Let’s Get Technical
M
FCCA Forms New Employment Counsel
ost throughout the cruise industry are already well-read on the record order book, so the hundreds of thousands of additional berths—which will accommodate tens of millions more annual cruise guests—should come as no surprise. Even the groundbreaking onboard offerings ranging from go-karts and rollercoasters to test kitchens and entertainment programs rivaling Broadway have lost some of their starry luster to seasoned industry veterans. Yet excitement abounds in every corner of the industry when discussing the unsung heroes of these new ships and onboard experiences: crew members. “Happy crew equals happy guests,” according to Jan Swartz, group president of Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia, which is why the Ocean Medallion platform is empowering crewmembers to do their jobs better and easier, helping provide both more fulfillment and a better guest experience—such as providing a bartender with information to know a guest’s favorite drink so it feels like a local bar. “I think that’s what makes cruising so unique in the travel industry,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “When was the last time you stayed at a resort and at the end of your stay, you hug and exchange numbers with the waiter? “For them, serving others and creating and delivering a memorable great vacation experience, getting to know a family each and every week, brings them joy,” she continued and pointed to not just the global presence of crewmembers— such as Princess’ crewmembers hailing from over 80 countries around the world— but also a multi-generational one. “There’s a lot of word of mouth, generations of families that have worked on our ships.” This is certainly understandable, as shipboard employment offers what Swartz called “a fantastic way to earn a living and a fantastic way to see the world – we think we have an incredibly valuable proposition for them.”
20 THIRD QUARTER 2019 | TRAVEL & CRUISE
In addition to their salary, crewmembers typically receive free medical care, room and board, meals, and many other benefits. Crewmembers are very satisfied with their jobs and the opportunities for career advancement, which explains why employee retention rates in the cruise industry are upwards of 80 percent. Considering this win-win relationship, many around the industry are focusing on different numbers in the record book, such as the 25,000 new crewmembers Carnival Corporation is hiring over the next few years; more than 10,000 new crewmembers, hired from more than 100,000 applications, recently added by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) to support its new ship launches; and over 5,000 crewmembers needed for Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings’ ships delivered in 2018 and set for 2019. For Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), there is also reason for excitement. Extending the Association’s strides in working with governments to implement and reform laws to open employment opportunities for seafarers—
“…THE COUNSEL IS MADE UP OF TALENTED PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO ASSISTING MEMBER COUNTRIES WITH THEIR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS REGARDING CRUISE SHIP EMPLOYMENT…” —LIZA VOTICKY, DIRECTOR, GLOBAL TALENT ATTRACTION, ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD., & CHAIR, FCCA EMPLOYMENT COUNSEL
including El Salvador enacting legislation for cruise lines to hire from their country—FCCA and its Member Lines have taken another step in working with destinations to improve hiring possibilities. “I am pleased to share with you that the FCCA has created a new advisory committee to its portfolio, the Employment Counsel,” said Liza Voticky, director of global talent attraction of RCCL and newly elected chair of the counsel. “While still brand new, the counsel is made up of talented professionals that are committed to assisting member countries with their questions and concerns regarding cruise ship employment for their constituents.” At the time of publication, many of the details and deliverables were being galvanized, but those reading at the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show will already see the Counsel—which, as Voticky pointed out, “includes members from all major cruise lines”—in action, with the employment initiative being one of the top subjects at the Conference and included in such keynote events as the Heads of Government Forum attended by FCCA Member Line presidents and CEOs as well as destination ministers and government officials. FCCA EMPLOYMENT COUNSEL MEMBERS Liza Voticky (Chair) Director, Global Talent Attraction, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Valentina Basso Crew Development Manager, MSC Cruises USA Candace Boggan Talent Market Strategist, Disney Cruise Line Mariano Celano Director, Shipboard Talent Acquisition, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Ashley Spencer Senior Manager, Recruiting, Carnival Cruise Line
