Cruise ship steward

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• applying directly

College

You could gain some of the skills and knowledge you need in this role by doing a college course in:

• hospitality and catering
• customer service
• cleaning and support services

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Direct Application

You can apply to work as a cruise ship steward directly with cruise lines, or through specialist recruitment agencies .

There are no formal requirements, but experience of working in a hotel, restaurant or bar can be useful. GCSEs in English and maths will also be helpful.

Customer service is an important part of the role, so most cruise liners will expect you to have worked in a customer service job before.

As you'll be travelling around the world, it may be helpful if you can speak a second language.

Further information

You can get more information about careers in the wider travel industry from Take Off in Travel .

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• active listening skills
• a desire to help people
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day-to-day tasks

As a cruise ship steward you'll:

• show guests to their cabins
• take food and drink orders
• make beds and vacuum floors
• supply fresh linen and towels
• replace mini bar items and provide a bill
• replace stocks and supplies

Working environment

You could work on a cruise ship.

You may need to wear a uniform.

With experience, you could progress to a supervisor post, like assistant housekeeper or head steward.

You could also move into other areas, like working as a croupier in the casino, restaurant work or entertainment.