ITF Warns About Increasing Cruise ‘Job’ Scams

ITF cruise ship taskforce chair Johan Oyen sounds a warning about recruitment frauds.

There are an increasing number of recruitment frauds targeting people wanting to work in the cruise industry. Scammers are using different tactics to try and part seafarers and potential seafarers from their savings. One of the most common is through websites that seem legitimate. The fraudsters set up their own internet address (often using a URL that looks genuine), and typically steal a genuine cruise line logo and name (though it may be misspelt).

Credits: inselvideo/YouTube
Representation Image – Credits: inselvideo/YouTube

The most recent scams have involved fake jobs supposedly on offer from cruise lines located in South Africa and Australia. The ITF urges anyone who is looking for a job on a cruise ships to be aware of these fraudulent sites and advertisements and to always check with the real companies if the site is legitimate. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Almost all real cruise lines have information related to employment opportunities and vacancies posted on their websites, with the relevant information linked from the front page under the heading Careers. The safest way to avoid scammers is to go directly to the companies’ websites. Any website or advertisement guaranteeing a job on board but requiring the payment of a fee is a scam since the International Labour Organization (ILO), through the Maritime Labour Convention, clearly states that seafarers should not have to pay any agency fees to obtain employment. This goes for all positions, since every person working on board a cruise ship is a seafarer regardless of whether they work in the deck and engine or the hotel and catering departments.

Reference: itfseafarers.org

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24 Comments

  1. I need a job in, I have national certificate in information technology, end use computing, I have no expriance,

  2. Hi. I have N3 national certificate in mechanical engineering. I have no experience in the cruis industry. I seek guidance on where to start because I am very interested in becoming part of the cruis industry.

  3. Pls help me with any job i do have certificate in international trade and flight attendance or airhostess

  4. Hi am 25 years old guy i have cabbin crew certificate passport and grade11 am looking to work for MSC any help and my no is0789616423

  5. Hi I have been scammed before, and I’m still on the lookout for any kind of work in the cruise industry. Any help pls ppl.

  6. People be leaving their contact details and emails here on the comments section ?? Comment sections are usuallyy for commenting on the article above not asking for employment.

  7. i am a pharmacy assistant in durban south africa,
    i am desparately looking for job in cruise ship.
    thank you,

  8. Hi there I’m Michael 34 years old and is looking for a cruise job. I’m a musician who played drums and keyboard and also vocalist. I will do any job on a cruise ship

  9. Hi I am looking for a job in a cheff position or as childinder.i have certificates fot both please contact me please
    Regards

  10. Good day, I am a qualified barman, trained by Protea Hotels. I am interested in working on board one of your cruise liners. Could you please advise what I need to do in order to join your dynamic crew.

    Kind regards,

    Michael Ross Fisher

  11. Hi I am looking for cruise line employment. I have over 20 years of experience in the South African workforce & I am a multi skilled & professionally trained individual.

  12. Hi, im 19 years, I would dearly love to work on board a cruise liner.
    I have been scammed by a company promising jobs on a cruise lines , The company’s name , Tact In action and they are based in Durban South Africa..
    I have completed my high school studies and also completed a year training in Information Technology (A+..N+ ) and would dearly love to work on a cruise liner.

  13. Hi.I am Nande May and I am a student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and currently looking for a job on a boat cruise even if it means i have to leave school i will most definitely do it just to be in that field. Im a very talkative being easily adapt to change love to work with different people that come from different backgrounds and i respect and will adhere to the Vision and the goals the Cruise line has.If there are any job opportunities on line please contact me or drop me an email.

    Nande May

  14. Hi, on the 4/04/2018 I received a mail invites me into an interview in Durban with agency name Tact in Action. I am in a process to follow it,BT had to do a research abt it. I thank you for the alert

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