A to Z

The ships have a strict policy regarding alcohol. Crew members must always be capable to help passengers and other crew members in case of an emergency. You can buy beer and wine in the crew bar (see Crew Areas) but you must be sensible and not drink excessively. Alcohol tests are frequently performed on board and you will be required to take alcohol tests.

Our office in Hamburg coordinates and organizes travel to and from the ship, arranges your contracts (see Contract of employment) and is always available and interested to hear your comments regarding your work on the ship.

When you join the ship as our new team member you do not have to bring any bed linen. Bed linen will be provided on board.

Normally, you will share a 2 bed cabin with a small bathroom with a colleague from our team.

All contracts are on a freelance basis (see Self Employed) and agreed for a period of 4 to 6 months. During the agreed period you will be working full time and living on board a cruise ship and can not leave the ship for breaks or pursue any other projects.

see uniform

Passenger areas are mostly off limits to crew members. When it is necessary for your work you will be allowed to access the passenger areas. Meals, free time, drinking, sport, leasure and other activities are restricted to the crew areas. A crew mess (see Food and Meals) a crew bar, a crew fitness studio and a crew deck are available.

Required documents before any photographer or video operator can work on a cruise ship include a passport valid for at least 1 year, a vaccination certificate to confirm yellow fever vaccination and a medical test certificate that is accepted by the German authorities (see Medical Certificate).

The cruise industry operates a ZERO tolerance policy regarding drug abuse. No drugs will be tolerated. As with alcohol tests, drug tests will be performed.

Photographers have to bring their own equipment with them on board. That includes digital camera and flash. Work computers and the necessary programs are available on board. Video equipment is supplied on board. Video operators do not have to provide their own equipment.

You will be provided with meals and food on board. There is practical always food available in the crew mess. The crew mess is comparable to a canteen where you collect your food and cutlery yourself and afterwards return the used plates and dishes tidily to the plate washing area. Do not expect gourmet cuisine, but up to now, nobody has gone hungry.

Generally sharp objects, weapons and guns, martial arts equipment, self defense equipment, explosive, flammable chemicals and candles etc. are not permitted on board. Electrical items that create heat such as kettles, irons and hot plates etc. are not permitted.

see Self Employed

Working 7 days a week is tough and requires concentration and drive. We want you to do the best job you can for yourself, the team, our company and the ship. To be able to achieve this it is important that you also have time for yourself. In your time off you are free to relax, sleep, visit the ports, whatever you like.

The Hapag Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH is a subsidiary of TUI AG offering cruises worldwide on their fleet of 4 luxury passenger ships. Since 2009 they also offer „Fly-Cruises“ with a private jet. The fleet consists of MS EUROPA, MS EUROPA 2, MS HANSEATIC and MS BREMEN.

Crew members can open their own internet account on board and access the internet from the ship. The charges for this service are about 0.10 Euro per minute. Lots of the port terminals offer free WIFI and internet access is available in most cafes in the various ports.

You are required to present an invoice every month to CruiseVision TV for your work as agreed in your freelance contract of employment.

see Cabin

Luggage allowance for the crew flights is normally 20 Kg.

see Food and Meals

The Medical Certificate also called „deutsche Seediensttauglichkeit“ is a certificate from a doctor that you need to be allowed to work on a ship. Only specially certified doctors can perform the medical test required and issue the certificate. The following web link shows a list of doctors that are certified to perform the medical.

http://www.deutsche-flagge.de/en/maritime-medicine/fitness-for-sea-service/authorized-physicians?set_language=en

The Photo and Film Manager is your contact person for communication within the team and with the head office in Hamburg (see Back Office) He/She will prepare the work plans and is your contact person for all questions and situations on board.

Visible body piercings must usually be covered by a plaster.

The postal address for the ship can be obtained from the crew purser.

All crew members have to perform safety duties in case of an emergency. The safety officer will instruct and train you to perform your allocated safety duties. The safety training is usually conducted in English.

Photographers and Video operators are hired on a self employed basis. That means that you are not employed by CruiseVision TV or the shipping line. You must present a monthly invoice as agreed in your freelance contract for your work. To issue such invoices you will require a Tax Identification Number. If you do not already have a tax identification number you can get one from your local tax office.

Every team member must bring suitable shoes with them for both uniforms (see Uniform). For the evening uniform elegant black shoes are required. For the daytime uniform comfortable black sport shoes with black soles are required.

Items that you need from day to day are available on board in the crew bar (see Crew Areas) and in the passenger shops where you will be given a crew discount. Of course, it is also possible to buy products on land in the various ports.

The Photo and Film Manager is your direct superior that you can contact with all questions and needs. He/She is responsible for the planning and work schedules, the internal communication in the team and with the back office in Hamburg. As concessionaire we are not directly employed by the shipping line and the chief purser is responsible for all concessionaires. The General Manager (GM) reports directly to the Chief Purser and is responsible for all service personnel on board. The Captain is the senior officer on the ship and is the final link in the command chain.

Tattoos that are visible when wearing the uniform may have to be covered.

The photo and video team consists of a Team Manager (see Photo and Film Manager) who leads the team, four to five photographers and 2 video operators. The team is your family for the period that you are on the ship. You will spend a lot of time working closely together. Friendly, open and polite communication within the team is very important.

When the ship is at sea there is usually no mobile communication net available. There is a satellite telephone net on board that you can use at your own expense in an emergency but it is very expensive. When the ship is in port your mobile telephone will usually connect to a local net automatically but local call charges vary. It is usually cheaper to buy telephone cards in the ports to call home.

Towels will be supplied on board. Some crew members prefer to bring their own towels with them.

TUI Cruises offers a modern cruising concept aimed at the German market. TUI Cruises operates to date the ships „Mein Schiff 1 to 4 with approximately 2500 passengers per ship. Further ships are planned. A central part of the marketing concept is „Wohlfühlschiff“ (Feel-Good-Ship) and this philosophy should be supported by all the crew and, of course, our team.

When you are working on the ship you have to wear a uniform. You will be provided with your uniform when you join the ship. There are two different uniforms: the day uniform for tours ashore and days on board is made up of comfortable trousers, a polo shirt and, if needed, a warm jacket. The evening uniform has to be worn after 6 pm and comprises of a pair long trousers and a black shirt or blouse.

There is a laundry on board that will wash your clothes for you. The price for a sack of laundry is about 13 Euro. Alternatively, there are washing machines and dryers available for the use of the crew. You must provide your own detergent.

A cruise ship is a floating hotel and you will be on call 7 days a week. There is a lot of work but you will also have free time (see Free Time), when you have time off you can visit the ports and relax. How much you have to work every day depends on the activities on board and varies from day to day.