Cruise Assistant

Job Introduction

Saga is Britain’s most experienced specialist Tour Operator for holidaymakers who are aged 50 years and over.

SAGA is primarily a direct sell, off-peak tour operator, with a varied programme of holidays. These range from Long-Haul, European and UK (Short Haul) tours and resort stays, Ocean & River Cruising, Short Break holidays and Special Interest programmes, such as Walking, Singles, Archaeology, Art Appreciation, Gardens and Music.

Our employees will be able to provide an excellent level of service and able to gain customer confidence through knowledge and a genuine concern for their wellbeing and enjoyment of their holiday.

And right now, we are looking for a Cruise Assistant at an exciting time in Saga’s history. As a Group, Saga is taking to the seas in our brand new, luxury cruise ships and leading the market with innovative insurance and financial products.

As a Cruise Assistant onboard one of our river cruise ships, you will ensure that all Saga guests enjoy a pleasurable and memorable holiday by creating and delivering exceptional guest service. Having a passion for people - you will engage with the guests every day. Ensuring they receive a warm welcome and a personal dedicated service throughout their stay
- arriving as a guest and leaving us as a friend.

As a Cruise Assistant, you will be responsible for delivering excellent guest experience. You will not only be the face of Saga but will be an integral part of the guests’ holidays - ensuring that we are offering guests an exciting and diverse range of activities throughout their stay. Providing authentic experiences that allow guests to culturally immerse themselves into the local culture as little or as much as they want. You will be the local expert - sharing your local knowledgeable about the areas and on hand with our guests with everything they may need.

Main Responsibilities
- Your role as our Cruise Assistant is to enhance the holiday experience by providing a unique and exclusive guest service. Ensuring all guests have a truly memorable holiday.
- Be proactive in facilitating a social atmosphere throughout the guests’ holiday.
- Create an exciting and original daily activity planner for guests in order to maximise their holiday experience.
- To co-host/host activities and games during the day as required - finding new ways to incorporate the local area into the guests’ holiday experience.
- Assist the Cruise Host in ensuring the programme runs as advertised in the brochure and detailed in the customer itinerary.
- To offer a full personalised concierge service to our guests on board - using your expert knowledge - you will tailor-make this service for our guests to enjoy.

Customer Care & Quality:

- Handle guests’ complaints - if a guest has cause to complain during their holiday - you must take ownership of the guest complaints, act promptly and take all reasonable steps to rectify matters. All issues must be followed up with the guest until the problem is resolved to the guest’s satisfaction.
- Ensuring the guest is put at the forefront of every decision-making process and maximise every opportunity to retain and recover guests through first contact resolution actively using compensation in resort.
- Ensuring our guests receive a First Impression Survey and that all issues are recorded and acted on accordingly whilst identifying reoccurring themes.
- Provide detailed written reports in response to customer complaints as required.
- Assist and provide full support with guest illness, accident, death, repatriation and liaise with insurance company and head office.
- Throughout the season ensure the ship is maintained, cleaned, fully equipped, ready for guests' use. Liaise with Management as necessary and follow up until resolved satisfactorily. Persistent or recurrent issues must be escalated to your Cruise Host.
- To assist in completing monthly checks - all measures must be taken to ensure issues identified are rectified promptly to pre-empt / prevent guest issues.

Operational:

- Co-ordinate transfer team to meet all guests at their point of entry and ensure their smooth transfer to and from the ship.
- Liaise with the ship prior to guests’ arrival to ensure efficient allocation of cabins.
- Co-Host a welcome meeting and cocktail party for guests.
- Ensure the hospitality desk is hosted during specified duty hours, in a regular location on board, to respond to all questions, queries and general information for customers. Socialise with customers where they are located. (Take the desk to them).
- Complete a Cruise Report regarding the ship, facilities available, excursions and all other aspects relating to the overall operation of the holiday on an exception basis.
- To ensure good service levels are maintained. It is important that the Cruise Assistant establishes a good working relationship with our suppliers, such as the purser's office, captain and ship staff or hotel staff
- Ensure all Sa