How long do crew serve between breaks?

Gyoza Dog

Earning My Ears
Joined
Apr 25, 2014
We were on a Royal Caribbean cruise recently and one of our servers was telling us how much he envied the Disney crew because they has a much shorter period at sea. He said Disney servers work for 6 months before a break and for him it was 9 months.

Does anyone know if he was correct?
What is the typical rotation for crew?
Is it different for servers and stateroom hosts?
How about Cruise Directors and officers?

I'm very curious but wouldn't know how to find out.
 
It depends on the position and the line and the needs of the ship.

With Disney... Some are 4 months on, some 6, some 9. I think it is usually 2 months off. BUT it is subject to change due to the needs of the ship - especially with officers. They can also be switched to a different ship mid-contract if needed.

On Disney, the entertainment team (not the add-ons that DCL brings on - the stage shows and characters) come and go as a unit (which makes the whole "this one left Aladdin for auditioning" thing VERY weird...something else had to be going on...or else that person will not be getting a job with Disney Theatrical again (they do not take well to people doing stuff like that - I have a friend who was touring with On The Record (sort of a staged concert-type thing with songs from a lot of Disney movies) and she got very sick and had to leave early and she's not even able to audition for them - for something that was not her fault) with their contract starting on land with rehearsals in Toronto.

Other lines have different contract lengths.
 
Each person onboard is on a specific contract and they do not move as a group. When the contract ends, they can take a break - of various duration - or continue immediately. Our most recent assistant server was soon leaving for a three months break after spending 6 months onboard. Our main waiter only took a few weeks between contracts. Most server contracts last 6 months. I think it is the same for stateroom hosts. Other positions have lengths between 3 months and 6 months. I don’t think DCL goes longer than that, at least for CMs in contact with guests.

Senior officers are not on contracts of set durations but rather have permanent positions that include time on and time off periods. A Captain will likely have a 2:1 ratio, so he could be 4 months on then 2 months off. Other officers have contracts.

That’s the info I gathered while chatting up CMs or during presentations. You can look up job applications on Disney Careers. For example, there’s a Chef de cuisine position offered right now that’s 4 months on, 2 months off. For youth conselor, they mention the average is 4.5 months on, 6-8 weeks off.
 
We chatted with a bartender at preludes two weeks ago. He was just transferred to the Fantasy from the Dream that sailing, and told us his contracts were 6 months on, 2 months off.
 


We chatted with a bartender at preludes two weeks ago. He was just transferred to the Fantasy from the Dream that sailing, and told us his contracts were 6 months on, 2 months off.

I believe this is also the contract palo servers get according our our server.
We had the loveliest server on The Wonder last month, Alisha from Estonia. She was heading off the same day we finished in San Diego and was so excited to see her family. She looked liked Elsa from Frozen, she is just beautiful! I asked her if Disney ever asked her to step in in a pinch for Elsa, she said no way, I like it right up here, but people ask her all the time. She has the such a sweet down to earth personality, we were lucky enough to do 3 meals with her. Hoping she's still onboard when we cruise Hawaii next year.
 
Each person onboard is on a specific contract and they do not move as a group. When the contract ends, they can take a break - of various duration - or continue immediately. Our most recent assistant server was soon leaving for a three months break after spending 6 months onboard. Our main waiter only took a few weeks between contracts. Most server contracts last 6 months. I think it is the same for stateroom hosts. Other positions have lengths between 3 months and 6 months. I don’t think DCL goes longer than that, at least for CMs in contact with guests.

Senior officers are not on contracts of set durations but rather have permanent positions that include time on and time off periods. A Captain will likely have a 2:1 ratio, so he could be 4 months on then 2 months off. Other officers have contracts.

That’s the info I gathered while chatting up CMs or during presentations. You can look up job applications on Disney Careers. For example, there’s a Chef de cuisine position offered right now that’s 4 months on, 2 months off. For youth conselor, they mention the average is 4.5 months on, 6-8 weeks off.

The exception to the group thing IS the show and character cast. They DO move as a group because unlike on land they cannot just do put-ins from last-minute auditions. That is why those casts are referred to as “Dream 9” or something.
 
During a spa treatment the technician told me that different ships and areas on the ships offer a variety of contract lengths and seniority matters too. She said bartenders are offered shorter contacts because of their intensive client contact but the longer the contract the more the $$ so many try for the 9 month length. One of the bartenders said that after 2 months off with his family he enjoys the peace of the ship = LOL.
 


We have chatted with a number of cruise staff at all levels over the years and it seems most contracts are very similar within DCL and other lines.

