How I Got into the Cruise Industry & What It’s Really Like

If you’d told me years ago that I’d be working as a Programme Director for a premium river cruise line after a successful career on ocean vessels, being the flighty, unfocused youngster I was, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. My journey into the cruise industry wasn’t exactly planned—it happened by accident, really. But once I stepped on board for the first time, I knew I’d found my place.

Watching out for icebergs in Greenland

From Centre Parcs to the High Seas

I trained as a dancer but I never had my sights set on cruise ships, like my other friends at college. At the time, the industry’s dance style wasn’t really for me - I wanted to dance for Britney Spears! Instead, I worked small commercial gigs and toured with a Sunday morning kids’ TV presenter before landing a contract at Centre Parcs in the Lake District. I was nineteen and it was a dream job - performing six nights a week, surrounded by amazing people living the life I'd trained for. Then, the company I worked for secured a contract on a cruise ship, and I was lucky enough to be offered the role of dance captain as part of their first cast.

Fate had other plans. A bad fall on stage left me with a broken elbow, and after a long recovery, I finally joined the ship with the second team the year after. We joined via a ridiculous four-flight journey across Mexico and the U.S., thanks to bad weather rerouting the ship and in turn, us too. But the moment I stepped onto that gangway, exhaustion aside, something clicked. This wasn’t just a job - it was the lifestyle I never knew I needed.

Climbing the Ranks

I loved being part of the production show cast, but I became fascinated by the Cruise Director role. I watched them closely - hosting shows, introducing guest performers, making key decisions - and I knew I wanted to be that person. So, I volunteered for everything, made myself as invaluable as I could and by the time I stepped off the ship at the end of my contract, I knew exactly what I wanted next.

In my Entertainment Host uniform on Komodo Island, Indonesia

Getting there, however, wasn’t straightforward. A detour into costume design (thanks to some terrible advice from someone who shall remain nameless) left me feeling lost. But then, out of nowhere, a friend who happened to be a Cruise Director called. Did I want to come back on board as a host? The catch? It was Monday, and I’d need to fly to Singapore that Friday!

Of course, I said yes.

That role was the turning point. Hosting was the perfect way to learn the inner workings of a cruise programme. I immersed myself in the job and worked my way up - Senior Host, Assistant Cruise Director, Deputy Cruise Director - until, finally, I earned the title I’d dreamt of: Cruise Director.

The Reality of Leading an Entertainment Team

From the outside, it probably looked like a smooth climb up the ranks. The truth? It was anything but. I learned my hardest lessons in front of 1,400 guests, balancing the demands of an operation I knew inside out with the challenge of leading a team of nearly 60 people - each with their own dreams and ambitions. It was tough, I wasn't the natural people manager I thought I was, it took a lot of soul searching to be what the teams needed me to be. But when we finally clicked as a unit, the teams I lead became some of the highest-rated entertainment teams in the fleet. It's very easy to say you are a great team player in an interview, but I realised it takes adversity and challenging times to really test out an individual's effectiveness within a team.

A New Chapter: Life on the River

In 2017, I took what felt like a natural step into a shoreside role at the cruise line’s head office. A role that was supposed to be part of a hybrid team of people who would get to know both onboard and shoreside operations. I uprooted my life to move closer to the offices, but realised fairly quickly that the landlubber life would never fulfill me completely and I was not visiting the ships as often as was planned, something was missing. So, when an opportunity came up for a Programme Director role with a river cruise company, I jumped at it.

The interview process was intense - three rapid-fire interviews in Amsterdam, followed by a “sit-in” cruise to see if I could handle the reality of the job. River cruising is a different beast entirely. There’s no ‘set it and forget it’ itinerary - rivers change constantly, throwing high water, low bridges, and last-minute deviations into the mix. You have to be adaptable, immersed, and ready to pivot at any moment...I loved it!

The Hardest Job I’ve Ever Done—And Why I Wouldn’t Change a Thing

Waiting for guests on embarkation day, Viking Jarl

Since joining Viking, I’ve completed five seasons (one of them famously interrupted by a global shutdown). It’s hands down the hardest job I’ve ever done - even more challenging than being an ocean Cruise Director. But despite the long hours, the logistical puzzles, and the inevitable curveballs Mother Nature throws at us, I thrive on taking a carefully crafted programme and bringing it to life.

And that’s what keeps me coming back.

If you've ever dreamed of working at sea or are just curious about what life is really like behind the scenes, stick around - I have plenty of stories, insights, and advice to share! Drop a comment or reach out if you have any questions about the industry—I’d love to chat.

Jennifer