Sports director jobs on cruise ships are fairly easy to find as every cruise line needs a sports director or two to coordinate the many activities that take place both on and off a cruise line. Passengers need activities to keep them busy while at sea and many will want to participate in unique opportunities when in port as well. This brings an aspect of excitement and adventure to a cruise job as a sports director because there are many different things to do on any given day.
Sports directors will work with many different people and roles on a cruise line: cruise directors, assistant cruise directors, entertainment directors, youth activity planners, fitness instructors, golf instructors, dance instructors, swimming instructors and scuba diving instructors to name a few.
One of the key responsibilities for a sports director is to make sure that there are activities planned during time at sea as well as the ships time at port for the cruise line passengers. Port activities are often easy to coordinate as they will frequently be done in collaboration with local companies offering different activities and events at the port-of-call.
Activities scheduled and planned while the ship is at sea will require working with the various staff that was hired by the cruise line to create engaging activities for all age groups aboard the ship. The ability to work well with others and incorporate their ideas will be essential to being a successful sports director.
There are many benefits to having a cruise job. Some people even say that cruiseline jobs are a bit like a working vacation. This could be especially true for those with the title of sports director as a good deal of their jobs includes the opportunity to participate in the activities they organize and plan.
Some of the more common benefits of cruise ship employment is the free room and board that comes with every contract. Not having to pay for accommodations or meals makes it this line of work a great way to save money. There is also air travel to and from the ship that is included in contracts. Free laundry, free medical insurance, discounts at many port stores and restaurants is also another bonus and discounted cruise rates for family and friends is also another great benefit to cruise line jobs.
Contracts usually run 3-6 months and can often be renewed if a company and its employees want to continue working together. Working days can be long but time off becomes a truly unique experience when at sea. Average pay range for Sports Directors on a cruise line: $1,800 to 2,200 US/month.