About this role
Hornblower Group is a global leader in experiences and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water-based experiences (dining and sightseeing cruises), land-based experiences (walking and food tours) and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers land- and water-based experiences as well as ferry and transportation services. 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 marine services company specializing in the operation, maintenance and repair of government and privately owned vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation, ticketing and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and 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’s additional corporate offices reside in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit hornblowercorp.com.
Position Summary:
The successful Captain will greet all guests and ensure each guest is attended to in an appropriate manner ensuring consistently high levels of safety, quality, service, and guest satisfaction while maintaining a high level of profitability.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Cruise Execution
- Rotate as cruise captain on cruises and ensure adherence to procedures detailed in the Product Management Guide. This includes thorough pre-cruise preparation, adherence to cruise scripts, supervision of crew, proper piloting of vessel, adherence to all Coast Guard rules and regulations, and guest satisfaction
- Gather pertinent cruise event details from the other departments to ensure special guest requests are fulfilled thereby ensuring complete guest satisfaction
- Conduct pre-cruise meetings and communicate to crew all necessary information regarding the cruise (special needs, boarding procedures, etc.)
- Ensure that staff and guests adhere to all safety standards and procedures
- Participate in the execution of the Safety Program, including emergency drills
- Participate in the proper maintenance of all ship’s systems and boarding facilities including but not limited to gangways, diesel, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, water (potable, raw, black, and gray), fire suppression, communications, and navigation
- Ensure adherence to Coast Guard rules and regulations, and other federal and local rules and regulations
- Ensure strict compliance to Emergency Response Plan
- Execute other projects as assigned by management
Operations Team Management
- Recruit non-exempt operations staff (crew) when necessary to fill vacant positions
- Deliver training to new crew
- Schedule crew according to staffing matrix
- Adhere to Company’s performance management guidelines for all discipline and termination situations
- Recommend to Marine Management the promotion of crew to full-time annual positions
- Develop positive working relationships with city department heads and peers
- Develop strong teamwork within the staff
Guest Service
- Resolve guest problems using strong guest service skills and exercising effective communication skills in keeping with company objectives and guest retention
- Oversee the implementation and execution of safety programs in accordance with Coast Guard regulations and established Company policies
Administration
- Complete all shift records: checklist, logbook, payroll, and documentation of safety training
- Ensure that incident reports are completed accurately and promptly
- Participate in administration of payroll system including scheduling, checking, transmitting, and processing
- Execute collateral duties as assigned by Marine Management: uniforms, crew training, safety training, recruiting, scheduling crew and routine vessel maintenance
- Schedule crew work periods to achieve maximum payroll efficiency
- Attend all scheduled meetings
- Assist in accounting assistance including invoice processing
Other Duties and Responsibilities
- Additional job duties as assigned
Requirements & Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent required
- Must currently possess 100-ton license with a satisfactory record
- Minimum of five (5) years of marine experience—preferably to include two (2) years as a captain with an outstanding record
- Detailed working knowledge of all ship’s systems and their proper maintenance: gangways, diesel, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, water (potable, raw, black, and gray), fire suppression, communications, and navigation
- Must be able to operate vessel in accordance with all Coast Guard rules and procedures
- Vessel handling and navigation knowledge required
- Able to communicate effectively in oral and written form
- Able to effectively deal with internal and external guests some of whom will require high levels of patience tact and diplomacy
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
- Ability to analyze and solve problems
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities/tasks
- Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (especially Word & Excel)
#Hornblower2
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.
Other facts
About Hornblower Group Inc.
Hornblower Group is a global leader in transportation and sightseeing, with over a century of maritime and hospitality innovation. Through our City Experiences division, we deliver unforgettable experiences via brands like City Cruises, Walks, Devour, and City Ferry—offering dining cruises, guided tours, and essential ferry services across the U.S., Canada, and the UK.
Our portfolio includes Hornblower Marine, providing vessel maintenance at Bridgeport Boatworks, and Anchor Operating System, LLC, delivering smart reservation and ticketing solutions for travel and entertainment industries.
Operating in 10 countries and 50+ U.S. cities, we serve over 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, with offices in San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York, London, Dublin, and Ontario, Canada, we’re redefining how people explore the world—by water, by land, and experience.
What you'll do
- The Captain will oversee cruise execution, ensuring safety and guest satisfaction while managing crew operations. Responsibilities include adherence to Coast Guard regulations, conducting pre-cruise meetings, and maintaining ship systems.
Ready to join Hornblower Group Inc.?
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