Hi Everyone! My name is Nicole from Canada. I've been thinking about the CRP for the past couple years but I haven't really had that push to do it until recently. I currently work for Disney Cruise Line which I love but am also looking forward to moving on in the future to a land based job. Anyways I'm trying to research more about the whole application process and the actual program. So I've got a couple questions 1. When will F2F interviews happen next in Canada? (I realize this may be one of those questions no one knows of right now). Last year they were Oct and March - will it be at the same time this year? 2. When someone is accepted to the program do they have any control over start dates, more specifically can they say I can start after this date? (I imagine most people want to go ASAP, but the Magic is going to Europe next summer and it is my goal to make it that long - I think my contract should end around july 2010 so I wouldn't want to start until after I get back home) 3. How much experience do you need to work in the specific section (merch, F&B etc)? Does this matter when applying? DCL was quite specific in saying you need 2 years experience but I didn't see anything for this program. 4. Has anyone worked KidCot? This is the area I'm most interested in as I work Youth Activities on the ship. I was in Epcot 2 weeks ago and it looked like crafts and just general interaction/questions with kids... anything else in this role? Is this part of a bigger role like attractions? 5. Finally - will working for DCL be a disadvantage? I realize working for and understanding the company is great and will tranfer well - but I also feel like this program is special and Disney would want a lot of new and fresh people to the company to participate in such an amazing experience. Thank you all in advance! I'm looking forward to getting to know people here and hear more about their experiences. If anyone has any questions about working for DCL I'd be more than happy to chat!
Hey Roxy, I don't know too much about the applying process in Canada, but you apply thought the same company as the UK -- Yummy Jobs (Check out there website, if you haven't yet). Kristen is the main recruiter there. Usually the F2F interviews are two a year, around the same time each year. Email Yummy Jobs and ask. When you apply you put when you can start from, the they'll give you any date after that month. Depending on the amount of competition their is in Canada for CRP roles, they like you to have either experience in F&B or Merch. I don't really know much about KidCOT, but a think working for DCL will be a great advantage for you. Also I have a few questions for you, you said you love working for DCL what's it like? Are you always working? How much time do you get off? How did you apply? I heard people said they really make you work hard, and you don't get much time off at all.
Thank you for the response! Working for the ship is great but also quite challenging. It's also part of the reason I would like to try the CRP program. I LOVE working for the company and am very proud of the work I get to do - but I would also like a job that works less hours and has the benefits of being on land. I have a love/hate relationship with ship life. I love living with and working with the people I do - they are amazing and like family. Other things get on my nerves a bit - mostly to do with lack of freedom. We don't really get to choose when you get to eat, what you eat (well limited options in the mess), what you can wear (at least in guest areas - even when off duty you need to be in disney look - especially annoying on formal night). The food isn't bad, it just gets really repetitive. We do work 70 hours a week, and it really depends on the dept you work in how those hours are broken up. In mine (youth activities) we work up to 10-12 hours on sea days, 8-10 on port days. Our port days are quiet, sea days very busy. Our schedules also rotate so sometimes you work early others late. On a port day, if you have a late start you might not have to work until 3:30 so you have the whole day off in port to relax and enjoy. I applied through cast-a-way agency in canada (they used to recruit for CRP as well before it went to Yummy jobs). There is an agency in the UK - not sure what it's called. Check out www.dcljobs.com and it has more info but also the lists of the agencies to contact. Honestly, it is a lot of work and by the end of your contract you are sooo tired. But again, I love the company and find that I still learn so much. Plus I get to travel around (Can't wait for Europe next summer!), meet amazing people and guests. I would recommend the experience to anyone that was open to it. If you have any other questions just let me know!
Just to add to what the previous poster said: 1. I believe Yummy are not accepting applications until June/July which is on par with last year for the October interviews. 2. As they had mentioned you do say your earliest start date, although it could be many months after that until you go. 3. In Canada, at least, they do not require you to have any experience. Most people end up in Food and Beverage, although you do get to tell them which of the three roles (food and beverage, attractions, and merchandise) you would prefer. 4. In Canada, all attractions employees work Kidcot (different in other pavillions), this is something on their daily rotation. 5. Working for DCL could either help, or hurt you, I think. If you were a good castmember then I am sure they would love to accept you in a different role. On the flipside, if you had lots of points and reprimands on your record card, I would assume that they would not hire you. Hope this helps.
Thank you for the reply and excellent information! I think I would like attractions the best but I am open to any of the jobs. I just think the experience will be awesome. I have been doing some more research and have found out lots of info from facebook groups. I think I will email yummy jobs before I go back to the ship to see if I can work out some of the details/timing of applying. thanks again!
having experience with Disney Cruise Lines i personally think would be a huge advantage. It proves that you have a true desire to work with Disney and if you received a good evaluation they'd be crazy not to take you on
Working for Disney Cruise Lines would be awesome!!! I'm jealous I have a question too actually that maaaaybe someone has experienced! My name's Shayna and i'm from Canada. Three summers ago now I did the ICP program for a summer and met fabulous people down there and a lot were Canadians. So we all kept in touch and now we're super close friends and we're talking about applying for the CRP is 2010 and going down again. The thing is, we're hoping to all go down together on the same start date so we can really do the program all together like the first time. Has anyone heard of this happening before where people group up and go together? Do you know if yummy jobs would accommodate for that?? I just wanted to know if anyone's ever heard of anything like that happening because we have to apply in July Thanks so much!
I would love to work for a cruise line one day. Maybe after I finish the CRP?? Are contrats mostly 6 months?
Contracts range from 4-8 months depending on your position and department. Youth activities (where I work) for example works 4.5-5 months with 6 weeks vacation in between (which I'm on now!!!). check out www.dcljobs.com
