cruise line jobs

CRUISE LINES

With all of the vacations and trips we’ve taken or are planning this year, it’s a little surprising to me that not ONE trip involves going on a cruise! I think that’s atypical for us! Living in the Tampa, Fl area gives us easy access to several cruise ports (Tampa, Port Canaveral, and Miami) and it’s such a fun way to get away for a quick weekend with Jim, or a long vacation with the family.

Being the bargain shopper that I am, I’m always looking for deals on cruises. We’ve booked several over the internet in the past, using a cruises only travel agency that deals with all of the major cruise lines. One such site is DirectLineCruises, and it’s so easy to find a great deal and discount cruises using their site. They’ve even got better deals than you’ll find when you book with the cruise line directly, and sometimes offer special perks like shipboard credit for booking through their site. You won’t find deals like that when you book through the cruise line.

I decided to check out the Royal Caribbean cruise deals offered – we’ve done the same Royal Caribbean cruise several times now, because it’s a short 3 night deal that’s easy for us to get away for, and the price is always right. The price offered for this cruise is low – $249 per person! We haven’t paid so little for that cruise since the first time we did it, back in 2003, so I know that’s a great price. (That price just illustrates why I like cruising so much – how else can you go on a 3 night vacation, to a foreign country, with great entertainment, gambling, and food, for $500 a couple?)

Another cruise line that this company specializes in is Norwegian Cruise Line – we haven’t sailed with NCL, but I have family members who have, and it’s a great line. It tends to be a little more elegant and upscale than some of the other lines, so it attracts a different group of people.

You can book any of these cruises, as well as others,they allow you to make a live booking online, instead of submitting your information and waiting for a representative to call you back. The site lists all of the major cruise lines, all of the major cruise ports in the US, and reviews from customers (like me!). The company also includes cruise cancellation protection when you purchase, at no additional cost to you!

Not all jobs that are available on cruise lines requires traveling or it doesn’t have to be on board a cruise ship. Most of the jobs that are very essential to a cruise operation starts on shore and one of the important division is the sales and reservation department of the cruise line. This division takes care of the ticketing and reservation of the cruise for the passengers that are interested in going on a cruise. Here are the few position available in a cruise ship for those interested in working on shore for a cruise line.

Reservation Sales Agent – this position will require the applicant to undergo a training program (paid training for most cruise lines). The responsibility of the reservation sales agent are concerned with calls from travel agents regarding new and existing bookings and reservations.

Inside Sales Representative – an experience of one to two years in customer service is required in this position. As they will be interacting with a lot of people, good communication skills is required. The inside sales representative is in charge of the in-house support to outside sales representative.

Cruise Assistance Desk Representative – requires good communication skills as they will be selling products through telemarketing.

Reservation Supervisor – this position will be responsible for monitoring, evaluating and developing of vacation planners and will be in charge in communicating with the positions under his/her department to make sure that the operations will run smoothly.

Sales Manager – will be heading and leading the sales team in all aspect of the sales matter of the cruise lines. Requires experience in supervising as this position will be holding and be responsible to sales crew.