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Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. However, Cruise Ship Nurses must also be aware of shipboard safety procedures. In addition, they need emotional resilience due to human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors.
Cruise Ship Healthcare Guidelines and Protocols
Average monthly salary ranges from $4,800 to $6,000, reflecting the leadership role they hold within the medical department. Following are the typical steps to specializing as a Cruise Ship Nurse, including the necessary education, licensure, and experience. Once aboard, you’ll be shown around the shipboard medical centre and brought up to speed on how to operate any medical equipment with which you are unfamiliar. Prescriptive authority varies and depends on the state in which the NP is licensed. Some states confer full authority to prescribe; others limit prescriptive authority and require collaboration with a physician.

How to Become a Cruise Ship Nurse?
A once in a lifetime opportunity to visit far-flung destinations such as America, Australia, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, all while performing the job you love. To start your nursing journey, check out the BSN Program at Unitek College. Or, if you already work as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), consider our LVN to BSN Advanced Placement option.
How Much Do Cruise Ship Nurses Make?
Learn more about a fast-growing career with an average salary over $100K. Job posting sites, such as Glassdoor, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter, list cruise ship nurse contract commitments ranging from 12 weeks to six months. Cruise nurse salaries fall below the average annual income of $82,750 for all RNs reported by the U.S.
Cruise Ship Nurse Jobs

This can make it challenging to accommodate family members or dependents on board. It’s important to note that healthcare guidelines and protocols on cruise ships are continuously reviewed and updated to align with industry best practices and regulatory requirements. Cruise lines prioritize the health and safety of passengers and crew members, and these protocols play a crucial role in maintaining a safe and healthy onboard environment.
These nurses work with small healthcare teams to provide an array of services, like routine wellness checks and emergency management. As registered nurses (RNs), cruise ship nurses earn an average annual salary of $77,600, with food and lodging included. They need strong communication and interpersonal skills, knowledge of maritime safety regulations, and clinical expertise. Although shifts can last hours, most cruise ship nurses work in rotation with other healthcare staff, with scheduled time off on board and offshore.
Key Responsibilities
Cruise lines employ a team of nurses, so someone will be available to provide healthcare at all times. When serious problems do occur, your team of nurses and other physicians will work to keep the patient healthy until they can be transferred to the nearest healthcare facility on land. Cruise ship nurses typically receive a competitive salary that is based on their experience, qualifications, and responsibilities. Salaries can range from around $3,000 to $6,000 or more per month, depending on various factors. Nurse practitioners take on a broader role, able to stand in for the doctor and prescribe medications. They maintain injury and illness logs and ensure that first aid supplies are well-stocked on the ship and lifeboats.
Nursing jobs and careers: free entry to live recruitment event - RCNi
Nursing jobs and careers: free entry to live recruitment event.
Posted: Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The Nurse Practitioner reports to the ship’s Chief Doctor, ship's Physician as well as to the Fleet Chief Nursing Officer at the... According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for Cruise Nurses is about $82,000 per year or roughly $39 per hour. Keep in mind that your exact salary as a Cruise Ship Nurse will vary based on your geographic location, level of education, and experience. In addition, salaries stretch further on cruise ships because lodging and food are often included with the job. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, more than 29 million people went on a cruise in 2019. Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in travel across the skies and the seas.
RNs with BSN degrees or higher can expect more career opportunities and better compensation than nurses with ADN degrees. NurseJournal.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers. Some additional good news is that nurses usually get weeks or months off between contracts, allowing for plenty of vacation time.
In most of these settings, Registered Nurses will work under the supervision of a doctor or physician. Working as a cruise ship nurse is an exciting and richly rewarding role that requires you to operate in a small team. You will be required to treat patients with an array of conditions, allowing you to improve your practice as you work. Well, it ranges from treating patients with seasickness to providing healthcare services to patients in critical care.
On the Royal Caribbean cruise line, nurses are required to have at least 3 years’ experience in an emergency or intensive care unit (ICU) setting. An active nursing license in any state is also required as well as current ACLS and Basic Life Support (BLS) certifications. Smaller cruise lines, such as Viking River Cruises, require only 2 years of nursing experience, yet hospitality and yachting experience is valued for the position. A work Visa will also be required when working as a nurse outside of the U.S. The BSN degree, which typically takes four years to complete, has become the preferred educational credential for most cruise ship RN positions. This credential serves as the minimum prerequisite for admission to graduate nursing programs or certification in advanced practice nursing roles.
RNs may also find opportunities for advancement, including positions such as a nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner (NP). In some states, APRNs may provide primary care and prescribe medications. Shifts on board a cruise ship are comparable to typical nursing hours in the UK. On average, these shifts are around 12 hours and days off will be rotated. Those interested in yacht nursing should remember that they are considered staff, i.e. part of the crew.
Cruise ship nurses hold either RN or APRN licenses, which determines how much cruise ship nurses can earn. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), RNs make average median salaries of $77,600 and NPs earn $120,680. ZipRecruiter reports as of September 2022 that cruise ship nurse salaries range from $39,000-$105,500. Salaries go further on cruise ships because lodging and meals are included with the job. These RNs routinely treat patients with a lot of different conditions, including seasickness, sunburn, food poisoning, and cardiac arrest.
Nurse Practitioners contribute significantly to the medical team’s capabilities. Nurse.org reports that Cruise Ship Nurses benefit from greater flexibility, short-term contracts, and international exploration. With the growing surge in the travel industry, the need for experienced nurses in this field will no doubt continue to grow. If you like the idea of helping others while traveling at sea, this may be a rewarding RN specialization for your career.
They must be able to assess situations and triage, and also educate passengers on any medical issues or concerns. Occasionally, medical emergencies arise and it's difficult for rescue boats or helicopters to arrive quickly, so the nurse must be able to manage a patient until help arrives. Yacht nursing is a lesser-known specialty that you may not be aware of but may be pleased to know exists.
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