YOUR SHIP HAS COME IN!
Sound too good to be true? Believe it or not, this
job really does exist.
Just ask Michael De Sadeleer. Michael De Sadeleer
decided to take a six-month break from his
shoreside career to work in the entertainment
department aboard a cruise ship. Before he knew
it, six months had turned into two years. And
while Michael was still happy to be at sea, he
craved a new challenge. That’s when he decided
to apply to be a port lecturer. “I put together
a demo tape of me lecturing about some of the
ports and shopping. Since then, I’ve been a port
and shopping lecturer for more than two years on
three different cruise lines.”
De Sadeleer is one of a team of 60 port lecturers
contracted by The PPI Group in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, to work aboard cruise ships owned by
lines including Princess Cruises, Holland America
Line ,Carnival Cruise Lines, Radisson Seven Seas,
Costa Cruises.
Shopping is big business in the travel industry,
particularly in foreign ports of call where
duty-free pricing can mean savings of between 40
and 60 percent, putting luxury items like designer
watches, jewelry, crystal and fragrances well
within many passengers’ budgets. Consequently,
all the major international cruise lines contract
port and shopping lecturers through The PPI Group
to give passengers information about the ports of
call and to promote the duty-free shopping
opportunities in each.
These shipboard shopping guides play a crucial
role, interacting with passengers throughout the
cruise, hosting functions, and giving
presentations to as many as 1,000 guests at a
time. “Port lecturers work as part of the
promotional team, helping to drive business to the
many reputable stores in the ports,” says
Mitchell Pizik, vice president, sales and
marketing at The PPI Group. “When a lecturer
recommends a merchant, it gives the customer peace
of mind. They can shop with confidence because
they know that the line stands behind the products
and service of every store it endorses. It’s not
just about promoting stores; it’s about customer
service as well.”
So what’s a typical day like? Anything but
typical, apparently. “Each day has its different
tasks,” says De Sadeleer, which may include
giving port and shopping presentations,
accompanying passengers on shopping trips, meeting
with merchants, preparing weekly reports to be
sent back to headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, or
hosting social events. “The passengers change
every seven to 10 days, the crew changes slightly
with every cruise, the port changes from day to
day, and your days off may change as well. All of
these have a ripple effect, so no two days are the
same.”
Clearly, the life of a port lecturer is not for
those who crave routine. The position typically
attracts outgoing and gregarious types, who can
command the attention of a group, aren’t shy
about public speaking, and who genuinely enjoy
socializing with a steady stream of strangers. It’s
suited not just to the young, but to the young at
heart as well. In fact, The PPI Group employs
lecturers aged from their mid-20s to late 50s.
Former actor and sports reporter Gail Ordogh, now
a port lecturer aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’
Holiday, says, “You have to be a people person,
a great public speaker, and a bit of a comedian.
You need to be a positive person with lots of
energy. And get used to everyone knowing your
name, because you just can’t fade into the
background on this job.”
“Your background and experience matter less in
the long run than your personality, people skills,
product knowledge and ability to manage your time
and multiple projects simultaneously,” De
Sadeleer agrees. “You’re basically a
department of one when you’re aboard the ship,
so to be successful at port lecturing the most
important thing is to be a self starter, to set
your own goals, and be able to keep yourself
motivated.”
And the payoffs certainly make it an attractive
choice. How many other jobs offer the opportunity
to see the world, save money, and socialize? It’s
a life both De Sadeleer and Ordogh clearly enjoy.
“Every day is different. There are always new
people, new challenges, and we get paid to see the
world,” says De Sadeleer. “There’s room to
be creative and your success is very much within
your own control. The challenge is to find a
balance between your job, your personal life, the
passengers, and the stores. But if you’re up for
it, it’s great.”
“I took this job because I wanted to travel and
it has been an amazing experience so far,” says
Ordogh. “You really do become a star on ship and
I genuinely enjoy helping guests with their
shopping needs. It’s a great way to save money,
but when I help guests out with a purchase that is
very meaningful to them, or when I correct a
shopping problem, that is truly more rewarding for
me than all the money I’ve made in this
position.”
Think port lecturing might be for you? The PPI
Group welcomes applications year round. See the
company’s web site at www.ppigroup.com/Jobs/index.html
for more information.
Nikki
Donahue
