Captain - Alcatraz Cruises

Hornblower Corp; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Hornblower Group is seeking a Captain to operate a USCG-inspected small passenger vessel under contract with the National Park Service, running between the San Francisco waterfront and Alcatraz Island. The Captain leads, manages, and trains the crew to ensure safety, security, and excellent passenger experiences.

Responsibilities include navigational command, safety and discipline, performance reviews, and ensuring compliance with USCG regulations and company policies.

Qualifications

• USCG Inland Masters (100 ton) or equivalent.
• Current California driver's license with satisfactory driving record.
• Two years of boat handling experience.
• Customer service experience is helpful.
• Knowledge of a foreign language is helpful.
• Open schedule and ability to work any assigned schedule, including holidays and weekends.
• Ability to work shifts starting as early as 4:30 am or ending as late as 10:45 pm.
• Shifts are 8 hours.

Responsibilities

• Serve as master in navigational command with proper watch standing and wheelhouse resource management.
• Have ultimate responsibility for the safe operation of the vessel and safety of crew and passengers.
• Directly manage, supervise, and train first officers, deckhands, and other crewmembers in marine safety, security, and training.
• Train Captains in company culture, best practices, and SOPs.
• Conduct regular crew performance reviews and provide timely feedback.

Skills

USCG Inland Masters 100 ton

California Driver's License

Boat Handling

Customer Service

Foreign Language (Helpful)

Flexible Schedule

Shift Timing Knowledge

Job description

Alcatraz Cruises CA, Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing, San Francisco, California, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 7:00 AM

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems.Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfrontlogisticsand management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation,ticketingand website integration services for clients in the transportation,tourismand entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’sadditionalcorporate officesresidein San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada. For more information, visithornblowercorp.com.

Position Summary:

The Captain operates a United States Coast Guard (USCG) inspected small passenger vessel under contract with the National Park Service between the San Francisco Waterfront, Alcatraz Island, and on adjacent routes in a manner that ensures the safety and security of the crew, enjoyment of passengers, and respect for the environment. A Captain is a vessel manager who leads, manages, supervises, and trains crew including First Officers, Deckhands and Captains. Captains plan and lead training and drills aboard vessels for emergency preparedness.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as master in navigational command. Operate the vessel with due regard for proper watch standing and wheelhouse resource management standards, in accordance with the practice of good seamanship.
• Have ultimate responsibility for the safe operation of the vessel and the safety of all crew and passengers.
• Directly manage, supervise, and train first officers, deckhands, and other crewmembers in marine transportation safety, security and training.
• Train Captains in company culture, best practices and standard operating procedures.
• Participate in Marine Operations applicant interviews.
• Have authority for maintaining good order, discipline, and accountability of assigned crew members by providing supervision and direction to crew and ensuring that crew members under Captain’s supervision follow Company policies, rules, and regulations.
• Take appropriate and swift disciplinary action of crew where necessary.
• Monitor crew time and attendance for punctuality.
• Review and approve crew timesheets; promote compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws.
• Recommend and inform decisions to hire, terminate, or promote crew members.
• Conduct regular crew performance reviews and assessments; provide feedback in a timely fashion to optimize crew performance. Mentor and lead the crew.
• Regularly inspect all areas of the vessel for unsafe conditions, perform accident investigations, and make safety announcements to ensure the safety and comfort of the crew and passengers
• Regularly plan and lead watch, quarter, and station bill emergency drills per USCG regulations. Plan and lead safety meetings per Alcatraz Cruises policy to ensure efficient and safe vessel operations and the proper use of equipment during any possible onboard emergency.
• Maintain vessel operations and maintenance logs, personnel reports, and other required ship’s business records.
• Oversee transferring of pumping sewage and water.
• Supervise crewmembers to ensure the maintenance of a clean workplace (i.e., rest rooms, trash, common areas, pilot house, and gangways).
• Comply with all USCG regulations.
• Exercise strong practical working knowledge of the Navigational Rules of the Road.
• Comply with all National Park Service directives and Alcatraz Cruises policies, to ensure passengers, guests, and visitors to the Golden Gate National Recreational Area have a quality interpretive experience.
• Implement vessel safety and security plans to ensure compliance with USCG Office of Homeland Security Rules and Regulations.
• Lead by personal example of uniform appearance and grooming.
• Set a high standard of personal and professional conduct for subordinates to emulate.
• Ensure subordinates offer exceptional customer service and follow environmental practices (Respect Our Planet).
• Through personal instruction and practice, set a positive example as a team leader for crew members, to the fulfillment of Alcatraz Cruises’ policies, and the enjoyment of visitors to the Golden Gate National Recreational Area.
• Comply with and enforce established policies and procedures.
• Maintain current licenses and certifications.
• Ensure regular work attendance by crew members, in conformance with Alcatraz Cruises standards. Hold crew members accountable. Communicate that irregular attendance will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
• Ensure, upon employment, that all crewmembers fully comply with Alcatraz Cruises rules and regulations. Hold employees who violate Alcatraz Cruises rules and regulations accountable, up to and including termination of employment
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements & Qualifications:

• U.S. Coast Guard Inland Masters (100 ton) or equivalent
• Possess and maintain a current California driver’s license and satisfactory driving record
• Two (2) years of boat handling
• Customer service experience is helpful
• Knowledge of foreign language is helpful
• Open schedule and ability to work any assigned schedule, including holidays and weekends
• Ability to work a shift that may start as early as 4:30 am or end as late as 10:45 pm. Shifts are 8 hours.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

The RESPECT Service System embodies our mission, vision, values and operating principles. By creating a company culture that puts RESPECT at its core, we believe it will drive us to achieve our goal of becoming a Global Experiences and Transportation Leader.

EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Hornblower is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibit discrimination and/or harassment of any type, including but not limited to discrimination and or harassment based upon race, religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, pregnancy or relation medical conditions, childbirth, breastfeeding, parental status, veteran and/or military status, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, political affiliation, domestic violence survivor status, marital status, or other characteristics prohibited by federal, state, or local law. Additionally, as a federal, state, and local contractor, Hornblower complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals, where and as they apply. The company also participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations.

Alcatraz Cruises CA, Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing, San Francisco, California, United States of America