Life of Shore Excursions Staff Onboard a Cruise Ship – Job Description and Daily Duties

As many of you may know, I worked as a Shore Excursions Staff member onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships for several years. Now, I’d like to share my personal experience and provide an overview of this exciting cruise ship job.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the daily duties of a Shore Excursions Staff member and do my best to explain what the role entails on a day-to-day basis.

Please note that this is based on my own experience and is not an official job description, as duties can vary depending on the cruise line.

Why I’m Writing This Article?

The main reason I’m writing this is to help those of you who have never worked on cruise ships before and might feel uncertain about what life onboard is really like.

Before I joined the ship for the first time, I remember how hard it was to find reliable information about the role. I didn’t know anyone who could guide me, and online resources were scarce.

That’s why I want to contribute and offer insights to anyone considering this amazing job!

Shore Excursions Staff Job Description

Shore Excursions Staff – Who Are We?

Let’s start with the basics: Shore Excursions Staff, often called Shorex Staff, hold a vital position within the cruise industry. This role involves promoting, selling, and dispatching shore excursions and tours in ports of call around the world.

Shore Excursions Staff are part of the Shore Excursions Department, reporting directly to the Shore Excursions Manager, with support from the Assistant Shore Excursions Manager.

Now, let me introduce you to an important reality of working onboard a cruise ship—days of the week, like Monday or Friday, don’t exist for us. Contracts typically last from 2 to 9 months, and during that time, we work every single day. Yes, you read that correctly: no days off.

After a while, the calendar fades into the background. Most of us only start checking dates when our contracts are nearing their end.

That’s when the countdown begins: two months to go, one month, two weeks… and then, sometimes, a last-minute contract extension shatters that finish line!

Suddenly, home feels further away. And trust me, that final month? It’s always the longest.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. If we don’t have regular weekdays, what do we go by?

Simple: the days of the cruise. These are commonly referred to as Embarkation Day, Sea Day, Port Day, and Debarkation Day. Each brings its own rhythm and responsibilities, shaping the unique cycle of life onboard.

First Day of the Cruise – Embarkation Day

Embarkation Day marks the start of a new cruise and is often the busiest day for all departments onboard.

Depending on your role, it can either be a stressful whirlwind of duties and guest inquiries or a more relaxed day with time to step off the ship for a coffee or some shopping. For Shore Excursions Staff, it varies.

Your Assistant Shore Excursions Manager, responsible for scheduling, may assign you to be “on duty,” which involves escorting guests from the previous cruise who have opted for tours on their last day.

At homeports (the port where the cruise begins and ends), the Shore Excursions Department typically offers a few tours with airport drop-offs, where guests are taken directly to the airport after the excursion.

For those on duty, this means an early start—around 6 or 7 am—to ensure the debarkation process goes smoothly.

Fortunately, this task usually lasts only a few hours, as guests are well-prepared with debarkation procedures.

Once the buses are loaded and the tours depart, you’ll have a break before the new guests start boarding, and your regular duties resume.

If you’re not on duty, you’ll enjoy a more relaxed morning. You might start at 10 am to set up the Shore Excursions desk, which opens to assist new guests, or even later, around 1 pm. That “later” start often translates to shopping time!

You can step off the ship to explore local malls, grab a coffee, or simply relax in your cabin. It’s a refreshing way to ease into the cruise’s busy schedule.

Embarkation Day is when the Shore Excursions desk stays open all day, usually until 9 pm. This desk functions as a customer service hub where Shore Excursions Staff sell tours and handle guests’ questions or issues related to excursions.

As new guests come onboard, the team is proactive in recommending tours, answering inquiries, and resolving problems. This is the day when most guests book their tours, so you’ll often find yourself repeating the same information to match guests with excursions that suit their interests.

It’s also common to answer non-tour-related questions. Since guests are unfamiliar with the ship on their first day, they may ask for directions to restrooms, information about the cruise schedule, or help to locate venues. These inquiries can be energy-draining, requiring patience and a welcoming attitude.

In addition to desk duties, Shore Excursions Staff may be asked to assist other departments with embarkation activities. These can include helping with entertainment events or promoting other onboard products, depending on the cruise line and ship.

Another key responsibility is participating in the passenger safety drill, or “pax drill,” a mandatory safety exercise for guests and certain crew members before the ship sets sail.

A few Shore Excursions team members assist guests in finding their muster stations (emergency gathering points). This drill, which lasts about an hour, begins once all guests are onboard and requires strong crowd-management skills.

While embarkation day can be exhausting, it’s also a critical opportunity to set the tone for the cruise and help guests start their journey on the right note.

Middle of the Cruise: Sea Days vs. Port Days

As the cruise progresses, the days fall into two main categories: sea days and port days. Each comes with its own unique rhythm and responsibilities for the Shore Excursions team and other crew members. Let’s break them down!

Sea Days: The Ship Never Sleeps

Sea days are when the ship sails continuously for 24 hours, with both guests and crew staying onboard. On these days, every onboard venue is bustling with activity, and crew members across all departments are hard at work ensuring guests have a great experience.

