Job Description

Your first initial duties will include:

– Setting up studios
– Shooting gangway as guests leave the ship in ports of call.
– Shooting embarkation when new guests board ship on first day of the cruise.
– Most likely dressing as a pirate(ships in the Caribbean) and posing with guests (loads of fun but hard work!). Different locations will have different costume shoots. I guarantee that this is so much fun that I wanted to do it even when I was a senior!
– Assist ‘smudging’ on gangway (smudging will be explained and trained, basically an aggresivel polite way to take photos)
– Shooting dining room tables on formal nights (twice a week)
– Retail sales position in the photo gallery selling albums, frames, folios, cameras etc(you earn individual commission on all sales)
– POS, ringing up all photo sales.

– Commission is earned by achieving realistic pre determined targets and selling of retail items AND once you complete competencies as a junior photographer.
– Weddings on ships also provides additional income once you get promoted to senior photographer.

Selling ability is essential. The better salesman you are the higher your commission will be at the end of the cruise. The hours are generally long, this not your average 9 – 5 job! You could work a couple of hours in the morning, but you always on average work everyday from 5pm – 11pm. This fluctuates from ship to ship. Which ship you start on will all depend on your performance, your motives for doing this job and your profile. Remember this is not a dream job, the guests are on vacation not you!

LIFESTYLE ON BOARD

Ship lifestyle is not for everyone. It is an adjustment that not everyone can handle. You need to be prepared for change. You must remember you are living where you work so extra hours should be expected, not very often but when necessary. You will also share a cabin with a colleague.

You get no day off, but time off. You surprisingly get used to this as the show never stops on a cruise ship. There are facilities and activities for crew when you are not working.

After a month though and once you have settled in, its hard not too enjoy your time on ships. You will meet friends from around the world and explore ports you only dream of. You will have enough time off to explore the ports.