Job quality and work engagement in the cruise industry

This study reviews the working conditions in the emerging cruise industry by using a holistic and systematic approach, as well as the effects on work engagement of two groups of clearly differentiated employees, namely, officers and nonofficer employees. Our sample comprised 353 cruise workers. Regression analysis confirmed the research purposes of this study, that is, seafarers work under poor conditions (especially among nonofficer employees) and that this precarity determines the engagement of both groups. This study contributes to identifying the job quality dimensions that needs an improvement by human resource managers of cruise lines.