Carnival Corporation’s Internship Program Is Building the Maritime Leaders of Tomorrow
Every summer, Carnival Corporation opens its doors to the students who may one day lead the maritime industry, and this year’s Emerging Talent Project Showcase proved just how bright that future looks. Interns took the stage to present their summer projects, reflecting on how much they learned and grew and how the experience shaped their sense of what a career in the cruise industry could look like.
Interns contributed to real business initiatives across Carnival Corporation and its North America brands. Projects included developing fleetwide operational resources, analyzing guest behavior and revenue opportunities, designing marketing campaigns seen by travel advisors and guests, supporting AI and data strategy initiatives, improving forecasting processes and preserving the company’s corporate history.
The program’s momentum shows in the numbers too. The company welcomed 76 interns across its Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Seattle offices this year, supporting Carnival Corporation and several of its cruise lines. The group represented 44 universities and included 56 undergraduate and 20 graduate students, all getting hands-on experience in the cruise business. Landing a spot in the program is no easy task. With 18,367 applications received this year, there were more than 240 applicants for every available internship.
That kind of demand hasn’t gone unrecognized. Yello and WayUp – leading talent acquisition and recruitment software platforms – named Carnival Corporation to their 2026 Top 100 Internship Programs list. The company also earned TIARA Talent Acquisition & Talent Tech Awards finalist spots for Early Careers and Talent Acquisition Team Excellence, reflecting its investment in young talent and a TA team that delivers on the organization’s talent strategy.
Carnival Corporation’s own numbers show why the program keeps getting stronger. For corporate and Carnival Cruise Line alone, the conversion rate grew from 9% in 2023 to 45% in 2025, a clear sign that more interns are turning their summer experience into a long-term career with the company.
“We were incredibly impressed by the quality and sophistication of the projects our interns presented this year, but what moved me most was hearing them talk about the impact this program has had on them personally and professionally,” said Bettina Deynes, global chief human resources officer at Carnival Corporation. “That kind of experience doesn’t happen by accident. It reflects the extraordinary mentorship and commitment our teams bring to this program every year, and I couldn’t be prouder of what our interns accomplished this summer.”
For Carnival Corporation, the program has become something much bigger than just a summer initiative. It’s one of the company’s strongest pipelines for future talent, connecting teams with exceptional emerging leaders early in their careers.
Those relationships often grow into full-time roles, and new team members are welcomed with the same intention and care through the company’s approach to fostering culture from day one, helping them feel part of the team right from the start. With that foundation in place, the company has set its sights on reaching a 50% conversion rate across its North America program.
The company is building on this momentum with plans to grow the program further in 2027, widening its offerings across more department experiences and welcoming an even larger class of interns next summer.
To learn more about how Carnival Corporation is striving to be travel and leisure’s employer of choice, visit https://www.carnivalcorp.com/careers/.
