Live and Work
On Board a Cruise Ship!
Your new job awaits you...
Questions and Answers
General
1. What type of people are you looking for? We are looking for self starters, people with a sales background, those who are goal oriented, must have strong public speaking skills, are motivated, and driven. There are only 200 people in the world who do this job; it is a very specific type of person we are looking for.
Ship Life 13. What are the living accommodations like? Associate Auctioneers share a crew cabin with another member of the art team. Cabins are typically compact, but comfortable (bunk beds are a possibility). You will have a bathroom in your room; it will also be quite compact. As a lead auctioneer, you will receive your own room. *There is usually a crew gym on board most ships that you will have access to.
*There are laundry facilities and dry cleaning available. *There are doctors and nurses aboard the ship that will be available to assist you with your medical needs. *There is a crew mess hall where you will eat most of your meals. *There is a crew bar were you can purchase drinks. *You will also have access to a crew internet café. The Job 21. Is an invite to training a guarantee of employment? No. It is merely an extension of the interview. Training is our time to see how well you retain knowledge, and to give us a clear idea of your presentation skills, as well as give us an idea if you would be a good fit on one of the ships we represent. Training is also time for you to evaluate if the job is the right fit for you, and if you can realistically “cut it.” Again an invite to training is not a promise of a placement on a ship, it is and extension of the interview process.
If you do not already have a passport there is expense to acquire one. You will have to complete a cruise line required medical examination prior to attending training, that expense is out of pocket. You have to obtain a National Seaman's book, for US citizens the cost is about $110. You have to pay for your transportation from the airport to the hotel in Detroit, this will cost about $50. Dinners during training are not provided, please budget for about 10 dinners. When you get though training and are going to your first ship the transportation from the airport to the ship port is out of pocket. You do need to have a small nest egg to cushion these and other unexpected expenses.
2. Are room and board covered while on the ship? Yes, your room as well as your meals are covered!
3. Do I need a passport? Yes, you will need a valid and up-to-date passport in order to board any ship. If you’re not a
4. How long is an assignment? A typical assignment lasts between 4 and 6 months. After the assignment is completed you are given a 4 week break and then given another assignment.
4.b Am I on the same ship for the full assignment? Probably not. As an associate we try to move you around a bit so you can get the full idea of what the business is about, this includes seeing how different auctioneers run their respective ships. So it is likely, during your assignment as an associate, that you will be on several different ships
5. Do I need to get a physical? Yes, you will need an extensive physical examination prior to attending training and boarding a ship. The expense for the medical would come out of your pocket. We will provide the medical forms that need to be filled out
6. Can my partner work with me? Yes, two person teams are welcome and have been very successful in the past. However if you are traveling with a partner please be aware that you might be sharing a bed.
7. What cruise lines do you work with? We work with 8 of the 10 major cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Carnival,
8. Are there any medical benefits? No, you are an independent contractor so there are no medical benefits provided. However, there are several companies that do provide medical insurance for people at sea. A website where you could read about some of those plans is: www.nriol.net
9. What hours will I be working? There are no set hours that you will work. Work hours are based on whether the ship is docked in port or at sea. On a port day you may not work at all, on a sea day you may work 16 hours. Remember the amount of quality hours you put in directly effect the success of the auction.
10. Are there any restrictions? You must be 18 years old to work on a ship, able to pass a medical examination, have a clear criminal background check, and be physically fit. (Capable of carrying art around the ship)
11. What does it mean to be an independent contractor? As an independent contractor you are somewhat self-employed, thus having no medical benefits or 401k plan provided by the company. You work for yourself. Plymouth Auctioneering is contracting you to sell Park West’s art, but as an independent contractor you will set your own hours, make your own schedule to sell as much art as possible. Prior to attending training you will be required to sign an independent contractor’s agreement stating that you understand what it means to be an independent contractor.
12. How is the pay structured? The pay is commission only, thus the pay range varies. An average monthly commission for a starting Associate is between $1,500 and $3,000 per month (Remember that you have NO expenses as an Associate!). As a Lead Auctioneer your commission is much higher but you will have expenses of running your own business.
14. What facilities do I have available to me?
15. Can I go ashore when the ship is in port? If your schedule permits you can get off the ship when it is in port. However, any expenses you incur when you get off the ship, such as meals, taxi, or personal items will not be covered.
16. Is there internet and phone access aboard the ship? Yes. There is phone and internet access; however the phone can be very expensive (up to $10 a minute). You will have internet access, but it is advised to bring a laptop as there are limited ship computers in the cafe.
17. What ports do we visit? Since we are working with so many cruise lines, the ports are all over the world. From
18. What are some of the policies I have to follow? You will have to abide by all policies that are put in place by the given cruise line. The officers and the captain aboard the ships have ultimate authority; they hold the right to disembark anyone at anytime.
19. Can I have guests on the ship? Each cruise line has different rules regarding guests. The cruise lines will often give the friends and family of crew members discounted travel rates.
20. Can I choose which ship I am assigned to? No, it is unlikely you will have a say as to where you get placed. Placement based on positions open, and where you will be successful as an associate.
22. What are my responsibilities? As the associate your responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: Set up of the art work, you will have to move art work that weighs up to 50 lbs, marketing, increasing revenue, speaking at revenue events, making sure publications are in the staterooms, answering questions about the art work, etc. As the lead auctioneer you are essentially running your own business- from being responsible for the art work to incurring photocopying costs.
23. Who does the auctioneering team consist of? The team consists of one lead auctioneer, an associate art auctioneer, and in some cases an art steward. On larger ships there may be more than one associate.
24. Are my travel expenses coming to training covered? Your flight to
26. Where is training held? Training is held at Park West Gallery outside
27. Am I responsible for learning about art? Yes, a big part of your job will be answering questions about the art and artist. You are responsible for learning the information prior to and during training. Remember the only way to feel truly comfortable speaking in front of a group is to know what you are talking about.