For the Shore Excursions team, the workload on a sea day depends on whether it occurs before or after a port day:

• Before a Port Day:
  The entire team focuses on promoting and selling tours, answering questions, and assisting guests in planning their port visits. Some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean, offer unique activities on sea days, such as the Behind-the-Scenes Tour (also known as the All Access Tour), which is led by the Shore Excursions staff. This exclusive tour gives guests a rare glimpse into restricted crew areas, such as the Galley, Bridge, Engine Control Room, and more—a favorite for both guests and staff!
• After Port Days:
  If the sea day follows port days, the Shore Excursions desk typically operates for only a few hours, as there are no tours left to sell. Instead, the team focuses on handling any remaining guest inquiries or complaints and begins preparations for the upcoming cruise.

Sea days may vary in pace, but they’re always busy and offer unique opportunities for both guests and crew to make the most of their time onboard.

Port Days: Active and Exciting for the Shore Excursions Team

Port days are some of the most dynamic and rewarding days for the Shore Excursions team. These days kick off early as the ship arrives at its destination, with the team managing tour dispatch—one of the most critical tasks.

During dispatch, the Shore Excursions team ensures that guests are properly guided to their tour meeting points and board the correct excursions. We oversee the entire process to ensure everything runs smoothly. Once most of the tours are dispatched, the team is free to enjoy the day!

With the Shore Excursions desk typically opening an hour before all-aboard time (when all guests and crew must return to the ship), there’s plenty of time to explore the destination. Whether it’s sightseeing, shopping, or relaxing, port days offer a great opportunity to experience new places firsthand.

Later in the afternoon or evening, we reopen the Shore Excursions desk for a few hours to handle guest inquiries or bookings. That wraps up the day’s work, leaving us with memories of the port to cherish.

One of the biggest perks of this role? Joining tours with guests! It’s the ultimate way to explore incredible destinations as part of the job—a benefit that makes Shore Excursions one of the most enviable positions onboard.

Port Days for Shore Excursions Staff on Duty

Port days often sound like a dream for the Shore Excursions team—plenty of free time to explore exciting destinations. But for the team member assigned to be “on duty,” it’s a very different story.

Duty days are assigned on a rotation basis, usually by your supervisor, so it’s not a frequent occurrence. When you’re on duty, you’re responsible for managing the entire tour dispatch process, handling all related paperwork, and staying onboard to be available for ship management if needed. This means no stepping off the ship while it’s in port.

Your duties include communicating with tour operators and guides, tracking the progress of tours, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

If issues arise—such as a canceled tour, which happens often in regions like the Caribbean—you’ll need to handle guest complaints, explain the situation, and work quickly to find alternative options. It can be stressful, but with time, you adapt and learn to manage these challenges.

The day isn’t over until every tour has returned and the guests are safely back onboard. Once that’s done, you’ll finalize your daily report, wrap up the paperwork, and officially be off duty.

Duty days can be long, tiring, and sometimes unpredictable. However, they’re an essential part of the job, building your problem-solving skills and resilience—qualities that make every Shore Excursions team member stronger and more adaptable.

Last Day of the Cruise – Preparing for Debarkation

The final day of the cruise, also known as the day before debarkation, can vary in intensity depending on the department. For the Shore Excursions team, it’s usually a relaxed day focused on administrative tasks and preparation for the next cruise.

Most of the work takes place in the office, where the team handles:

• Printing and delivering tour tickets to guests who prepaid their excursions.
• Preparing tour order forms and brochures for distribution.
• Organizing letters and completing other necessary paperwork.

The Shore Excursions desk remains open for a few hours to assist with any guest inquiries or last-minute issues, but the bulk of the workload is behind the scenes.

Once the tasks are complete, the atmosphere lightens up. My favorite part of the last day is heading to dinner with the team and unwinding in the crew bar afterward. It’s a quiet, laid-back evening as most crew members prepare for the busy embarkation day ahead.

This mix of productivity and relaxation makes the last day of the cruise one of the most balanced days for Shore Excursions Staff.

Debarkation Day

Debarkation Day marks the end of the cruise for departing guests and the start of a new journey for those embarking. There’s no break in between—the ship operates non-stop, welcoming new passengers the same day the previous ones disembark.

For the Shore Excursions team, the day can vary. Some staff members may be assigned to be “on duty,” as described in the First Day of the Cruise – Embarkation Day section. This involves assisting with guest tours, managing debarkation logistics, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

For others, it’s a more relaxed morning off, providing a brief chance to recharge before diving into the duties of the new cruise. Regardless of your role that day, it’s all part of the seamless cycle of life onboard.

To Wrap Up

Life onboard a cruise ship is always dynamic and fast-paced, especially when you consider that some ships carry up to 6,500 passengers, plus crew.

It’s crowded, busy, and constantly moving—never boring and never predictable. What makes it truly unique are the people you meet, the incredible places you visit, and the unforgettable experiences you gain.

Yes, life at sea is hard. It’s often challenging and demanding, but it’s also one of the most rewarding life experiences you’ll ever have.

As the saying goes, “Once you experience life at sea, life on land is never the same.” And I couldn’t agree more!

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