Royal Caribbean Group has posted an opening for a Chief Meteorologist, a role that provides weather analysis and operational guidance for the company’s fleet.
The listing, added Sept. 1, calls for a candidate with 15 years of forecasting experience. The job includes analyzing the timing, severity and location of weather systems that can require itinerary changes, including hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, severe rainstorms and winter storm fronts.
According to the listing, the chief meteorologist would work with individual ships, senior company executives, guests and the public, while serving as a liaison to weather providers, government agencies and academic institutions. The position also covers weather training for shipboard teams, fleet weather-support services and weather-related guidance connected to fuel-saving opportunities.
The role is designed to advise the company and ship captains rather than independently decide when an itinerary should change. Recent Royal Caribbean passenger communications about weather-related itinerary adjustments did not mention an in-house meteorologist, Royal Caribbean Blog reported.
The hire would be the company’s third chief meteorologist. Craig Setzer, who took the position in 2023, listed his Royal Caribbean Group employment as ending in June 2026 on his LinkedIn profile, according to Royal Caribbean Blog.
Royal Caribbean Group created the in-house role after Anthem of the Seas encountered severe winter weather off North Carolina in February 2016. The company ended that sailing early after conditions were worse than forecast, then hired former South Florida television meteorologist James Van Fleet as its first full-time meteorologist in January 2017.
