The Untold Truth About How Much a Cruise Ship Captain Earns And What They Do

Table Of Content

• Pleasure Cruise Captains:
• Most Common Benefits for Cruise Ship Captain
• Do River Cruise Ships Have Captains?
• How Much Do Cruise Ship Captains Make? (2023 Salary Insights)
• Safety and security of all passengers
• MSC to Construct New Hospital Ship for People in Africa
• What Is The Salary Of Princess Cruise Ship Captain?

In this section, we’ll chart the course to captaincy, exploring the educational requirements, experience needed, and the essential skills that make a successful captain. This guide unveils the earnings, challenges, and the path to steering the world’s most magnificent vessels, providing an in-depth look into a career that’s both demanding and rewarding. Cruise ship captains seem pretty near the top of the list in the glamorous job category. But, the reality is a tad less glam and a whole lot more work than you might think.

Pleasure Cruise Captains:

Captains can officiate weddings and other special events on the ship, creating memorable experiences for couples. Captains will also oversee the daily operations and maintenance of the ship. Via their department Heads he or she will ensure proper maintenance of equipment, secure loading of cargo, and that everything is in working order. For example, the salaries in India do not reach the levels seen in North America and Europe.

Most Common Benefits for Cruise Ship Captain

The journey to becoming a cruise ship captain requires dedication and years of experience. To become a captain most positions demand a bachelor’s degree in nautical science or marine engineering. Specialized academies provide the necessary skills to excel in this role. Among other factors, the salary of a cruise ship captain varies significantly based on their location. In the United States, the average salary for a cruise ship captain is approximately $94,000 per year, with variations depending on the city and state.

Do River Cruise Ships Have Captains?

They all work closely with the Captain to oversee various activities aboard the ship. Factors that determine how much you earn include the size of your cruise ship, country of origin, level of experience, cruise line company, and so on. The average captain’s salary on Princess Cruises ranges from $90,000 to $100,000. However, the salary might vary depending on the skills, experience, education, and region. There is a crew mess hall on all the cruises where the captain is the dominating personality sitting among the crew and enjoying with them.

Strict hierarchy on cruise ships creates gap in pay, living conditions - Business Insider

Strict hierarchy on cruise ships creates gap in pay, living conditions.

Posted: Thu, 28 Nov 2019 08:00:00 GMT [source]

To become a cruise ship Captain you must have a good education and put in the time required to learn the skills needed. All crew members onboard cruise ships have drills and procedures that they have to practice in case of emergency. On cruise ships, there are drills for almost anything that you can think of. Being a cruise captain is an incredibly difficult and demanding job, cruise captains often work for long periods and are responsible for many things onboard the ship. Besides navigating the ship and managing various operations, the Captain’s other role is welcome guests on board and attend social events.

Build a Career You'll Love

Some may even earn upwards of $200,000 per year while at the other end of the spectrum for small vessels and those newly promoted to the position make approximately $50,000 annually. Celebrity Cruises offers comparable benefits to Royal Caribbean, including an average annual Salary of a cruise ship captain of $150,000. A cruise ship captain must complete years of schooling, training, and experience to become one.

The captain will also be responsible for charting the course of the ship, taking into account weather conditions and other factors that could affect the safe passage of the vessel. Let’s look in more detail at each of the main roles of the captain of a cruise ship. The captain is in charge of many aspects including navigation, safety, security, maintenance, crew, and passengers.

Essential are the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW), and often, a Master Mariner Certificate. Not to mention, larger vessels present navigational challenges, especially during mooring. I asked the captain why he chose to make the change, and he said that cruising offered the chance to see more of the world. Cruise ship captains must be fully licensed to be considered the commander of the ship.

Captains are the leaders of the onboard crew, ensuring they receive proper training and follow all safety procedures as determined by maritime law. Although many large cruise ships will have an onboard staff member responsible for Human Resources, the Captain will also have to address any concerns or needs the crew may raise. We would expect captains of some of the world’s largest mega-cruise ships  to be paid the highest annual salaries in the range of $170,000 to $200,000. Based on the annual salary range, the average monthly income of a cruise ship captain can be roughly estimated at $8,000 to $12,780. This figure can fluctuate based on the specific terms of employment, bonuses, and additional benefits. For example, some captains have become social media celebrities and essentially play the role of both captain and master of the vessel and spokesperson for the brand.

An aspiring captain can increase their opportunities and knowledge by networking at nautical events and participating in industry associations. This is dependent on the Captain’s experience, and the cruise line for which they work. Sometimes you can be specially invited onto the bridge of a cruise ship, you may then be lucky enough to meet the Captain or some of his senior crew.

Captains of larger vessels tend to earn more than those of smaller ships. For instance, captains of the largest cruise ships can make up to $200,000 per year, while those managing smaller day cruise ships may earn around $50,000. The top 10% of cruise ship captains’ can earn up to $190,000 annually, while the less experienced might receive around $48,000.

Aspiring captains take on roles as deck officers or third mates and work their way up. The onboard training they receive is essential to gaining the knowledge required to captain a vessel. Generally, the largest cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean, NCL, and Carnival, pay captains a higher salary than smaller cruise ship operators. There are many variables when it comes to what the typical salary of a cruise ship captain is. Furthermore, factors that influence salary will vary according to the size of the ship and the company.

Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. It should be noted, though, that most of the captains in charge of these ships have extensive experience.

Additionally, captains oversee the ship’s transportation plus operation which includes crew, passengers, and cargo. Captains need to document the movement of the ship, cargo, and passengers, as well as provide and exchange information with other ships. The average monthly income of a cruise ship captain is approximately $8,000 per month.