Executive Housekeeper

About the role

The Executive Housekeeper is a senior member of the shipboard management team, responsible for overseeing all housekeeping operations on a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship. This role ensures that guest areas, crew spaces, and laundry services meet the brand’s high standards of cleanliness and presentation.

Key responsibilities

• Uphold professional conduct and represent the brand’s philosophy of anchored in excellence.
• Ensure cleanliness, maintenance and presentation standards across all guest staterooms, balconies, corridors, officer cabins, laundry, lockers and storage areas.
• Report to the Hotel Director and collaborate with other hotel division heads, educating them on cleanliness standards.
• Lead, motivate and coach the housekeeping team, responding to guest feedback and requests efficiently.
• Mentor and develop staff through classroom and on‑the‑job training, supporting succession planning.
• Coordinate the housekeeping schedule with shoreside support, monitoring staffing needs.
• Oversee laundry operations, providing the Laundry Master with necessary resources and support.
• Manage annual budgets for housekeeping and laundry cost centres, monitoring expenses and revenue streams such as laundry, floral cart and tuxedo program.
• Drive performance against quantitative and qualitative targets including guest satisfaction, quality reviews, employee scores, health inspections and operational audits.
• Keep the team informed of ship events and special functions to ensure accurate service delivery.
• Maintain knowledge of cleaning practices, equipment and materials, ensuring proper maintenance and training.
• Conduct and facilitate departmental meetings, training sessions and handover communications.

Required profile

• Professional and courteous demeanor aligned with brand values.
• Proven leadership experience in a hospitality or cruise‑ship environment.
• Ability to mentor, train and develop team members.
• Experience in scheduling and workforce planning.
• Budget management and cost‑control expertise.
• Strong knowledge of cleaning procedures, equipment and materials.
• Excellent communication skills for cross‑department collaboration.

Required skills