Job Description

Guest Relations Manager for Silversea Cruises

Department: Hotel

Employment Type: Contract

Location: Shipboard

V.Ships Leisure is looking for Guest Relations Manager on behalf of Silversea Cruises.
Overall responsibility of delivering high quality, efficient, individualized and technically excellent guest services in accordance with Company Policies and towards a goal of achieving total guest satisfaction. Reporting to the Hotel Director. Subordinates – Receptionists and on mid and large vessels, a Senior Receptionist.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides guests with the highest quality guest services, demonstrating genuine concern for guests wellbeing at all times.
• Coordinates, organizes and supervises the front office operation.
• Provides a highly visible presence at the reception desk to verify the smooth running, acting on and following up any issues found to ensure that standards are not effected.
• Proactively interacts with all guests in order to identify their expectations and needs fulfilling them promptly. Demonstrates upmost sincerity and hospitality with all guest interactions.
• Ensures that all guest requests, enquiries and complaints are responded to immediately and are followed up on efficiently and to the guests satisfaction.
• Regularly monitors customer satisfaction and ensures personal responsibility and accountability. Reviews all mid cruise and end of cruise comment cards and acts accordingly. Guest satisfaction being measured on a cruise by cruise basis by guest rating scores.
• Provides information to guests about any aspect of the Silversea product – on the telephone and in person, positively preserving the integrity and image of the Company and its affiliations.
• Displays a full and comprehensive knowledge of the ships facilities, ports of call and services.
• Acts as a continual source of help, assistance and information to all guests.
• Maintains a high level of communication and feedback with the Hotel Director as well as other departments around the ship.
• Supervises and ensures that an equitable and effective work schedule for the reception team is in place on a cruise by cruise basis and at least one day in advance. Ensuring constant manning of the reception desk.
• Supervises and ensures that an equitable In Port Manning schedule for the reception team is maintained and displayed in an area accessible to all team members.
• Ensures confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Practices good administrative housekeeping for all employee records (i.e. training attendance sheets, test results, verbal counsels, resting hours).
• Organizes and leads training sessions for all reception team members to continuously develop their knowledge, techniques, skills, guest focus and sense of service.
• Supervises the schedule and training of the Night Reception duties.
• Prepares cruise reports, identifying and suggesting ways to improve guest service and satisfaction.
• Assists the Financial Officer as required with general administrative duties and accounting matters.
• Assists the Financial Officer as required with the ships clearance and immigration paperwork.
• Coordinates the preparation of invitations, letters, personalized stationery, boarding passes/suite keys, taking into consideration the guests nationality and foreign languages that the Company caters for.
• Coordinates and places orders for materials, supplies and printed material as required for the reception desk.
• Accurately prepares the data for the disembarkation chart and arranges personalized disembarkation arrangements for each guest.
• Ensures the accuracy of the guests personal data such as, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
• Resolves simple to complex guest concerns and conflicts, positively influencing the guest experience using good judgement in resolving specific issues.
• Assists the Hotel Director with the proper follow up of guest incidents, including appropriate documentation of guest recovery actions.
• Updates the guest recovery logbook and ensures proper follow up and closure of all reported incidents.
• Supervises the reception telephone and request logbook.
• Proceeds in honoring requests for suite changes according to Company policy.
• Interacts with management and fellow crew members on a regular basis to ensure that all necessary assignments are completed satisfactorily.
• Solving of guest enquiries in the event that the shore concierge desk or shore concierge team is unavailable.
• Provides basic information about the ports of call, shuttle schedules, tour departure times, maps and ships terminal facilities.
• Coordinates flight changes, flight reconfirmation, new flight bookings and any additional assistance regardless if air and sea or cruise only guests.
• Liaises with ships agents and tour operators.
• Prepares accurate guest manifests and accommodation assignments, all under the coordination of the reservations department, special services and the Hotel Director.
• Ensures the accuracy of guest security pictures, guest manifests and appropriate distribution to other departments.
• Plans and coordinates embarkation and disembarkation procedures in collaboration with the Shore Concierge Manager for all transport arrangements, Financial Officer for all shore side requirements and the Hotel Director for the appropriate manning required for the embarkation and disembarkation.
• Ensures that the security pictures for all guests are being taken at the beginning of the cruise.
• Uploads guest reservations into Fidelio, preparation of all lists and distribution to concerned parties.
• Notifies appropriate onboard department heads and head office of all matters relating to suite changes, early debarkations for personal or medical reasons.
• Coordinates with the Hotel Director for any party invitations to be sent based on the cruise layout information.
• Coordinates appropriate communication to non English speaking guests in their native language.
