Apprentice Commercial Assistant - Cruise
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Company PORTLAND PORT LIMITED
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Location Portland, DT5 1PP
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Type Apprenticeship
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Salary £15,600.00 per year
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Sector Business and administration
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Ref NAS-2000061326
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Application Deadline Date 20/11/2026
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Start Date 01/12/2026
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Positions Available 1
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Working Week Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 5.00pm. As the port’s operation is by necessity to cover a 24-hour, 7 days a week operational requirement, the Commercial Assistant - Cruise may be required to work outside of normal office hours from time to time.
Brief Description
An opportunity to develop a broad range of skills and gain practical experience within the cruise and commercial team at Portland Port. The apprentice will support the planning and coordination of cruise ship calls, marketing activity, visitor information, customer and stakeholder liaison, research and general commercial administration.
Training to be Provided
Bi-weekly attendance required at Coastland College (Weymouth Campus) during term time only.
Future Prospects
Following completion of the apprenticeship the right candidate may be offered a position as a permanent member of staff.
Vacancy Detail
No two days will be exactly the same. The apprentice will work alongside the cruise team and wider Commercial team, gaining hands-on experience across cruise operations, marketing, tourism, customer service and commercial administration. They will gradually take on greater responsibility as their knowledge, skills and confidence develop.
An average day or week could include:
- Supporting cruise ship calls, helping with the preparation and coordination of cruise visits, operational information, visitor information and other arrangements to help ensure calls run smoothly.
- Working with customers and stakeholders, communicating with cruise lines, ship agents, tour operators, local attractions, transport providers, local authorities and other partners, as well as colleagues across Portland Port.
- Supporting marketing and communications, including helping to create promotional materials, stakeholder communications, updating website content and assisting with social media planning, drafting, scheduling and monitoring.
- Carrying out research and market analysis to support cruise development, visitor information, marketing campaigns and wider commercial business development.
- Helping with commercial administration, including preparing cruise documentation, correspondence, itineraries, marketing materials and operational notes, while maintaining accurate records and information.
- Attending meetings and industry activities, with opportunities to support customer and stakeholder meetings, familiarisation visits, exhibitions, conferences and industry events in the UK.
- Developing practical cruise operations experience, undertaking relevant training and on-the-job learning with the aim of becoming competent to act as a Duty Cruise Coordinator as part of the cruise rota.
- Taking ownership of projects and areas of responsibility as experience and confidence develop, giving the apprentice the opportunity to build their skills and make a meaningful contribution to the team.