ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
operates
nineteen 4* cruise ships.
In May 2007 two
new ships will enter service – Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.
JOB DESCRIPTION [menu]
We constantly look for
candidates for the following positions:
Assistant Waiters, Waitresses, Waiters. Monthly salary fo these positions is 50$. Being service personnel, mentioned crew will also make tips depending on the level of service rendered. Recommended tips are as follows:
Assistant Waiter, -ess: USD 2.00/passenger/day
Waiter: USD 3.50/passenger/day
Each Waiter is assigned a station every week in the dining-room. The average station means 18 passengers/seating. Since the Company has double seating system, you will be serving twice as many passengers daily. Each Assistant Waiter is assigned to work every fourth or fifth week as Cafe Attendant for one week, then 4-5 weeks in the dining room, followed by a week in the Windjammer Cafe again. Waiters and Assistant Waiters can be assigned hours off duty if the service schedule permits the Dining Room Manager to give such. Typically, dining room crew are given one or two lunches off per week.
Based upon the above system,
the average monthly income (salary+tips) for Assistant Waiters and Waitresses
will be around 1800-2300 USD.
Contract
Length
of contract: typically six months, then six weeks off
(vacation). Contracts are renewable.
Working hours: are centered around guest
meal hours (service personnel). When the ship is in port (
Work shifts:
|
Breakfast: |
•
first
seating: •
second
seating: |
07.30 – 08.45 08.45 – 10.00 |
2,5 hours |
|
Lunch: |
•
first
seating: •
second
seating: |
12.00 – 13.30 13.30 – 15.30 |
3,5
hours |
|
Dinner: |
•
first
seating: •
second
seating: |
18.00 – 20.00 20.00 – 22.30 |
4,5
hours |
• Double Seating system: considering the
passenger count of the vessels (2,500 - 3,500 guests), each meal is served
twice. Each guest is assigned to one certain table (plus asst. waiter and
waiter) for the whole cruise.
• Open Seating: many times breakfast and lunch are served in 'open
seating'. It means breakfast is on between e.g. 8-
What is the difference
between a waiter and an assistant waiter (waitresses)?
The waiter takes the order, serves appetizers, soups, mail courses, desserts to passengers on his station.
The Assistant Waiter serves coffee, tea and other hot and cold beverage and dresses salads. He sets up his station with ice water, bread and butter and picks up appetizers, soups and main courses in the galley (kuchyně).
Based upon the quality of your service
and the results you bring in (comments cards), you will be assigned a station
each cruise. If your service rating is excellent, your station will be a larger
one. If your rating gets worse, you will get a smaller station. As you know,
the larger your station is the more you can earn.
KEY POINTS [menu]
Travel: All new employees are responsible for
providing the initial one-way airline ticket to join their assigned vessel.
Upon successful completion of the contract, the company will provide an airline
ticket to your home country. A round-trip airline ticket will be provided if
contract is renewable.
Accommodation and Full Board
Supplied free of charge by the
company.
Living Arrangements: Your cabin is
provided by the company and most crew cabins and areas are located on decks
below the guest areas. Cabin sharing, generally (but not always) two persons in
a cabin. The cabin is generally no larger than
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided by the company at designated hours and
in designated crew areas. A dress code
to observe may apply.
Medical: Employment is conditioned upon passing a pre-employment physical examination by a company approved physician prior to joining a vessel. This normally includes blood, urine, chest X-ray, and additional tests and takes 1-7 days. Failure to pass medical examination will automatically disqualify for employment.
Medical insurance (illnesses and injuries) and medication is provided while signed on a vessel, excluding optical and dental services. If needed, shore-side hospital treatment is also provided.
Uniform: The employee will have to supply two pairs of black shoes and black socks. All other needed items will be supplied on the ship by the Company at a total cost of 91 USD. Laundering of the uniform is free, your own clothes are laundered for a small charge. Crew members who are off duty can wear their own clothes in crew areas.
Note
While on the ship, you will be required to work extensive hours. However, your free time will/might also be reduced be certain activities by law (weekly boat-drills) or by supervisor's instruction (extra duties – midnight buffet and tea service). All these factors make it hard to succeed, so you have to be of the right character to make it happen and make your engagement with Royal Caribbean International a rewarding career.