The most common positions such as servers, stateroom host and bartenders (and all similar roles) seem to have contracts that have them on the ship for a minimum of 4 months. The longest seem to be in the 9 month range but 6-7 months seems to be the longest “normal”. The senior staff do have shorter on ship periods, usually 4 months or less. Some staff shared that they can pick the length of the break to a degree. So some may go a little shorter or longer usually, depending on their persoanl lives. The senior staff seem to have less variability in the breaks.

A consideration about ship time for the more senior staff. Some of the staff have additional duties or might be training and therefore their actual ship time may vary. DCL does some promoting from within the ranks and that may result in ship or role changes. We know one of the hotel managers was switching ships and positions frequently to round out his training. Also Christian was splitting time between the Cruise Director role and management before fully moving to the Administation role. It is very likely that Commodore Thom has similar obligations. I’m sure that with with the new ships coming out that some staff will be going to training and prep to be the opening teams. Just pointing that out as there can be exceptions to the norm.
 
My contracts at royal are longer than my dcl ones. But I work a lot less hours and get paid more per pay check, and can keep tips at royal, so I'm happy lol.
At Disney you were given a contract and that was it, if you didnt like your dates then the only way around it was to quit. At royal they are amazingly flexible. If you need to be home for any reason they will work your contracts around those dates, so can potentially end up with a contract of a few weeks or a couple of months if needed.
 
I believe this is also the contract palo servers get according our our server.
We had the loveliest server on The Wonder last month, Alisha from Estonia. She was heading off the same day we finished in San Diego and was so excited to see her family. She looked liked Elsa from Frozen, she is just beautiful! I asked her if Disney ever asked her to step in in a pinch for Elsa, she said no way, I like it right up here, but people ask her all the time. She has the such a sweet down to earth personality, we were lucky enough to do 3 meals with her. Hoping she's still onboard when we cruise Hawaii next year.

They would never put someone not trained to be Elsa’s friend (or any character’s friend - but especially a face character). Their friends are trained to sign a certain way and to do their make-up a certain way and the mannerisms and so forth. There is also a character bible for the friends of face characters to learn the specifics - and things they cannot say. You can’t just randomly throw someone in who is not trained and keep character continuity. If Elsa’s friend were injured or ill, Elsa would have an emergency in Arendell she was called away to.
 
My contracts at royal are longer than my dcl ones. But I work a lot less hours and get paid more per pay check, and can keep tips at royal, so I'm happy lol.
At Disney you were given a contract and that was it, if you didnt like your dates then the only way around it was to quit. At royal they are amazingly flexible. If you need to be home for any reason they will work your contracts around those dates, so can potentially end up with a contract of a few weeks or a couple of months if needed.

How long was you at royal and dcl?
 
A bartender on the Magic was telling us about coordinating breaks with a friend on NCL. They got breaks more frequently but I think they were shorter. There was something that made the Disney version more appealing to him.
 
It depends on the position and the line and the needs of the ship.they do not take well to people doing stuff like that - I have a friend who was touring with On The Record (sort of a staged concert-type thing with songs from a lot of Disney movies) and she got very sick and had to leave early and she's not even able to audition for them - for something that was not her fault) with their contract starting on land with rehearsals in Toronto.

Other lines have different contract lengths.

Sorry about your friend. I know your friend didn’t want to get sick. But getting sick is the persons fault.
 
Not to go off on a tangent but um NOOOOOOOOO. All kinds of illness and sickness can happen that are 100% in no way a person's fault.

Sorry you get sick it’s your fault.
I didn’t say illness. I know how to not get sick. Haven’t been sick since I had chicken pox maybe around 12 years old I’m 49 now. Only called off work 4 times. Two times for dogs and two times for my son.yes something will happen in the future and yes it will be my fault.
 
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Sorry you get sick it’s your fault.

Unless you live in a freakin' bubble, sickness happens and it's beyond our control. I would argue those that live and work on a cruise ship are even more susceptible, being exposed to so many more germs in a much more confined space. I don't care how perfect your diet, if you've had all your shots, you do just the right amount of exercise, you wash your hands constantly, etc. etc. at some point, you will be exposed to germs and some of those germs will cause a viral and/or bacterial infection and you will get sick through NO. FAULT. OF. YOUR. OWN.
 
Unless you live in a freakin' bubble, sickness happens and it's beyond our control. I would argue those that live and work on a cruise ship are even more susceptible, being exposed to so many more germs in a much more confined space. I don't care how perfect your diet, if you've had all your shots, you do just the right amount of exercise, you wash your hands constantly, etc. etc. at some point, you will be exposed to germs and some of those germs will cause a viral and/or bacterial infection and you will get sick through NO. FAULT. OF. YOUR. OWN.

You have to take care of yourself
If I get sick it’s my fault.
 
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