• Assists the Hotel Director in replying to guest comments received through the mid-cruise questionnaires.
• Sends departure message to the concerned onboard and shore side management as well as the Senior Guest Relations Manager in order to update the involved parties on the results of the turnaround procedures.
• Maintains accuracy on guest profiles within the Company’s guest preference program, uploading and closing the voyage details.
• Creates and maintains the VIP list of each cruise.
• Ensures that all VIP suites receive special attention.
• Assists with medical debarks of guests in cooperation with the medical team, Financial Officer and Senior Accountant.
• Assists guests with mail, packages and Fedex etc.
• Assists guests with lost luggage and lost property.
• Displays proactive cooperation with the Financial Officer and Senior Accountant in order to ensure the ships compliance with immigration and clearance procedures.
• Communicates with the reservations department, special services and travel department to ensure accuracy on guest details and reservations.
• Liaises with the HR Manager with regards to personnel issues, so they can be effectively dealt with, aiming to continuously improve the service offered (i.e. staff planning, skills, shortages, service standards and other training).
• Maintains a consistent and fair corrective action system.
• Carries out daily reception meetings to ensure that all necessary information is properly communicated to all concerned. Ensures that all the reception team receive all the information they need to perform their duties, including guest numbers, VIP information and any information pertinent to the guest services.
• Ensures that the Silversea product and service standards and procedures are in place and maintained.
• Carries out regular inspections on the conditions of equipment, checking the maintenance log on a regular basis, following up on items still pending until closed. Maintaining records of inspections as standard.
• Demonstrates a high and consistent level of organization and management.
• Inducts, trains, coaches and leads crew to consistently deliver superior levels of performance.
• Ensures that new employees are properly inducted to the team and the new work environment and receives all necessary training in a timely manner.
• Communicates standards of performance to employees and trains employees effectively on them.
• Oversees all administrative aspects of the department.
• Fully implements the Professional Performance Interview system and complies with the process.
• Complies fully with the Company procedures for talent management including the policies for cross training, promotion and transfer.
• Strives to create and maintain a positive work environment. Successfully leading subordinates into productive working methods by setting an example and utilizing all available tools.
• Keeps self and team members aware of costs, budgets and monitoring procedures.
• Maintains an accurate inventory of consumable and durable items in all reception areas.
• Maximizes revenue and minimizes operating expenses without negatively affecting the product delivered to the guests.
• Participates in budget preparation as required by the Hotel Director.
• Controls and approves reception overtime and working hours. Making the best use of manpower by managing the hours worked by each crew member and monitoring the financial impact on the business, ensuring each employee works according to his/her contractual hours and in compliance with ILO and MLC work/rest hours. Completing all relevant documentation and finding alternative solutions in case of an anticipated increase in overtime, in order to fully comply with Silversea policy and procedures at all times. Record keeping as standard.
• Proactively responds to issues or potential problems quickly and efficiently involving relevant people as required. Communicates any challenges, complaints or service difficulties to immediate supervisor. Keeping the Hotel Director promptly and fully informed of all problems and matters of significance.
• Displays a thorough knowledge of the ships daily activities to be able to advise the guests.
• Practices preventative maintenance.
• Incorporates Company service standards, personalized service and sincere hospitality by creating positive experiences for guests, efficiently engaging with guests and anticipating guest needs.
• Leads, trains and develops subordinates ensuring effective reviews, feedback, coaching and performance management.
• Practices good people management, maintaining proper conduct with all departments around the ship.
• Observes and enforces uniform and grooming standards according to Company policies.
• All other duties as assigned.
• Participates in crew and passenger safety drills according to instructions.
• Always complies with the Company’s safety and pollution prevention regulations and operating procedures.
• Participates in all mandatory training.
• Leads by example by taking care of Health and Safety of self and others.
• Ensures that all work equipment, personal protective equipment, chemicals and safety devices are being used correctly. Delivering training, guidance and supervision on how to use and maintain them.

Education/Experience/Qualifications:

• Valid STCW95 certification.
• Degree in Hotel Management or BA in Tourism and Hospitality.
• Preferably 2 years experience in a similar position at an International 5 star establishment.
• Basic accounting knowledge.
• Physically and medically fit.
• Moral integrity is required.
• Excellent fluent English (verbal and written). English is the working and safety language on board Silversea vessels. This also includes the ability to give and receive instructions in verbal and written forms and to effectively and efficiently engage with guests and crew members. Conversational in an additional language (German, French, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin).
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications, Fidelio and hotel operating systems.