A floating hotel and entertainment venue as much as a ship — hundreds of hospitality, entertainment and technical crew alongside the deck and engine departments that run it.
Size classes
Life aboard
A completely different rhythm from cargo shipping — long rotational contracts, hospitality-driven schedules and a passenger-facing crew culture alongside the maritime departments.
Port time
Frequent short calls at a rotating string of ports on a published itinerary.
Courses this trade needs
No cargo-specific endorsement beyond the standard STCW basic safety courses and your rank's Certificate of Competency — see the full course catalogue for what those involve.
Other Passenger
Details last checked 27 Sep 2026. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_ship. Individual ships vary — always confirm specifics with your company.
📶 Staying connected
Big ships usually have their own satellite Wi-Fi for crew, but a local eSIM is often cheaper and faster for your own use ashore on port days.
📶 eSIM for Mariners
Stay connected wherever this trade takes you — set up your eSIM on the website before you sign on, so it's ready the moment you're in range. Use code SEA10 for 10% off your first order.
eSIM for seafarers →