Jobs with Captain Cook Cruises in Australia

Working on a small ship can be a blast! The editorial staff at CruiseJobFinder recently interviewed a manager at Captain Cook Cruises, an Australian operator of small cruise ships. Captain Cook takes passengers around Sydney Harbour and up the Murray River in South Australia. This might be the job for you!

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Interview Excerpt Only

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How many vessels does your company operate?

We have a total of 15 vessels catering from a minimum of 2 persons up to 700 guests.

Describe a typical "cruise" if there is such a thing. What would the shipboard experience be like for a typical employee?

The typical work day/evening is a dinner cruise and the work schedule is as follows:

• Employees must arrive for work on time and dressed immaculately.
• Be ready to accept customers 5 minutes from scheduled boarding.
• Receive briefing for the evening.
• Welcome guests.
• Take drinks and meal orders.
• Liaise with guests and get to know them, take photos etc.
• After the cruise bid farewell to guests.
• Set up for the next function.

What are some of the common job titles you advertise for?

We employ the following personnel: Stewards, Deckhands, Customer Service Agents, Cruise Director, and Bar Staff.

Do you have a "season" or "seasons" where you're busiest?

Yes, we have two seasons - busy and extremely busy! The summer months from November until February are the extremely busy ones.

How many seasonal staff do you typically hire, and for which positions?

We hire 30 to 40 stewards for approximately 3 months at a time.

Regarding seasonal or temporary staff...What percentage of your staff are returning from the previous year vs. new hires?

Our temporary staff members are usually from overseas, in Australia on working holiday Visas, which means they rarely come back.

Do you have a lot of college students working for you? If yes, then what attracts them to your jobs?

Yes, they enjoy the variety of shifts, the flexibility, and the view of Sydney Harbour.

Describe your perfect candidate.

Personality is key. You must be a people person - full stop.

Are there any common traits people should have in order to get hired, and then to succeed in the cruise industry?

Absolutely! People skills are essential for those wishing to succeed in this industry.

Are there any benefits or perks that your employees enjoy?

We offer free cruises for our employees and their partner.

Does your company provide any training?

Yes, normally one week under the guidance of each of our department managers.

What type of person gravitates towards these jobs?

Those with people skills are attracted to these jobs. Local crew members stay with us for many years. Foreign crew members tend to move around from one country to another.

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