So getting started with a career with a cruise company isn't exactly an easy, fast process - at least not for Disney. I began this whole thing over a year ago and now still have 2 pieces of paperwork to complete before I take off in 2 weeks!
BUT - for those of you wanting to start the whole process, I'll give you a play-by-play of all the hoops I had to jump through to get 'er done.
->First things first:
Now just a bit of background about me - I've been working with kids and in the travel agency for the past 6 years (and doin a pretty awesome job of it apparently!). I've been picked up by several tour companies to lead and guide trips to Boston, Quebec City, Toronto, Washington, New York, Ottawa, Niagara Falls - and a bunch of other random places. I continued on by working at an International language camp in Quebec and Ontario. In both I spent my time visiting monuments, attractions, museums, watching Broadway shows and circus performances, eating local food and speaking in foreign tongues while I kept kids entertained and educated.
It was working these jobs that I realised that I really didn't mind living away from home for half the year, living out of a suitcase was a breeze and traveling gave me one seeerious high that I never got from my studies. But one step up from traveling the world via motorcoach was either flight attendant as a man of the skies or crew member on board a ship - and I really wanted to keep working with kids , cause this was something that surprisingly came very naturally to me.
In the end, my Pacific heritage and islander birth leaned on being a seaman instead of a flyboy, and after a cruise with the family I was hooked.
The Application:
Speaking from a purely Canadian perspective, most of the people I know who've landed jobs on boards have gone to a hiring agency online, who handles your application and refers you to the cruise lines.
I originally tried Page Marine Crews : http://www.pmcmarine.com
-They take care of cruise lines like Cunard, Princess, Holland America, and P&O. These cruises go like, EVERYWHERE. Especially the Mediterranean and Pacific.
Sadly they never got back to me and I was kinda bummed out.
So I tried another recruiter, Cast-A-Way: http://cast-a-way.com/main/home.html
-They handle cruise companies like Carnival, Steiner and of course, Disney Cruise Line.
The first time I applied to Cast-A-Way, I didn't hear anything back - and didn't land an interview! (Le sadface.) Now that only depressed me because a fellow colleague & good friend at the time also wanted to apply and I helped him with the process - and he managed to land interviews and the job, and sailed off to the Mediterranean while I sulked like a jealous, jealous boy.
BUT after a few months of moping and renewing my passport, I decided to try again!
Now it can be nerve-wracking since for many of these companies, all you have is an online application to fill out, and often you have to compartmentalise your stellar resumé into a wee box.
Put A LOT of thought and effort into this. This is apparently where a lot of would-be candidates slip up because they forgot to fill in a section. In my case the first time, my passport status was still pending so I left that section blank and figured I could tell them to fill it in later. DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING BLANK!
This is where they will automatically toss your online application into the reject pile while they're weeding through:
- Can't commit to a 6-month contract? -NEXT.
- Only want seasonal employment? -NEXT.
- Have a visible tattoo? -NEXT. (At least for Disney)
What would really up your chances of getting in to the first interview - which is a phone call that screens applicants - is to have the following ready and perfect:
-> First Aid Certification
-> Passport valid for at least 2-3 years after application
-> Professional reference letters in hand and ready to go
-> A follow-up email or phone call!
As they process tonnes of applicants across the country and worldwide, make SURE you follow up - it could be the difference between your application being skipped over or remembered!
Finally, do your research! Look up the various positions on board and see how it fits with your current array of experience. Look up how much money they make, what their living conditions are like, and what life on a cruise ship is.
I spent months dedicated to research - many people sign up for a position on board to find out that it's one of the crappiest, gratuity-only, working-to-the-bone and no-sunlight jobs ever (re: Dining Room Server). A book I can recommend to you that will definitely make you change your mind if you're looking to be a server or anyone that works for tips on board is called: Cruise Ship Confidential.Look for it at Chapters/Indigo and skim through it, its pretty accurate to what life is like below deck beyond the passenger area. Also look up crew member videos on youtube to get a good idea of what the living situation is. There used to be a number of blogs like this talking about the whole shebang but the latest ones now go back to 2008 :S
So really look into it; I made a point of tailoring my CV/resumé with lots of youth-related and travel-oriented experience to make myself super attractive to Disney.
And finally, when I'd submitted everything for a second time last August - I just crossed my fingers and waited. And waited. For weeks. Until finally, I then decided that JUST in case, I would email them directly my CV/resume with a stellar cover letter attached in case anything fell through the cracks online.
Not more than 2 minutes after, I got an email back:
"
Thank you!
Nicola will be in touch with you soon to set up a preliminary phone interview .
Good luck!
Kind regards,
Cast-A-Way
And that's when I knew my application had gotten through, and I was ready to face the next level of this whole process.
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