Excitement is building aboard Royal Caribbean ships with thrilling competitions for crew members.

Each year, Royal Caribbean selects an Employee of the Year from more than 40,000 crew members working aboard its ships. This year, 26 ships in the fleet submitted their nominations for this prestigious award, breaking the record for the highest number of nominees ever. The winner bags a cool $5,000!

Costa Cruises announced the grand opening of the new Crew Bar on Costa Fascinosa. The crew bar is a place where all crew members can relax and enjoy their free time after a hard day's work, and now the Costa Fascinosa crew can enjoy a completely new venue.

Last month, the ship celebrated the inaugural event, attended by the Master, Chief Engineer, the Crew Welfare Committee, and dedicated colleagues. This new space is designed to provide the hardworking crew with a place to unwind and socialize.

MSC Cruises celebrates its partnership with F1 by offering Crew Members the opportunity to win one of five incredible trips to the F1 Grand Prix events across the globe.

The second contest gave crew the chance to win a trip for two to the Formula 1 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix 2024, Silverstone Circuit, UK. 

The latest winner was Rocio Polleschi, a Cruise Staff member on MSC Virtuosa. Her submission photo of her ‘’Perfect Pitstop", a serene sunset in the desert, won her the all-expenses-paid trip to the F1 race including a paddock tour.

Norwegian Cruise Line is ending the vaccination requirements for new hires. Starting May 29, 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line is canceling the requirement for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all newly hired and returning crew members. The news was announced by the global recruiting agency Kouzon Corporation, which partners with all major cruise lines, including NCLH brands.

MSC Cruises is celebrating its partnership with Formula 1 by offering Crew Members the opportunity to win all expenses paid trips to Formula 1 Grand Prix events across the globe.

The first of several contests gave crew the chance to win a trip for two to the Formula 1 Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. This was won by Mauro dos Santos Oliveira, a Kitchen Steward on MSC Seaview, whose submission of a photo of his idea of the ‘Perfect Pit Stop’ - a vacation at his mother’s work - made him the winner.

Royal Caribbean International recently announced the recipients of the Fleet Employees of the Year award. This prestigious award honors three shipboard employees for their exceptional contributions to the company and embodiment of Royal Caribbean International's standards and culture.

Cunard introduced the Queen Anne’s HR Opening Team as they prepare for the ship's inaugural voyage. This team is dedicated to supporting the crew in launching Queen Anne into service, ensuring the delivery of Cunard's renowned White Star Service to guests. The HR Team are the first full team working at Queen Anne’s shipyard in Venice.

Here are the team members and their thoughts on the Cunard’s newest ocean liner:

The German shipyard Meyer Turku unveiled its concept for the first climate-neutral cruise ship, named "Avatar". This concept was introduced at the Seatrade Cruise Global cruise trade fair in Miami in early April 2024. The "Avatar" concept is part of a larger research and development project funded by Business Finland, known as NEcOLEAP.

Captain Niccolo De Ranieri and the crew of the Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras were recognized for their rescue operation that saved 16 lives. This acknowledgment came in the form of the Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award presented by the Association for Rescue at Sea (AFRAS) during their annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.