Before you sign your first cruise contract, you should know exactly what you are agreeing to: how long you will be on board, how many hours you can be asked to work, when you are paid, who pays your flight home and what happens if the contract ends early. This guide explains the key terms in plain language. Your own contract always comes first – read it carefully and ask questions before you sign.
The Seafarer Employment Agreement
On ships covered by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006), every crew member must have a written Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA) signed by both the seafarer and the shipowner or their representative. You must be given the chance to review it and seek advice before signing, and you keep a signed original. The agreement must state, among other things, your job, your wage or how it is calculated, your paid annual leave, the end date if the contract is for a fixed term, the conditions for ending it and your right to repatriation.
How long is a cruise contract?
Contract length depends on the cruise line and the department. Hotel, restaurant and galley crew often sign for six to ten months, while officers and some senior roles usually work shorter rotations. Under the MLC, the maximum continuous period on board before you are entitled to go home is less than 12 months – in practice, contracts of around 11 months at most.
Working hours and rest
Days on a cruise ship are long, but there are legal limits. The MLC sets either a maximum of 14 hours of work in any 24-hour period and 72 hours in any seven days, or a minimum of 10 hours of rest in any 24 hours and 77 hours in any seven days. Rest may be split into no more than two periods, one of them at least six hours long. The ship must record your hours and you are entitled to a copy. Emergencies and safety drills are the exception.
Pay and paid leave
Wages must be paid at least once a month, with a statement showing what you received, and you must be able to send part of your pay to your family. Paid annual leave is at least 2.5 days for every month of employment. In many hotel jobs, service charges and tips are a large part of what you earn – read our guide to cruise ship salaries.
Flights, repatriation and ending a contract early
Repatriation – your journey home – is paid by the shipowner when your contract ends, when the employer ends it, or when you can no longer work because of illness or injury. The shipowner may not ask you for an advance payment to cover it, and may only recover the cost if you are found in serious default of your obligations. Who pays the flight to join the ship is set by each company and written in your offer, so check it carefully.
Checklist before you sign
- Are your job title and monthly wage (or how it is calculated) clearly written?
- What are the start date and the length of the contract?
- Who pays the flight to join the ship, and the flight home?
- How many days of paid leave do you earn?
- Has anyone asked you to pay a fee for the job? Under the MLC you should not pay for recruitment – read our guide on cruise job scams.
If anything is unclear, ask in writing before you sign. You can also create your free OceanHire profile and ask us about any offer you receive.
