Some cruise ship jobs are exactly what you’d expect. Waiters, cabin stewards, entertainers.
Others are wonderfully weird.
Here are some of the strangest cruise ship jobs you’ll find, and yes, they’re real roles in one form or another on different ships…
1. Skydiving Instructor
Royal Caribbean ships feature one of the most unusual attractions you’ll find at sea: a skydiving simulator.
Known as RipCord by iFLY, the experience lets passengers try indoor skydiving in a vertical wind tunnel that simulates the feeling of freefall. Guests float on a powerful column of air while trained instructors guide them through the experience.
Because this activity involves specialised equipment and safety procedures, the ship employs professional skydiving instructors to run it. Their job includes training guests before they enter the wind tunnel, supervising each flight session and ensuring everyone follows proper safety techniques.
Most instructors come from real skydiving backgrounds and have experience working in indoor skydiving facilities on land.
2. Ice Skater
Imagine telling people your job is professional ice skater… on a cruise ship.
Several Royal Caribbean ships feature full-size ice rinks used for spectacular skating shows performed in the ship’s theatre. These productions combine figure skating with theatrical lighting, music and costumes.
The performers are elite athletes recruited from competitive skating backgrounds. They rehearse extensively to perform complex routines on a rink that is constantly moving with the ship.
As the ice rinks are often open in the daytime for guests to use, the role may also involve acting as a safety steward and helping any guests who fall over on the ice.
3. Submarine Pilot
One of the most unusual, and also exciting, cruise ship jobs in the world is submarine pilot.
Some expedition cruise ships now carry small tourist submarines that allow passengers to explore deep underwater environments without needing diving experience. Luxury expedition ships such as Scenic Eclipse and Seabourn Venture offer submarine excursions that can take guests hundreds of metres below the ocean’s surface.
The submarine pilot is responsible for operating the vessel, navigating underwater terrain and ensuring the safety of everyone onboard. These pilots are highly trained professionals with specialist certifications in submersible operations. Their work also involves explaining marine life, geological formations and underwater ecosystems during the dive.
4. Helicopter Pilot
On most cruise ships, the helipad is used only for emergencies. But on some luxury expedition ships, helicopters are part of the adventure.
Ships like Scenic Eclipse carry onboard helicopters that take passengers on aerial sightseeing excursions over glaciers, remote islands and polar landscapes. These flights give guests a chance to see areas that would otherwise be impossible to reach by ship or on foot.
That means the ship employs professional helicopter pilots who live onboard and operate the aircraft throughout the voyage.
For aviation professionals, it’s a career unlike any other. Instead of flying between airports, they spend months travelling the world while launching helicopter flights from a luxury expedition ship. So cool.
5. Assistant to the Chief Dog Officer
Some Royal Caribbean ships have resident dogs whose official role is to boost guest happiness. These dogs, such as Rover and Sailor, hold the title of Chief Dog Officer (CDO) and have even been given three-stripe officer status on the ship.
Their human colleague is known as the Chief of Staff, and their job is essentially to care for the ship’s most popular crew member.
The Chief of Staff lives in the dedicated Chief Dog Officer cabin, which is shared with the dog. The stateroom has ocean views and plenty of comfortable spots where the CDO can relax with toys, treats and occasionally accessories for special occasions. Making sure the dog stays healthy, comfortable and happy is a big part of the role.
During the day, the Chief of Staff accompanies the dog around the ship for surprise guest appearances. These moments often delight passengers, who may suddenly encounter the ship’s canine officer in the corridor or public areas. Guests are encouraged to say hello and give plenty of pats if they’re lucky enough to meet the dog.
Beach days are also part of the job. When the ship visits Perfect Day at CocoCay, the CDO enjoys time running on the sand with their Chief of Staff close by.
You can usually spot the Chief of Staff by their official treat-filled fanny pack, used to reward positive interactions and keep the dog engaged during meet-and-greets.
6. Kennel Master
Another ideal job for dog lovers who also want a life at sea is a kennel master onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.
The ship is the only ocean liner in the world that offers a dedicated kennel service for dogs and cats travelling across the Atlantic. And those pets receive VIP treatment crew member who work in the kennels.
The kennel master’s job is to care for the animals during the voyage. This includes feeding them, cleaning the kennels and organising playtime.
The kennel area also includes a small lamppost and fire hydrant, because the designers wanted the space to feel a little like a New York park for the dogs travelling between the UK and the US.
