Highlights:
* Upon graduation, students can gain employment with Silversea, the leading ultra-luxury cruise line.
* The establishment of this postgraduate diploma positions Les Roches at the forefront, once again, in a specialisation area that continues to experience exponential growth and remains to be fully explored academically.
* The partnership between Silversea and Les Roches solidifies Marbella's status as a strategic epicenter for industry players.
Les Roches and Silversea have officially signed an agreement to pioneer a groundbreaking field of study. The first of its kind, this innovative programme - offered at Les Roches campus in Marbella, Spain - provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to manage and oversee various onboard areas of cruise vessels, in addition to aspects of marketing, revenue management, and other commercial functions pertaining to the cruise industry. Additionally, students are guaranteed to benefit from a scholarship agreement between both entities, along with the opportunity to gain employment aboard Silversea's esteemed fleet.
Upon completion, graduates can secure employment positions at Silversea. The global recognition of Les Roches and Silversea is a testament to their commitment to delivering a top-quality educational journey. Les Roches, ranked among the world's top four hospitality management schools worldwide, brings its wealth of expertise in academia, while Silversea, renowned as the leading ultra-luxury cruise line and celebrated for its all-inclusive lifestyle and extensive portfolio of global destinations, contributes its invaluable insight into the cruise travel landscape.
This industry has undergone a significant resurgence in recent years. According to a recent report by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), in 2023, this sector was expected to generate revenue of approximately $155 billion and create 1.2 million jobs worldwide. It has emerged as one of the fastest-growing fields. As indicated by the CLIA study, every 1% increase translates to four million new cruisers. Ship capacity is expected to grow globally by 19%, reaching nearly 750,000 berth ports by 2028. Furthermore, it is considered one of the tourism typologies with the greatest potential to evolve towards sustainability standards set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
In response, this strategic alliance between Les Roches and Silversea opens up a broad spectrum of opportunities for those wishing to develop in an industry with a positive growth outlook. The Postgraduate Diploma in Cruise Line Management positions itself as a pioneer in this specialty among educational programs, offering learning that is highly focused on practical and managerial aspects-a hallmark of Les Roches-along with immersion guided by the leading ultra-luxury cruise brand, Silversea. The academic institution, with 70 years of history and campuses in Spain since 1995, has chosen its campus in Marbella, in close proximity to Malaga, which is a recognised hub for luxury cruise lines, as the ideal place to pursue this new programme, where the traffic of luxury cruise lines increases annually.
'Partnering with the world's leading ultra-luxury cruise brand is a source of pride for Les Roches. The dedication and ambition that Silversea imposes in its business model are in line with our educational methodology. The luxury cruise sector is an area yet to be fully explored academically, and promoting this diploma positions us at the forefront, once again, of a specialisation that continues to grow year after year,' said Carlos Diez de la Lastra, CEO of Les Roches.
Spain attracts the second-highest number of cruise passengers in Europe, behind Italy. In 2023, a new record was set in the country, with a 46% increase compared to 2022, reaching over 12 million passengers, according to the latest data published by Ports of the State. The partnership between Silversea and Les Roches positions Marbella as a strategic hub for companies in the sector, as the urgent need to establish specialised teams in cruise travel is already a reality.
'As part of our commitment to offering our guests the very best service at sea, Silversea places great importance on sourcing the industry's most talented crewmembers,' said Barbara Muckermann, President of Silversea. 'Education and training are key in this service-oriented industry, which is growing fast. Since becoming part of Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea has welcomed six ships to its fleet in just three years, making attracting talented professionals more important than ever. We are delighted to partner with Les Roches, a leading academic institution, to ensure our service remains the best in the industry.'
During the first semester, students will follow a curriculum focusing on cruise operations, developing luxury experiences for guests, learning about luxury accommodation and food and beverage management on board, sales and revenue, and maritime law. Within this period, Les Roches also offers a business trip to Monaco and Miami, home of the world's largest passenger port. Upon completion of this first part of the programme, students can choose to further engage in the industry practically with an immersion period in the cruise industry with Silversea.
Find out more information about the programme:
https://lesroches.edu/postexperience-programs/postgraduate-diploma-in-cruise-line-management/
About Les Roches
Les Roches is a bespoke experience to educate tomorrow's leaders in hospitality. Founded in 1954 in Switzerland, Les Roches offers undergraduate, graduate degrees and executive programs in Luxury, Hospitality and Tourism Management. Les Roches has campuses across Switzerland, Spain, UAE, and China, as well as a partner campus near New Delhi. Les Roches ranks 4th in the world's higher education institutions for hospitality and leisure management (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023). Part of Sommet Education, worldwide leader in hospitality education, Les Roches is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
For more information, visit Les Roches.
About Silversea
Silversea is recognised as an innovator in the ultra-luxury cruise industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Nova, Silver Dawn?, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Spirit, Silver Muse, and Silver Moon? - all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of the expedition ships Silver Endeavour?, Silver Origin, Silver Wind, and Silver Cloud, Silversea's itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Galapagos, both Polar Regions, and hundreds of fascinating destinations in between. Silversea is also looking forward to the launch of the ultra-luxury new Nova-class ship, Silver Ray?. Silversea is one of five cruise brands owned by global cruise company Royal Caribbean Group. (NYSE: RCL)
For more information, visit www.Silversea.com.
About Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) is one of the leading cruise companies in the world with a global fleet of 65 ships traveling to approximately 1,000 destinations around the world. Royal Caribbean Group is the owner and operator of three award winning cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises and it is also a 50% owner of a joint venture that operates TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Together, the brands have an additional 8 ships on order as of December 31, 2023. Learn more at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com or www.rclinvestor.com.
Anouck Weiss
Chief Communication Officer, Sommet Education
Les Roches
ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP 