REMEMBER! The ship is a
tough environment with excellent opportunity to make money. However, you must
have the right personality and attitude to accept ship life. Now you are given
the chance, do not waste it! We wish you to have a nice time on board and make
your money!
REQUIREMENTS [menu]
• Age limit: most cruise lines expect you to be over 21. Although there is no official top age limit, a very small percentage of applicants can start their first contract over 35 years of age. The younger you are the easier it is to assimilate to the above terms.
• Can I apply with my
boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse? You can apply, however, there is
nothing the agent can do to make sure you'll work together on the same ship.
The cruise line hires you to provide guest services based on your talent/skills
on the individual ship they may need you on. Taking your personal desires and
love life into consideration is not the company's job. You apply to work on the
vessel, not be a passenger. Therefore, your decision to work at sea should be
made on professional and career grounds, much more than on the desire to be
with your partner. Spending six months away from your partner could also show
you whether the relationship is worth sticking to.
• Language skills
needed: as you are always in contacts with guests, you are
expected to be fluent in English. Knowledge of other foreign languages is
always a plus.
• Previous work experience.
Relevant education is desirable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS [menu]
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• Banking: Shipboard employees are paid twice a month in US dollars on board and are provided with several options for securing their money.
• Mail: Addresses are provided and mail is sent to these addresses for distribution on a regular basis. Outgoing mail may be posted in any port.
• Phone calls: It is very expensive to place or receive calls from the ship's phones. Phone calls can be made in the ports at calling stations or with phone cards. You can purchase cheap cellular (mobile) phones and cards which do work in most ports. Emergency numbers are provided to employees in order to be reached on board the vessel.
• Internet: Several vessels now have Internet Cafes available for crewmembers and passengers right onboard the vessel. On certain ships crew cabins also have PCs with free Internet access.
• Safety Training/Drills:
Compulsory safety training and crew drills are conducted weekly on board and
attendance is mandatory. All employees must comply with company Safety and
Quality Management Policies.
• Passport and Visas:
Shipboard crew members must be in possession of a passport valid for a minimum
of twelve (12) months. All Non U.S. citizens are required to be in possession
of a C-1/D visa valid for a minimum of six months before entering the United
States. After the successful interview and following your assignment to a given
vessel, you are given a company 'Employment Letter' by your manning agent,
which you need to bring with you to the US Embassy along with passport photos,
the visa fee, etc. In 2-10 days (country specific) you get your C-1 and D visas
and are ready to fly.
• Probation Period: The first 90 days of employment are probationary. During this time both you and the company can terminate your employment without further notice.
• Master Rules and Regulations:
All employees are subject to the Masters Rules and Regulations.
• Leisure time:
highly popular is the Crew Bar on each vessel with cheap alcoholic and
non-alcoholic beverages, dance floor, video room, slot machines, etc. There's
also a Crew Gym for all crew and staff to use.
• Cruises:
usually seven days, typically with a home port in Florida. The vessels visit
different port every day or every second day. Short cruises are 3-4 days, long
ones last 10-14 days.
• When can I start working?
You need to be interviewed by GMN (first interview), right after you received
all necessary details of employment (presentation). If you have what it takes,
you'll be interviewed by the cruise line, too. If successful, you'll be
assigned a ship and an Employment Letter will be given. Physical must be taken,
followed by a US C-1/D visa application. All this can take anywhere between
four days and six months. Please do not leave your present job till a week
before your sign-on date.
• Can I get fired from
the ship? Sure, just like in any job. Drugs, indecent behaviour
towards guests or supervisors, fighting, drinking on duty are considered
reasons for immediate dismissal. In a busy working environment with about 60
different nationalities you need to be tolerant and friendly.
• Can I go out of the
ship? Sure. When off duty (between meal hours or other time-off
times) you can leave the vessel. You'll be given your plastic picture ID, which
you return on coming back. Please observe the All on Board notice when going
off, and be back 30 minutes before the ship sails out.