Job Overview
Employment Type
Full-time
Compensation
Salary
Range $61,100.00 - $97,100.00
Work Schedule
Flexible
Benefits
competitive daily rate
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) with match
Travel covered
room and board covered
Uniforms covered
Training covered
Job Description
American Cruise Lines is the largest USA flagged cruise line operating exclusively within the United States. The company has a distinctive niche in the cruise industry by offering intimate small ship experiences on vessels that carry no more than 200 passengers. Known for its commitment to providing personalized and memorable voyages, American Cruise Lines emphasizes sharing America’s unique stories and scenic wonders in a manner that is both authentic and engaging. With a growing fleet featuring newly constructed vessels, the company is expanding its shipboard management team to enhance its guest services and operational excellence for the 2026 season. This growth offers a promising opportunity for professionals seeking to advance their careers in hospitality management within a unique maritime environment.
The role of Hotel General Manager aboard American Cruise Lines ships is a senior leadership position responsible for ensuring a superior guest experience through the management of hospitality services, customer care, housekeeping, and food and beverage operations. Serving as the senior hotel officer on the ship, the Hotel General Manager leads, supervises, and evaluates the hotel management team, including the Assistant Hotel Manager, Housekeeping Manager, Restaurant Manager, Cruise Director, Excursions Director, Executive Chef, and Guest Service Coordinator. Acting as the primary representative of the cruise line to guests, this role demands exceptional leadership, operational oversight, and interpersonal skills.
The Hotel General Manager is accountable for upholding the company’s standards of service excellence, ensuring every guest receives gracious hospitality delivered in a safe, courteous, professional, and efficient manner. The position involves enforcing strict compliance with American Cruise Lines’ approved procedures, service standards, and operational manuals. This encompasses the wide range of service elements such as dining quality, culinary operations, shore excursions, onboard enrichment, and crew morale. The General Manager also plays a pivotal role in staff training, discipline, and performance management, fostering a positive onboard work environment and teamwork among all hotel department employees.
In addition to daily operational leadership, the Hotel General Manager has responsibilities that include managing shipboard business transactions, accounting, inventory control, and reporting to the home office. Emphasis is placed on maintaining impeccable cleanliness throughout passenger areas and supervising food service and culinary operations to ensure quality, presentation, and timely delivery. A strong focus on safety and efficiency is vital, as the role involves performing duties in a maritime setting subject to the physical demands of ship motion and extended working hours. The Hotel General Manager is also expected to engage directly with guests during meal services, cocktail hours, and onboard events, providing a welcoming and memorable cruise experience.
American Cruise Lines embodies core values of Optimism, Commitment, Patriotism, and Merit, which guide the culture and service excellence aboard its vessels. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead within a dynamic environment that combines hospitality management with the challenges and rewards of the cruise industry. The Hotel General Manager position is a full-time, exempt role requiring working onboard 7 days a week, typically for 6-8 weeks followed by 1-2 weeks off. The company provides competitive compensation with a daily rate, comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) with matching, covered travel expenses, room, board, uniforms, and training. This makes it an attractive career path for driven hospitality professionals eager to contribute to an esteemed American cruise brand and help create unforgettable experiences for guests sailing the nation's waterways.
The role of Hotel General Manager aboard American Cruise Lines ships is a senior leadership position responsible for ensuring a superior guest experience through the management of hospitality services, customer care, housekeeping, and food and beverage operations. Serving as the senior hotel officer on the ship, the Hotel General Manager leads, supervises, and evaluates the hotel management team, including the Assistant Hotel Manager, Housekeeping Manager, Restaurant Manager, Cruise Director, Excursions Director, Executive Chef, and Guest Service Coordinator. Acting as the primary representative of the cruise line to guests, this role demands exceptional leadership, operational oversight, and interpersonal skills.
The Hotel General Manager is accountable for upholding the company’s standards of service excellence, ensuring every guest receives gracious hospitality delivered in a safe, courteous, professional, and efficient manner. The position involves enforcing strict compliance with American Cruise Lines’ approved procedures, service standards, and operational manuals. This encompasses the wide range of service elements such as dining quality, culinary operations, shore excursions, onboard enrichment, and crew morale. The General Manager also plays a pivotal role in staff training, discipline, and performance management, fostering a positive onboard work environment and teamwork among all hotel department employees.
