As we start the new year, the forecast may vary greatly depending on where you live, but for the cruise industry, all indications point to a very sunny outlook. According to the 2024 Annual Report by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a leading authority in the tourism industry, there is an expected rise in passenger headcounts, going well beyond the latest 2023 statistic of 31.7 million annual cruisers (Cruising.org, n.d.).

To provide guests with unique experiences whether traveling the ocean on a megaship with over 7,000 fellow cruisers or on a smaller river cruise with less than 200 passengers, there is a staff hired and trained to create memorable journeys through the waterways and ports of call.

“In 2024, cruise lines employed a multinational workforce of nearly 300,000 seafarers, and tens of thousands of employees on land and the workforce is expected to grow in coming years, with more than 50 new cruise ships coming online between 2024 and 2028”, according to Kelly Craighead President and CEO, CLIA (Cruising.org, n.d., pg. 4).

Seafarers from different nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds come together to deliver a unique cruise holiday, “We believe in the power of diversity has made us better,” says Bettina Deynes, Global Chief Human Resources Officer for the nine-brand Carnival Corporation, which has employees from more than 150 nationalities” (Cruising.org, n.d. pg. 8.).

If you have never cruised or haven’t cruised recently, you might be surprised to learn “The cruise industry, much like the whole maritime industry, is undergoing an exciting period of change, with the diversity and inclusion discussion in the spotlight like never before,” said Elpi Petraki, President, WISTA International (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association) (Cruising.org, n.d. pg.9). Here are some statistics that may be unexpected; 94% of women in seafaring work are in the cruise industry, 50% of women in the cruise industry hold mid-level or higher positions, and 40% of senior leadership positions are held by women (Cruising.org, n.d. pg. 9).

So, what is it like to live aboard? Crew members are contracted for a particular timeframe, typically two to eight months, receive training and have a two-month break between contracts to travel home to family or follow other pursuits (Cruising.org n.d. pg12). Living on a ship is a seven day a week job with many days working 8 to 12 hours, but offers the benefit of visiting ports around the world (Cruising.org, n.d. pg.13) Living conditions vary depending on position and some may have shared quarters, but everyone is given free medical care, three meals a day, high-speed Internet to connect with home and friends, and recreation areas separate from passengers to enjoy off duty (Cruising, n.d. pg.13).

Perhaps you wonder how the cruise industry impacts the economy and the environment. Here are some statistics from CLIA’s 2023 report, the total global economic impact was $168 billion, wages and salaries were $59.9 Billion, every 20 cruisers support one full-time cruise job, and there were 1.6 million jobs in the cruise industry (Cruising.org, n.d.). As for the environment, cruise lines take seriously their influence on the water, land and air and have designed new systems and processes to reduce or eliminate any harmful concerns. According to CLIA sustainability report section (n.d.) 100% of all new ships will have advanced wastewater treatment systems, 35 of the ports have Onshore Power Supply (OPS) so ships can turn off their engines in port, there has been a 16% overall reduction in CO2 emissions since 2019 and new build ships are designed to run on low or zero carbon fuels.

But wait, there’s more good news for anyone who is a student studying in our hospitality concentrations. In a recent interview, John Delaney, Senior Commercial Advisor for Virgin Voyages shares

“With the explosive growth in the industry, cruise companies are having a harder finding new talent and are increasingly turning to Hospitality Colleges for recruitment, as they understand that these colleges provide a huge pool of potential new management for them with the benefit of them having a solid understanding of hospitality fundamentals through their education (DeMicco, n.d.).  John continues, “If a student is primarily interested in luxury, they can focus on The Ritz Carlton or The Four Seasons cruise lines. Similarly, if they are more interested in the fast paced and dynamic Vegas style side of hospitality, they can pursue Royal Caribbean or Virgin Voyages; there's a cruise line for everyone. But without a doubt the best thing about starting your career in the cruise industry is that you will be paid to travel the world, with all your living expenses covered, and the opportunity for rapid career growth, (Demicco, n.d.)”.

For more information about cruising, whether it’s for vacation, vocation, or maybe even a sabbatical to work on one of the Mercy Ships that deliver health care around the globe check out CLIA’s Cruising.org website.

Mimi Gough

Julie Dort

References:

Cruising.org (n.d.) State of the industry report. Cruise Lines International Association. https://cruising.org/en/news-and-research/press-room/2024/april/state-of-the-cruise-industry-report

DeMicco, F (n.d.) Northern Arizona University, and Visiting Professor, the University of South Florida. Personal Interview with John Delaney, Virgin Voyages.