Ship job postings are short: a position name, a ship type, a region and a few lines of requirements. Each of those lines tells you what kind of working life to expect. This article walks through the information in a ship posting line by line and the questions to ask yourself before you apply.
Look at the position first, then the ship
The same position name means a different job on different ships. Cook is the clearest example: on a cargo vessel a single cook can look after the whole crew, while on a cruise ship you are responsible for one station in a large kitchen team split into sections. Read the position, then check the ship type straight away; the two only make sense together.
The ship type sets your daily life
Cruise ships are crowded and orderly, with frequent port days. On a cargo vessel you share the same space with a small crew for a long time. Tankers are among the places where safety procedures are applied most strictly. On Ro-Ro vessels loading, unloading and port calls repeat often. Offshore work alternates between waiting periods and intense operations. River vessels sail close to the shore. The ship type in a posting tells you which life you are choosing.
Region and route: how far and for how long
Postings usually split the region into domestic and international; the route is the vessel's trading area. The route roughly tells you how often you will be ashore and how long you may go without seeing land. On routes with long voyages you may not see land for weeks; on short routes you get home more often. If this is not clear in the posting, ask in the first call.
Department: deck, engine, hotel and catering
- Deck: deck maintenance, mooring and anchor work, watches; officers run the navigational watch on the bridge.
- Engine: operating, monitoring and maintaining the main engine and auxiliary systems; electrician, fitter and welder are specialist jobs in this department.
- Hotel and catering: waiter, busser, bartender, cook, housekeeping, reception; most of these positions are found on cruise and river vessels.
The department decides who you work with and how your day is divided. Restaurant shifts follow meal times, bar shifts are mostly evening and night, and the galley day starts early.
How to read the requirements line
Document requirements vary by flag, shipowner and position, so it is normal to see different document lists for the same position in two postings. Compare the requirements with the documents you hold; if something seems missing, ask rather than giving up. We describe the documents generally asked for on our Required Documents page and training on our Training page.
Ask yourself before applying
- Does daily life on this ship type suit me: crowded or quiet, long voyages or short?
- Am I ready for the working hours and physical load of this department?
- Do the route and region match how long I can be away from home and from land?
- Which of the documents in the requirements do I have, and which are missing?
What to ask in the first call
The first call is where you learn what the posting does not say. Ask about anything unclear on the route, ship type or department. Contract terms are confirmed in writing at the placement stage; you are expected to read the contract and ask questions before signing. We cover what to check in a contract in a separate guide.
How the application moves forward
From application to joining the vessel, the process runs through application, first call, document check, interview, medical certificate, visa procedures, placement and joining. Our Application Process page sets out who does what at each step. The time it takes varies from candidate to candidate; it is shorter for candidates whose documents are complete.