and Qualifications
If you have a CV that needs some updating, look for a professional agency. There are a few excellent ones. Employers use keywords to scan through the hundreds of CV’s they get in one day. This is the reality.
I know you’d like to think they are reading every line you write but that is unlikely. Certainly not in the first round.
A professional agency will tap into those keywords and create a CV that is worthy of attention. Of course, it has to have value to begin with.
Making up stuff will quickly have you in the door and out the other side on the sidewalk with the status of “No Hire”. It’s not worth trying to BS your way into this or any other job. You’ll most likely be discovered. If you don’t have the qualifications you need, then get them first.
Formal qualifications like degrees are always enjoyed, just to indicate that you are a serious individual with some substance and education. But that’s it. It is not a deal breaker in most cases. You are selling yourself, not some degree.
Obviously if it is a more specialized aspect of cruising that you are trying to enter with, like a chef, trainee purser or such, then a degree or qualification would be important. Age is also important. 21 is the entry age to work on a cruise ship.
It would also be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with the certifications the cruise line will have you study when on board. You certainly need to expect a very intense first few weeks or so of work and classes on board. You will learn safety, waste management and a ton more.
Experience? This is the chicken and egg situation that all new occupation hopefuls will face. How do I get experience if I do not have the job? How do I get the job if I do not have the experience?
I hear you. Look, you have to be realistic and know that if your experience thus far has been working in a library and you have no background in people social skills, then you should get some.
Working in a restaurant as a host, a nightclub as a DJ, a resort fun host etc. These are good backgrounds for anyone seeking a position in a people contact world like cruising – especially entertainment. Another way to “get in” is to be a shoppie (shop assistant), a croupier in the casino, or a salon employee.
This would mean that you are on board, doing a job that you are qualified in and laying down the groundwork to find your way into entertainment.
There is no guarantee that you can switch departments as you will be in the employ of a contractor and not the cruise line. But it is a good way to network and maybe cultivate contacts that can get you to where you want to go.
Making it happen once you are through the door
Do not expect to walk straight into the position of cruise director if you are just starting out. You will have to pay your dues and learn the craft. You may start as cruise staff, youth staff or as part of a dance troupe (if you’re a dancer, of course) or in any other performing role if that’s where your talents lie.
Do the extra work. Put in the time, above and beyond. When others are heading out to the Boat Yard in Barbados, guess where you’ll be? That’s right. On the ship.
Working, learning and going the extra mile must be your credo. Engage your Assistant CD, ask if you can help them or shadow them.
Learn and then learn some more. Help other departments too. Ask the Shorex manager if you can accompany the tours and assist on your days off.
Your goal should be to know how the whole ship operates from department to department. Become visible to department heads. Stand out as an exemplary employee. Be on time for duty.
Don’t get trashed out on a beach and come back hungover. All cruise ships have a strict no tolerance policy for drinking and drugs.
A ‘harmless’ bit of fun may not only cost you your wish to become a cruise director, it will almost definitely cost you your job.Expect drug and alcohol tests to occur anytime.
Grooming and personal hygiene is also high on the list of must-do’s. Pretty obvious, really. Just make sure that you are always turned out well. Shined shoes, neat hairstyle, limited or no jewellery, well ironed clothes and smelling good, clean and fresh.
Of course, most important of all. Be high profile with the guests. You want them to make genuine observations about you and how well you looked out for them. They have this opportunity in the end of cruise survey.
NO! Do not try and solicit good comments. That is career suicide. This should be a spontaneous and heartfelt thank you that comes from the guest because they sincerely enjoyed you. If you did your job, then they probably will thank you in writing.
Keep out of the on board politics. Like any workplace, there are those areas of conversation that you want to avoid. Be lavish in your praise and very limited in your criticism.
I am not one who advocates any kind of sychophantic behaviours (i.e. flattering your bosses or kissing up to anyone). Be your own person and have faith in your own principles. But try to avoid the job-mob bitching syndrome.
It will take work, lots of it. It will mean navigating through some politics with discretion and it will mean a lot of self sacrifice.
