Should You Work On Large Or Small Cruise Lines?
When we talk about working on large cruise lines versus small cruise lines
, we're not talking about big ships versus small ships. We're talking about the number of cruise ships that each cruise line has, also known as their fleet. Getting to know the size and type of the company's fleet for where you are applying is advantageous for a number of reasons.
If you are working for a large cruise line, it may give you the opportunity to work on various cruise ships during your career. And, the more ships that a cruise line has, the better the chances are for advancement.
But don't expect that all the ships in a fleet are identical. Older ships have fewer amenities for passengers and crew. On the other hand, the newer, bigger ships have all the bells and whistles.
But these ships are also busier and less intimate.
One example of a large cruise line with a varied fleet is Royal Caribbean International. With the new Oasis of the Seas beginning her first cruise in December, the company now has 21 ships in their fleet and six classes of cruise ships.
The Oasis of the Seas is the biggest of Royal Caribbean's ships at 220,000 tons, 5,400 guests and 1,650 crew members. But they also own older, smaller ships like the Monarch of the Seas, which was commissioned in 1991, and Legend of the Seas which only weights 70,000 tons.
In September 2009 Carnival Cruise Lines launched Carnival Dream, their biggest cruise ship to date; and Royal Caribbean launched their largest vessel ever in December 2009.
More than 3,000 cruise ship jobs have will have been created by just those two ships.
In fact, by the end of 2009, an extra 10,000 jobs were created by the launching of new ships during 2009.
But don't worry, you haven't missed the boat (ship) yet! In 2010, another 12,000 cruise ship jobs will be available due to the continuation of the building boom - positions such as guest services officers, gift shop staff, spa and salon staff, photographers, deck officers, IT personnel, cruise staff, youth counselors and many more.
The first ship to be launched for 2010 is the Costa Deliziosa in January, and there will be more than a dozen more cruise ships to debut throughout this year. Norwegian Cruise Lines will introduce their largest ship to date in June this year and Royal Caribbean will be launching the sister to the Oasis of the Seas in December 2010.
Small cruise line fleets have plenty of opportunities as well. For example, Disney Cruise Line currently has only two ships but by 2012 they will have four ships.
It is advisable to send your resume and cover letters to cruise lines in anticipation of the vacancies being posted for these new cruise ships.
Tip: It's a great idea to mention the fact that the cruise line is launching a new ship in your application correspondence. This demonstrates your specific interest in the cruise line you are applying to.
by: Neil Maxwell Keys
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