November 2019 Unsolicited Advice from The Cruising Shutterbug: If you’re aspiring to nab a job as a Cruise Ship Photographer, I recommend you go for the cruise lines first, rather than going for a photo concessionaire. It’s not looking so good for what was the largest cruise ship photo company. Cruise lines are smartening up and deciding to go in-house with their on board photography services. Around 2012, they lost Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL); in 2014, they lost Cunard; and now, it’s Royal Caribbean International (RCI). Apparently they’ve finished and didn’t get to renew their contract. That’s 26 ships, 4 of which are mega ships! 😮 Oh, don’t cry for their existing photographers. They’ll be fine. 😀 The cruise line is absorbing the photographers that are already serving on their fleet.
July 2016 UPDATE: Image is in need of more photographers for managerial positions. I think we can conclude that if they will be promoting their experienced photographers then they’ll need to hire more more junior photographers.
July 2014 UPDATE: Image is hiring from Manila again! Visit Magsaysay at TM Kalaw. Image is scheduled to conduct their hiring/interviews on 23 July 2014.
September 2013 UPDATE: According to my source at the agency, the waiting list for photographers wanting to join Image is quite long. The good news is that there are other companies that you can work for if you really are interested in working as an onboard photographer. For Filipinos, just approach the different agencies, like Magsaysay, as they handle more than one client. Remember, these companies are not hiring from just one country. They hire from all over the world.
November 2012 UPDATE: Image is back! They just did a H.I.R.E. session in the Philippines on September 2012. So all ye Filipino photographers aspiring for a career at sea, check them out! Currently, the contact person in Magsaysay for Image photographers is Abby.
January 2012 UPDATE: Image, the company that I work for had not been conducting H.I.R.E. sessions in the Philippines for quite a while. They have a lot of Filipino photographers and they are not hiring from the Philippines any time soon. See the H.I.R.E. Sessions page on their website.
Magsaysay Maritime Corp. (MMC), the same agency that helps recruit for Image, handles recruitment for other cruise lines as well. But I don’t have first-hand information on those companies, so please contact Magsaysay for more info.
And, regardless of what country you’re from, you can check out Image.com for photographer and videographer positions on cruise ships, or try recruitment companies like Viking Recruitment for other onboard positions.
Disclaimer: I do not represent any of the above companies. I used to work for Image and was connected with Magsaysay, but I do not and cannot speak for any of the above companies.
Avoid any recruitment company or website that asks you to pay for “exclusive information” or for “better placement” or for whatever other advantages they offer.
Related post: How To Become a Cruise Ship Photographer