Cruise Director - Marella Cruises

The Cruise Director is required to manage the Entertainment Department onboard a specified Marella Cruise Ship. The department consists of an Assistant Cruise Director, a team of Entertainment Hosts, Production Cast Members, a Technical Manager and team of Technicians, a Children’s Host Team, as well as a Musical Director and team of Resident Musicians.

In addition to all resident Crew within the Entertainment Department, fly on/off Guest Entertainers will also join the department’s complement each week. Daily administration tasks make up a large part of the role, in order to manage this operation and personnel efficiently.

As the Cruise Director, you are the face of the ship’s entertainment operation, and in turn must make your presence known to the guests and Entertainment Department team members as much as possible. Daily appearances on stage, hosting of key, high profile events, and broadcasts via the public address system must be made, in order to maximize your profile.

Working alongside fellow Heads of Departments on board, the Cruise Director is responsible for the scheduling and programming of events, activities and shows, with an aim of ensuring that all guests experience a modern, full and varied entertainment offering, as well as supporting other departments with revenue generation, assisted by the daily programme and regular advertising.

Responsibilities

• To deliver and promote the entertainment package to an exceptionally high standard.
• To host a selected number of daily events including sail away parties, main stage shows in the on-board theatre and other corporate sponsored social events.
• Keeping guests up to date with the entertainment and revenue events schedule via public address systems.
• To support all onboard partners with their weekly revenue targets by driving awareness through on-board announcements and Cruise News. To continually seek opportunities to feed in these key revenue messages in any communications with our customers.
• To attend, support and feedback at key revenue events on board where necessary.
• To train key concessionaires on presentation style and how to interact with passengers.
• To compile and present the Cruise Director TV channel, including filming all onboard revenue streams.
• To lead the weekly ‘Exclusive Memorabilia Auction’ and ensuring the weekly revenue target is achieved with assistance from the Assistant Cruise Director.
• This involves responsibility for the stock and ensuring it is not damaged during the auction.
• To lead Bingo and ensure the weekly revenue target is achieved through selling tickets with assistance from the Entertainment Team.
• Line management of Assistant Cruise Director, Technical Manager, Musical Director, Show Cast Manager & M Club Manager & Senior Entertainment Hosts, including; monthly 1-2-1’s, appraisals of these Managers and assisting them with their development plans for Entertainment/Children’s Hosts, Show Cast, Musicians & Technicians.
• Admin duties include; regular checking of and responding to emails, weekly entertainment reports to RWS Global UK HQ, regular programme/content feedback to RWS Global UK HQ, relevant and appropriate amendments to the entertainment scheduling in response to changing demographics on board, appraisals of Line Managers, and investigation/disciplinary paperwork where required.
• To create and enhance the passenger experience on board.
• To oversee all members of the ship’s Entertainment Department.
• To uphold and exceed venue expectations.
• To ensure standards, product and the professional behavior of the team are at the highest level of the company.
• To oversee and maintain standards of all production elements, as set by RWS Production Team.
• Working alongside the Assistant Cruise Director, ensure the updated entertainment programme for each day is completed and issued to the relevant department responsible for the daily ‘Cruise News’ within given deadlines.
• Supporting the M-Club Leader to deliver a full and entertaining children’s programme, as set and provided by the Cruise Ops Delivery Support Manager at RWS Global UK HQ.
• Making regular appearances in the Children’s Department and ensuring compliance with company safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Liaising with the Technical Manager and Musical Director to ensure guest entertainment is adequately rehearsed and presented in a professional manner.
• Collaborating with other departments to help plan revenue generation events.
• Developing and maintaining professional relationships with Guest Acts and Show Cast, ensuring entertainment requirements are understood and met.
• Attending revenue, budget and itinerary meetings with relevant Heads of Department to enable effective future planning and helping to achieve onboard revenue targets.
• To make a Port Showcase announcement (generally day at sea mornings) to remind and direct guests to the correct venue/time.
• Port Showcase participation (as high profile as possible), including providing all necessary support staff such as AV Technicians.
• To make regular revenue announcements (ie; advertising last minute availability on tours/Shop promotions/Cruise Holiday Store etc).
• To ensure the Technical/Broadcast Team record and edit the Port Showcase each week, to screen on the in-cabin TV
• To give priority to and protect certain Destination Services events, such as Port Showcases and Cruise Holiday Store/Future Cruise presentations within the Cruise Layout, ensuring there is no conflict with light entertainment events.
• Personally and alongside members of the Entertainment Team, assist the hotel operation on challenging days; with gangway assistance and crowd control (ad hoc).
• To ensure the Show Cast Manager schedules regular rehearsals.
• To deliver feedback to members of the Entertainment Department.
• To deliver regular professional reports to the Cruise Operations Delivery Manager at RWS Global UK HQ.
• To secure and oversee the welfare of all Entertainment Team members.
• To ensure all backstage and storage areas are maintained and tidied.
• To ensure appearance and grooming guidelines are maintained by all members of the Entertainment Department, at all times.
• Interface with the ship’s Management Team.
• To uphold the standards set out in your training.
• Team development to include: monthly 1-2-1’s, appraisals and development plans.
• To support the Technical Manager in ensuring upkeep and maintenance of any sound, lightening, stage, props, scenery, electrical items and all health & safety elements in conjunction with RWS AV.
• To oversee and support the Show Cast Manager in ensuring all costumes, characters & props are maintained, making sure you report back to the Cruise Operations Delivery Manager if any damages occur.
• The Cruise Director must attend and report on programmed events throughout each cruise. These include:

- All elements of the light entertainment programme.

- Main stage production shows.

- Sets around the ship provided by the department’s Resident Musicians.

- High profile events, such as Sail Away and Deck Parties.

- All Guest Entertainer shows.

• A position of onboard responsibility will be held with regards to emergency procedures, guest mustering and drills (full training received on board).

Experience and Skillset

The Cruise Director should have at least two year’s experience in working with diverse and varied entertainment programmes, ideally within a ‘family audience’ cruise ship environment.

Experience managing multiple departments within a team.

Professional microphone/hosting experience.

A strong knowledge of stage performance.

Experience of revenue promotion through an entertainment product.