Yes, priests and rabbis do provide services on cruise ships. For the most part, cruise ships hire priests and rabbis to provide services if the ship will be at sea on a Sunday or in a foreign port on Sunday. If the ship is at sea or in a foreign port on a religious holiday such as Easter or Christmas, cruise ships will invite a priest to travel with them. Rabbis are usually employed for Jewish holidays as well. Priests and rabbis don’t offer services for money. Instead, clergymen receive an all expense paid cruise.
Priests and rabbis can go through the same channels as other prospective “employees,” when searching for opportunities. In many cases, however, the cruise lines will come to them.
How to Find and Apply for Cruise Jobs
If you have a specific cruise line in mind, locate the cruise lines’ OFFICIAL website first. Visit the Ships and Cruises Directory for official listings. Once you have located the site, visit the website and search around for job postings. Most cruise line websites have a career center or job postings page. If the cruise line lists job openings, be sure to follow the application procedure to the letter. HR Departments on cruise ships are usually inundated with applications, so they will quickly pass on an applicant that did not follow directions and move on to an applicant that did follow directions.
If the cruise line does not list job openings on its site, send a polished cover letter and resume to the cruise lines Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Department is typically located at the cruise lines headquarters. This information is usually listed on the cruise line website. It is important to include the position you are interested in so that it can be directed to the appropriate department manager.
For more information about jobs on cruise ships visit Cruise Ship Jobs online. Here, you can download the 2010 cruise ship employment guide; you can read through cruise line profiles; you can find out which ships are hiring and for what positions — and you can even apply for a cruise ship job right online. Please note that this website charges a fee. You can apply for a job on your own, free of charge, sign up with a placement agency, or use Cruise Ship Jobs’ service.
Cruise Ship Job Perks
Salaried cruise ship employees enjoy more than free travel to exciting destinations. Cruise ship employees receive free accommodations and meals. They also receive a competitive salary, health insurance, and free air travel to and from the ship.