Cruise Planner

Elite Escapes; Wellington; On-site; NZD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Elite Escapes is seeking a Remote Cruise Planner (Sales-Focused) to help clients turn cruise dreams into confirmed vacations. You will combine destination knowledge, service excellence, and a consultative sales approach to match travelers with ships, itineraries, and onboard experiences.

Responsibilities include understanding client needs, recommending options, handling bookings, and building lasting relationships.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organization skills and comfort managing multiple quotes, reservations, follow-ups, and client details.
• Interest in cruises or travel by sea.
• Experience in travel industry, sales, hospitality or booking is preferred—but not required.

Responsibilities

• Connect with clients to understand their preferred destinations, travel style, budget, dates, group size, and cruise must-haves.
• Recommend the right cruise line, ship, itinerary, stateroom, dining package, shore excursions, and add-ons based on each traveler’s needs.
• Turn inquiries into confirmed cruise vacations through email, chat, and phone with energy, accuracy, and a client-first approach.
• Explain cruise options clearly, including cabin categories, deposits, payment plans, travel protection, onboard packages, and port requirements.
• Handle booking details, special requests, changes, payments, upgrades, and pre-cruise questions with professionalism and care.
• Resolve concerns quickly and confidently, helping clients feel supported from quote to embarkation and return home.
• Share valuable cruise insights—best sailings for families, romantic itineraries, hidden ports, seasonal opportunities, and promotions.
• Build post-booking relationships that encourage repeat sailings, referrals, reviews, and loyalty.

Skills

Travel passion

Client communication

Sales mindset

Organization

Tools

CRM systems

AI tools

Job description

Join Elite Escapes and turn your passion for travel into your next career.

As a Remote Cruise Planner (Sales-Focused),

you'll help clients turn we should take a cruise someday into a confirmed sailing they cannot wait to board. You'll combine destination knowledge, great service, and a consultative sales approach to match travelers with the right ship, itinerary, cabin, and onboard experience—whether they are planning a romantic escape, multigenerational family vacation, celebration at sea, group sailing, or bucket-list voyage.

What You'll Do

• Connect with clients to understand their preferred destinations, travel style, budget, dates, group size, and cruise must-haves.
• Recommend the right cruise line, ship, itinerary, stateroom, dining package, shore excursions, and add-ons based on each traveler's needs.
• Turn inquiries into confirmed cruise vacations through email, chat, and phone with energy, accuracy, and a client-first approach.
• Explain cruise options clearly, including cabin categories, deposits, payment plans, travel protection, onboard packages, and port requirements.
• Handle booking details, special requests, changes, payments, upgrades, and pre-cruise questions with professionalism and care.
• Resolve concerns quickly and confidently, helping clients feel supported from their first quote through embarkation and their return home.
• Share valuable cruise insights—best sailings for families, romantic itineraries, hidden-gem ports, seasonal opportunities, and limited-time promotions.
• Build post-booking relationships that encourage repeat sailings, referrals, reviews, and long-term client loyalty.

Nice to Have

• Interest in cruises, ocean travel, river cruising, expedition voyages, or helping people explore the world by sea.
• Travel-industry, sales, hospitality, customer-service, or booking experience is preferred—but not required. Zero experience is welcome.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to guide clients toward a decision.
• Strong organization skills and comfort managing multiple quotes, reservations, follow-ups, and client details.
• Comfort with technology, online booking platforms, CRM systems, and AI tools—we will train you on the rest.
• A genuine passion for travel, memorable experiences, and helping clients find the cruise that feels made for them.

What You Get

• Fully remote work with the flexibility to build your schedule around your life.
• Comprehensive onboarding and training on cruise lines, ships, itineraries, supplier platforms, sales conversations, and travel planning.
• A collaborative, supportive team atmosphere with colleagues who want to see you succeed.
• The opportunity to grow into specialties such as luxury cruises, family cruising, group sailings, river cruises, expedition travel, or destination celebrations.
• Clear paths toward leadership and higher earning potential.

Cruise planning has plenty of moving parts—but if you enjoy helping people choose between ocean views and balconies, island stops and bucket-list ports, relaxation and adventure, you will thrive here. Your work will transform questions into bookings and cruise dreams into unforgettable days at sea.

Who We Are

We curate journeys that turn travel dreams into reality. We believe travel and adventure should create transformative, lifelong memories — that's why we partner with advisors who share that passion.

Cruise Planner • Wellington, New Zealand