Carnival UK Employment Process

Carnival UK Employment Process for Seasonal Youth Staff

Once you have been offered a role with Carnival UK, you will need to obtain the following documents to be able to work at sea. It can take 12 weeks to become compliant after your final interview.

US C1D Transit Visa

The US C1D Visa is obtained at the US Embassy in London. The cost of the visa is £130 and is reimbursed by CUK.

Australian MCV Visa

The Australian MCV visa application is completed online. There is no cost incurred.

Bermudan ID card and Seaman’s Discharge book

Carnival will process this document.

Medical Certificate

The ENG1 medical certificate costs £80 and is reimbursed by Carnival UK.

You must obtain the medical be issued by a doctor approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Enhanced DBS check

You will required to complete a new DBS.

Training

You will need attend 4 days of training prior to embarking; 1 day company induction, 1 day safeguarding training and 2 day paediatric first aid. The training is held at Carnival House, Southampton.

You will be paid for the training days and provided with shared accommodation and travel expenses if you live more than 2 hrs away.

Costs reimbursements

You will receive an expense claim form which you are able to submit throughout the process.

You are able to claim back:

the cost of your medical as stated above (no travel expenses for this appointment will be covered)
the cost of your C1D Visa as stated above
the cost of the travel to London to attend your Visa appointment, with reasonable one night accommodation costs – please check prior to booking your accommodation.
subject to your home location travel expenses to attend your training and shared overnight accommodation.

Salary payments

You are paid monthly directly into your bank account, but if you embark after the 18^th of any month you will miss the payroll cut-off and therefore will not be paid until the following month.

Accommodation

You will be provided with a shared cabin and shared bathroom facilities, with up to three other same-sex members of the Entertainment department.

Ages you will work with

On a P&O ship there are four age categories; 2-4, 5-8, 9-12 and 13-17, and on a Cunard ship three age categories; 2-8, 9-12 and 13-17. All children under the age of 13 must be signed in and out of every session by a parent/guardian who registered at the beginning of each cruise. Children aged 13-17 must be registered with a parent/guardian at the start of the cruise, but they can access the facilities without being signed in and out.

Activities you will deliver

You will delivery a wide variety of activities including theme days, movie nights, sports, quizzes, family events, discos, board games and games consoles. The Youth Manager will devise a timetable of activities for that cruise, and they are all planned and resourced. There is a guide if you haven’t delivered that activity previously.

Working hours

You work every day whilst on board, on average 10 hours a day (including Christmas Day if you are working over the festive period). The Youth facilities are open from 9am – midnight, with children and young people returning to their parents and guardians for meal times. The Night Nursery is open 6pm – midnight, with Night Nursery Extra open until 2am; this has to be booked in 24 hours in advance.

The Youth facilities are open on port day during peak times, but you will receive some time off. This may be used for training or time at leisure. The Youth Manager will plan the rota and provide you with a copy once you are on board.

Onboard training

You will receive three inductions during your first three port days, which cover safety onboard. All newly joined members of the Youth Team must complete the Youth Staff induction which is a knowledge test to highlight any further support you may need.

There may be further training required connected to ship safety which will take place on port days. The additional training will only need to be completed once a year.

Is this a summer job?

No. We recruit our seasonal staff for all UK school holidays; February, May and October half-terms and Easter, summer and Christmas holidays. We ask for a minimum of 4 weeks service per annum.

The more time that can be offered, the more beneficial it is to the individual, the team and the guests – week one will be spent undertaking training in time off, and this can creep into week two. The rest of the time will allow some potential time off to explore destinations.

The rotations team plan the on board staffing rotas and ensure we have the right number of staff on each ship, based on the number of children on board. Communication to share and discuss availability will be via email.

We are not able to accommodate any requests to be on a specific ship, or with as a partner/friend/sibling.

Working hours and days off

Ship Life

What are the cabin arrangements?

You’ll be provided with a shared cabin and shared bathroom facilities, with up to three other same-sex members of the Entertainment department.

What facilities are there for crew onboard?

Each ship has a crew gym, varying in size, but all are open 24 hours a day. There is a crew lounge where you can purchase snacks and refreshments. Some ships also have a crew deck area. There is also a crew shop, crew launderettes and prayer room.

Where do I eat?

The Crew Mess is open three times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Can I get off at every port?

This isn’t possible. There are In Port Manning requirements and staff will also have to attend a Crew Drill each voyage where the ship’s company are exercised in their emergency duties. You may also be required to attend department and non department training sessions.

How often are the ships in port?

This varies and is dependent on the ship and cruise itinerary.

How do I contact home?

Phone cards can be purchased from Crew Office and machines in crew areas. Wi-Fi can also be purchased, but this is expensive and temperamental. Crew are advised to keep their phones in Airplane Mode whilst as sea as it extremely expensive to connect to the Maritime signal.

Can I access passenger areas?

Yes, however access is very limited. During your working day you cannot access passenger areas unless attending an event as arranged by the Youth department. You can apply to go into passenger areas after work if your rota suits, however you can only access certain restaurants and must return to crew areas before midnight. You will be asked to dress accordingly and this may include formal attire.

What do I need to take on board?

The items and paperwork you need to take on board will be advised during the company induction. Do take some water on board as for the first 24 hours you will not be able to use your staff pass, and the ship is cash free.

Also take clothes suitable for a formal night on board so that you can be in passenger areas if required. Black trousers and shirt for males and dress for females.

White trainers are required as part of the uniform and must be supplied by the individual.