Volunteers needed to give 'fabulous Portsmouth welcome' to cruise passengers

Portsmouth International Port is becoming an increasingly popular destination for the cruise industry with growing numbers of companies sailing in to enjoy the delights the port and city have to offer.

Last month saw another milestone as the port welcomed a German cruise line for the first time, with the arrival of the AIDAsol.

There to meet and greet passengers as they stepped ashore was a team of volunteer ambassadors from Shaping Portsmouth who provided a warm welcome and help on how they could best spend their day savouring the city’s delights

Shaping Portsmouth is now looking for two volunteers who could take up more senior roles.

One would be in charge of administration and logistics, setting up and planning each meet and greet session. This would include putting health and safety requirements in place, booking volunteers and providing them with everything they need, and liaising with the port and local attractions.

The other volunteer post is an on-site events lead - being there on the day to open and close the meet and greet sessions and support the other volunteers.

Sarah Bell, Shaping Portsmouth’s cruise passenger programme lead, said: ‘There is a real buzz and excitement around cruise in Portsmouth as the 2022 season gathers momentum. We need enthusiastic, motivated individuals to support this rewarding programme as we seek to promote our local artisans and small businesses as well as our major attractions in the city.

‘From the larger European ships to smaller boutique vessels, we want everyone who visits to be given a fabulous Portsmouth welcome and leave with positive memories from their time spent in the city.

‘These are exciting times in Portsmouth as the port is well under way with its construction of a new cruise terminal and more cruise lines commit to utilising all that the port and city have to offer both passengers and crew. We need enthusiastic individuals to support our growing Meet and Greet Ambassador volunteers sharing their wealth of knowledge and experiences with our visitors.

For more information and to apply, email [email protected]. The closing date for applications is Thursday, May 26.