| Once you've landed a cruise shop job interview, it's | | | | Being able to answer these questions positively and |
| time to start preparing for the questions you will likely | | | | most importantly, honestly, means you are well on your |
| be asked. It's vital to spend some time now thinking of | | | | way to proving your suitability. This provides you with a |
| how best to answer these questions in order to | | | | huge advantage in securing a cruise job. |
| increase your chances of being hired. | | | | Another way of giving yourself an advantage over |
| Preparing for an interview and considering your | | | | other applicants and improving your chances is to learn |
| answers will also give you an opportunity to seriously | | | | a second language. You don't need to be an expert |
| think about whether or not you are suited to cruise line | | | | speaker, even just reasonably proficient is beneficial. |
| employment. Of course, the questions are designed to | | | | Cruise liners have passengers of many nationalities |
| tell the recruitment staff exactly this too! | | | | and disembark at lots of countries worldwide so there |
| Many websites make cruise ship employment seem | | | | is always a great demand for crew members with |
| like a fantastic opportunity and indeed it is. However, | | | | second language skills. |
| you may also be led to believe it is suitable for | | | | Even if you have the skills to offer directions, take a |
| everyone but the truth is somewhat different. Working | | | | drinks or food order, or anything else that will assist a |
| aboard a cruise liner is definitely not an employment | | | | foreign passenger in some small way, you will be an |
| opportunity suited to just anyone. | | | | asset to any cruise ship employer. |
| Over the years, many job seekers have put together | | | | English is the universal language onboard cruise ships |
| strong applications which proved they were great in | | | | but the requirement for crew who can understand at |
| their land-based position. However, the answers given | | | | least the basics of another language is rapidly |
| to questions asked during the interview stage made it | | | | increasing, particularly those who can speak Italian, |
| obvious they would have difficulty living and working on | | | | French, Spanish or German. |
| cruise ships. For this reason, they weren't hired, | | | | Learning a new language needn't be difficult. In fact, by |
| regardless of good they would have been at the job | | | | using speed-learning techniques it's possible for anyone |
| itself. | | | | to become relatively competent in no time! |
| The typical questions you'll be asked are to find out | | | | A system known as 'Pattern Technique' is a simple |
| whether you can do the job and also whether or not | | | | way of acquiring an instant vocabulary in another |
| you would make a good crew member. Some of the | | | | language. For example any words ending in IC can be |
| questions you may be asked include: | | | | turned into their Spanish equivalent just by adding an 'o' |
| * How do you feel about living in a tiny cabin, which | | | | at the end, giving you an immediate 253 words in your |
| must be shared with another member of crew? | | | | new language! |
| (Explain your answer.) | | | | * Plastic - Plastico |
| * Are you adaptable? (Give examples.) | | | | * Traffic - Trafico |
| * How do you feel about living away from home for | | | | * Tropic - Tropico |
| six months? (Give reasons.) | | | | * Allergic - Alergico |
| * Do you suffer from seasickness? | | | | Just by learning some simple rules or patterns such as |
| * Are you suitable for living on board in a high pressure | | | | this, you will be able to translate thousands of English |
| and often difficult environment? (Explain your reasons.) | | | | phrases into Spanish. The same can be done for other |
| * How do you feel about always being considered on | | | | languages too and looks great on your resume. |
| duty whilst in public areas onboard? (Give reasons.) | | | | Even just basic conversational skills can give you a |
| * Are you able to work and live as part of a team, | | | | winning edge over other job seekers and will ultimately |
| made up from people of many different nationalities? | | | | improve your chances of getting a position on a cruise |
| (Explain why.) | | | | line. |