EC Un-Plugged:

Take a look at what happens when two of our all-star Indy Sales Managers interview each other.
(Indy is what we call our individual passengers, parties of 1-19.)

We’ve got Clyve in New York and Cristian in D.C. on the line here…

RECAP:
Cristian: Clyve, how long have you been with Entertainment Cruises and what do you like about being a sales manager?

Clyve: I’ve worked here since 1994 – so forever. I love that my job is so multi-faceted. I deal with marketing, revenue and many other fields on a day-to-day basis. There’s always work to do and it never gets old.

Same to you, Cristian:

Cristian: Been here since 2006 – not nearly as long as you! I love the city/tourism market here in D.C., the fact there are no repetitive days, I never get bored and the days always fly by.

Clyve, What are the most difficult aspects of the job?

Clyve: There are no difficulties. Just challenges. I love challenges. There’s nothing I can’t do.

And you?

Cristian: I agree. The “difficulties” are just challenges. There are no real difficulties.

So Clyve, tell me about the best day you’ve ever had on the job thus far…

Clyve: Everyday.

What about you?

Cristian: There really isn’t just one. I feel good everyday when helping customers.

Clyve: I have to be even more creative – more vigilent and efficient. It hasn’t affected me in a negative way at all. I’m just more on my game and as a sales team, we’re doing things we’ve never done before.

Cristian: We have more specials than ever before and we try even harder to engage as many customers as we can by offering “intangibles.”

Okay Clyve, now what, in your opinion, is the best cruise product offered in your city? Don’t be diplomatic! What do you like the best? And what’s the best thing to do/best place to go in your city after a Saturday Dinner Cruise?

Clyve: I’d have to go with our Spirit product. There is just always so much action going on. My favorite product – our Smooth Jazz Cruises. I love Jazz. Plus, these cruises bring out a different demographic than we’d usually get.

The best thing to do on a Saturday Night after a cruise with us is a walk by Battery Park. It’s beautiful at night. There’s nothing more romantic. There are also lots of clubs around, if you’re looking to party.

Cristian: I love our Dinner Cruise product on Washington Odyssey. Everything about it is perfect.

Downtown D.C. has everything; lounges and bars galore. Around where we are located there are a few cool places open late.

Me (your blog-writing queen): Alright guys, leave us with your favorite quote, or something about you you think all of our readers should know. Not to put you on the spot or anything…

Clyve: I’m a great cook. Italian, Caribbean, you name it. I cook for my special friends all the time.

Cristian: I love my car. I’m an avid tennis enthusiast and I love airplanes and the airline business. That is why I entered the tourism & hospitality industry.

I began my post undergraduate career at Entertainment Cruises as a marketing intern in their corporate office in mid-May. On my first day, I was greeted by a large white “Welcome Aboard, Tim!” sign that graced my cubicle wall in the heart of the marketing department. On my very first day, I met many employees at Entertainment Cruises and everyone had a welcoming, cheery attitude. While being shy at first, I quickly opened up to the fun atmosphere that surrounded me on a daily basis and the employees who were excited to come to work. After the completion of my first week, I knew why they didn’t come to work just for the paycheck. Entertainment Cruises employees are friends who act like family and have forged relationships over the many years they have been with the company. I realized that a lot of their camaraderie was a result of O.S.S. My fellow shipmates live by the values of O.S.S. which I quickly learned about on my first day and integrated into my daily life. I spread the word of O.S.S. to my family, friends, and classmates since it is an innovative way to lead a workplace.

As the corporate marketing intern, I have assisted with national marketing initiatives in all the Entertainment Cruises cities. My duties have included researching potential partnerships, helping prepare onboard sweepstakes, tracking online reviews from sites like Yelp! and Trip Advisor, and communicating with you, our fans, through Facebook and Twitter. I have mainly been working on maintaining the Facebook pages for our cities by posting interesting content and talking to fans about their experiences on the fleet. I have a similar duty on the ever popular Twitter, a more recent addition to the marketing department. We have been doing contests and deals that are exclusive to Twitter. Be on the look out for more deals in the upcoming weeks.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/entertaincruise and tweet me a fun message in 140 characters or less!