Travel Trade Recruitment
Head of Cruise Product
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Ready to take the helm of an ambitious cruise product portfolio? This is an opportunity to lead, shape, and grow a cruise product program with real ambition.
My client is looking for an exceptional Head of Cruise Product to take ownership of the full cruise product lifecycle - from spotting the next big opportunity and securing exclusive deals, through to launching innovative new holidays and driving their commercial success.
You'll bring your cruise expertise, commercial instinct, and supplier relationships to a role where you can genuinely make your mark. You'll have the opportunity to create unique cruise experiences, negotiate outstanding commercial terms, develop new destinations and partnerships, and ultimately shape what customers see and buy.
But this role is about more than product. You'll also lead and develop the Product team, introduce smarter ways of working, and create a high-performing culture where great ideas, commercial thinking, and attention to detail go hand in hand. Working closely with senior leadership, Sales, Marketing, Operations, cruise lines, and international suppliers, you'll be a key driving force behind the continued growth of the cruise program.
The Role
As Head of Cruise Product, you'll be at the heart of the business, responsible for ensuring the cruise program remains innovative, commercially strong, and highly competitive.
- Identify opportunities to create unique and differentiated cruise holidays, combining cruises with hotels, touring, rail journeys, and carefully selected experiences to create products that customers can't easily find elsewhere.
- Play a key role in securing exclusive departures, group allocations, competitive pricing, and strong commercial terms, working closely with cruise lines, DMCs, hotels, and other international suppliers.
- Alongside developing new products, take overall responsibility for the existing portfolio - ensuring the right products, at the right price, with the right stock, are available to maximize both customer demand and profitability.
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Role details
- Lead the development of new cruise holidays from initial concept through to launch.
- Identify new destinations, cruise opportunities, and product concepts that can differentiate the business in a competitive market.
- Develop innovative cruise packages incorporating hotels, touring, rail, and other experiences.
- Negotiate competitive rates, allocations, payment terms, and commercial agreements with cruise lines and suppliers.
- Identify opportunities for exclusive departures, group bookings, and special allocations.
- Manage the performance of the existing product portfolio, monitoring sales, stock, pricing, and profitability.
- Take ownership of product costing and pricing, ensuring holidays are commercially viable and competitively positioned.
- Maintain a clear product pipeline and ensure new opportunities are brought to market effectively.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with cruise lines, DMCs, hotels, and overseas suppliers.
- Manage contracted inventory, supplier deadlines, cancellation terms, and financial commitments.
- Ensure product information is accurate and consistently maintained across all systems and sales channels.
- Regularly review the portfolio, making informed decisions about which products to develop, refresh, or remove.
- Take overall responsibility for product quality and the customer experience.
- Lead, manage, and develop the Product team, creating clear priorities, processes, and accountability.
- Allocate projects, manage workloads and deadlines, and ensure high standards of productivity and attention to detail.
- Work closely with senior leadership, Marketing, Sales, and Operations to maximize the commercial performance of the product portfolio.
Experience required
- You'll be a cruise and travel expert with a commercial mindset, strong supplier relationships, and a genuine passion for creating exceptional holidays.
- You'll be equally comfortable discussing strategy with senior leadership, negotiating rates with a cruise line, and getting into the detail of a product costing or supplier contract.
- You'll have excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple products, suppliers, projects, and deadlines without losing sight of the detail.
- Most importantly, you'll be someone who can lead a team, make commercially sound decisions, and spot opportunities before the competition does.
- Previous experience within the cruise, tour operating, or wider travel industry.
- Strong knowledge of cruise lines, ships, destinations, and itineraries.
- Proven experience negotiating with suppliers and managing commercial relationships.
- Strong commercial and numerical ability, including holiday costing and pricing.
- Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Experience managing multiple products, projects, and deadlines.
- Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team.
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Why This Opportunity?
This is more than a Product role. It's an opportunity to shape a cruise program, influence commercial strategy, and build a high-performing Product function.
- Have the freedom to identify new opportunities, develop genuinely exciting cruise experiences, and build strong partnerships across the industry.
- Lead a team and play a key role in the future growth of the business.
If you're an experienced cruise professional who is ready to take the next step, has a passion for product, and knows how to turn great travel ideas into commercially successful holidays, we'd love to hear from you.
Interested?
Please follow the instructions to apply, attaching your CV. For any questions, please contact Gemma on 01619236120 or gemma@traveltraderecruitment.co.uk.
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