Onboard Sales Specialist (US Fleet)

Job description

**WHO WE ARE** Lindblad Expeditions is a true pioneer in Expedition Travel. From taking the first citizen explorers to Antarctica in 1966, opening the Galapagos and Easter Island to tourism in 1967, leading the first tourist expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1984, and launching our innovative partnership with National Geographic in 2004, we're now taking almost 30,000 guests a year to some of the world’s most remote and pristine locations on our fleet of 20 ships, and are committed to ensuring our guests experience the “Exhilaration of Discovery”. **ABOUT THE ROLE** We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Onboard Sales Specialistto join our team onboard our National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions US ships. This role will involve engaging with guests onboard to inspire and sell future expeditions, sharing our mission and exciting destinations, while ensuring that travelers understand the value and uniqueness of our offerings. The Onboard Sales Specialist will work closely with the onboard expedition team and the ship's hospitality staff to promote future voyages and maintain exceptional customer relationships. **ESSENTIAL DUTIES** - Sales & Promotion: Actively promote and sell future trips to guests onboard the ship by leveraging personal engagement, knowledge of upcoming expeditions, promotional booking offers and the extraordinary experiences offered by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. - Guest Engagement: Consistently seek opportunities to engage with guests, such as dining with guests, and actively participating in shore excursions, etc. Providing personalized information about future journeys, destinations, and experiences. Ensuring their journey aboard the ship is unforgettable and sparking excitement for their next adventure. - Product Knowledge: Stay well-informed about upcoming expeditions, new itineraries, special offers, and other opportunities for travelers. Be a knowledgeable ambassador for the entire range of National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ voyages. - Onboard Presentation: Conduct informative and engaging presentations, workshops, and one-on-one consultations to share details about future trips, inspiring guests to book future expeditions. - Onboard Marketing: Work with shoreside marketing and sales team to manage all onboard marketing efforts to promote future expeditions and offers, ensuring merchandising efforts are executed correctly on the ship. - Bookings & Follow-up: Posting dedicated Onboard Sales specialist hours of availability at your designated desk. Handle bookings directly while ensuring smooth coordination with the reservations and sales teams ashore. Follow up on potential leads, ensuring timely communication and providing excellent customer service. - Collaboration: Work closely with the Expedition Leader, Hotel Manager, and shoreside teams to ensure seamless coordination of sales and guest engagement activities throughout the voyage. - Market Intelligence: Gather feedback and insights from guests to help shape future offerings, refine sales strategies, and contribute to the development of new itineraries and experiences. - Reporting: Track sales metrics and provide regular updates to the sales and management teams on guest interest, sales conversions, and feedback on potential bookings. - Other Duties: Conduct other duties as needed, as per instruction by the Hotel Director **SHIPBOARD RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES** - Help and remove all guest surveys and keys upon conclusion of previous voyage - Remove outdated collateral and deliver onboard sales in-cabin collateral to each cabin prior to guest embarkation - Assist the Hotel Director with cabin upgrade inquiries from guests - Help and deliver guest name tags to each respective cabin prior to guest embarkation - Complete the voyage recap report for shoreside leadership team, analyzing bookings, data and revenue trends from guests. The voyage recap email summary is due to shoreside leadership team on embarkation afternoon each turn-day. - Support the guest check-in process on embarkation day - Upon embarkation, assist the Receptionist, Hotel Director and Purser at the reception desk, assisting with guest questions - Support the base camp operations, this includes assisting guests with donning a life jacket, assisting guests with tapping their key cards on and off the ship, and also assisting with crowd control for biosecurity - Support the base camp operation throughout the remainder of the voyage if you are not actively working on guest bookings or conducting appointments with guests (quotes, appointments and bookings will always take priority) - Participate in all mandatory drills and follow all safety duties as instructed by the Safety Officer - Work with the Expedition Leader onboard to be introduced on Day 1 or Day 2 - Work with the Expedition Leader onboard to host a video and/or presentation during an end of day recap where time allows - Assist with guest questions related to the LEX-NG fund **REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS** - 4 Year college degree or equivalent experience - 2+ years of sales experience with proven success in a customer-facing sales role, preferably in the travel, tourism, or adventure sectors. - Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire and engage a diverse group of guests. Written and verbal skills in English required. - Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks. - Strong service-oriented mindset with an ability to tailor conversations to individual guest interests and needs. - Ability to work independently and meet sales targets while maintaining a positive attitude and professionalism. - Ability to collaborate effectively with onboard staff, expedition teams, and shoreside departments. - Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and living onboard a ship for extended periods. Excellent skills in administration, detail-oriented, strong time management with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines and to work independently in a fast-paced environment. - Proficient computer skills including Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook. - Knowledge of Seaware (cruise reservations system) and Salesforce (CRM) highly preferred. - Deep enthusiasm for expedition-style travel and a genuine passion for the destinations and experiences that National Geographic-Lindblad offers. **PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS** - Previous experience working onboard ships or in the travel/tourism industry. - Familiarity with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ offerings and its unique style of travel. - Experience working for National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions - Experience with public speaking, presentations, or educational outreach. **LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS** Don't have all the required certifications yet? No problem — we'll help you obtain them during onboarding. - US Passport, or US Permanent Resident Card and valid passport - USCG Medical Certificate — required - Maritime Security Awareness — required - Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC) — required ### ADDITIONAL INFORMATION **WORK SCHEDULE** **Rotational Scheduled of 6 weeks on board and 6 weeks off** You will work shifts of varying hours daily, which will average out to 12 hours per day over the course of a 7-day work week. **LIVING CONDITIONS** Crew quarters are compact and shared — you will bunk with one or two roommates for the full duration of your rotation, with minimal personal space. The vessel operates in remote locations with limited or no port access between expeditions, so cell service and internet may be unavailable for extended periods. You must bring a sufficient supply of any prescription medications, as refills cannot be obtained while underway. This lifestyle suits people who are adaptable, self-sufficient, and genuinely energized by close-knit team environments and remote travel. If those conditions sound like a challenge rather than an adventure, this may not be the right fit. **PHYSICAL DEMANDS** - Ability to live and work onboard for a total duration of 8-months within the year - Willingness to travel to remote and challenging locations. - Ability to stand for extended periods, move between decks, and occasionally participate in field excursions as part of the expedition team. - While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear. The employee will also be required to write and type. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. **Employment is contingent on the following:** - In compliance with U.S. Coast Guard Regulations, 46 CFR Parts 4, 5, and 16, you will be required to undergo the following drug tests: post-offer prior to start date, random, reasonable cause, and serious marine incident per US Federal guidelines. - Pre-offer background check; employment is contingent upon the results of this screening. - Post-offer physical examination; your employment is dependent upon being determined fit for sea duty. Continued employment is dependent upon consent to and passing these tests. Lindblad Expeditions continues to highly recommend that all new hires be up to date with all vaccines prior to the first day of employment and getting boosted annually when eligible, including those vaccines that protect against COVID-19. All crew must still comply with all country-specific vaccination requirements.