A cruise ship is one of the most sought-after career paths for Indonesians who want to work at sea: salaries in US dollars, a chance to travel the world, plus food and accommodation covered during the contract. But the entry process differs from merchant ships — the requirements lean more on hospitality and English.
This article summarizes the general requirements, documents to prepare, estimated salaries by position, legitimate application channels, and how to avoid the fake job offers that circulate widely — as of 2026.
General Requirements for Working on a Cruise Ship
- Minimum 21 years of age — most cruise companies set this limit.
- At least a high-school education or equivalent — officer and technical positions require maritime qualifications.
- Active English — this is an absolute requirement. Interviews are conducted in English and all shipboard operations run in English.
- 1–2 years of work experience in a relevant field — for example, restaurant or hotel experience for waiter, housekeeping, or bartender positions.
- Physically fit and able to pass a seafarer medical check-up (MCU).
- Willing to be contracted 6–8 months away from home, with about 2–3 months between contracts.
Documents You Must Prepare
- Passport with sufficient validity remaining
- Seaman’s book
- BST (Basic Safety Training) certificate per STCW standards
- Supporting certificates for your position (e.g., a food handling certificate for galley/restaurant roles)
- Police clearance certificate
- Work visa for the sailing route — e.g., a C1/D visa for US waters or a Schengen visa for Europe (usually arranged with help from the company/agency)
- MCU results from a designated clinic
Prepare your documents well in advance. Many candidates fail to depart not because they didn’t pass selection, but because their documents weren’t ready when the joining date arrived.
Estimated Salary by Position (Per Month, in USD)
The figures below are ranges/estimates and can differ between companies, routes, and experience. During the contract, food and accommodation are generally covered by the company.
| Position | Estimated Monthly Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter/Waitress | $1,200 – $2,200 | Includes tips |
| Assistant Waiter | $800 – $1,200 | |
| Bartender | $1,500 – $2,500 | Includes tips |
| Cook (Commis) | $800 – $1,300 | |
| Cabin Steward / Housekeeping | $700 – $1,000 | |
| Laundry Staff | $600 – $900 | |
| Front Office / Guest Service | $1,200 – $1,800 | |
| Photographer | $1,000 – $1,600 | Plus sales commission |
| Security Guard | $1,200 – $1,800 | |
| Deckhand / AB | $1,000 – $1,500 | Needs maritime certificates |
| Oiler / Wiper | $1,000 – $1,400 | Needs maritime certificates |
Positions with tips (waiters, bartenders) depend heavily on route and season — on busy routes, tips can exceed the base salary.
How to Apply Through Legitimate Channels
There are three legitimate channels:
- Apply directly through the cruise company’s official careers site. Create an account, complete your profile, upload an English CV, and apply for matching positions.
- Through a licensed manning/crewing agency in Indonesia. Make sure the agency is a clear legal entity with a real office address.
- Attend job fairs or walk-in interviews announced through the company’s/agency’s official channels.
Major cruise companies do not recruit through random WhatsApp intermediaries or social media accounts promising “guaranteed departure.” Always verify: check the recruiter’s email domain, match it against the company’s official site, and never trust an intermediary that cannot be verified.
Watch Out! Signs of Fake Cruise Ship Job Offers
Scams posing as cruise ship jobs are extremely common — InfoPelaut itself recently cleaned hundreds of fake accounts and listings off this site. Know the signs:
- You’re asked to transfer a “processing fee,” “visa fee,” or “ticket fee” upfront to a personal bank account — this is the most common scam pattern.
- A job offer arrives out of the blue on WhatsApp even though you never applied.
- The recruiter claims to represent a major company but uses a free email address (Gmail/Yahoo) — verify its authenticity before responding.
- The offered salary is unrealistically high, far above the normal range.
- You’re asked for sensitive data such as OTPs, passwords, or bank account details.
- No clear employment contract — legitimate companies always provide a written contract before departure.
The principle is simple: legitimate jobs never ask you to pay to be hired.
Prepare an English CV That Meets Crewing Standards
Your CV is the first ticket to an interview call. For cruise ships, your CV must be in English and highlight hospitality experience plus English ability. Prepare your CV before applying: read our seafarer CV guide that gets noticed by crewing — or if you want it done for you, chat with us on WhatsApp at +62 896-5739-1260.
Coming soon: the InfoPelaut Seafarer CV Generator — build a crewing-standard CV yourself in minutes, for just Rp20,000.
