Cruise Industry Gearing Up to Hire 20,000+ New Crew Members in 2025

The cruise industry is getting ready for a major boom, with a whopping 62 new cruise ships expected to hit the seas by the mid-2030s.

Some of these ships will have space for over 2,000 crew members, leading to a big hiring spree in the industry. According to the Cruise Industry News Global Cruise Ship Index, cruise lines are gearing up to bring on board over 20,000 new crew members in 2025 to handle the upcoming fleet.

Norwegian Cruise Line is looking at a big increase in their onboard staff, planning to hire over 16,000 crew members for eight new ships.

Meanwhile, MSC Cruises will be adding seven new ships by 2028, and they'll need about 11,000 new employees to keep things running smoothly.

Carnival Cruise Line has ordered five new large vessels this year and is expected to grow its workforce by more than 10,500 crew members.

Royal Caribbean International is introducing three new ships for its Icon and Oasis classes, which means they'll have to bring on board nearly 9,000 more crew members to handle the workload.

Disney Cruise Line is also on an expansion spree, planning to hire over 6,000 new staff members in the next few years.

Overall, the cruise industry is preparing to bring on board many new crew members to manage the arrival of new ships and guests.

This exciting growth spurt will see nearly 150,000 new berths added to the market, resulting in a guest-to-crew ratio of 2.4 to 1. It's clear that cruise lines will need to focus on bringing in and training new crew members to support their burgeoning fleets.

In short, the cruise industry is set for a major hiring drive in 2025, with plans to bring on board over 20,000 new crew members to handle the influx of 62 new ships. This hiring spree signals not only the industry’s rapid growth but also the potential for new job opportunities in the cruise sector.