How much will I get paid?

We offer highly competitive salaries which include a percentage of the professional revenue generated. In addition, certain countries such as the UK and South Africa, offer a seafarer tax advantage for their residents who have spent over 183 days per year outside the country.

Do I get paid during my leave?

No. Ships' nurses are paid a consolidated salary for each month served onboard.

What does the remuneration package include?

The remuneration package includes pension benefits, life insurance and long term disability insurance and entitlement to join the company pension scheme. All flights to and from vessels are arranged and paid for by the company and there are no onboard costs for food and accommodation, laundry etc.

How long will I be at sea for?

Tours of duty are typically of four months duration and are followed by 4-8 weeks leave which results in approximately 243 days of work per year.

What are my typical working hours?

A Nurse is required to attend two clinics per day, in the morning and evening, and to undertake on-call duties to ensure that the ship is covered by at least one doctor and one nurse 24 hours a day.

Do I get a choice about which ship I work on?

We aim to give all nurses an equal and fair opportunity to work on a variety of ships in the fleet. We try to be as flexible as possible to meet their requirements and will take into account any reasonable requests.

Can my partner or family travel with me?

After your first year of service, you would be eligible to apply for relatives' travel, which would allow immediate family members or a partner to join you onboard for a period of time.

Can I use the passenger facilities?

As a ship's nurse, you will experience the joys of cruising. This includes visiting exotic ports in some of the world's most desirable locations and taking advantage of all onboard facilities including use of the passengers' gym, spa, theatres and bars.

Can I leave the ship at any stage to explore the ports?

When you are not on-call or required at a clinic, you are free to get off the ship and explore the ports, always remembering though that you are an Officer and are required to represent the company and the vessel in a positive manner.

How can I keep in touch with home?

Email is the easiest and cheapest way to stay in touch and most of our ships have Cyber Cafes onboard. On most ships you can use your own mobile phones - even in the middle of the ocean! Incoming texts are free, but calls and outgoing texts are charged at your network provider's rates. In many ports you can purchase local phone cards and can telephone home at a cheaper rate.

How many people are in the medical team?

An average medical team is made up of two doctors and a team of up to four nurses. This number varies depending on the size of the ship. There are some single doctor ships within the fleet with a team of two nurses.

What qualifications/experience do I need?

Positions are open to registered nurses with a broad range of experience in acute care areas. An Emergency Department background is preferred although consideration may be given to those with relevant experience in Medical Admissions Units of Critical Care settings. Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills are essential to this role as well as self-motivation and the ability to work as a team player. All medical officers are required to have a current ALS/ACLS certificate.

What equipment do you have onboard?

A typical medical department onboard comprises of two doctors' offices, nursing station, treatment room, and a laboratory. There are critical care rooms with cardiac monitoring facilities, patient wards and a well-stocked pharmacy. All ships are well equipped with anaesthesic machine, x-ray facilities, and even teleradiology and telemedicine facilities, and satellite link-up so doctors can liaise with colleagues around the world.

Will I receive any Professional Development whilst onboard?

We are committed to the continuing professional development of our sea-based doctors. As well as a monthly onboard CPD programme, we offer five days of paid professional training per year to be taking during leave periods. All expenses, including course fees, text books, hotel and travel are covered by the company.

What are the promotion prospects?

Promotion to Senior Nurse can be fairly rapid (sometimes after 12-24 months from joining) and is dependent upon both your clinical and managerial skills as well as consistently good performance reviews.