City Cruises DC - Host/Hostess

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems. 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 full-service shipping, waterfront logistics and management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial 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 Host assists the Restaurant Manager on duty with the day-to-day activities of the front-of-the-house to ensure consistently high levels of quality, service and guest satisfaction while maintaining a high level of profitability.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide exceptional hospitality to guests and coworkers as prescribed in our RESPECT system.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining a safe work environment aboard the vessel, focusing constantly on the safety of all guests and coworkers.
• Actively participate in meetings including the Manager pre-cruise briefing
• Oversee the setting of assigned deck(s), including package assembly & placement, and side work & section assignments.
• Assist with the warm and efficient greeting and seating of guests when they arrive.
• Coordinate buffets and table invitations on assigned deck(s)
• Assist Servers and Server Assistants with table service.
• Maintain a high level of energy and a positive attitude.
• Lead by example, by remaining consistently professional and positive in front of staff and maintaining a positive attitude.
• Comprehensive knowledge of all F& B Menu items, packages & POS systems (Toast)
• Interact with guests using scripted approaches.
• Participate in all entertainment as scripted.
• Table touches all individuals on deck and meets all group leaders.
• Participate and lead post-cruise clean up; assign duties and ensure the completion of all side work.
• Perform a walk-through inspection with manager(s) at the completion of each cruise to ensure proper deck arrangement and sanitation.
• Check in with managers following the cruise to address any issues or situations, and to offer solutions to problems.
• Be prepared to begin work at the scheduled time.
• Maintain uniform and personal grooming in compliance with appearance standards.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Additional job duties as assigned.

Requirements & Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Previous restaurant experience preferred.
• Energetic and enthusiastic personality essential
• Must possess a service orientation – actively looking for ways to help others.
• Will work for extended periods of time without sitting.
• Must be able to walk stairs.
• Required to lift furniture and other heavy items such as bus tables up and down stairs.
• Will be required to be available for work on all major holidays.
• Must meet minimum state age requirements.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work onboard a moving vessel in varying weather and sea conditions, including maintaining balance and stability while underway.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, frequently throughout a shift.
• Ability to navigate stairs, ladders, narrow passageways, and confined spaces commonly found onboard vessels.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull supplies, equipment, and inventory weighing up to 40 pounds independently.
• Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach overhead, and perform repetitive motions as required in food service and hospitality operations.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively during normal operations, guest service situations, and emergency procedures.
• Ability to safely work in a fast-paced environment with exposure to moving equipment, wet surfaces, temperature variations, and moderate noise levels.
• Ability to visually inspect service areas, food presentation, cleanliness standards, and safety conditions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with guests, crew members, and management in person and via radio or other communication devices.
• Successfully complete vessel-specific safety and emergency training.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended shifts as operational needs require.

Work Environment

• Work is performed primarily onboard a Coast Guard-inspected passenger vessel, with duties split between dining, service, storage, galley-adjacent, and administrative areas.
• Position requires regular movement throughout multiple decks and may involve occasional exposure to outdoor marine environments, including heat, humidity, rain, wind, and sunlight.
• Must be able to safely perform duties while the vessel is docked or underway.

#CityCruisesUS

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.