Cruise Ship Recruitment Scams

Many cruise ship applicants have become victims of cruise ship recruitment scams. Unknowingly, these job seekers respond to newspaper ads and online cruise ship job postings while scam artists promise jobs in return for payment. Just remember, if it seems too good to be true then it probably is!

So, how do you spot a cruise ship recruitment scam and how do you know which cruise line hiring agencies are legitimate?

Cruise ship employment scams are occurring online and off, with guarantees of a dream job if only you pay $$$. With the internet making it easy to apply for cruise ship jobs online, it has also made it easier for criminals to trick you into giving them money and your personal information.

Disguised as a cruise hiring agency, the criminals con unwitting job seekers to pay hundreds of dollars for services (work permits, Visas, drug testing fees, etc.) with the promise of a cruise ship job. Unfortunately after you pay the fees, the correspondence stops and the criminals disappear along with your money. And then you also realize there never was a job.

One of the top guidelines of looking for employment on a cruise ship is that you should never pay a fee to find a job. In fact, according to the International Transport Workers Federation of Seafarers (www.itfseafarers.org), requesting advance payments for work on ships is prohibited under international maritime conventions.

In reality, the real cruise job (the one worth waiting for) is not bought by paying a fee. Instead, getting hired by a cruise line involves careful resume and cover letter preparation and consistent follow-up.

Although cruise lines have their own HR departments for hiring crew members, some also use employment agencies to assist with qualifying potential candidates. The legitimate cruise staffing agencies earn money based on placing suitable candidates in positions on their client's cruise ships. Their fees are paid by the client companies (ie. Carnival), not by the people who are seeking employment.

In addition, be wary of a cruise agency website that doesn't list a contact name, address and phone number. If information is provided, take the time to verify it with consumer organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, if you are unsure.

On the employment pages of Carnival's website, Carnival warns potential job applicants. “We have been made aware of fraudulent advertisements that have appeared in the classified section of newspapers in certain markets [North America] concerning cruise ship employment.”

In this cruise recruitment scam, the phony advertisements provide a fax number and e-mail address where applicants can send their resume. Applicants are contacted and advised they have been hired by Carnival and are asked to wire money to cover the cost of a “uniform deposit”.

This Canadian hiring agency is one of Royal Caribbean's official hiring partners, and they have a scam warning posted on their website (www.cruisedreamjob.com). They warn against the phony agency, Global Cruise Shipping. “It appears they [Global] are fraudulently using our mailing address and logo and copied parts of our website to scam individuals”.

In addition, job seekers need to also be aware that the website, cruiseservices.co.uk is not in any way affiliated with Cruise Services International. Although they charge a registration fee (35 GBP), they are not a hiring agency.

Crystal Cruises and International Cruise Management Agency (Crystal Cruises' official hiring partner) also issued a statement regarding false offers of employment. “We have learned that online applications for employment on board Crystal Cruises ships are being fraudulently solicited by a website, crystalcrlines.com, displaying the Crystal Cruises logo." That website has since been dismantled.

One of the biggest cruise ship recruitment scams is when someone ‘guarantees' you a job only if you pay them $$$$. Be especially wary if the offer of a job comes even before they've reviewed your skills and experience.

The Truth – Legitimate agencies and cruise lines do not request payment to secure a job, nor do they offer a job without carefully examining your experience through an interview.

Tip: Never pay, transfer, or wire money for any job opportunity. In correspondence with the “agent”, look for grammatical errors, poor English and email addresses that are from free accounts (ie. Yahoo or Hotmail). And, pay attention to where the “offer” or correspondence is coming from. Many of these scammers operate from countries such as Malaysia and Ghana.

Click here to view a real example of a fraudulent cruise ship job offer letter received by a member of WorkOnCruiseShips.com:

Scammers may try to get you to purchase an official cruise line application form.

The Truth – There is no such thing as an official cruise ship job application form. Each cruise line has its own standard application form, meaning Carnival Cruise Lines' application is different than Royal Caribbean's application.

This is a common scam that originates out of Malaysia, yet has affected applicants worldwide. On very official looking letterhead, you are offered a job on a cruise ship in return for sending a large payment. The payment of $500, $1000, or more is requested in exchange foran immigration processing fee or foreign work permit. After the scammer has your money, they stop responding to phone calls and emails. And the sad truth is they have your money and there is no job.

The Truth – Once you have been guaranteed a job with a cruise line, you will need to get your C-1/D US Visa at an American Embassy in your own country. You will be responsible for this expense, but you will pay it directly to the US Embassy and no one else.

This is another common scam that may go hand-in-hand with the green card scam. For example, after you've sent the money for the fake work permit, you may be asked to send money for a drug screening fee. Again, you'll be out the money without any job.

The Truth – During the application process with the legitimate cruise lines and agencies you will be required to complete pre-employment medicals and drug screening. These costs will need to be paid by you, but you will pay it directly to the doctor/clinic and no one else.

Scammers will try to get you to wire them money for a Uniform Deposit after they've guaranteed you a (fictitious) cruise ship job.

The Truth – Once you have been guaranteed a job with a legitimate cruise line, you will need to buy the necessary shoes that you will need. This means shopping for them where you live, to pack them in your suitcase. As for the rest of your uniform, you will be required to purchase them, but you will pay for them once you get onboard the ship.

Beware of illegitimate cruise agency websites that ask you to post your resume for free. Phishing scams also occur after you've responded to an online job advertisement. You are then contacted via email for a fake interview. Then you're asked for bank account information in order to “direct deposit” your paycheques. Then, the scammer drains your bank account.

The Truth – Cruise lines don't browse these websites. They already have thousands of job applicants applying to them every week of the year. Not to mention they also use a number of legitimate agencies (and hiring partners) around the world that assist them in the recruiting process.

Tip: Avoid giving out any personal data such as address, phone numbers, birth date, social security number and passport number on online applications. Criminals find it and use the info to get fake credit cards and loans in your name.

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