Please Note
- An estimate based on public data for similar roles. Not provided by the employer.
Kitchen Utility
Role summary
Written by MyIslandJob from the job title and employer. See the employer's page for the full description.
The Kitchen Utility supports the galley and culinary team by washing dishes, cleaning kitchen equipment, removing waste, organizing supplies, and maintaining strict hygiene standards. Candidates should be physically fit, reliable, hardworking, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, multicultural environment. Previous kitchen, stewarding, or hospitality experience is helpful but may not always be essential. The role requires flexibility to work long shifts, weekends, and public holidays, follow food-safety and occupational-health procedures, and live cooperatively onboard. Good communication, attention to cleanliness, teamwork, and a professional attitude are expected. Candidates must meet MSC Cruises' medical, safety, documentation, and employment requirements.
Can I work on cruise ships?
Never pay anyone for a visa or a job offer. A real employer pays the permit costs and never asks you for money.
How it works
How it works: No host-country permit: a seafarer medical, safety training, a seaman's book, a US crew visa and a Schengen visa.
Watch for: Recruitment fees are banned on ships.
Official source: US Department of State: crewmember visa. Checked October 2026.
What the job usually comes with on cruise ships
Usual for cruise ships, varies by employer. Checked October 2026.
| Housing | Free cabin, usually shared |
|---|---|
| Meals | Free (by law) |
| Flights | Joining and home flights usually paid; free repatriation (by law) |
| Service charge | Passenger service charges pooled on many lines |
| Contract | 6 to 9 months on board, about 2 months unpaid between contracts |
| Leave | 2.5 days a month, often paid as cash |
| Income tax | Usually not withheld; depends on your home country |
Senior staff often get more than line staff, for example a single room or a yearly home flight. Ask the employer what the job includes before you accept.
Guidance, not legal advice. Rules change; your employer confirms the details for your case.
About MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises is a global cruise company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and part of MSC Group. It operates a large fleet of contemporary cruise ships sailing to destinations across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East, and other international regions. The company provides accommodation, dining, entertainment, excursions, and hospitality services to guests while employing crew members from many countries. MSC Cruises offers shipboard careers in culinary services, hotel operations, marine operations, entertainment, guest services, technical departments, and administration. Crew members generally receive shared accommodation, meals, uniform-related support, medical services onboard, and opportunities to work in a multicultural environment. Contracts, salaries, benefits, and promotion pathways vary according to position, nationality, vessel, and applicable maritime employment agreements.