Cruise Nurse Requirements

While it sounds like a glamorous and exciting job (and it is!) not everyone is cut out to go to sea. If you're prone to motion sickness, for instance, you probably won't do well on a ship. And the cruise lines don't like high rates of turnover, so we expect tours of duty of from three to six months for nurses. If you can't be away from home for that long then this line of work is not for you.

Experience is definitely a plus. When you're out on the high seas with no big hospital resources to back you up, then having a few clinical years under your belt helps a lot. But not just any clinical experience will do - Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine experience is much more valuable than just office or ward experience.

1. Our minimum requirements for nurses are:
2. 4 years clinical experience in EM, CCM, or Hospital ward
3. Current Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support
4. Fluency in English
5. Licensure in the USA or Canada

If you are interested, here are the steps to follow:

1. Look at the schedule page and choose the dates and ship where you would like to work.
2. Fill out and submit the application form (click on the App button below) and mail in your supporting documents (license, ACLS card, diploma, resume).
3. You'll get back a contract and orientation materials from us. Fill in your address and payroll information on the contract and sign it. Read the orientation manual and answer the quiz at the end. Send us the contract, quiz and a $200 deposit (You'll get this back with your first paycheck).
4. When we finish credentialling you we'll send you back a copy of the contract, an orientation tape, and your final instructions and boarding information.
5. You'll need to tell us the names and dates of any guests you plan to have on board with you.

 Please contact our Webmaster with questions or comments.

Copyright 1997 Maritime Health Systems, Ltd. All rights reserved.