ONBOARD JOBS
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Talent Hub
Port Shopping Expert
Are you ready to step onboard?
Job Role | PORT SHOPPING EXPERT |
Department | |
Job Type | FIXED TERM CONTRACT |
Cabin | Shared |
Salary | To be discussed at interview |
Commission | High Potential |
Welcome to our Academy Onboard Talent Hub, we will take you through everything you need to know about becoming a Port Shopping Expert in the cruise industry.
On this page, we will guide you through the 4 steps you need to know before proceeding further: the role description, the requirements, our unique support and finally how to apply.
ACADEMY CEO INTRODUCTION:
Are you ready to stand on a stage in front of a 700 seat theater inspiring people to shop? The Port Shopping Expert is one of the most unique and truly rewarding roles in the entire cruise industry, it really is unlike anything else. It requires a high level of charisma, confidence and trust. You will need to showcase this in a number of videos and presentations right from the start of the application process. Good luck!
Trust us with your journey
Step 1 - The Job Role
At the Cruise Retail Academy, we're dedicated to illuminating your career, offering exceptional opportunities for Port Shopping Experts to work onboard luxury cruise ships worldwide.
Do you possess excellent public speaking skills, ambition and a passion for luxury and local retail opportunities that connect well with onboard retailing.
Would you relish the chance to showcase magical products and brand stories for your guests with your expertise, conducting special seminars, shows and presentations?
Are you prepared to inspire and train others in the intricacies of ports of call offerings to be able to fully engage guests before they go ashore?
Do you thrive on entertaining and delivering exceptional guest experiences
Do you excel at orchestrating special activations that draw crowds and elevate entertainment?
How You'll Create Magical Experiences Onboard as a Port Shopping Expert:
With a passion for luxury, you will inspire onboard guests to want come shopping whilst on their cruise both onboard and on land, promoting a range of unique selling points.
Supporting your fellow shoppies and specialists onboard to highlight the wonderful ports of call experiences within a selected range of products and boutiques.
Collaborating with cruise line partners and onboard teams to host seminars, presentations and shopping shows.
What Experience We're Seeking:
Strong and clear communication skills
Self motivated and driven to achieve targets
Honest, hardworking, and down-to-earth individuals with a passion for presentation.
You should be adaptable, innovative and initiative driven.
Positive experience working with guests to create memorable moments on land, at sea, or even on the moon... If you can deliver outstanding guest experiences through public speaking and thrive in a ship environment, you're already ahead.
What You Can Expect:
Access to the Cruise Retail Academy and comprehensive brand training.
Competitive salary and a generous commission structure.
Onboard accommodation and meals.
Customized in-house training covering sales, product knowledge, and brand expertise.
Contract-based role, with opportunities to work and live at sea for up to 6 months at a time, with breaks between contracts.
Assistance with necessary visas and seafaring documents for work at sea.
Step 2 - Requirements
Before you start an amazing adventure on the oceans and growing your career, it is important to know that getting onboard a cruise ship for the first time is a little bit complicated. As such, you need to be fully prepared for the steps you will need to take before you can start working.
It can take 3-6 months to get onboard, and for those candidates who use us to find a job onboard, we will help, guide and support you all the way until you embark safely.
Before you step onto the gangway and into your first cruise ship you will need to go through 6 main stages to get there, which we will guide you through as part of your application process with us.
Application (this part)
Interview and Assessment (with us first, then with client afterwards)
Medical (between $300 - 600)
C1/D Visa Application (typically around $180 - reimbursed onboard)
Pre-employment HR certification including:
Police clearance certificate
STCW training (between $100 basic - $800 comprehensive)
HR paperwork
Travel arrangements (cost depends on operator)
We have a comprehensive guide to answer all the key questions which we think you need to know about the requirements to getting onboard for the first time:
The Academy team is here to support you at every step of your journey onboard. We know the industry, we know the people and we know the expectations.
Step 3 - Our Unique Support
Are you ready for ship life?
Do you know what lies ahead?
We want to support you uniquely to prepare you.
To do this we would like to share with you as much information as we can so you can begin your onboarding process. Firstly, at the bottom of this page, you will find a link to our department overview page that tells you a lot more about the specific department,
Then we have a unique podcast for you to listen to telling you all about this specific role and giving you some honest understanding of what lies ahead. Right at the bottom of the page, we have further useful links to our Cruise Blog, our FAQ's. And most importantly, we have over 50 free training courses for you to really help you understand all aspects of ship life, guidance and skills. To join our Academy for free, and to find the courses that are most relevant to your job role:
Step 4 - Time to Apply
So, you have seen the job description, you have learnt about the requirements and you understand the support that is available from us.
Now, it is time for you to apply for the role. To do this we would like you to complete 3 tasks:
CV: Ensure that your CV is up to date and saved in PDF format to be uploaded
Video: Record a 1-2 minute portrait-format personal profile video introduction to help us get to know you as a person, your personality, energy and passion beyond your CV.
Here are a few tips to help you create a great video:
Keep it brief. Your video should be around 1 minute and no longer than 2 minutes in length.
Be yourself. This is your chance to let your personality shine! We want to see your genuine energy and a positive attitude.
Showcase your experience. Tell us about yourself and your previous roles. Highlight experiences that align with the position you're applying for, specifically focusing on skills like luxury sales, presentation, and building strong relationships.
Bring the energy. Speak confidently and with enthusiasm. We'll be looking for your ability to connect with people, much like you would during a destination talk or a conversation with a guest during a Q&A..
When you have finished recording and are happy with your work, make sure that your video is in a standard format (usual video file for a mobile phone) and upload it to YouTube Shorts or Loom (you can set the video to 'unlisted' if you want it to remain private). Once you have uploaded it, copy the link to the video as you will need to paste this onto the application form, once you have uploaded your CV.
Application Form: Complete the rest of our application form with requested additional details / understanding not shown on your CV.
Once you have done your research, listened to our podcast and feel ready to move forward, all you need to do is click on the 'Apply For Job' button below on the right.
When you click on this button, you will need to upload your CV, upload your video and answer a few questions.
NB. If you want some help on ensuring your CV is well written, you can join our CV workshop, available in our E-Academy.
Port Shopping Expert
PODCAST
FURTHER RESOURCES