But you can achieve your goal in becoming a cruise director (or anything in life) – just as long as you stick to the age old ethics of civility, respect, kindness, hard work and dedication.
Since I have been in the hospitality industry and in the cruise lines job, I have grown and got to a place where I feel totally at home and comfortable with the position of leading guests to their new experiences. It is an organic learning experience that comes with time and not study.
The journey in how to become a Cruise Director
It is daunting to begin with. I remember when I was promoted to Cruise Director on Ocean and that sense of responsibility that came over me.
Of course, you have growing pains. Just like a friend of mine who was training to be a commercial pilot. Those first few landings were bruising and uncomfortable apparently. He would text me and say, “Jeez Rob, had a really bad touchdown in Frankfurt. The ‘heavy’ came in heavy!”
But, he learned and is now a senior captain with a large commercial airline. I felt his pain. I totally relate to every newbie on the planet.
I have stood in that unforgiving spotlight and, as the industry saying goes, bled on stage (i.e. failed miserably). Back then it was in front of 3000 people. Now, it’s an intimate lounge of 190 guests, but there really is no difference with an audience of 1 or 3000.
Failures to learn from
I always say, it is not what you know that you learn from. It is what you don’t know. It is the blunders and the screw-ups that teach.
There would be nothing worse to any newbie than to have everything run according to plan. You need the mistakes in order to grow.
I learned fast that being real is the only way to be. I remember that I had this “great idea” to have a comic write my gags. But humor can be a poison chalice. Disaster! I went out on stage and delivered the gag and got back a stony silence or soft moans. It was seriously cringe-worthy.
There you are, in the glare of lights trained on you, trying to be a great MC and shrinking on stage. I was determined though. I persisted for 2 weeks with the gags. Every cruise was less than acceptable when it came to my personal ratings. I was not cracking it.
Thankfully there are people who have the directness to say what needs to be said. Another comic friend of mine approached me. He basically said “You suck at doing those gags, Rob. Stop it. Just be yourself”. It was that pointed.
I was trying to wear other peoples’ clothes and it looked bad. Happily, I took his advice and was not defensive. You cannot try the lines that work for others if your persona does not fit the gag. A BIG lesson.
In time, I started to find my style. It was simply to be natural…to be who I was. I got laughs at things that came through with natural speaking and observance and not some premeditated script. I am not a comedian by any means, but like anyone, I see the funny side.
The fact that I have learned to be genuine and have an integrity about being just me has made the greatest difference in my job. So the first piece of advice for any public speaking job or entertainer diatribe – BE YOURSELF!
Forget what other people are doing. Be inspired but never try to be the same. How to become a cruise director starts with – how to become you!
Learning to be your authentic self is not easy. I remember my days in radio, learning my craft on all-night radio (aka kindergarten radio).
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I tried to be every radio DJ I admired. I would listen to hours of recordings from DJ’s around the world and try and emulate them. I sounded like a complete gook until I learned to find myself.
Only then did I start to make progress and graduate to daytime radio. You would think I would have learned my lesson when I came to the cruise industry…um, no.
The breakthrough
It comes organically. There is not one moment that is that eureka flash of revelation. One day, you’re just doing it and being yourself.
But is that all there is to it? I wish. Beyond the acceptance of exposing your real self and taking the risk of being personally criticized for being the person you are, you need other skills.
Reading the crowd
Having fun is key
Ultimately people want to have a good time and a memorable experience. You drop the self consciousness barrier and allow people to see you as goofy, silly, serious and everything in-between.
You are leading the mood. It is your responsibility to make it memorable. That’s the craft of being a leader and a speaker. But you are not a clown or a jester. You are being authentic, just you but without the filter.
This is me playing the scary Viking role on board for our Halloween party with my two Guest Services colleagues
“Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.” ...
Losing your inhibitions
Would I normally be seen dead in a pair of lederhosen? Hell no. But I wear it sometimes and show it here. Why? Because I can drop the guard and just have a good time without too much concern about how silly I could look.
I guess it comes down to a level of confidence. You go with the flow and instinctively you know what to do when.
