Shore Excursion Manager Job Description
Many vacationers enjoy escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life by taking a cruise. Ports often offer prepackaged cruises that take passengers to a variety of locations. The managers most responsible for selling these prepackaged cruises are shore excursion managers. These managers use fantastic interpersonal skills to communicate between customers, port officials and the cruise workers.
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Function
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Shore excursion managers are recreation workers on cruise ships that operate prearranged cruise tours. Shore excursion managers are responsible for bringing customers to a cruise line by promoting and presenting at ports, often using slide presentations. They keep shore excursion forms updated, which is a form containing all of the possible tour packages. They must remain in contact with port officials and serve as a liaison between departments on the ship and those working off the ship. Financial reports must be written and presented to the cruise director and hotel manager. They must be accessible to the customers and socialize with them. When customers are angry, the shore excursion manager is usually the one to calm them. They also help carry out lifeboat drills.
Environment
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Many shore excursion managers spend a lot of time outdoors, where they communicate with customers. However, the managers also sometimes go with cruise lines on cruises. Cruises can be exposed to many kinds of weather conditions, and there is the potential for cruise workers to fall overboard, which can lead to injury or death.
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Skills
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Shore excursion managers do not need any formal education, though a bachelor's degree in hospitality and management or sales can be helpful. Shore excursion managers usually need previous experience in the tourism industry, with past experience in sales and marketing being a plus. They need excellent public speaking skills to effectively sell shore excursions to the public. They must have good people skills, since a great deal of their job involves working with customers. Additionally, having knowledge of the geography of ports is helpful when communicating to customers exactly where they will be going.
Outlook
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Growth in recreation and water transportation is expected to grow by 15 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth will be driven by increasing tourism, which will be caused by retiring baby boomers who will have more leisure time.
Benefits
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Two different cruise line companies paid shore excursion managers between $2,000 and $3,000 a month. These managers are often given benefits such as air travel, overnight accommodations, room and board, dining and paid vacation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the median earnings for shore excursion managers was $19,670 in 2008.
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References
- Photo Credit cruise ship image by Roy from Fotolia.com
