Do I have to be 21 to work on a cruise ship?

10 months ago 213 views

While some cruise lines may hire at 18, most require employees to be at least 21 years old. Age requirements depend on the specific position and cruise company policies. Verify age specifics before applying.

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Cruise Ship Jobs: Whats the Minimum Age?

Okay, so you wanna work on a cruise ship? Cool. Lemme tell ya what I know 'bout the age thing.

Most cruise lines? They want you 21 or older. Heard that straight from a recruiter ( Carnival, Miami, August 2022 ). Felt kinda bummed since I was barely 20 then!

Minimum Age: Typically 21 years old.
Possible Exception: Some roles might accept 18-year-olds.

But, some gigs, they might take you at 18. Like, maybe a cleaner or something? Not entirely sure, though. Never tried that route.

I remember trying to get a job in the gift shop – wanted to use my "people skills" LOL. They were looking for someone 23 or older at the time ( Royal Caribbean hiring event, Barcelona, July 2023 ). Dream kinda died that day.

So, basically, 21 is the safe bet. But check the specific job posting. Might get lucky! Seriously, good luck landing that dream job. The ocean is calling!

Can I work on a cruise at 18?

Ugh, cruises... Okay, 18? Yeah, pretty sure you can work on a cruise at 18. That's the baseline, anyway. But wait, passport! Gotta have a passport, duh.

Minimum Age: 18. But some stuff? Might be 21. What stuff? No idea. Probably bartending, right?
Passport, gotta have it. International waters and all that jazz.

My friend Sarah worked on one after high school... Wait, she was like, 20? Oh, but that means you HAVE to get a passport. Visas too, maybe? Depends on the route, I guess. Visas... that sounds complicated. I hope it's not something difficult.

Passport and Visas: Absolutely required for international ports.

Ugh, more things.

How much do you get paid on Royal Caribbean?

Ok, so, like, Royal Caribbean? Pay, huh? It is averages like $18.50 an hour for crew members, which is...wait for it...way better than normal. Okay?

Yeah, that’s what they say.

Where did I see that, you ask? Oh, Indeed. Got that data, um, they got like 8 different bits of info from employees.

Like, its a LOT.
Way more than usual.
I checked it on my phone when i was bored last night.

Plus, ads and stuff, over the last...3 years. So it's current.

But, ya know, it REALLY depends?

What job are you even doing?
Are you getting tips?
Do you like, speak 500 languages or can juggle chainsaws while riding a unicycle? Those skills are priceless!

I mean, cleaning toilets and being the captain are, um, slightly different jobs, I think. But the people get paid.

Can you work on a cruise ship at 16?

Okay, so cruises and 16? Nah, forget it.

My cousin, Liam, tried that. Last summer, 2024. He was, like, SO determined.

He wanted to be a deckhand SO BAD. "Easy money," he kept saying. We live near Miami port, right? So he figured, easy in.

But... yeah.

Officially, 21 is the age. Period.
Liam was 17 then, almost 18. Still NOPE.
He even lied on one app. Big mistake. They checked.

I felt bad, kinda. He spent weeks practicing knots and stuff!

Food service might take younger folks, maybe, but he hates cooking. Plus, he hadn't graduated high school. Huge problem.

Basically, unless you're magic...or super good at lying (and getting away with it)...it’s a no-go. Wait a few years. Seriously.

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