Job Overview
Employment Type
Full-time
Compensation
Salary
Range $56,100.00 - $109,600.00
Work Schedule
Flexible
Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) with match
competitive daily rate
Travel covered expenses
Room and board covered expenses
Uniforms covered expenses
Training covered expenses
Job Description
American Cruise Lines is the largest USA-flagged cruise line in the United States, offering a unique and intimate small-ship experience with a fleet of vessels that carry no more than 200 passengers. The company specializes in cruises exclusively within the United States, showcasing America's diverse landscapes, history, and culture with a commitment to providing outstanding guest experiences. Known for its newly constructed ships, American Cruise Lines maintains a shipboard team that reflects its core values of optimism, commitment, patriotism, and merit. These values foster a vibrant culture dedicated to sharing America’s story aboard the finest American ships. The company prides itself on delivering a comfortable, engaging, and memorable journey on every cruise, appealing to travelers seeking personalized attention and enriching programming in a relaxed, yet elegant environment.
The Cruise Director role at American Cruise Lines is a pivotal leadership position within the shipboard management team, responsible for enhancing every guest’s experience throughout the voyage. This role demands a dynamic and charismatic individual who acts as the primary face of entertainment and guest engagement on board. The Cruise Director is charged with organizing and executing a broad range of entertainment, educational presentations, social activities, and events that connect guests and create a lively atmosphere. This includes everything from coordinating performances and speakers to managing daily schedules and announcements, always ensuring guests are well-informed and entertained.
Reporting directly to the Hotel Manager, the Cruise Director is instrumental in maintaining a polished and professional environment while fostering a friendly and social shipboard culture. The position requires excellent leadership skills, highly polished presentation abilities, and a keen sense of production to deliver engaging content in diverse formats. Candidates preferably have prior cruise ship experience, though those with upscale hotel or resort backgrounds will also be considered. The role demands superior interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and an enthusiastic, can-do attitude that ensures the highest level of guest satisfaction.
Furthermore, this full-time, exempt position involves living and working onboard the ship for extended periods, typically 6 to 8 weeks consecutively, followed by 1 to 2 weeks off. The Cruise Director must be physically capable of performing their duties in a constantly moving environment and be prepared to work long hours to manage entertainment and social interactions 7 days a week. This role also involves responsibilities such as guest communications, collaborating with excursions and entertainment teams, bartending support, VIP guest service oversight, and regular reporting to the home office.
American Cruise Lines offers a competitive daily rate and a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision insurance, and a 401(k) plan with company match. Additionally, the company covers travel, room and board, uniforms, and training. This role is ideal for a highly energetic and creative individual who thrives in a fast-paced, guest-focused, and hospitality-driven environment. The Cruise Director position is a unique opportunity to join a company dedicated to sharing America’s story while delivering exceptional guest experiences on the water.
The Cruise Director role at American Cruise Lines is a pivotal leadership position within the shipboard management team, responsible for enhancing every guest’s experience throughout the voyage. This role demands a dynamic and charismatic individual who acts as the primary face of entertainment and guest engagement on board. The Cruise Director is charged with organizing and executing a broad range of entertainment, educational presentations, social activities, and events that connect guests and create a lively atmosphere. This includes everything from coordinating performances and speakers to managing daily schedules and announcements, always ensuring guests are well-informed and entertained.
Reporting directly to the Hotel Manager, the Cruise Director is instrumental in maintaining a polished and professional environment while fostering a friendly and social shipboard culture. The position requires excellent leadership skills, highly polished presentation abilities, and a keen sense of production to deliver engaging content in diverse formats. Candidates preferably have prior cruise ship experience, though those with upscale hotel or resort backgrounds will also be considered. The role demands superior interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and an enthusiastic, can-do attitude that ensures the highest level of guest satisfaction.
Furthermore, this full-time, exempt position involves living and working onboard the ship for extended periods, typically 6 to 8 weeks consecutively, followed by 1 to 2 weeks off. The Cruise Director must be physically capable of performing their duties in a constantly moving environment and be prepared to work long hours to manage entertainment and social interactions 7 days a week. This role also involves responsibilities such as guest communications, collaborating with excursions and entertainment teams, bartending support, VIP guest service oversight, and regular reporting to the home office.
American Cruise Lines offers a competitive daily rate and a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision insurance, and a 401(k) plan with company match. Additionally, the company covers travel, room and board, uniforms, and training. This role is ideal for a highly energetic and creative individual who thrives in a fast-paced, guest-focused, and hospitality-driven environment. The Cruise Director position is a unique opportunity to join a company dedicated to sharing America’s story while delivering exceptional guest experiences on the water.
Job Requirements
- Ability to engage guests throughout each cruise
- Superior time management
- Ability to manage and solve problems
- Sense of urgency in all guest, crew, and home office requests
- Positive attitude and receptive to continuous performance feedback
- Ability to live and satisfactorily perform job duties in an environment subject to constant motion
- Ability to work around 12 hours per day
- Ability to assist in the event of an on-board emergency by quickly climbing up a ladder, opening, and passing through a 20” diameter hatch
- Ability to stand for entire shift
- Ability to frequently lift up to 20 lbs and occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
- Ability to frequently bend, squat and reach
- Ability to live and work on board a vessel for extended periods of time
- Ability to use stairs frequently
Job Qualifications
- Cruise ship experience preferred, but candidates with upscale hotel/resort experience will be considered
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications
- Extremely polished speaking/presentation skills required
- Strong interpersonal and social skills required
- Strong critical thinking skills required
- Must possess a strong sense of production and presentation
- Basic knowledge of audio/visual equipment required
- Must be enthusiastic, outgoing, confident, and always have a can-do attitude
- Excellent time management and attention to detail
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation
Job Duties
- Schedule and execute engaging entertainment, enrichment and activity programs that enhance and elevate the guest experience
- Effectively communicate to guests via the shipboard daily program, television, stage, public address system and one-on-one interaction and socialization
- Socialize with guests at every opportunity including, but not limited to, mealtimes and cocktail hour
- Greet guests as they depart for and return from shore excursions
- Make daily Noon announcement/update
- make every effort to make all PA announcements as the “voice” of the cruise
- Meet with Excursions Director, Guest Speakers, Guest Instructors and Resident Entertainers at the start of every cruise to review scheduling
- Create the daily Ship to Shore
- Host Officer Introduction and Excursion Briefing
- Assist in the delivery of the Safety Briefing with the Captain
- Ensure lounges are prepared for activities, events, presentations and shows (lounge configuration, A/V requirements, etc.)
- Confirm entertainers 48-hours in advance
- assist entertainers and onboard speaker’s A/V needs
- Create and update bulletin board daily
- Work with Excursions Director to prepare folders and materials for turnaround day
- Act as company representative at pre-cruise hotels on turnaround day
- Promote onboard sales and brand loyalty by hosting re-booking events
- Oversee proper VIP guest service delivery
- Communicate and report regularly to the Home Office as to the status of the cruise, guest issues and recovery, and the evaluations of Guest Speakers, Instructors and Entertainers
- Perform bartending duties as needed with other management personnel
Job Criteria
Experience
Mid Level (3-7 years)
Job Location
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