Cruise ship worker explains who makes the most money on board

Life on a cruise ship might seem hugely glamorous for holidaymakers and certain crew roles, but who really makes the big bucks?

One expert has shared the truth about who earns the most while working on board.

There are many different roles on a cruise, with everything from working in the kitchen, bartending, cleaning, entertainment, and then of course, the captain and senior officers.

It might come as a surprise to discover who makes the biggest pay packet of them all.

Posting as Cruising As Crew on YouTube, expert Lucy shared a video called Who ACTUALLY makes the most money on cruise ships: Crew salaries EXPOSED, where she breaks down the most and least desirable roles on the sea.

You might be surprised to find out who takes home the most cash.... hint, it's not the captain, even though they can take home between '£10,000 t0 £13,000 a month.'

Lucy shares videos about the realities of life on board a cruise ship (YouTube/Cruisingascrew)

Lucy explained: "I break down how cruise ship pay actually works, why salary doesn’t always equal earning potential, and which onboard roles can quietly earn a lot more than people expect."

"People understandably think that rank equals money. The captain is loaded, officers are making bank, and the crew lower down are simply just getting by? I think this myth comes from landbased logic," Lucy advised.

She also gave the caveat that salaries can vary wildly between cruise lines, but it's a general rule of thumb.

"When you look at people in retail or service work, money isn't the first thing that springs to mind, and I think the fact that if anything happens to the ship, the captain has to stay on board until everyone is off and potentially risk his life, you would think that he'd be making the most," she added.

The difference in uniforms also ramps up this perception, explained the expert, saying the 'crisp uniforms' and 'fancy titles' of these leadership roles reinforces the idea that they make the most.

In fact, it's actually sales people who work on a commission basis who are rolling in the big bucks, despite being 'invisible'.

Life on board a cruise can seem glamorous, but some roles earn more than others (Getty Stock Images/Photosvit)

"On cruise ships, salary does not equal earning potential.... someone with with no formal qualifications in a retail or sales role can potentially out earn someone with decades of experience because passengers don't see the commission structures, the bonus threshold, the sales competitions, the itinerary based earning swings and how much guests spend impulsively on holiday," she revealed.

It all comes down to the commission earnings.

There are two different types of role on a cruise ship, with the captain, engineers, medical staff and bridge team all on a fixed salary role, so their pay is 'stable, predictable, and capped. They get paid whether the ship is full or empty, whether passengers spend or don't spend. If it's a sea day or a port day, they're getting paid the same."

Then there's the commission based workers, which Lucy gives an example as jewellery and luxury handbag sales, or a casino host.

"That income can fluctuate wildly because it depends on passenger spending. On a full ship with the right itinerary and a good crowd, these roles can out-earn officers by a lot.

"You're not selling necessities, you're selling emotion... people spend more money on holiday."

If you've ever been tempted by working on a cruise ship, Lucy often shares advice of how to land your dream role, too.