1.What kind of jobs will be there on ship?
Ans : All jobs that you see in a 5star hotel/resort& most on the marine side (navigation, technical, deck & engineering)
2.What are my working hours? Any holidays?
Ans : Working hours are as per the principal’s terms & condition but normally 8 to 10 hours. Holidays are cumulative.
3.What will be my Contract duration?
Ans : Normal duration is around 9 months.
4.Will I be entitled for any Emergency leave?
Ans : Yes; according to the rules & regulation of the principals.
Ans : According to the principals salary structure but safe to say around 40,000/- per month (tax free & all else inclusive)*
6. What are my future Career prospects & growth?
Ans : Massive! The hospitality industry is growing each year and is now a career of choice. Very good career to choose.
7.Can you tell me about my Safety & security?
Ans : Safety & security of the crew is of paramount importance to our companies and many measures are there example physical security, reporting systems, CCTV’S etc. To name a few.
8.What documents do I require to provide?
Ans : At the outset your educational & any other qualification or experience, that you may possess.
Ans : Besides your work related courses, you will need to do your passport, STCW 2010 courses, your CDC & any other that the principal company deems fit.
10.How do I chose between a land-based job abroad and a cruise line job?
Ans : Nowadays, many Indians are getting jobs offers to work in hotels and restaurants abroad, sometimes at fairly high salaries compared to the offer from cruise companies. The main things you have to consider are: What are the actual working conditions compared to what they have told you? After paying taxes and living expenses, how much are you actually going to save? After how long can you come back home to meet your family? And so on. You can then compare the total package with what a cruise line job means for you both financially and for your growth potential.
11.If I am already a chef now, why do I have to join at the level of a cook?
Ans : This is a very typical question since designations are very important to all. As per collective agreement chef de partie is a French word which means kitchen in charge and cook is a designation designed to work under the chef de partie. The first thing to keep in mind is that the same designation can mean different things in different companies who have their own individual hierarchies and designations. Then remember the international standing of the cruise company and the huge scale of operations. So, if you are a chef or cook in a medium size star hotel in a small city in India, you cannot compare it to the huge luxury liners where your Indian experience may not be enough to work at a management level on board. But don't worry, you will be able to rise up quickly in the hierarchy if you are talented and hard-working, a quick learner and good at teamwork and show a positive attitude overall.
12.How do I apply for a job with your company?
Ans : Visit or call our office and ask for an appointment, to have a free Career Counseling session preferably in person.
13.Do I have to pay any money at the time of applying for a cruise line job?
Ans : No, JIH being a training institute , we do not promise any jobs, but you automatically get registered with Joncia Marine Services and Joncia Hospitality Services for our international Cruise and Land Operations.
14.If I have been successful in my job interview, when should I resign from my present employer?
Ans : We advise you NOT to resign from your present unless the company advices you to do so.
15.How long does the entire process take from getting selected to my departure?
Ans : Your joining date will be assigned to you by the cruise company depending on available vacancies and also going by the date indicated by you as ‘earliest joining date’. Then there are the visas and medical clearances, STCW, AND CDC and passport to be obtained and then you will be put in the pool for deployment. All this could take anything from 3 to 6 months approximately.
16.What happens if I fall ill while on board? Will I get medical treatment out at sea?
Ans : You are covered on ship as per your terms and conditions and CBA.
Ans : CDC stands for Continuous Discharge Certificate and is commonly known as the Seaman’s Book, which keeps an account of the contracts that you have completed at sea. STCW certificates are safety training certificates that you get after doing a course. Joncia Marine Services will assist you to obtain the above if you so require.
18.What are the tax laws regarding income earned on a cruise ship?
Ans : According to present Indian tax laws, if you work overseas for more than 180 days in a year, then you are eligible for an NRI status, which allows you to get full income tax exemption on any income generated overseas. You are advised to kindly check current tax laws. You do not pay any tax on your income in your employer’s country either, so potentially your salary is 100% tax free. You normally do not pay any tax.
19.Do I get paid when I am on leave?
Ans : As you will be working on renewable contracts, technically you are not ‘on leave’ between contracts, so you will not be paid for the time you are not on board. However, in some companies, some senior ranks do enjoy a continuous pay policy.
20.DO I have to pay for the airfare to join my ship?
Ans : Company policy differs from company to company so kindly check the policy, for e.g.: Star Cruises pays for joining and departure airfare from the ship from day 1.
21.Do I have to pay for my uniform on board?
Ans : No, the company provides your uniforms free of charge (this includes laundry too), and you’ll be advised before you leave what you should bring with you by way of clothes.
22.Will I be able to get off the ship when the ship is in port and visit different countries?
Ans : Yes, depending on your duty roster (some crew have to be on duty even when in port) you are free to visit the ports of call during your off-duty hours, subject to local immigration laws. However, don’t expect to visit many places in a single visit as the hours allowed ashore are not very long for either the passengers or the crew.
23.Are there any recreational areas on a cruise ship for crew members?
Ans : Yes, cruise ships are normally equipped with a crew gym, a crew bar, and a crew deck with swimming pool, Jacuzzis, and sometimes even mini cricket and football pitches.
24.What are the policies of cruise lines towards use of drugs and narcotics?
Ans : The cruise lines follow a “zero tolerance” policy on drugs/narcotics. If any is found in possession, you automatically will lose your job and are disembarked immediately. You may even be tried in a court of law as per the laws of the country that you may be in and imprisoned. We should also caution you that cruise lines also have zero tolerance policy towards anti-social behavior like sexual harassment and racism, and such offenses can also be punishable by law, with penalty that could including imprisonment.
24.Why is it compulsory for me to be fluent in English?
Ans: You will be working on board with many nationalities among the crew and also passengers. You need to be able to communicate reasonably well with everybody, and since the common language is English, you need to understand, speak, read and write well in English. It is also mandatory that for some cruise lines the candidates have to pass an online English language test with the required minimum grade relevant to his or her position on board.