Work In a Cruise Ship Spa

If you have a background in massage therapy, hair styling, or any cosmetology related field, then you must read CruiseJobFinder's interview with Steiner Leisure. Steiner places hundreds of people into spa positions on cruise ships operated by Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, and others.

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Please describe what your company does for cruise lines?

Steiner Leisure LTD is a Spa Company, therefore we provide the spa services for many ships. We have offices all over the world.

Why do cruise lines use Steiner?

The cruise lines do not recruit spa staff. We recruit our own employees who we then send for various jobs on the cruise lines once we have performed various checks on to see that they are the right people for the job.

What types of jobs do you recruit for?

We recruit people to work in the on board spas specifically. We look for Beauty & Massage therapists, Nail technicians, Hair Stylists, Fitness Instructors and similar employees.

Do you only work with candidates who are of a certain nationality or living in certain geographic areas? 

I mostly recruit from South Africa, but if candidates are from a country within Africa and they are able to obtain American visas they are welcome to apply. Our other offices recruit in different parts of the world.

What services do you offer the people who apply through your company?

We give them a Starter Pack that contains all the info they need to know about how to apply and what they need for interviews and once they get a job. We also give them the tools they need to succeed whilst in training.

Describe your perfect candidate.

It takes 7 seconds to form an impression about someone. The way you greet is extremely important, look the person in the eyes and give a firm handshake. You must be professional, friendly, confident, and look the part.

Are there any common traits people should have in order to get hired, and then to succeed in the cruise industry?

Be positive, have good body language, be friendly and confident, and show that you are hard working. You need to have the entire package.

What advice would you give people to help them prepare for interviews with your company and with cruise lines?

Be yourself and be the way you normally are at work. It is best to not fake a persona or try to act like someone you are not. Rather be genuine.

Can you describe the job placement process? After you have interviewed someone, and found that he or she is a good candidate, how do they become employed by a cruise line?

They will be employed by Steiner and not by the cruise lines.

What contact do you have with your candidates after they accept work with a cruise line?

If I am their Recruitment Manager they will receive a Starter Pack from me, which is a booklet with all the info they need. I have contact with the candidates via e-mail and telephonically up and until they start onboard.

Can you describe some fundamental differences between the cruise lines, in terms of what they're looking for, their recruitment policies, and so forth?

Some cruise lines prefer certain age groups, others prefer certain nationalities and some prefer different personalities. It all depends on the cruise line and the specific cruise ship and the atmosphere they want to portray to the passengers.

What are some common misperceptions people have about working on cruise ships?

That they are going on holiday. Working on a cruise ship is well known for hard work and hard play!

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