Cruise boom boosts crews
Cruise lines have reaped the rewards of a healthy appetite for vacations at sea, but travelers may wonder what that means for the crew members.
Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise company, reported its highest-ever revenues and net income this fall — even against a backdrop of geopolitical conflict and increased fuel prices.
“Our booking trends continued to strengthen throughout the quarter, with volumes meaningfully ahead of last year and far outpacing capacity growth,” CEO Josh Weinstein said in a Sept. 29 news release about third-quarter earnings. “This momentum underscores the effectiveness of our demand generation efforts and the enduring appeal of our cruise lines.”
Cruise guest numbers soared in recent years, with 37.2 million oceangoing passengers sailing in 2025, up from 34.6 million the year before, according to Cruise Lines International Association’s State of the Cruise Industry Report. However, some brands leaned into promotional activity amid increased capacity and softer demand in the Caribbean.
As for whether shipboard employees benefit, Larry Pimentel, cruise executive-in-residence at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, told USA Today “the honest answer is ‘yes, but unevenly.’”
Does crew benefit?
Yes, in some ways.Compensation for employees in guest-facing roles, for example — such as cabin stewards or restaurant servers — is commonly made up of base wages and pooled gratuities and service charges, according to Pimentel, former president and CEO of Azamara and Cunard Line, among others, and co-founder of SeaDream Yacht Club.
“Strong demand helps in two ways: fuller ships mean more guests paying the daily gratuity and more onboard spending on drinks and specialty dining that carry an (18%-20%) service charge, so the pools are larger; and several major lines raised their daily gratuity rates this year, which they publicly tied to keeping crew pay competitive,” he said in an email.
At the same time, new ship capacity contributed to a tighter labor market. There are more than 60 vessels on order through 2037 among member lines of CLIA, the industry’s leading trade organization.
“When ships are chasing qualified people, crew gains leverage, and that shows up in higher offers for scarce skills, faster promotion, and more attention to retention and onboard quality of life,” Pimentel added.
Bettina A. Deynes, global chief human resources officer at Carnival Corp., which operates major brands such as Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, said more customers are learning that traveling by cruise offers value and an “extraordinary” experience, and the company’s “amazing team members are what make it all possible.”
“As cruising grows, so does the need for talented people, and we want to be the place they choose to work,” she said in an emailed statement. “That means competitive pay and benefits, room to grow your career on our ships and on shore and regularly reviewing our programs to make sure we can attract great people and keep them.”
Carnival Corp. did not share specific numbers regarding crew promotions or raises.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings declined to comment, and Royal Caribbean Group did not immediately respond to an inquiry.
High in demand
While mainstream cruise lines automatically add gratuities to guests’ onboard accounts, passengers can remove or reduce them. Luxury brands typically bundle gratuities with the cruise fare.
Some roles, such as engineering or other technical staff, are not tipped at all.
“Contracts remain long and the hours are demanding, and the benefits of a strong market reach officers and service staff sooner than they reach entry-level positions,” Pimentel said. “And lines are under their own cost pressure (especially fuel costs), so higher demand does not automatically translate into richer contracts.”
Justin Scott, who has worked in entertainment roles on and off since 2012 on ships operated by Norwegian Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages, echoed that, noting ships can source talent from around the world.
If employees push for higher pay or certain accommodations, Scott warned, cruise lines could simply hire someone else.
Scott generally views high cruise travel demand as “more of a benefit for the crew members.”
“The more cruising grows in popularity, especially with these mega-ships that they’re building, the more job opportunities that are going to come in,” he said. “The more job opportunities that come in, the more money people could potentially make alongside more passengers that are sailing every year.”
Scott — who runs the YouTube channel The Shiplife — has noticed high turnover, in part due to employees “leaving to go to other companies that they think are better.” In his experience, opportunities for advancement can feel limited, though entertainment staff could become cruise directors or take a shoreside job.
Norwegian said it did not have details to share on Scott’s experience. Virgin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Crew member earnings can vary widely depending on a number of factors, such as the cruise line and the employee’s experience level.Compensation “is not governed by one universal wage system,” Pimentel added.
“Understanding an individual crew member’s position requires examining the applicable maritime and national requirements, any relevant collective bargaining agreement, and the employment contract,” he said.
Scott made between about $2,000 and $4,500 per month on ships, depending on the contract, with employment periods typically lasting six months, though those roles don’t usually receive tips.
The notion of competitive pay is relative, depending on what the wages are worth in employees’ home countries. Crew members of more than 75 nationalities work together at a given time on CLIA member lines, according to the organization’s website.
Pimentel argued the biggest advantage crew members have now is “the shortage of trained people relative to the ships being delivered.”
That, he said, “is what changes the bargaining equation.”
