Tour Captain

Lighthouse Excursions is a locally owned and operated tour company in Ketchikan, Alaska. We are looking for a Tour Captain to join our team for our 2025 Alaska summer cruise ship season. As a small business, we all wear a lot of hats! Our work environment is collaborative, immersive, and fun. Our seasoned crew members can vouch: a work day with us out on the water flies by, and you never know what cool wildlife you might see on any given day. 

About You 

Tour Captains at Lighthouse Excursions have a particularly unique role in our company. While their most important role is ensuring safe operations of the tour vessel, our captains are also our naturalists, providing a high-quality, personalized narration throughout each tour. We expect all captains to be confident managing their vessel and crew in both general operations and emergency situations. A successful candidate must be reliable, punctual, and self-driven, with work experience in the tourism industry strongly preferred. High-quality customer service skills, a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and a team-oriented approach to management are also a must. 

Responsibilities: 

• Safe operation of vessel at all times, including expert understanding of our tour route, clear navigation of our 22 ft tidal swing and varied coastline, adjustment for inclement weather, troubleshooting maintenance issues, and successfully docking and undocking the vessel;

• Provide professional, personalized live narration to guests throughout the tour, integrated with pre-recorded narration. Must demonstrate a clear command of Southeast Alaskan natural history, oceanography, local wildlife, Ketchikan/Alaska Native history, etc;

• Maintain vessel and report any maintenance issues;

• Manage boat crew, including running monthly drills, supervising maintenance, and supporting overall morale;;

• Additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Must hold a (minimum) 50 ton Merchant Mariner Credential;

• Must be able to work flexible hours, including weekends, holidays, and some overtime;

• Must hold or obtain a valid Marine Radio Operators Permit, First Aid/CPR Card, & Alaska Food Workers Card by the first day of work; 

• Must be dedicated to maintaining a culture of safety with the crew at all times and a kind, respectful, community-oriented work environment; 

• Must participate in a pre-employment drug screening & random testing program throughout the season;

• Must be able to safely lift up to 75 lbs;

• Must be committed to following federal, state, & local health & safety requirements per industry standards;

• Must be available for full participation in our Pre-Season Company Training;

• Must be able to work our full season (early-April to early-October) without interruption.

Housing

We provide subsidized company housing on a first-come, first-serve basis. Obtaining housing in a small town can be challenging, so we are happy to be the local connection to help facilitate a smooth housing experience. 

Additional Details

Hourly wage is DOE, with a minimum starting wage of $30.00/hr. This is a full-time (40 hrs/week) position, with some overtime. Daily work schedule is variable, including weekends and some holidays. A $1.50/per hour worked bonus is awarded upon completion of season contract.

Eligible for 401K benefit after approximately one full-time season of employment.

About Ketchikan

We encourage all of our employees to get to know Ketchikan! We may be biased, but we think our home is one of the coolest places on the planet. Located on a remote island in Southeast Alaska, Ketchikan provides an unending supply of opportunities for outdoor adventures, both on land and sea. With a wild seascape out one door, and a mountainous rainforest out the other, you won't ever be short for a chance to connect with nature. As a fishing town, with deep roots in the commercial fishing industry, you'd also be hard pressed not to find a fishing pole in your hand, if that's something you've always dreamed about. We additionally boast a vibrant arts community, which is home to visual artists, musicians, writers, dancers, and actors. So if you're the artist type, you'll find any number of chances to witness (or participate in!) concerts, theater, dance, or other arts events.

Our largest economic driver is tourism. Ketchikan hosts a substantial population of seasonal employees during our summer months, which means working with us provides a great chance to connect with both new friends coming to Alaska for the first time or the locals who make this beautiful place their home year-round.