Thread: Cruise Ship Speakers - Part-time

Some of you may be interested in being part of the cruise ship "enrichment" programs - naturalists, destination speakers, special interest speakers and so on. These are generally not paid positions until you get known and have some positive reviews to your credit. They are, however, a great way to cruise cheaply, and to try out the concept of working full time on a cruise ship. I've been doing it since 2005 and find myself on more and more cruises each year. In 2010 I spent 9 weeks on several ships in Alaska and the Caribbean - almost 4 weeks as Destination Speaker in Alaska, 3 weeks as a paid Naturalist in Alaska, and almost 3 weeks as just a passenger in the Caribbean (to see if I prefer not working ).

I work through an agency in Florida who specializes in this sort of position. If you're interested and have the qualifications (an excellent public speaking voice, a high level of expertise in a subject that might be of interest to cruisers, and a good level of computer skills so you can create presentations), see Sixth Star Entertainment & Marketing

Good luck!

Murray

Thanks, Murray! That's good to know.

I agree great info. One of the reasons a smaller cruise message board is so good that allows you to discuss booking options.

I wish I had a good speaking voice.

Thanks Murray

Any call for Aeronautical Engineers

Or computer Geeks who can talk for days about computers.........

Think broadly - have you cruised the Caribbean a lot and done some research on the history, architecture, nature, geology, etc of the region? Destination Speakers for the Caribbean are very much in demand.

I can give a great seminar on shopping in St. Thomas. Wait, the ship has that one locked up.

Originally Posted by nealberk

I can give a great seminar on shopping in St. Thomas. Wait, the ship has that one locked up.

Yes, they sure do - and Destination Speakers of my type aren't allowed to discuss shopping or excursions that aren't part of the ship's offerings.

So, how much does that limit you? Are you allowed to discuss walking tours of places like San Juan or Aruba (where there is so much history in a small area)

Originally Posted by nealberk

So, how much does that limit you? Are you allowed to discuss walking tours of places like San Juan or Aruba (where there is so much history in a small area)

I always keep comments about how to see the history I'm talking about generic: "there are several walking and van tours available..." One sentence in a 45-minute presentation - directing people to excursions isn't what I'm there for. Once I'm off stage, if someone asks me a direct question about independent tour operators, I answer honestly (they're often a better choice due to the group size, but unless you check them out online beforehand, you can get a bad guide).