Our Mission

AirBorne is committed to being India's most trusted and respected cruise line manning agency. We add value to the organizations we serve and contribute to the success of individuals seeking employment by providing the highest level of service with professionalism and care.

In the past three decades, we have placed more than 120,000 crew onboard luxury cruise ships and currently manage over 12,000 crew. Our reputation for integrity and results is the driving force behind our success… and yours.

Our History

Year 1962

Natu Singapuri founded AirBorne as a travel agency with a small office on M.G. Road, Fort.

Year 1984

AirBorne became a licenced recruiting agency, providing heavy equipment operators for clients in Persian Gulf countries.

Year 1986

AirBorne became the first agency in India to serve the cruise line industry when we began recruiting for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (now named Royal Caribbean International).

Year 1991

Costa Crociere began a long recruiting partnership with AirBorne.

Year 1995

Began recruiting for Celebrity Cruises Inc., which then merged with Royal Carribbean in 1997

Year 1995

Began our recruiting partnership with Ligabue Catering Services, which provides catering and stock management services for river and sea cruises.

Year 1996

Created a cruise line training school in Mumbai in partnership with Royal Caribbean.

Year 1997

Appointed as Disney Cruise Line’s (only) Procurement Ally in India. Disney Cruise Line's growing fleet of elegant ships offer family-friendly cruises with a focus on immersive experiences, entertainment, and Disney-themed activities.

Year 2006

Began recruiting retail staff for Harding Brothers Retail Limited (now Harding +). Serving the cruise line industry since 1930, Harding retail is the largest cruise retailer globally, delivering best-in-class guest experiences, with first-class brands and world-leading cruise lines.

Year 2006

Began recruiting retail staff for Starboard Cruise Services, the world’s leading vacation retailer, at sea and on land, with offerings ranging from iconic global brands to customized mementos across a wide range of products.

Year 2007

AirBorne began serving as AIDA Cruises partner in India. AIDA is known for its informal, club-like atmosphere and focus on the German-speaking market. Their modern, large fleet offers family-friendly amenities like Kids Clubs and teen programs, as well as varied dining and entertainment options

Year 2008

Opened our branch office in Margao, Goa

Year 2009

Pioneered river cruise recruitment in India with Grand Circle Cruise Line / Grand Circle Travel, which offers retirees (mainly Americans) "excellent service, easy pacing, and unique opportunities to discover local people and cultures firsthand" on their fleet of river and ocean cruise ships.

Year 2009

Set up Walt Disney World's Cultural Exchange Internship Program in partnership with India-based hotel management colleges. (As we are no longer participating in this program, please see jobs.disneycareers.com for more info.)

Year 2010

Pioneered the recruitment of photographers and videographers in India with the Image Group, a cruise line photography concessionaire (closed in 2020, as cruise lines began managing photography operations in-house).

Year 2011

Pioneered cruise line spa and fitness recruitment in India in partnership with Steiner Training Ltd. (now the London Wellness Academy) which recruits and trains staff for OneSpaWorld, the largest health and wellness concessionaire in the cruise line industry.

Year 2011

Inaugurated our training centre in Goa in partnership with AIDA Cruises. For more information, please see our training page.

Year 2012

Began our recruiting partnership with Fred Olsen Cruise Line. With 175 years of seafaring heritage and Olsen family ownership, FOCL offers a distinctly British cruising experience on its fleet of three classic ships.

Year 2012

Opened our branch office in Chennai (closed in 2019)

Year 2013

Transitioned to the Recruiting and Placement License requirement of the Directorate General of Shipping under their new MLC 2006 compliance program. This license is maintained and renewed through annual audits.

Year 2014

Began our recruiting partnership with Saga Cruises, a boutique cruise line exclusively for the over 50's with classic criuse ships and modern river ships.

Year 2015

Expanded river cruise recruitment with A-ROSA Reederei GmbH, a premium provider of city and nature cruises on the Danube, Rhône/Saône, Rhine/Main/Moselle, Seine and Douro.

Year 2016

MTO recruitment for Costa and AIDA moved to Carnival Maritime

Year 2016

Began our recruiting partnership with Viking Ocean Cruises, the world’s leading small ship, destination focused luxury cruise line.

Year 2016

Began our recruiting partnership with The Apollo Group, an award-winning, full-service hospitality management company with operations on Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Marella Cruises and others.

Year 2020

Began our recrutiing partership with SCENIC Luxury Cruises & Tours/Emerald Cruises. Scenic focuses on ultra-luxury, all-inclusive river and ocean cruises, while Emerald Cruises offers luxury river and yacht cruises.

Year 2021

Began our recrutiing partership with Diamonds International, which has retail partnerships with several cruise lines, including Princess Cruises.

Year 2022

Began recrutiing doctors and nurses for Vikand Solutions LLC, a global maritime medical operations and healthcare solutions provider.

Year 2023

Began our recrutiing partership with Adora Cruise Operations Ltd., a new cruise line focused on the Asian market. Currently Adora operates two ships and will add several new ships to the fleet in coming years.

Our Team

The AirBorne team is dedicated to proactively managing the recruitment and placement process so that it is efficient and stress-free for both our clients and crew.