The cruise line or concession that hires you will be your EMPLOYER, with whom you will sign your "Seafarer's Agreement" or Independent Agreement (if with a concession). Therefore, Cast-A-Way is NOT your employer, we are simply assisting our clients in finding the talent like you for each open vacancy, and making sure that you get all of the documentation required to get onboard. You will report to them directly and must follow their terms and conditions for employment. Please take notice that all cruise lines have different rules and regulations that need to be followed. Failure to do so can [...]

Let's use an example here. You were informed that your salary would be USD $1,600 monthly while on probation. You will divide USD $1,60 by 30 days >>>> USD $53.33 per day. For most companies, payments are made every two weeks. So you will multiply this daily rate X 14 >>> U$746.66. U$746.66 X 2 = U$ 1,493.33 Note that you got paid for 28 days, and the next two days to complete the U$106.66 will come on the next pay / next month. Eventually, at least once during your contract, you will get paid 3 X that month, compensating [...]

You will be given a few options, most companies will want to pay you on a Visa/Mastercard debit card that you can use inside the ship (ATM machine for crew, with no fees charged) or outside of the ship. This card also works for online shopping in stores such as e-Bay, Amazon and similar. If you are American or Canadian, most companies will be able to do wire-transfer to your own bank account. Please ask HR on your sign-on date. Some crewmembers use Western Union or similar services to send their salary home to a family member, friend, or bank. [...]

Income taxes are only withheld for American Citizens. As every country has different tax laws, we suggest you consult an accountant to determine your tax obligations based on your nationality or country of residency. For most countries, income made on international waters may not be taxable. If that's the case for you, that's an additional benefit! (please check with your revenue agency).

Depending on the cruise line, you may be paid bi-weekly or monthly. You will need to take emergency cash (recommended at least U$300) if you get any travel disruptions when heading to the ship. The employer will not cover those costs with meals, transportation, or missed flights, IF was your fault. In most cases, you will be paid in USD debit card provided by the company named "ocean pay." If your position receives tips, that will be given to you directly by the guests in cash, and are additional to your regular pay. Tips and gratuities may vary depending on [...]

Contracts can vary between 4 to 8 months depending on which cruise line you will be working for and the position. After each contract, you will have a work break from 4-8 weeks. Smaller cruise lines may have a larger waiting time between contracts. You may request to shorten your break or extend it, but it needs to be confirmed by the Human Resources department, your manager, and the schedulers in advance. Most companies may pay a percentage more per month that you are onboard “in lieu” of vacation pay. That means that work breaks between contracts are usually unpaid, [...]

Yes. Your uniform is supplied by the cruise line and will be given to you upon arrival on the ship. Some cruise lines may deduct uniform fees from your first salary, others may give it for free. Upon a job offer, you will be asked to provide sizes promptly, so it's ready for you once you get onboard. Some concessions will ask you to bring some basic pieces from home, such as black suit and white social shirt, or black shoes. You may be required to purchase or bring shoes to match the uniform given by the company.

There are phones on board. However, we recommend using them for emergencies only. They are usually much more expensive than a landline phone as they operate on satellite. Some vessels will have crew phones set up at a reduced rate. You will have access to crew calling centers likely in every port. Some companies will also offer calling cards at reduced rates. Some veteran crew members will also share other options for your itinerary, such as getting a local chip/sin card.

The amount of notice you may get can vary. Positions are always coming up, some sooner than others. Emergency positions may only leave you with a few days' notice, so be prepared. We will always try to give the crewmember as much notice as possible and liaise between you (crewmember, newhire) and your employer. If you have a commitment already scheduled, we highly recommend that you mention that very early in the process so we can ensure to have it in writing and be able to negotiate for you to start at a later date, after your commitment. Examples: weddings, [...]

In some countries, the Maritime Authorities require the owner of a recruitment agency to be of that same nationality and hold a local office in that country. For that reason, under no circumstances we are not allowed to recruit candidates from India, China or the Philippines. If you choose to apply to us via the APPLY NOW located in the menu on this website, and if we have any other opportunities that may arise in the future that include those nationalities, we will be happy to email you. That could include (but not limited to) working on islands, for resorts [...]