norwegian cruise line chef salary

How Much Does a Cruise Ship Chef Make? (2023 Salary Guide)

How Much Does a Cruise Ship Chef Make?

Cruise ship chefs are responsible for preparing and cooking food for passengers and crew members. They work long hours, often in demanding conditions, but they can also enjoy a high salary and a chance to travel the world. In this article, we’ll explore the different factors that affect a cruise ship chef’s salary, including experience, location, and the type of ship they work on. We’ll also provide some tips on how to become a cruise ship chef and get started on your own culinary adventure.

What’s the Average Salary for a Cruise Ship Chef?

The average salary for a cruise ship chef is around \$60,000 per year. However, salaries can vary significantly depending on a number of factors, including experience, location, and the type of ship they work on.

• Experience: Cruise ship chefs with more experience typically earn higher salaries. Entry-level chefs can expect to earn around \$40,000 per year, while experienced chefs can earn up to \$80,000 or more.
• Location: Cruise ship chefs who work on ships that travel to more expensive destinations typically earn higher salaries. For example, chefs who work on ships that visit Europe or Asia can earn more than those who work on ships that visit the Caribbean or Mexico.
• Type of ship: Cruise ship chefs who work on larger ships typically earn higher salaries than those who work on smaller ships. This is because larger ships have more passengers and crew members to feed, which means that there is more work for the chefs.

How to Become a Cruise Ship Chef

If you’re interested in becoming a cruise ship chef, there are a few things you can do to prepare.

• Get your culinary degree. The most important step in becoming a cruise ship chef is to get your culinary degree. This will give you the skills and knowledge you need to work in a professional kitchen.
• Gain experience. Once you have your culinary degree, you’ll need to gain experience working in a professional kitchen. This will help you develop your skills and learn the ropes of the industry.
• Get your sea legs. If you’re not used to working on a ship, it’s important to get your sea legs before you start working as a cruise ship chef. This will help you adjust to the motion of the ship and the long hours.
• Network. Once you have some experience under your belt, it’s important to network with other cruise ship chefs. This will help you learn about job openings and get your foot in the door.

Tips for Cruise Ship Chefs

Working as a cruise ship chef can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be challenging. Here are a few tips to help you succeed in this role:

• Be prepared to work long hours. Cruise ship chefs typically work long hours, often 10-12 hours per day. It’s important to be prepared for this and to manage your time effectively.
• Be flexible. Cruise ship chefs need to be flexible and adaptable. They may need to work different shifts and be willing to work in different types of kitchens.
• Be a team player. Cruise ship chefs work as part of a team. It’s important to be able to work well with others and to be supportive of your colleagues.

Factors Affecting Cruise Ship Chef Salaries

There are a number of factors that can affect the salary of a cruise ship chef, including:

• Position and experience: The position and experience of a cruise ship chef will have a significant impact on their salary. For example, a head chef will earn more than a sous chef, and a chef with more experience will earn more than a chef with less experience.
• Cruise line: The cruise line that a chef works for can also affect their salary. Some cruise lines are known for paying their chefs more than others.
• Ship size and location: The size of the ship and its location can also affect a chef’s salary. Chefs who work on larger ships or ships that are located in more desirable destinations will typically earn more than chefs who work on smaller ships or ships that are located in less desirable destinations.
• Cost of living: The cost of living in the area where a chef works can also affect their salary. Chefs who work in areas with a higher cost of living will typically earn more than chefs who work in areas with a lower cost of living.

Average Cruise Ship Chef Salaries

The average salary for a cruise ship chef varies depending on the factors discussed above. However, according to PayScale, the average salary for a cruise ship chef in the United States is $52,684 per year.

The following table provides average salaries for cruise ship chefs by position, cruise line, ship size, and location:

| Position | Average Salary | |—|—| | Head Chef | $65,000 | | Sous Chef | $55,000 | | Line Cook | $45,000 | | Prep Cook | $35,000 |

| Cruise Line | Average Salary | |—|—| | Carnival | $50,000 | | Royal Caribbean | $55,000 | | Norwegian Cruise Line | $60,000 | | Disney Cruise Line | $65,000 |

• Get as much experience as possible. The more experience you have, the more valuable you will be to a cruise line and the more money you can command.
• Get certified. Certifications can show potential employers that you are qualified for the job and can earn you a higher salary.
• Be willing to work on different ships and in different locations. The more flexible you are, the more likely you are to find a job that pays well.
• Network with other cruise ship chefs. Networking can help you learn about job openings and get your foot in the door at the best cruise lines.

