Cruise Hotel Director (Southeast Asia)

Turn Capital 龍丞資本; Johor; On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Cruise Hotel Director to oversee hospitality operations on a new premium cruise ship operating in Southeast Asia. This role involves managing a large team, ensuring high-quality guest experiences, and driving commercial performance. The successful candidate will lead the pre-opening setup and work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional service.

Benefits

Competitive package

Opportunity to shape a new cruise hospitality brand

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of senior leadership experience in hospitality.
• Proven success in launching or pre-opening properties.

Responsibilities

• Set up and oversee all hotel operations on board.
• Lead the pre-opening phase: SOP creation, department setup.
• Manage departmental budgets and performance metrics.

Skills

Leadership

Service Design

Guest Journey Mapping

Job description

We are hiring for one of our portfoilo companies. This is an on-site, ship-based role. The vessel is based in Southeast Asia and will operate across regional ports including Malaysia and Singapore

Job Title: Cruise Hotel Director

Location: Malaysia (cruise-based, operating across Southeast Asia)

About the Role

We are seeking a seasoned hotel executive to lead the hospitality operations aboard a new premium cruise ship. The vessel will feature luxury guest cabins, multi-concept dining, entertainment lounges, wellness offerings, retail, and a full guest activity program.

This is a pivotal leadership role with full responsibility for all onboard hospitality operations, including rooms, housekeeping, food & beverage, entertainment, spa, retail, and guest services. The successful candidate will lead the pre-opening setup and oversee operations post-launch, working closely with cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences and strong business performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Set up and oversee all hotel operations on board, including rooms, F&B, entertainment, spa, wellness, and guest services.
• Lead the pre-opening phase: SOP creation, department setup, recruitment, and service design.
• Hire, train, and manage a hospitality team of approximately 200 crew members.
• Design the end-to-end guest journey, ensuring consistently high-quality execution of signature experiences.
• Manage departmental budgets, cost controls, and performance metrics with a strong focus on guest satisfaction and profitability.
• Coordinate with shipboard teams to ensure smooth integration of hotel services and marine operations.
• Support implementation of hospitality systems such as PMS, POS, and guest-facing platforms.
• Drive commercial performance through room sales, onboard service offerings, and guest spending.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of senior leadership experience in hospitality, with at least 2–3 years in cruise or offshore resort environments.
• Proven success in launching or pre-opening properties, including SOP development and service team setup.
• Strong cross-functional experience across rooms, F&B, entertainment, housekeeping, and spa.
• Deep understanding of service design, guest journey mapping, and experience delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams (100–200+), ideally in multicultural and mobile environments.
• Familiarity with maritime or shipboard operations and compliance is highly preferred.
• Hands-on, adaptable, and able to thrive in a dynamic, sea-based environment.
• Willingness to be based full-time on board a vessel operating throughout Southeast Asia.

What We Offer

• Well rounded competitive package, above industry
• Opportunity to shape a new cruise hospitality brand from launch

If you’re passionate about guest experiences and excited to build something new, we’d love to hear from you.