Director, Voyage Experience Strategy & Programming

Cruise Yacht OpCo Ltd (Miami Branch); Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is seeking a senior product strategist to shape guest experiences across its luxury portfolio. You will define the vision and experiential intent, orchestrate peaks and transitions, and translate consumer insights into differentiated products.

Based in Fort Lauderdale with global brand influence, you will collaborate with design, marketing, and operations to ensure these experiences deliver on the Gold Standards of Ritz-Carlton and elevate guest loyalty.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years in product strategy, experience development, hospitality, travel or premium brands.
• Proven ability to create differentiated guest experiences.
• Strong storytelling and communication skills; capable of influencing stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define the vision, character and experiential intent for guest experiences across the portfolio.
• Orchestrate rhythm, pacing, and emotional sequencing of experiences across touchpoints.
• Shape strategy for experiences, programming and engagement to deliver the product vision.
• Translate cultural and consumer insights into product direction and opportunities.
• Lead cross-functional teams and partner with Marketing to align product positioning.

Skills

Product strategy

Experience development

Hospitality & travel

Luxury consumer insight

Cross-functional leadership

Storytelling & communication

Ambiguity management

Job description

Join the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: Where Every Voyage is a Symphony of Luxury Embark on an extraordinary journey with the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, an exquisite extension of the renowned Ritz-Carlton brand, dedicated to redefining ultra-luxury hospitality at sea. As a "Lady or Gentleman" of our esteemed team, you'll be entrusted with the art of delivering the impeccable "Gold Standards" that have made the Ritz-Carlton an epitome of excellence across the globe. The Essence of Excellence: The Gold Standards The Gold Standards are the bedrock of the Ritz-Carlton experience, setting us apart in the industry and establishing a legacy of unparalleled service. These standards embody the values and culture that define our brand, and serve as the compass guiding our every endeavor. The Employee Promise At The Ritz-Carlton, our Ladies & Gentlemen are the most important resource in our service commitment to each other and our guests. By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity, and commitment, we empower and nurture talent to the benefit of each individual and the company. The Ritz-Carlton fosters a culture where all are valued, quality of life is enhanced, individual aspirations are fulfilled, and The Ritz-Carlton Mystique is strengthened. Join us on a journey where every day is a testament to the highest standard of luxury and service.

Define Product Vision & Experience Intent

• Establish the vision, character, and experiential intent for guest experiences across the portfolio.
• Define how culture, place, timing, seasonality, and guest expectations should influence experience development.
• Ensure experiences are developed as connected products rather than isolated initiatives.
• Translate brand strategy into tangible guest experiences.

Orchestrate the Guest Experience

• Define the rhythm, pacing, and emotional sequencing of experiences.
• Design intentional peaks, valleys, signature moments, and transitions.
• Establish frameworks that guide how experiences are planned and developed.
• Ensure experiences feel cohesive across touchpoints and channels.

Shape Experience Strategy

• Define the role experiences, programming, content, and engagement play in delivering the product vision.
• Develop planning frameworks, templates, and standards that guide experience development.
• Identify opportunities to create differentiation through thoughtful design and curation.
• Ensure experiences balance guest needs, business objectives, and brand aspirations.

Translate Cultural & Consumer Insight into Product Direction

• Identify emerging consumer behaviors, travel trends, lifestyle shifts, and cultural movements and evolve the product accordingly.
• Translate insights into product opportunities and innovation concepts.
• Champion authentic, relevant, and differentiated experiences.

Influence Experience Development Across the Organization

• Provide strategic direction to Experience Design and cross-functional development teams.
• Partner with Marketing to ensure product positioning reflects the intended guest experience.
• Collaborate with Operations to ensure experiences can be delivered while preserving intent.
• Serve as a champion for experience quality, innovation, and differentiation across the organization.

Success Looks Like Experiences feel intentionally designed rather than operationally assembled.

Guests experience a clear Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection point of view and distinct identity.

Individual experiences connect to create a cohesive and memorable journey.

New ideas are translated into differentiated products that strengthen the brand.

Guest engagement, loyalty, and advocacy increase over time.

The product continues to evolve through innovation, learning, and changing consumer expectations.

What We're Looking For

• Experience 10–15+ years of experience in product strategy, experience development, hospitality, travel, entertainment, lifestyle brands, or related fields.
• Proven success creating differentiated consumer experiences or hospitality products.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing diverse stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of luxury consumers and premium experience brands.
• Skills & Capabilities Exceptional product and guest experience instincts.
• Strong strategic and creative thinking.
• Deep curiosity about culture, consumer behavior, travel, and emerging trends.
• Ability to connect disparate experiences into a cohesive product vision.
• Strong storytelling and communication skills.
• Ability to balance creative ambition with practical execution.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and building new capabilities.

Ideal Backgrounds

• Luxury hospitality brands Premium travel and leisure brands Experience strategy and service design Theme parks and immersive entertainment Lifestyle and membership brands Luxury tour operators Consumer experience innovation teams Destination-driven hospitality brands Profiles Less Likely To Succeed Operational deployment specialists Traditional project managers Functional experts without product ownership experience Strategy profiles disconnected from customer experience Scheduling and logistics-focused backgrounds

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is an Equal opportunity, inclusive employer and will consider all applicants for employment with the Company on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

About Us

Working from our offices in Fort Lauderdale, FL and Valletta, Malta, our shoreside team includes a wide variety of positions to support The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection in delivering excellence. These roles include guest-facing Yacht Vacation Consultants, cruise hotel operations professionals, IT support, accounting and finance, sales and marketing professionals and more.