By following these tips, you can increase your chances of earning a high salary as a cruise ship chef.

The average salary for a cruise ship chef ranges from $40,000 to $70,000 per year, depending on the cruise line, the size of the ship, and the chef’s experience and qualifications.

Additional Compensation and Benefits

In addition to their base salary, cruise ship chefs typically receive a number of additional compensation and benefits, including:

• Tips: Cruise ship chefs typically receive tips from passengers, which can add significantly to their overall income. The amount of tips a chef receives will vary depending on the cruise line, the size of the ship, and the chef’s personality and service skills.
• Health insurance: Cruise ship chefs are typically provided with health insurance by their employer. The quality of the health insurance plan will vary depending on the cruise line.
• Paid time off: Cruise ship chefs typically receive paid time off, which can be used for vacation or personal days. The amount of paid time off a chef receives will vary depending on the cruise line.
• Housing: Cruise ship chefs typically live on board the ship while they are working. The quality of the housing will vary depending on the cruise line.

There are a few steps you can take to become a cruise ship chef:

• Education and training: The minimum educational requirement for a cruise ship chef is a high school diploma or equivalent. However, most cruise lines prefer to hire chefs who have completed a culinary arts degree or program.
• Experience: Cruise lines typically require chefs to have at least two years of experience working in a commercial kitchen.
• Certifications: Some cruise lines require chefs to have certain certifications, such as a ServSafe certification.
• Applying for jobs: Once you have the necessary education, experience, and certifications, you can start applying for jobs as a cruise ship chef. You can find job postings on the websites of individual cruise lines, as well as on job boards such as Indeed and Monster.

Becoming a cruise ship chef is a rewarding career that offers the opportunity to travel the world and meet new people. If you are interested in a career in culinary arts, this is a great option to consider.

How much does a cruise ship chef make?

The average salary for a cruise ship chef is $60,000 per year. However, salaries can vary depending on the cruise line, the chef’s experience, and the position they hold.

What are the different positions that a cruise ship chef can hold?

Cruise ship chefs can hold a variety of positions, including:

• Executive chef: The executive chef is the head chef on a cruise ship and is responsible for the overall culinary operation. They typically have many years of experience and a strong culinary background.
• Sous chef: The sous chef is the second-in-command to the executive chef and is responsible for helping to manage the kitchen and train the other chefs. They typically have several years of experience working as a chef.
• Line chef: Line chefs are responsible for preparing specific dishes in the kitchen. They typically have several years of experience working as a cook.
• Apprentice chef: Apprentice chefs are new to the culinary industry and are learning the ropes under the supervision of an experienced chef.

What are the benefits of working as a cruise ship chef?

There are many benefits to working as a cruise ship chef, including:

• The opportunity to travel the world and see different cultures.
• The chance to work with a diverse team of chefs from all over the world.
• The opportunity to learn new culinary skills and techniques.
• The chance to earn a competitive salary and benefits.

What are the challenges of working as a cruise ship chef?

There are also some challenges to working as a cruise ship chef, including:

• Long hours and demanding work conditions.
• The need to be away from family and friends for extended periods of time.
• The need to work in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment.

How do I become a cruise ship chef?

To become a cruise ship chef, you will need to have the following:

• A culinary degree or diploma from a reputable culinary school.
• Several years of experience working as a chef in a restaurant or other foodservice establishment.
• A strong understanding of culinary techniques and food safety procedures.
• The ability to work well under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• The ability to speak English fluently.

Once you have the necessary qualifications, you can apply for jobs as a cruise ship chef through cruise line websites or job boards.

In this article, we’ve discussed how much a cruise ship chef makes. We’ve looked at the different factors that affect a chef’s salary, including experience, location, and the type of cruise line. We’ve also provided some tips for aspiring cruise ship chefs.

We hope that this article has been helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

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Norwegian Cruise Line salaries

Norwegian cruise line salary estimate, $38,376 yearly, how much does norwegian cruise line pay, highest paying jobs at norwegian cruise line.

