Vagabond CruiseFall 2013 Internship

Justin Cowan

Organization Description- Since 1968, Vagabond Cruise is Hilton Head Island’s original sightseeing & excursion cruise operator.

- Vagabond Cruise offers over twenty different cruises on four unique vessels

- Annually carries over 56,000 passengers and hosts over 125 special events each year.

- Multiple revenue streams including the sale of tickets, retail merchandise and food and beverage services help Vagabond Cruise maintain its position as the best tour operation on the Island!

Organizational Structure

Keith & Laura Walston Owners /Operators

Daniel Pegg Marketing

Director/Passenger Services Manager

Michael Crank F & B Director /

Passenger Services Manager

Captain Chuck Davis Fleet Captain

Elise Witman Special Events

Coordinator

Mates

Interns

Internship Responsibilities- Respond to passengers' questions,

requests, or complaints.- Open and close doors for passengers.- Sell Vagabond Cruises to consumers.- Provide boarding assistance to elderly,

sick, or injured people.- Explain & demonstrate safety procedures

and safety equipment use.- Perform equipment safety checks prior to

departure.- Signal transportation operators to stop or

to proceed.- Greet passengers boarding transportation

equipment.- Announce routes and stops.- Determine or facilitate seating

arrangements.- Provide customers with information on

routes, ports, & prices.

- Collect fares from passengers and provide change in return.

- Count and verify tickets and seat reservations.

- Clean rooms and bathroom facilities, change linens, and replenish supplies in washrooms.

- Serve food or beverages.- Transport special passengers between lobby

and boarding area.- Give aid to ill or injured passengers and

obtain medical assistance.- Inform clients of passengers whereabouts

and condition.- Assist elderly persons and unaccompanied

children in claiming personal belongings and baggage.

- Arrange for water commuter and ground transportation.

Internship SyllabusWeek One – Training & Touring – “Be a tourist”• Introductions • Personalized Tour of the Island• Be a guest and take notes on all cruises• Get to know Hilton Head as a Tourists

Week Two - Fire, MOB Emergency Procedures, Vessel Safety, Marlinspike Seamanship , Vagabond Cruise Policy/Procedures• Safety of workers & Passengers # 1 Priority• Online Internship Introduction

Week Three - Get to know Vagabond, Our Products, Our Crew, Our Island, and Our Resort.• Our Company• Our Products• Our Crew • Hilton Head Island• Sea Pines • Sailing Terminology• Vessel Facts

Week Four - The esoteric of reservations• Ticketing• Sales• Art of knowing your customer

Week Five - We are not a boat business; we are a fully integrated marketing company.• Coupons & Discounts• Building Partnerships• Setting Pricing & Cruise Schedule

Week Six - Understanding Information• E2 Reports• What does the data mean• Data Analysis• How can we benefit from this information? Discussion

Week Seven - Budgeting, Forecasting, & Incremental revenue• Revenue vs. Passengers• 2008 - 2012 Budget analysis• 2013 - Weekly, Monthly, Yearly budget, forecasts, and what we

need to do to stay on course.

Internship Syllabus Cont.Week Eight - Special Events & Event Planning • No is not in our vocabulary• Attention to detail• Carry out of events

Week Nine - Trends newsworthy items affecting tourism / Vagabond Cruise• Dredging• Gas Prices• Airport Expansion• Article Assignments

Week Ten - Food & Beverage • Carry out of Dinner Cruise• Inventory Control• Cost Management• Purchasing• Health Standards

Week Eleven - Personnel Decisions• What Traits do we want?• Requirement• Interview, discuss, review, decide on future interns

Week Twelve - Track progress of Goals • Personal Goals in relation to internship• Company Goals • What do we need to achieve these goals?

Week Thirteen - Internship project discussion• What do you need for help? Tools, missing

information?• Questions, Comments, & Concerns Week Fourteen - Review, Miscellaneous information, Open Forum Internship• Questions• Go over anything we may have not covered

Week Fifteen - Awards and graduation party

Internship Goals1. Increase professional

networks.2. Sell and evaluate Vagabond

Cruise tours.3. Become skilled in tourism

management and leadership.4. Promote Vagabond Cruise

tours through social media outlets.

*NOTE: Evidence and Artifacts associated with the attainment of these goals may be reviewed in my Portfolio.

Goal 1: Increase Professional Networks

• Introduced myself to over 30 professionals working for Vagabond Cruise and/or in other tourism operations throughout Hilton Head Island.

• Expanded my LinkedIn account from 1,900 connections to over 2,500 connections.

Goal 2: Sell and evaluate Vagabond Cruise tours.

• Sold Vagabond Cruise tours and increased passenger attendance by 3%

• Collected input and monitored customer evaluations on Trip Advisor.

Goal 3: Become skilled in tourism management and leadership.

• Individually lead and managed the Vagabond Crew in more than three tours during my management week.

• Attended & participated in all management meetings.

Goal 4: Promote Vagabond Cruise tours through social media outlets.

• Acted as the administrator for Vagabond Cruise’s Facebook Page.

• Created a Weebly blog about Vagabond Cruise and used it as an online marketing tool.

The Vagabond Cruise Internship has provided me with valuable experiences and insights that will help me in my professional pursuits.

Justin Cowan