Royal Caribbean partners with University of Chester for internship programme

Four second year students studying Tourism Management and Business Management at Chester Business School and one from the University’s partner college in the Isle of Man studying Events Management and Marketing were selected to take part in the programme based on their performance throughout the academic year and in a series of interviews set by the University and Royal Caribbean.

The successful students joined the Royal Caribbean UK sales team in May for a six-week period, during which they were given the opportunity to learn about the brand through a series of deep-dive sessions with divisions across the business, including the marketing teams, attend and participate in ship visits and cruise industry events such as The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Conference, meet regularly with travel agents alongside Royal Caribbean’s regional sales team, participate in the launch of Harmony of the Seas, assisting the sales and events team and receive mentoring sessions from Royal Caribbean’s senior leadership team.

During the six week programme, each student was also responsible for managing and executing their own project which was assigned at the start of the placement, with the support of the Royal Caribbean sales team.  

Students who perform highly throughout the six-week internship with the company will be given the opportunity to extend their internship for a further period over the summer months.  

Ben Bouldin, ‎sales director, Royal Caribbean International, UK & Ireland commented: 'The University of Chester has an excellent reputation for offering its students a world-class introduction to tourism management so it was an ideal opportunity to introduce them to the extraordinary world of Royal Caribbean to extend that education with valuable and unique on-the-job experience.

'From playing crucial roles in the launch of our newest ship, Harmony of the Seas, to acting as an extension of our sales team over the past few weeks, we have welcomed this group of exceptional students and given them the chance to learn first-hand about the cruise industry. We look forward to strengthening our ties with the University and hope to be able to offer the experience to more students over the years to come.'

Dr. Maeve Marmion, Programme Leader for International Tourism Management, University of Chester, said: 'We are thrilled to be able to offer our students such a dynamic experience and the opportunity to bolster their credentials and enhance their overall employability. We are confident that those who take part in this and future internships with Royal Caribbean will emerge with the ability and know-how to make a valuable contribution to their chosen industry in the future.'