Does that mean I have it down? Not at all. Every cruise is a learning experience for me.
I keep trying new things. Some work. Some don’t. I don’t think anyone can say they have “arrived”.
I think if you have that impression, you should get out of whatever industry you’re in. Unless you want to keep learning and feeling challenged, you probably need to find a new gig.
Organization is essential
Of course stage work is just one aspect. Depending what your role is – Cruise Director on ocean or Program Director on river, the two positions have their own requirements.
On river, the organizational 
aspect is very important. This was perhaps my greatest challenge coming from ocean.As a cruise director I had my program coordinator/PA who did all that stuff. Admin was not really in depth beyond reports and meetings.
On river, you have to be ‘on it’. The dynamics of river require fast thinking and organizational ability.I had to learn fast and am still learning.
Tours need to go off on time. Motor coaches need to be in place. Guides need to be briefed and everything needs to be confirmed. For me, and my colleagues, the challenge is to appear like a swan gliding through the water (while beneath the surface the feet are paddling like crazy).
Guests do not need to know, and should not know, that you are having challenges. You need to appear calm and deal with whatever situation you are dealing with.
Running around like a chicken is the kiss of death for any CD/PD. The guests are there to have no stress. You show stress and they will feel it in a second. They watch you like a hawk.
They can practically smell the scent of anxiety from you. I have dropped my smile just for just a moment and a guest has reminded me “Smile, Rob”.
Getting it right
It’s not easy and it is a skill to learn. But, that said, the more experience you have, the better you get at it. When I first joined river from ocean, I was totally out of my depth.
I had admin issues I had never learned. I knew very little about European history and my best experience of Europe was as a student backpacker doing the dine and dash at the Oktoberfest.
Sure, I studied history as a kid/student but the difference of knowing ‘a bit’ and knowing about European history in real terms was huge.
I had to hit the ground running and the learning curve was at 160 degrees . I had my moments when I just felt I could not do this job on river.
I had to know history, be a personality, orchestrate tours….it was endless.
Fortunately, I started to reignite my passion for history. I learned fast and then spent my breaks traveling the itinerary and learning about the towns, the castles, the palaces, the memorials and the background.
I literally ate, drank and slept the world of history for 7 months. I am obsessive by nature, so getting into the learning was easier for me.
So, what’s not to love about being a Cruise Director?
On the surface, not a lot. But there are downsides. Having a “normal” life is darn near impossible.
You are always on the move, always traveling. Relationships have to undergo the long distance test (not usually sustainable).
Home is just another port of call as you are there for a short period.
You can lose touch with friends as your life moves on at 100 miles an hour and theirs is a lot slower.
You change. You grow. You start to lose connections with people back home because your life is so alien to theirs.
You miss birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and important dates.
You miss kids talking for the first time or getting their first tooth.
You miss life as most people know it. I don’t have a dog. I really miss having a dog. I miss the idea of coming home to that wagging tail and unconditional love.
It sounds small but you have no idea just how big a deal that can be. You do not have a real base or roots. You are a gypsy.
*Update – In the interests of transparency, during the COVID19 lock-down, I got my dog. She is a Siberian Husky puppy. For those who wonder – no I cannot bring her on ship but she has a good home to stay in while I’m away at work.
In conclusion
This is a lifestyle choice. It has massive rewards with all the experiences and things you see, the people you meet. It is amazing. But, is it for you?
Certainly as a Cruise Director with 4 months away from home at a time, that can be really tough. It is easier being on river if you are based in Europe as you can see your family/friends every 4 to 6 weeks for a short break.
My advise to anyone is to carefully consider beyond the apparent glamour of the gig. There is always a price to pay for whatever you do in life. The cost is as subjective as your needs.
So, how does being a cruise director fit you? Do you still want to become a Cruise director on ocean or Program director on river? If so, go for it!
I honestly am exhausted after a cruise and doubly so after two. But, for me, it’s worth it to hear the thanks and see the guests leaving with a handshake or hug and a sad smile on their face.
So, if you’re still keen, tell grandma and grandpa and maybe they can hook you up with their PD/CD.
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