With 15 new cruise ships set to enter service next year, cruise lines are expected to hire over 20,000 new crew members in 2025 just to accommodate the pipeline of new ships

The figure includes the total number of new crew members that will be onboard the new vessels, as well as 25 percent additional staff to compensate for vacation times.

According to the Cruise Industry News Global Cruise Ship Index, the newbuilds will add nearly 40,000 guest berths to the market.

With an average guest-to-crew ratio of 2.5 to 1, the new ships will also have capacity for over 16,000 crew members.

Considering all orders currently placed, cruise lines will need to hire approximately 75,000 crew members by 2036 for new vessels alone Cruise Industry News data reveals.

A total of 62 new cruise ships are set to enter service through the mid 2030s, including several vessels with a capacity for over 2,000 crew members.

Norwegian Cruise Line will see a substantial increase in its onboard workforce, with over 16,000 crew members expected to be hired for eight newbuilds.

Welcoming seven new ships between now and 2028, the MSC Cruises Group will also need roughly 11,000 new employees just to accommodate its newbuilds.

After ordering five large vessels this year, Carnival Cruise Line is expected to increase its workforce by more than 10,500 crew members.

With three new vessels for its Icon and Oasis classes, Royal Caribbean International will need nearly 9,000 additional crew members for the new ships

Also pursuing an aggressive growth strategy, Disney Cruise Line and its partner OLC are expected to hire over 6,000 new staff members in the next few years.

The 62 new ships are set to add nearly 150,000 new berths to the market and boast a guest-to-crew ratio of 2.4 to 1.

The latest edition of the Cruise Industry News Global Cruise Ship Index, presents a full picture of the present and future cruise fleet, covering key metrics such as cruise line, ship name, build date, guest capacity, crew capacity and more.