The highest paying jobs at Norwegian Cruise Line are director of food and beverage, business analyst, sanitation supervisor, and executive chef. Director of food and beverage jobs at Norwegian Cruise Line earn an average yearly salary of $78,128, Norwegian Cruise Line business analyst jobs average $74,229, and Norwegian Cruise Line sanitation supervisor jobs average $71,370.

The lowest paying Norwegian Cruise Line roles include bell person and waitress. Norwegian Cruise Line bell person average salary is $27,282 per year. So while the average Norwegian Cruise Line salary is $38,376 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Rate Norwegian Cruise Line's fairness in compensating employees.

How much does Norwegian Cruise Line pay by location?

Highest paying norwegian cruise line locations, norwegian cruise line salaries by department.

Salaries at Norwegian Cruise Line vary depending on the department you work in. Norwegian Cruise Line salaries in the it department are the highest with an average salary of $78,007. Employees in the engineering department at Norwegian Cruise Line receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $72,641 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Norwegian Cruise Line include the customer service and the hospitality/service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $32,727 and $36,167, respectively.

Average Norwegian Cruise Line salary by department

How much does norwegian cruise line pay by department, best paying norwegian cruise line hospitality/service salaries, best paying norwegian cruise line customer service salaries, best paying norwegian cruise line administrative salaries, norwegian cruise line competitors’ average salaries.

Average salaries at Norwegian Cruise Line competitors, like Prestige Cruise Holdings, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, vary. Prestige Cruise Holdings employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $78,915. The average salary at Oceania Cruises is $58,032 per year, and the average salary at Regent Seven Seas Cruises is $56,654 per year.

Highest paying Norwegian Cruise Line competitors

What employees say about salary at norwegian cruise line.

Friendly environment and wonderful people great place to start working

Management is very all over the place no structure

Discount on cruise for family and friends makes it enjoyable

They really care about their employes and they offer alot of crosstraining that way the crew omboard can grow

The salary is not that good at all and the job responsability is big , and the management is not following company policies in order to the job oportunities

Health care

I make a ton of money and build awesome relationships

work life balance

It is both challenging and fun. Each day usually comes with its' unique set of circumstances. In other words, there will always be situations that does not fit into the company's fixed pattern of routines in which case one will have to learn to quickly adopt and use good judgement for resolving unexpected issues.

Not always being able to meet the people you work and interact with over the phone.

Taking care the crew traveling to work onboard a vessel.

Frequently asked questions about Norwegian Cruise Line salaries

Is the pay good at norwegian cruise line, what is the starting pay at norwegian cruise line, how much does norwegian cruise line pay an hour, what benefits does norwegian cruise line offer, search for jobs.

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Norwegian Cruise Line, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Norwegian Cruise Line. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Norwegian Cruise Line. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Norwegian Cruise Line. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Norwegian Cruise Line and its employees or that of Zippia.

Norwegian Cruise Line may also be known as or be related to Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Executive Chef Salaries - Browse Average Salaries by Location

Updated May 27, 2024

What is the average salary of Norwegian Cruise Line Executive Chef?

Norwegian Cruise Line Executive Chefs earn $72,000 annually , or $35 per hour, which is 22% higher than the national average for all Executive Chefs at $58,000 annually and 9% higher than the national salary average for ​all working Americans. The highest paid Executive Chefs work for Black Angus Steakhouse at $106,000 annually and the lowest paid Executive Chefs work for NCiM at $26,000 annually.

$71K Norwegian Cruise Line Executive Chef without location (3 salaries)

What is the salary for executive chef at norwegian cruise line.

The salary for Executive Chef at Norwegian Cruise Line is $72,000 annually.

What company pays the highest salary for the Executive Chef position?

Black Angus Steakhouse pays the highest salary for the Executive Chef position at $106,000 annually.

What company pays the lowest salary for the Executive Chef position?

NCiM pays the lowest salary for the Executive Chef position at $26,000 annually.

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This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gary Thomas, the senior traveling corporate executive chef for Royal Caribbean. This essay has been edited for length and clarity.

I never thought I'd work in the cruise industry. I'd never even seen a cruise ship in person before I rolled up to Oasis of the Seas. It was the first cruise ship I worked on and the biggest ship on the planet when it was being built.

