Trainee Cruise Advisor

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

AXA Health

Life Assurance

Enhanced maternity/paternity pay

Discounted holidays & cruises

Retail discounts

Boost Benefits scheme

Job summary

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is expanding its Contact Centre with a Trainee Cruise Advisor at our Ipswich Head Office. You will handle reservations, guest services and live chat across multiple channels, supporting guests and travel agents throughout their journey.

Training will be provided to cover systems and Fred. Olsen products, with opportunities to visit ships on educational trips and earn commission in addition to the base salary.

Qualifications

• Background in a customer facing environment.
• Experience handling telephone, email or live chat enquiries.
• Previously worked to targets or KPIs.
• Educated to GCSE-level with a C/4 in Maths and English.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Empathetic, professional communicator.
• Able to build rapport with guests and agents.
• Capable of multitasking across multiple systems and channels.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Willingness to learn and develop across functions.

Responsibilities

• Handle inbound and outbound reservations enquiries from guests and travel agent partners.
• Create, amend and manage cruise bookings accurately and efficiently.
• Promote and sell Fred. Olsen cruises, cabins, upgrades and packages.
• Outbound sales calling for upgrades during quieter periods.
• Identify opportunities to maximise revenue through upselling and cross-selling.
• Provide accurate product, itinerary and pricing information.
• Process booking amendments, transfers and cancellations per policy.
• Respond to guest enquiries by phone, email and live chat.
• Resolve guest concerns professionally and empathetically.
• Manage requests relating to special requirements, dining, accessibility and documentation.
• Deliver an engaging and professional live chat experience.
• Identify sales opportunities through live chat conversations.
• Respond to guest and travel partner emails within service levels.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Multitasking

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Rapport building

Empathy

Targets

Learning mindset

Time management

Education

GCSE Maths & English (C/4)

Job description

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is a family-run business that has been offering exceptional cruise experiences for over 170 years. With a fleet of ships that provide intimate, friendly, and immersive voyages, we are committed to delivering world-class service with a personal touch. Join us and be part of a proud heritage that is all about making lasting memories for our guests.

As we continue to grow, we are now strengthening our Contact Centre team with a Trainee Cruise Advisor in our Ipswich Head Office.

Within this role, you will provide a seamless service across Reservations, Guest Services and Live Chat, supporting both direct guests and travel agent partners throughout their customer journey. You will confidently handle cruise bookings, amendments, enquiries and service requests across multiple communication channels including telephone, email, live chat and WhatsApp. There is the opportunity to visit our ships and sail on educational trips, whilst also being able to earn commission in addition to your basic salary.

Main Tasks & Activities:

• Handle inbound and outbound reservations enquiries from guests and travel agent partners.
• Create, amend and manage cruise bookings accurately and efficiently.
• Promote and sell Fred. Olsen cruises, cabins, upgrades, packages and ancillary products.
• Outbound sales calling at quieter periods for upgrades and targeted callouts.
• Identify opportunities to maximise revenue through upselling and cross-selling.
• Provide accurate product, itinerary and pricing information.
• Process booking amendments, transfers and cancellations in line with company policies.
• Respond to guest enquiries via phone, email and live chat.
• Resolve guest concerns and service issues professionally and empathetically.
• Manage requests relating to special requirements, dining, accessibility, onboard experiences and cruise documentation.
• Deliver an engaging and professional live chat experience.
• Identify sales opportunities through live chat conversations.
• Respond to guest and travel partner emails within agreed service levels.

About You:

• Background within a customer facing environment.
• Experience handling telephone, email or live chat enquiries.
• Previously worked to targets or KPIs.
• Educated to GCSE-level or equivalent, with a C or 4 in Maths and English.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• An empathetic, professional and confident communicator
• Able to build rapport with guests and agents with a strong problem-solving head.
• Can multitask across multiple systems and channels.
• Superb attention to detail.
• Willingness to learn and develop across multiple functions.
• Knowledge of cruise holidays and travel industry experience is beneficial but not essential.

Learning and development are important to us. Therefore, as the successful candidate, you will benefit from an initial training programme. During this time, you will work closely with our Learning and Development team, who will provide full product training covering the systems we use and the Fred. Olsen products to help you have all the knowledge you need to achieve your best.

This is a permanent, full-time role, working 35 hours per week Monday to Friday and every other Saturday in our Ipswich Head Office. A day off during the week will be rewarded when a Saturday is worked.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines offer a wide range of benefits including AXA Health medical, Life Assurance, enhanced maternity and paternity pay, discounted holidays and cruises, plus retail discounts and cash back incentives through our Boost Benefits scheme. Attached to this advert you will find a full job description and details of our Company benefits on offer.

Our Values:

• We are one team -Working together, supporting each other and recognising that every role plays a part.
• We are ambitious - Always looking for opportunities to improve and deliver more for our guests, colleagues and business.
• We are curious - Asking questions, seeking new ideas and learning from the world around us.
• We are real - Bringing our authentic selves to work and creating genuine connections.

As an equal opportunity employer, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We want to ensure that you feel supported throughout the application process and provide reasonable adjustments where necessary and requested. If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of your application and interview process, please do not hesitate to let us know.