Captain

Hornblower Corp; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

City Cruises US is seeking an experienced Captain to lead cruises, ensuring safety, high service quality, and strong guest satisfaction. The role requires extensive maritime experience including captain duties, Coast Guard compliance, and crew supervision across multiple decks and operations.

The Captain will train and schedule crew, coordinate with departments for guest requests, and oversee safety drills and vessel maintenance. Flexibility for evenings and weekends is essential.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 100-ton license with a satisfactory record.
• Five+ years marine experience, including two years as captain with outstanding record.
• Knowledge of ship systems and maintenance (gangways, diesel, hydraulic, electrical, water, fire suppression, communications, navigation).
• Operate vessel in accordance with Coast Guard rules and procedures.
• FCC Marine Radio Operator Permit.
• Vessel handling and navigation knowledge.
• Strong oral and written communication; diplomacy with guests.
• MS Office proficiency (Word & Excel).

Responsibilities

• Rotate as cruise captain and ensure safety, quality, and guest satisfaction.
• Gather event details to fulfill guest requests and ensure satisfaction.
• Conduct pre-cruise meetings and communicate with crew.
• Ensure staff comply with safety standards and procedures.
• Participate in Safety Program and drills.
• Maintain ship systems and boarding facilities.
• Comply with Coast Guard and company regulations.
• Provide crew training and recruit operations staff as needed.
• Schedule crew and manage payroll.
• Promote crew to full-time positions and interact with city officials.
• Develop teamwork and resolve guest issues in collaboration with managers.

Skills

Captain experience

Coast Guard rules

100-ton license

MS Office

Vessel navigation

Emergency procedures

Guest relations

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Position Summary:

The successful Captain will greet all guests and ensure each guest is attended to in an appropriate manner ensuring consistently high levels of safety, quality, service, and guest satisfaction, while maintaining a high level of profitability.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Rotate as cruise captain on cruises and ensure adherence to procedures detailed in the Product Management Guide. This includes thorough pre-cruise preparation, adherence to cruise scripts, supervision of crew, proper piloting of vessel, adherence to all Coast Guard rules and regulations, and guest satisfaction.
• Gather pertinent cruise event details from the other departments to ensure special guest requests are fulfilled thereby ensuring complete guest satisfaction.
• Conduct pre-cruise meetings and communicate to crew all necessary information regarding the cruise (special needs, boarding procedures, etc.).
• Ensure that staff and quests adhere to all safety standards and procedures.
• Participate in the execution of the Safety Program, including emergency drills
• Participate in the proper maintenance of all ship's systems and boarding facilities including but not limited to gangways, diesel, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, water (potable, raw, black, and gray), fire suppression, communications, and navigation.
• Ensure adherence to Coast Guard rules and regulations, and other federal and local rules and regulations.
• Ensure strict compliance to Emergency Response Plan.
• Execute other projects as assigned by management.
• Recruit non-exempt operations staff (crew) when necessary to fill vacant positions.
• Deliver training to new crew.
• Schedule crew according to staffing matrix.
• Adhere to Company's performance management guidelines for all discipline and termination situations.
• Recommend to Marine Management the promotion of crew to full-time annual positions.
• Develop positive working relationships with city department heads and peers.
• Develop strong teamwork within the staff.
• Resolve guest problems in conjunction with the on-duty Restaurant Manager utilizing strong guest service skills and exercising effective communication skills inkeeping with company objectives and guest retention.
• Oversee the implementation and execution of safety programs in accordance with Coast Guard regulations and established Company policies
• Complete all shift records: checklist, logbook, payroll, and documentation of safety training.
• Ensure that incident reports are completed accurately and promptly.
• Participate in administration of payroll system including scheduling, checking, transmitting, and processing.
• Execute collateral duties as assigned by Marine Management: uniforms, crew training, safety training, recruiting, scheduling crew and routine vessel maintenance.
• Schedule crew work periods to achieve maximum payroll efficiency.
• Attend all scheduled meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements & Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Must currently possess 100-ton license with a satisfactory record.
• Minimum of five (5) years of marine experience-preferably to include two (2) years as a captain with an outstanding record.
• Detailed working knowledge of all ship's systems and their proper maintenance: gangways, diesel, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, water (potable, raw, black, and gray), fire suppression, communications, and navigation.
• Must be able to operate vessel in accordance with all Coast Guard rules and procedures.
• FCC Marine Radio Operator Permit.
• Vessel handling and navigation knowledge required.
• Able to communicate effectively in oral and written form.
• Able to effectively deal with internal and external guests some of whom will require high levels of patience tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities/tasks.
• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (especially Word & Excel).
• Per USCG regulations, must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work onboard a moving vessel in varying weather and sea conditions, including maintaining balance and stability while underway.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, frequently throughout a shift.
• Ability to navigate stairs, ladders, narrow passageways, and confined spaces commonly found onboard vessels.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull supplies, equipment, and inventory weighing up to 40 pounds independently.
• Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach overhead, and perform repetitive motions as required in food service and hospitality operations.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively during normal operations, guest service situations, and emergency procedures.
• Ability to safely work in a fast-paced environment with exposure to moving equipment, wet surfaces, temperature variations, and moderate noise levels.
• Ability to visually inspect service areas, food presentation, cleanliness standards, and safety conditions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with guests, crew members, and management in person and via radio or other communication devices.
• Successfully complete vessel-specific safety and emergency training.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended shifts as operational needs require.

Work Environment:

• Work is performed primarily onboard a Coast Guard-inspected passenger vessel, with duties split between dining, service, storage, galley-adjacent, and administrative areas.
• Position requires regular movement throughout multiple decks and may involve occasional exposure to outdoor marine environments, including heat, humidity, rain, wind, and sunlight.
• Must be able to safely perform duties while the vessel is docked or underway.

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