Royal Caribbean has always emphasized the importance of live entertainment on its cruise ships, and it plans to expand that commitment with a host of new hires.
The cruise line announced a new plan that will open up more than one thousands new positions to fill.
In the next year, Royal Caribbean will look to hire more than 1,400 musicians, entertainers and production teams across the entire fleet. These new hires will join it's 3,000-plus cast members and production staff.
Not only will the new hiring's augment the existing fleet of 26 cruise ships, but some will be hired to work on Icon of the Seas when she launches in 2023.
Royal Caribbean hopes to fill roles for artists and behind-the-scenes teams to bring to life entertainment experiences across original and West End productions, music performances, ice skating shows, high diving and acrobatic feats, and much more.
Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, talked about the importance of hiring new entertainers, "Music and entertainment are essential to making Royal Caribbean holidays memorable."
"We keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in entertainment in front of 105,000 guests each night, and the choice of career opportunities available to entertainment professionals is in the thousands. To continue raising the bar, we are expanding our incredibly talented roster of world-class vocalists, Olympic athletes, Broadway and West End stars, acclaimed producers and directors, to name a few."
We are also committing more resources than ever before to music and entertainment for 2023."
Helping the industry
Royal Caribbean not only needs to hire new employees as a way to staff their ships, but they see this as an opportunity to help an industry still struggling to get back to full operation.
According to a report by Help Musicians in January 2022, seventy-five percent of musicians worried about their financial situation at least once a day, and a quarter of them considered leaving their profession altogether.
The survey was conducted in partnership with Censuswide and surveyed 3,000 emerging musicians and 4,500 music-loving consumers in U.K., Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Norway. Highlights include:
- Eighty percent of Europe’s emerging musicians said that live performances are what they are most excited about in 2022.
- Seventy percent noted that performing for live audiences is the most rewarding part of their work.
- More than 35% of them said travelling and seeing new destinations is what they are most excited to do in 2022.
- A total of 68% of Europe’s music-loving consumers said that live music makes them feel at their happiest.
- One-third of consumers also said that live music was what they were most excited about in 2022.
- Eighty-five percent of people associate their best holiday memories with a music track, and 67% said that music and entertainment is important when choosing their next holiday.
As many as 25,000 performers from across the world audition for Royal Caribbean every year, with many training at its 132,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art entertainment studio facility in Miami.
What getting hired by Royal Caribbean means to a performer
Rachael Hudson works on Wonder of the Seas in the Royal Caribbean original production “Effectors II: Crash ‘n’ Burn”, and has been employed by the cruise line for more than five years.
She has been a featured singer on Explorer of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Quantum of the Seas.
“In our industry, the opportunity to perform live and hone your skills every day is so rare, and I am truly able to build a career at Royal Caribbean."
"I work alongside the world’s most experienced producers, choreographers and coaches in the business while travelling to amazing places like Miami, The Bahamas and Rome."
"After the last few years, it is incredible to be back performing live in front of audiences from all over the world.”
