This guide compares current recruitment guidance from Viking, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises. The employers use different processes, but their official material provides useful evidence on transferable experience, interviews, English and safety requirements, authorized recruitment partners and recruitment-fee scams. Company-specific rules remain clearly identified rather than treated as universal.
Choose a department before you choose a dream ship
Cruise ships recruit for distinct professional functions: hotel and guest services, food and beverage, culinary, housekeeping, entertainment, retail, spa, marine, technical, medical, destinations and more. Employers are hiring for a job first and a lifestyle second.
Start with the department that best matches what you can already do. Restaurant experience is more relevant to food and beverage than a generic interest in travel; electrical or engineering credentials matter more for technical roles than hospitality experience.
Previous cruise experience is not always required
Viking's current FAQ says requirements vary by role and that candidates should read each job description carefully. Princess Cruises is even more explicit that previous cruise experience is not required for every vacancy and that many entry-level shipboard roles can accept relevant land-based experience. Marine, technical, medical and senior leadership roles may still require specific licenses, credentials or experience.
Do not describe yourself as having 'no experience' if you have worked in hotels, restaurants, resorts, retail, guest service, entertainment or a skilled trade. The question is whether that experience transfers to the vacancy.
Build a CV for the role you are actually applying for
- Put the most relevant experience on the first page
- Use clear job titles, dates and responsibilities
- Show measurable scope where possible — team size, outlet size, guest volume or responsibility
- Highlight languages, safety responsibility and international experience when relevant
- Remove generic statements that could belong to any applicant
Apply only through sources you can verify
Cruise recruitment scams are common enough that multiple major employers publish warnings about them. Viking, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises all direct candidates toward official career channels or authorized partners and state that applicants should not be charged recruitment or application fees. Royal Caribbean Group also explains that its authorized hiring partners pre-screen candidates but do not independently make the final hiring or ship-assignment decision.
CruisedIn follows the same trust principle: the platform helps you discover a role, then sends you to the original employer or verified recruitment source. CruisedIn does not issue contracts or collect money for a job offer.
Expect an interview, not just a document check
Viking says it interviews crew applicants either face-to-face or by video. Royal Caribbean Group also describes interviews and assessments as part of its shipboard recruitment process. Formats vary by employer and role, but candidates should be prepared to explain both professional competence and why they are ready for the onboard environment.
Good examples come from real work: handling a difficult guest, working under pressure, solving an operational problem, leading a team or maintaining standards during a busy service.
English and safety communication matter
Viking requires crew members to be able to communicate in English and links that requirement directly to both guest service and emergency communication. Princess Cruises likewise identifies English as the official onboard language and connects language ability with safety responsibilities. Other language requirements vary by operator, itinerary and role.
If a role asks for a language level, treat it as part of the operational requirement rather than a decorative qualification.
Do not buy every certificate before you have a target
Training, medicals, visas and seafarer documents depend on the role, vessel, flag, itinerary and employer. Princess Cruises notes that documents such as a Seaman's Book or STCW certification are position-dependent and are not identical requirements for every hotel or guest-facing role.
A safer sequence is: identify realistic roles, apply through verified sources, then follow the employer's documented requirements. That reduces the risk of spending money on training you do not need.
Sources & further readingSee the 7 sources behind this guide
CruisedIn keeps the original material available so you can distinguish employer information from individual crew experiences.