Holland America Line · 1 week ago
Director, Entertainment Experience and Programming
Miami, FL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$120K/yr - $162K/yr
7+ years expHolland America Line has been exploring the world since 1873, and they are seeking a Director of Entertainment Product & Programming. This role leads the Entertainment Experience Team, overseeing the strategic development and integration of guest-facing entertainment products across their cruise ships.
ShippingTourismTravel
Responsibilities
Directly lead, coach, and develop the Experience Owners (EOs), each reasonable for the overall effectiveness of their assigned area of the entertainment experience: Shows & Live Music, Activities & Destination Information, Speakers & Cultural Enrichment, Media & Events. Ensure cross-category cohesion, shared standards, and unified strategic direction. Drive a culture of clarity, taste, emotional intelligence, and accountability within the Experience Team
Lead the multi-year entertainment product development strategy for both brands, in partnership with the VP, Entertainment. Oversee portfolio planning across daily entertainment, signature experiences, long and complex itineraries, and new product initiatives. Ensure all experience roadmaps consider the strategic pillars and brand vision as defined based on guest insights and company goals. Decide what goes into the fleet, why, and when with oversight of end-to-end product development
Own the Design & Develop stage at the leadership level; ensure each EO executes it with effectiveness and clarity. Coach EOs in experience design, creative direction, and product management, and overall calibration within each brand's distinctive identity and brand standards. Ensure experiences are simple to operate, scalable, and cost efficient for desired impact. Partner with Process & System Owners to ensure each product meets requirements for Casting, Tech/Safety, Procurement, and Delivery/Sustained Quality
Serve as a steward of both HAL and Seabourn entertainment identities. Partner closely with the Marketing and Guest Experience leaders for each brand, to ensure standards are protected and onboard experiences developed and executed in collaboration with other hotel departments for optimal impact. Collaborate with the VP, Entertainment to ensure that all pre and post cruise guest communications are directly correlated with the actual onboard experience, including monitoring each brand's website and sales materials. Uphold brand taste level across all entertainment experiences; eliminate clichés, disingenuity, or off-brand characteristics to confirm all creative and product decisions and executions are data-driven and in service to each brand's primary and emerging audiences
Collaborate with VP Entertainment, Marketing, and executive leadership on high-profile talent opportunities, brand partnerships, and storytelling that aligns with each brand's direction and goals. Represent the department in cross-functional strategy discussions, providing thought leadership and product vision. Help source, develop, and maintain important business partnerships with casting, talent, and creative agencies for overall cost management, industry competition, and the ongoing continuity and success of the guest experience
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's and/or Master's Degree (preferred, not required) in a related field: Performing Arts, Film/Creative Production, Technical Theatre, Business Administration, Marketing, etc
Demonstrated excellence in written and verbal communication, leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving, organization, and time management
Proficiency using Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, Powerpoint and other Project/Product Management platforms (preferred) like Airtable, Asana, etc
Demonstrated familiarity with AI-assisted tools (e.g., ChatGPT, CoPilot, Airtable AI, or similar) and ability to incorporate them into creative development, analysis, or project management
7+ years in entertainment leadership roles managing creative, experiential, or product teams
3–5 years of corporate entertainment leadership (cruise or similar scale)
Preferably shipboard experience to understand onboard operational realities
2+ years of demonstrated experience with an ultra-luxury hospitality brand
Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple entertainment categories or disciplines
Experience developing strategic roadmaps and guiding multiple product owners, managing end-to-end product development
Benefits
Cruise and Travel Privileges for You and Your Family
Health Benefits
401(k)
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Training & Professional Development
Tuition & Professional Certification Reimbursement
Company
Holland America Line
Originally founded over 140 years ago, Holland America is a long estanblished name in the cruise industry.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Holland America Line has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (7)
2024 (9)
2023 (8)
2022 (4)
2021 (3)
2020 (11)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$70M2025-01-07Undisclosed· $70M
Leadership Team
Beth Bodensteiner
President
Recent News
2026-01-16
2026-01-09
Company data provided by crunchbase