We’re not talking about big ships versus small ships. We’re talking about the number of cruise ships that each cruise line has, also known as their fleet. Getting to know the size and type of the company’s fleet for where you are applying is advantageous for a number of reasons.
Cruise lines with large fleets mean that you have the opportunity to work on different cruise ships throughout your career. And, the more ships that a cruise line has, the better the chances are for advancement.
But don’t expect that all the ships in a fleet are identical. Older ships have fewer amenities for passengers and crew. On the other hand, the newer, bigger ships have all the bells and whistles.
But these ships are also busier and less intimate.
One example of a large cruise line with a varied fleet is Royal Caribbean International. With the new Oasis of the Seas beginning her first cruise in December, the company now has 21 ships in their fleet and six classes of cruise ships.
The Oasis of the Seas is the biggest of Royal Caribbean’s ships at 220,000 tons, 5,400 guests and 1,650 crew members. But they also have smaller and older ships such as the Monarch of the Seas built in 1991 and the Legend of the Seas which is only 70,000 tons.
But small cruise line fleets have plenty of opportunities as well. For example, Disney Cruise Line currently has only two ships but by 2012 they will have four ships.
To see more pros and cons of working for large cruise lines versus working for small cruise lines, check out two of our latest ‘must read’ articles:
=> Do You Want to Work for a Large Cruise Line?
=> Do You Want to Work for a Small Cruise Line?
Also get to know which lines are bringing out new cruise ships for 2010.
Whether you’re interested in working for a small cruise line or a large cruise line, www.WorkOnCruiseShips.com features employment contact information for every major and minor cruise line.