{"id":15025,"date":"2024-04-07T10:11:28","date_gmt":"2024-04-07T13:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/?page_id=15025"},"modified":"2024-11-19T07:18:13","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T10:18:13","slug":"basic-requirements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/selection-process\/basic-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Basic Requirements<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Every year, thousands of individuals seek information on how to apply for cruise ships and yachts, yet fewer than 10% of all applicants meet the fundamental criteria. While companies worldwide maintain varying standards, certain basic requirements are universally essential. There are five basic topics that we have to mention and failure to meet these prerequisites significantly reduces the likelihood of securing a position on board.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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You must speak English, even if your company is from Germany or China.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If you are from an English-speaking country, that’s great! If not, you must pass an English exam and achieve at least 60% proficiency for basic low-level positions and over 90% for positions that have direct contact with passengers. Companies use either their own tests or an online platform called Marlin\u2019s Test, and the certificate is accepted on every single cruise line in the world. By opting for the latter, it costs 20 USD and doesn\u2019t expire. Additionally, companies reserve the right to test you at any time to confirm your proficiency level.<\/p>

Note<\/strong>: Some companies like AIDA, Phoenix Reisen, and TUI Cruises target primarily German passengers, while others like Adora Cruises target Chinese passengers. Even for those, conversational English proficiency is required as well.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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You must be in good health and clean<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Not only does the medical exam ensure the interest of the seafarer, but also the interest and responsibility of the cruise line. There are a few red flags that will lead to an \u201cunfit\u201d classification on a pre-employment medical. Having certain allergies or medication dependencies such as a necessity to carry an \u2018epi-pen\u2019 or the need to regularly use a preventative asthma inhaler may also deem you to be \u201cunfit\u201d. Additionally, a fitness certificate will not be issued if there is evidence of poor dental health. Also be prepared for probing questions about alcohol use, failed relationships, homesickness, suicidal thoughts, ability to concentrate, and side effects of any medication. Physicians are assessing your psychological fitness which is also part of the exam.<\/p>

These medical conditions will automatically disqualify candidates during the medical exams process, to name a few: Autism; Autoimmune disorders, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, or HIV\/AIDS (except when the viral load is undetectable, requiring a medical report from a specialist); Blindness or low vision; Cancer; Cardiovascular or heart disease; Celiac disease; Cerebral palsy; Deaf or hard of hearing; Depression or anxiety; Diabetes; Epilepsy; Gastrointestinal disorders, e.g., Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome; Intellectual disability; Absent members or partially absent members; Nervous system conditions, e.g., migraine, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis (MS); Psychiatric conditions, for example, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or major depression.<\/p>

The use and abuse of certain substances can lead to immediate disqualification for candidates applying to work on cruise ships. These substances include, but are not limited to marijuana and its derivatives (such as Skunk, Hashish, etc.), cocaine and its derivatives (including Crack, Merla, etc.), amphetamines (such as Mazindol \u2013 Absten plus, Fagolipo, and Moderamin; distinguishing between drug use and therapeutic consumption), methamphetamines (commonly known as Speed, Ice, Pervitin, etc.), ecstasy (including MDMA, MDA, EVE, and MDE).<\/p>

It’s important to note that these substances can remain in the user’s body for weeks and can be detected even months after the last use, potentially resulting in immediate disqualification from consideration for employment on cruise ships.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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You\u2019re not there to cruise, but to WORK<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The single most asked question is if the crew has days off or can go out all the time like the passengers do. Well, it may shock you but the answer is \u201cAbsolutely not\u201d. While working on cruise ships, most crew members work 10 hours a day, every single day, for the entire duration of the contract that can range from four to ten months. Also, there will be times that you will not be allowed to leave the ship either because you have to work, or because there will be a drill and you must attend.<\/p>

Additionally, some nationalities are not allowed to ever leave the ship while docked on some ports, especially true while in the United States, Canada, Spain, or Japan.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Age limitations<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Age requirements for working on cruise ships vary significantly. If you\u2019re over the age of eighteen but under 21, you might consider waiting a few years and investing in your personal skills before applying, as only two out of over 50 cruise lines worldwide accept candidates under the age of twenty-one. If you\u2019re over 21, that’s great news as you meet the basic age requirement for most companies.<\/p>

However, there is an age limit for being on board, typically one can work until the age of 65, with the condition that you must be hired before you turn 50 to 55. While there are a few exceptions to this rule, it’s generally accepted that most cruise lines do not hire candidates over 55 years old without previous cruise ship experience.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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You will be away<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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To work on a cruise ship, you must be prepared to leave home for extended periods, typically at least six months at a time. While it may be difficult to be away from family, friends, and loved ones for such durations, it’s an inherent requirement of the job. Cruises can be expensive, even with crew discounts, so crew members must be willing to say goodbye to their usual surroundings and embrace the #SHIPLIFE. Many crew members find a sense of home and belonging on board, forming close bonds with their shipmates and creating a unique family dynamic that lasts for the duration of their contracts. While working on a cruise ship may involve sacrifices, the experience often brings its own rewards in the form of new friendships and unforgettable adventures.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFrequently Asked Questions\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOur FAQ section provides valuable information and insights to help you better understand the common questions about working on a cruise ship or yacht\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tClick here to know more\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSelection Process\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe'll guide you step by step through each stage of the process, detailing what you'll need and what to expect along the way\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tClick here to learn it all\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every year, thousands of individuals seek information on how to apply for cruise ships and yachts, yet fewer than 10% of all applicants meet the fundamental criteria. While companies worldwide maintain varying standards, certain basic requirements are universally essential. There are five basic topics that we have to mention and failure to meet these prerequisites […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":12444,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15025","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15025"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16256,"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15025\/revisions\/16256"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiplife.org\/24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}