Captain, River & Coastal Vessel Leader | Elite Training

American Cruise Lines; Greenville (MS); On-site; USD 166,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with match

Travel/Training expenses covered

Job summary

American Cruise Lines seeks an experienced Captain to lead our U.S. flag fleet aboard vessels designed for coastal and river itineraries. You will ensure safety, compliance, and exceptional guest service while mentoring deck officers and coordinating engineering needs.

Candidates must hold a U.S. Coast Guard Master's license with near coastal endorsement (1600 GRT preferred) and TWIC, with strong leadership and communication skills for challenging waterways across inland and offshore routes.

Qualifications

• U.S. Coast Guard Master License: 100 GRT with Near Coastal endorsement; 1,600 GRT or greater preferred.
• TWIC credential.
• Captain experience on coastal and river waterways: 2+ years, 5+ years with Z-drive preferred.
• Excellent communication and team-building skills.
• Pre-employment drug test and ongoing random testing.
• Great Lakes Captain: route familiarity including St. Lawrence Seaway, Welland Canal, St. Marys River and U.S. port routes in Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan.
• Ability to perform essential functions of the job with or without accommodation.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safety and security of passengers, crew, and vessel.
• Operate the vessel in compliance with company and regulatory standards.
• Execute prudent maneuvering, docking, locking, and anchoring.
• Conduct daily inspections of all vessel spaces.
• Supervise, lead, and develop deck officers.
• Oversee Shipboard Engineer.
• Coordinate major engineering repairs with port engineers.
• Support hotel and culinary teams in delivering five-star guest service.
• Maintain logs, reports, and administrative records.
• Provide visible leadership through announcements, rounds, and guest interaction.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Team-building

Safety Leadership

Decision-making

Job description

American Cruise Lines seeks an experienced Captain to lead our U.S. flag fleet aboard vessels designed for coastal and river itineraries. You will ensure safety, compliance, and exceptional guest service while mentoring deck officers and coordinating engineering needs.

Candidates must hold a U.S. Coast Guard Master's license with near coastal endorsement (1600 GRT preferred) and TWIC, with strong leadership and communication skills for challenging waterways across inland and offshore routes.