(WASHINGTON, DC, June 25, 2020) – The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade organization, pays tribute to the dedicated and hardworking seafarers around the world on the 10th anniversary of International Day of the Seafarer.
This year it is celebrated under the motto "Seafarers are key workers" in which the many sacrifices and achievements of seafarers are recognized.
Employing a truly global workforce, CLIA cruise lines are proud of the 225,000 seafarers who sail each year. The cruise industry strives to provide a high-quality working environment for its employees, who in turn provide cruise passengers with extraordinary vacations.
“Vacation experiences at sea would not be possible without our exceptional crew members,” said Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association. “The industry deeply appreciates our seafarers, whose care for passengers was more critical than ever when CLIA member cruise ships returned to port following the global suspension of cruise operations.”.
Repatriation status of crew members
CLIA cruise lines work around the clock for the well-being of crew members who remain on board and to facilitate, in collaboration with local governments and ports, their safe return home.
“While CLIA cruise lines have successfully repatriated thousands of crew members to date thanks to ports and governments that have granted access and safe harbor for cruise ships, these efforts have proven extremely complex, further complicated by the differing policies in many countries represented by the diverse cruise workforce,” said Adam Goldstein, president of the Cruise Lines International Association. “We support the Declaration of the Rights of Seafarers and appeal to all governments to do the same by helping our valued crew members return home.”.
Data on seafarers in the cruise industry
- Cruise lines invest heavily in attracting top talent, offering an extremely competitive salary and benefits package, as well as training to enable crew members to perform their jobs skillfully and advance in a rewarding career.
- The cruise industry is proud to report that its thousands of crew members are highly satisfied with their current jobs and the opportunities available for career advancement. In fact, the employee retention rate in the cruise industry is over 80 percent.
- Cruise lines compete for talented crew members, offering customized and competitive terms within the strict requirements of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). For each job opening, cruise lines can receive up to 100 applications.
Visit www.cruising.org for more information.
