Break Into the Dinner & Entertainment Cruise Business

Fabulous British Columbia, Canada awaits! If you're Canadian or want to work in Canada, then check out job opportunities with Harbour Cruises & Events. Learn about the company, its vessels, and hiring practices below. Become a CruiseJobFinder Member to access the entire interview.

Interview Excerpt

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Please describe what your company does. What is your role in the staffing process?

We are the largest dinner and entertainment cruise company in Vancouver. We offer the only narrated tour of Vancouver's inner harbor and have the popular sunset dinner cruise.

We also offer the only Luncheon cruise through a stunning mountain fjord along the coast. We offer many other special cruises for events and holidays as well as private charters for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and more.

How many vessels does your company operate?

Our three main vessels are the MV Britannia, the MPV Constitution, and the MV Harbour Princess.

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

Our cruises usually last 3 or 4 hours and the format is similar. We follow a specific route and offer entertainment, food and beverages and exquisite views. The employee will need to make the guests' time on board as enjoyable, relaxing and comfortable as possible.

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

Harbor Tour Guide, Bar Service Staff, Event Planners, Catering Service Staff, Entertainers, Sales Agents, Catering Supervisors, Office Clerks and Onboard Supervisors are some of them.

Do you have a 'season' or 'seasons' where you're busiest? Describe the seasonality aspect of your business.

We are open all year round, but only during week days from January to March and November. We are open 7 days a week during our busy summer season from May to October with a slightly shorter period of operation in April.

Do you have a lot of college kids working for you?

Yes. It is probably due to the fact that jobs are fun, social, and offer flexible days and hours.

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

Cruises, whether they are big or small, are all tourism related, so you need to have a knack for tourism, an interest in your surrounding area, and a passion about meeting new people and introducing them to the places that you love. You must also be a team player.

What advice would you give people to help them prepare for interviews with your company?

We advise people to not over prepare for interviews. We done want a robot to come in there and carefully give us planned answers. We want someone to come in to see us with a smile, be himself, and talk naturally and honestly to us.

What type of person gravitates towards these jobs?

We get candidates who only stay with us for a short period and move on, but the majority of our employees are students who do work on weekends and over the vacation period.

The type of person who enjoys working on a cruise ships is a traveler at heart, but who is looking for more stability in his or her life.

 

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