Royal Caribbean Group has teamed up with Finland’s Aboa Mare Maritime Academy and Training Center, opening a new route for maritime students to gain hands-on experience aboard cruise ships.

Under the new cooperation, Aboa Mare engineering students will be able to apply for Royal Caribbean’s cadet programme and complete part of their supervised onboard training aboard the company’s international cruise vessels.

The first cadets are expected to join Royal Caribbean ships in October 2026. Students interested in taking part will go through a separate application and selection process.

For maritime students, time at sea is a key part of their education, allowing them to put classroom knowledge into practice while working alongside experienced officers and engineers.

The partnership also gives Aboa Mare students a chance to experience life and work in the cruise industry, where ships operate with large technical departments and complex engineering systems.

For Royal Caribbean Group, the cooperation provides another pathway to connect with young maritime professionals while they are still completing their education.

The programme will initially be available to engineering students, with the possibility for participants to gain valuable international experience while completing the supervised sea time required as part of their maritime studies.

The first group joining ships this October will mark the start of the cooperation between Aboa Mare and Royal Caribbean Group.