It’s certainly not a typical cruise ship role. But for animal lovers, being paid to look after dogs while crossing the Atlantic might sound like a dream job.
Suggested read: 5 Ways to Cruise With Your Dog
7. Tattoo Artist
Cruise lines like Virgin Voyages amd Margaritaville at Sea have partnered with professional tattoo artists to create fully licensed tattoo parlours at sea. Guests can get tattoos during their holiday as a unique souvenir of the trip.
That means cruise ships employ tattoo artists who live onboard and work in these studios throughout the voyage. They consult with guests, design custom artwork and carry out tattoos in a controlled studio environment.
The idea may sound surprising at first, but tattoo studios have become extremely popular on some ships. Many guests enjoy marking a special trip with a permanent piece of art.
For the tattoo artists themselves, it’s an unusual way to travel the world while practising their craft in a floating studio.
8. Gardener
It might surprise you to learn that some cruise ships employ professional gardeners.
Modern ships often feature large landscaped areas filled with real plants, flowers and even trees. On ships like those in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class, there is an entire outdoor neighbourhood called Central Park, which contains thousands of living plants and trees right in the middle of the ship.
These spaces require trained horticulturists whose job is to care for the plants throughout the voyage. Their work includes watering, pruning, replacing plants and ensuring everything stays healthy despite the challenging marine environment.
Some ships have even stranger gardening roles. Several vessels from Celebrity Cruises feature a real grass lawn on the top deck called the Lawn Club. Maintaining it requires a dedicated lawnkeeper, who mows, seeds and waters the grass while the ship sails around the world.
9. Bridge Instructor
On longer cruises, particularly world cruises, you may find a bridge instructor onboard.
Bridge is a traditional card game popular with many cruise passengers, especially older guests on longer sailings. Cruise lines sometimes hire specialists whose job is to organise games, teach beginners and run tournaments during the voyage.
Bridge instructors may not be paid by the cruise line. Instead, they may receive a free cruise in exchange for hosting bridge lessons and tournaments on sea days.
Most bridge instructors host bridge retreats on land as well, so they may use cruises as a way to find keen bridge players to invite along to their future experiences.
10. Surfing Instructor
11. Art Auctioneer
Many cruise ships host regular art exhibitions and live auctions where guests can bid on paintings, prints and sculptures. These events are often run by specialist companies such as Park West that partner with cruise lines and bring trained auctioneers onboard for entire sailings.
The auctioneer’s job is part salesperson, part entertainer. They organise gallery displays, host educational talks about artists and art collecting, and run the actual auction events, encouraging passengers to bid on pieces.
The job requires knowledge of art, confidence on stage and strong sales skills, because much of the income comes from commission on the artworks sold.
12. Dance Host
A job that feels straight out of another era is the dance host, sometimes called a gentleman host, as this is a role that’s only open to men.
These crew members are hired to dance with guests who want someone to partner them on the dance floor. These are usually older women who travel alone or whose husband is not able to dance.
Dance hosts are typically excellent ballroom dancers who can perform styles such as waltz, tango and foxtrot. Their role is not romantic but social. They help ensure everyone feels included in the evening’s entertainment.
13. Astronomer
On some cruise ships, especially expedition vessels and ships with observatories, you may find an astronomer onboard.
Their job is to help passengers explore the night sky while at sea. Away from city lights, the ocean can offer some of the darkest skies in the world, making it an incredible place for stargazing. Cruise ship astronomers host evening observation sessions using telescopes, explain constellations and planets visible that night, and give talks about space, cosmology and astronomical discoveries.
Some ships have dedicated facilities for this. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, for example, has the only planetarium at sea, where astronomers present immersive shows about the universe.
The Bottom Line
Cruise ships are like floating cities, so it’s no surprise that they need people with all kinds of unusual skills to keep everything running smoothly.
From submarine pilots exploring the ocean depths to canine assistants caring for four-legged passengers, many of the jobs that exist at sea are far from typical careers on land. Some involve specialist training, others are more about creating memorable experiences for guests.
And as cruise ships keep getting bigger and more ambitious, the list of unusual roles is only likely to grow.
So the next time you’re onboard, take a moment to look around. Somewhere behind the scenes, there might be a gardener tending a park in the middle of the ocean, an astronomer pointing out constellations, or even a skydiving instructor helping passengers experience freefall at sea.
It’s just another reminder that life on a cruise ship can be a lot stranger – and a lot more interesting – than most people realise.
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