Top 5 reasons for working on board Viking Cruises river ships

1. HIGHLY RESPECTED RIVER CRUISE COMPANY

Viking Cruises is voted 9 consecutive times for Best River Cruise Line and for the 4th year in a row has been named the #1 Ocean Cruise Line by „Travel + Leisure“ readers in the World’s Best Awards 2019. Moreover, Viking Cruises is a proud owner of many other worldly acknowledged awards such as Best River Cruise Line for First Timers, Best River Cruise Line for Itineraries, Best Luxury River Cruise, Best Cruise Line for Customer Service, Best for food, etc.

Viking River Cruises began operations in 1997. Since then, they have the largest river fleet in the world, with over 50 ships. In 2019, they are awarded the Best River Line Award. If you are still not convinced that Viking Cruises' river cruise ship jobs are perfect boost to your career keep reading to find out more about what the company has to offer.

2. Continuous rapid expansion and luxurious accommodation

Viking Cruises is one of the most fascinating world-famous companies that provide work opportunities for potential employees with no restrictions of age (except being above 18 years old), nationality, religion, education, field of occupation, etc. Despite the fact that Viking Cruises started in 1997 with only 4 Russian ships, the company currently operates a fleet of more than 70 newer vessels than other cruise companies. Viking River Cruises boasts the most extensive fleet of river cruises vessels, and they are proud to offer you the best ships in each region where they travel. Viking ships are specially designed to navigate the world’s great rivers and provide convenient daily access to various destinations and experiences.

Furthermore, the award-winning Viking Longships showcase innovative engineering, Scandinavian design and elegance. Thoughtfully engineered to get you closer to your destination, they provide unprecedented levels of comfort, including spacious staterooms with full-size verandas, the largest suites on Europe’s rivers and the most al fresco dining. There are also refined public spaces and an inviting restaurant. In addition to the free accommodation crew members are provided with 3 meals per day according to the highest quality standards. During your time on board you will share a luxury cabin with one of your colleagues. Some of the amenities in each cabin include mini-bar, premium bath toiletries, hair dryer, electrical sockets, laundry and more.

3. Extremely valued and well-paid employees

Have you ever felt misunderstood or underestimated by your employer? It is true that all of us as human beings possess the unbearable need to feel valued. Viking Cruises is ready to welcome you on board and make sure you enjoy your river cruise job. In order to succeed in changing people's lives for the best, the management team will surely invest in your professional training using methods based on mutual respect, education and encouragement. Their strong belief that loyal employees are raised with patience is the main reason why numerous candidates regularly seek cruise ship work on board Viking Cruises’ river fleet.

Great benefit of Viking Cruises is that the company provides intensive training sessions before and during the season for employees on board their river ships. The programmes are specifically designed for ambitious individuals seeking river cruise ship jobs with Viking Cruises. They will receive certified job-focused training from Viking College and this will help them get promoted in the future.

Another recent innovation is the development of special training concept for new-joiners, who have not been in touch with the (river) cruise industry before. The aim is to familiarize people with the way of life on board, the shipboard culture, the discipline of working at sea, and the facilities available to the crew. From 2020 everyone who is enrolled on a training programme with Viking Cruises will receive a Swiss contract and a basic salary. During the waiting period, between the end of the training and the official start on board, future crew members will get 50 % of the basic cruise ship job salary.

Viking Cruises’ high reputation and prestige are a reflection of the work of their star quality staff members. Crew members receive above average salaries based on the median for the river cruise sector. The gross river cruise ship salaries for the positions in each department are in the following ranges:

Front Desk/ Hotel Department 2 475 - 5 400 EUR
Food & Beverage Department 2 375 - 3 700 EUR
Housekeeping Department 2 375 - 3 100 EUR
Galley Department 2 375 - 4 600 EUR

Housekeeping Department

Housekeeper
Stateroom Steward/ess

Galley Department

Executive Chef
Sous Chef
Chef de Partie
Commis de Cuisine
Utility

Front Desk / Hotel

Hotel Manager
Guest Services Manager
Guest Services Agent

Food & Beverage

F&B Manager
Maitre d’ Hotel
Chef de Rang
Bar Chef
Bar Waiter

4. Health and social benefits (including family members)

You will be provided with a full package of free Medical, Dental and Vision examinations as soon as your contract is arranged. The company is an acknowledged cruise line leader, which sets as a high priority the care of its employees on and off board. Benefits are also available for your family members so you don't need to worry about their health condition whether you are enjoying your time with them at home or busy working and travelling around the world.

As already mentioned, Viking Cruises truly cares about their employees’ well-being and leaving them with a positive experience while working on board. The company offers to its employees discounted tickets for movies, amusement parks, restaurants and many more. Imagine spending your off board days contemplating the beautiful sunset, lying next to a luxurious swimming pool or tasting your favourite meal in a fancy restaurant with a breath-taking view. Undoubtedly, working for a river cruise company is a great deal and definitely worth all the hard effort.

5. Friendly international team

Working on board Viking Cruises vessels means that you will become a part of a vibrant, friendly team of employees from all around the world. Moreover, it's a necessary personal quality to be an extrovert with excellent communication skills so as the crew usually consists of 30 - 60 members depending on the ship. You will have a chance to learn about different cultures, engage in interesting conversations and form lasting friendships.

You will also have someone to spend your time off both onboard and onshore, while sailing in major European rivers such as Danube, Rhine, Douro (Portugal) or Elbe (Germany). You are about to discover the most convenient way to see the world - visit famous European cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Budapest, Munich, Bucharest, Antwerp, Prague, Zurich apart from other more exotic destinations like Asia and Egypt in just a couple of days depending on the ship, so you can explore up close and in depth.

Have we convinced you to finding a river cruise job with Viking Cruises?

If you like the mentality and values that Viking Cruises holds, you can see the current vacant positions they offer. We at SAPKO-C.E. Ltd. are a certified partner agency and will help you with any documents you need to prepare and we will make sure that you are ready to pass your interview.

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR RIVER CRUISE SHIP JOBS

Online Job Application in English
You will be contacted by SAPKO-C.E.’s recruiters and get invited for an assessment / interview (Skype, phone, face-to-face) if you have meet the job advert's requirements
After the interview / assessment you will receive our feedback
If you are successful you will be given options of available cruise ship jobs (some might required additional interview from the company’s HR Managers)

APPLICATION EMAILS FOR SAPKO-C.E. CANDIDATES

International candidates (outside of Europe) seeking a job as a Chief Officer / Safety Officer please contact us on applicants@sapkoenchev.com
Local candidates (Balkan Region - Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece) seeking a job as a Chief Officer / Safety Officer please contact us on onboardjobs@abv.bg