Those that boarded Shuinsen other than the Captain were pilot (navigator), merchants, and common crew, but the navigators were mostly Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and British, and the common crew contained foreigners as well.
朱印船に乗り組むのは船長以下、按針（航海士）、客商、一般乗組員らであるが、とりわけ航海士には海外航路に詳しい中国人、ポルトガル人、スペイン人、オランダ人、イギリス人が任命される者が多く、一般乗組員にも外国人が入った。