That moment will live with me forever. 

I've been the senior corporate traveling executive chef for 11 years and worked at Royal Caribbean for nearly 15. I oversee the culinary operations and 6,000 chefs across all 26 ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. From menus and inventory to the day-to-day running of the kitchens in all our ships, I oversee it all. 

I head a corporate team of eight administrators who manage the 52 executive chefs on board the ships. Our team is responsible for making sure each ship can serve as many as 75,000 meals a day, seven days a week.

How I got into the cruise industry

I was always curious about cruises and whether the cooking standards were similar to kitchens on land.

Having spent 15 years working in specialty restaurants — like the luxury hotel restaurants at Claridge's and the London Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche — I decided it was time to satisfy my curiosity.

In the early 2010s, I applied for a four-month contract as an executive chef for Royal Caribbean.

I was coming on board into a high position with no prior cruise experience. I was so nervous, I didn't think I'd last a week. Over a decade later, I'm still with Royal Caribbean. Taking this job was the best choice I ever made. 

What my day is like as an executive chef on board 

Ninety percent of my time is spent on board different vessels in our fleet. I'm usually on the same boat for two to three weeks, and occasionally I work from the Miami or UK offices. I'm based in Liverpool, where my family lives. 

I spend most of my day on calls and answering emails. I average between 1,000 and 2,000 emails a week. 

When I'm on a ship, I do some inspections with my executive chefs, culinary managers, and hotel leaders and offer ad hoc support. In the evenings, I walk around the ship with the executive chef and offer observational feedback.

Life as a chef on a cruise ship versus on land

People always judge the cooking on a ship. 

Our goal is to make sure that everyone's fed and watered — and leaves the ship 10 pounds heavier.

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We are responsible for feeding guests and crew alike. If our staff have full tummies and are satisfied, that translates positively into the guests' experience. 

As a chef on land, you only focus on your restaurant. But on board the largest ship on the planet, the 1,188-foot-long Wonder of the Seas , we have to feed nearly 10,000 people a day. 

This is the largest ship in our fleet. There are 33 kitchens on board, ranging from high-end specialty restaurants and steak houses to buffet areas, pizzerias, and sandwich shops. We also have a main dining room that seats up to 3,000 people. 

On land, your menus don't change much. Here, they change every day across the fleet. Our only fixed menus are the à la carte specialty-dining menus.

When you finish work at a restaurant or hotel at home, you can go home and switch off. As an executive cruise chef, I manage fleet operations seven days a week, 365 days a year.

I get normal annual leave, but it can be hard to switch off even on land. I'm still observing from afar. I don't mind it, though, because there's a good family spirit on board. 

We'd never mess with Royal Caribbean's signature dishes 

We have a product-development team that works with me and my team to develop menus across the fleet. They look at food trends and consumer insights on our dishes, and I do the culinary development with my team based on that. 

Some dishes might be introduced, some might be archived, and some might be tweaked. I listen to the guests more than I listen to anybody else.

There are a few signature dishes in the main dining rooms across the whole fleet that you just don't touch, like the garlic tiger shrimp, the escargot, and the prime rib, because they're so beloved by passengers. 

We'd be hanged, drawn, and quartered if we changed the prime rib.

How a kitchen on a cruise operates 

Everything we serve guests is produced on board. We butcher our own meat and fish, bake all our bread, and make all our desserts. 

For an Oasis-class ship, which carries up to 7,000 passengers, we load nearly $1 million worth of inventory onto the ship every seven days.

The fridges are a sight to behold. We operate a first-in, first-out system. Our target every seven days is for the fresh-produce fridges to be empty, ready to take on the new loading. 

I'll do this job until I retire

The people I've met while working as a cruise chef have inspired me, given me opportunities, and believed in me. You miss home, but there is a real family spirit on board cruise ships. It's one of the reasons I've stayed for so long.

I've been exposed to many cultures all over the world during my 15-year tenure. I estimate I've circumnavigated the globe over 100 times. These experiences are priceless to me.

I will 1 million percent do this job until I retire. I love my job and can't imagine leaving. 

Thinking about walking off the ship for the last time and knowing that I'm going home for good is scary, but I've got some good years left in me yet.

Watch: Why it costs $1 million a day to run one of the world's biggest cruise ships

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