In addition to daily operational leadership, the Hotel General Manager has responsibilities that include managing shipboard business transactions, accounting, inventory control, and reporting to the home office. Emphasis is placed on maintaining impeccable cleanliness throughout passenger areas and supervising food service and culinary operations to ensure quality, presentation, and timely delivery. A strong focus on safety and efficiency is vital, as the role involves performing duties in a maritime setting subject to the physical demands of ship motion and extended working hours. The Hotel General Manager is also expected to engage directly with guests during meal services, cocktail hours, and onboard events, providing a welcoming and memorable cruise experience.
American Cruise Lines embodies core values of Optimism, Commitment, Patriotism, and Merit, which guide the culture and service excellence aboard its vessels. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead within a dynamic environment that combines hospitality management with the challenges and rewards of the cruise industry. The Hotel General Manager position is a full-time, exempt role requiring working onboard 7 days a week, typically for 6-8 weeks followed by 1-2 weeks off. The company provides competitive compensation with a daily rate, comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) with matching, covered travel expenses, room, board, uniforms, and training. This makes it an attractive career path for driven hospitality professionals eager to contribute to an esteemed American cruise brand and help create unforgettable experiences for guests sailing the nation's waterways.
Job Requirements
- 3+ years of hotel or food and beverage management experience
- Bachelor's degree in business or hospitality management is preferred
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications
- Willing to live and work aboard the ship
- Ability to meet moderate physical demands including lifting, bending, climbing, and long periods of walking or standing
- Ability to satisfactorily pass US Coast Guard regulated pre-employment drug test and periodic consortium testing including testing for marijuana and other controlled substances
- Available to travel and work a flexible schedule including 14 to 15 hour days for six to eight weeks at a time
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation
Job Qualifications
- 3+ years of hotel or food and beverage management experience
- Bachelor’s degree in business or hospitality management is preferred
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications
- Willing to live and work aboard the ship
- Optimism and a hardworking drive to succeed
- Cruise industry experience not required
- Ability to meet moderate physical demands, including lifting, bending, climbing, and long periods of walking or standing
- Ability to satisfactorily pass US Coast Guard regulated pre-employment drug test and periodic consortium testing, including testing for marijuana and other controlled substances
- Available to travel and work a flexible schedule including 14 to 15 hour days for six to eight weeks at a time
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation
Job Duties
- Supervise the Assistant Hotel Manager, Housekeeping Manager, Restaurant Manager, Cruise Director, Excursions Director, Executive Chef and Guest Service Coordinator
- Hold officers and crew accountable to American Cruise Lines’ standards
- Comply with American Cruise Lines’ Operations Manual, service standards, and procedures
- Responsible for assessing the management team and providing immediate corrective feedback
- Anticipate the needs of guests and crew
- Respond quickly to guest requests and ensure follow-up
- Identify and resolve problems immediately and request home office support as needed
- Ability to speak and present in front of all guests in person using a microphone
- Management presence during meals services, cocktail hour, and onboard events
- Oversee food service and culinary operations for guests and crew to include food quality, presentation, service, and timely delivery
- Ensure Chefs are following approved menus and recipes
- Oversee crew orientation, scheduling, crew appearance uniform standards, and discipline
- Lead and direct ship officers in achieving weekly sales goals
- Maintain impeccable cleanliness in passenger areas and ensure all housekeeping standards are followed
- Manage shipboard business transactions, accounting, timecards, and home office reporting
- Responsible for managing all hotel and food inventories
- Work with the Executive Chef to ensure food and hotel supplies are ordered and received timely
- Complete daily ship inspection with Mate and Assistant Hotel Manager to generate daily work list and follow up to ensure tasks are completed
- Create positive crew experiences
- Coordinate all staff to create specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic game plans in order to provide our guests with a memorable cruise on each of our itineraries
- Perform bartending duties as needed with other management personnel
- Other duties as assigned
Job Criteria
Experience
Mid Level (3-7 years)
Job Location
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