Apprentice Cruise Travel Consultant
IGLU.COM LIMITED
Portsmouth (PO6 3TD)
Closes on Tuesday 30 June 2026
Posted on 14 May 2026
Contents
Summary
Our programme builds elite Sales Consultants through hands-on experience. Start in Customer Service (Months 1–9) to master logistics, tech, and global ports. Transition to Sales (Months 10–16) to leverage your expertise for consultative selling and high margins. Earn a Level 3 qualification with mentorship from industry veterans.
- Wage
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£15,600 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Travel consultant (level 3)
- Hours
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Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
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1 year 4 months
- Positions available
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10
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Phase 1: Service & Operations (Months 1–9)
Post-Booking Support: Managing guest enquiries and assisting travellers after their initial booking is confirmed.
Logistics Review: Checking visa requirements, medical protocols, and travel documentation for accuracy.
Technical Data Entry: Utilising internal and external booking platforms to manage guest itineraries.
Compliance Auditing: Ensuring all guest data and transactions adhere to GDPR and Package Travel Regulations.
Geographic Research: Studying port details and global maps to provide expert travel advice.
Phase 2: Sales & Consultancy (Months 10–16)
Consultative Selling: Handling new enquiries to match customers with specific cruise lines and cabin types.
Financial Costing: Calculating complex travel quotes, managing profit margins, and balancing turnover.
Lead Management: Following up with previous guests to build rapport and secure repeat business.
Upselling: Identifying opportunities to add value to bookings through excursions, upgrades, or extended packages.
Objection Handling: Communicating with hesitant leads to provide product clarity and close sales.
Where you'll work
6 Quay Point, Northarbour Road
Portsmouth
PO6 3TD
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
ZENITH TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Travel consultant (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Geography: Source and provide reliable and relevant geographical information that will help inform enquiries, support customers’ travel decisions and close sales
- Travel Information: Source and provide accurate and relevant travel information that will ensure customers have a positive travel experience
- Industry Practice: Carry out transactions, using a range of reservation and booking systems, according to standard industry practices and the procedures of the business, ensuring that customers are offered travel options that will meet their individual needs within agreed deadlines
- Travel Options: Source travel options, work with relevant industry suppliers and produce detailed itineraries that best meet customers’ needs
- Product and Service: Match customer needs to products and services and identify opportunities to upsell, suggest alternatives, introduce an enhanced competitive offer when appropriate and always aim to maximise profit when closing the sale
- Customer: Engage customers by building rapport and take opportunities to adapt communication styles to match their needs and deliver an enhanced service which encourages repeat business and consistently aims to exceed their expectations
- Legal and Compliance: Conduct the business transaction in compliance with travel industry regulations, approved codes of practice and business policy and continuously monitor the process to ensure accurate information and advice is given to customers
- Industry Technology: Use technology effectively and efficiently and input data accurately in accordance with business procedures
- Business: Actively support business performance by meeting agreed targets and providing travel solutions for customers varying needs and budgets in a way that is profitable to the business
- Sales: Achieve and exceed commercial targets by applying selling techniques that are appropriate to all customer types, take opportunities to maximise sales for example by selling promotions and preferred supplier programmes and maximise financial performance by upselling, cross-selling and calculating fares and refunds accurately
- Team and Personal Performance: Work constructively with team members to deliver travel plans and experiences that meet customer needs and recognise opportunities for self and team development to improve performance
- Communication: Select and use appropriate methods of communication including digital technologies according to the customer and the nature of the travel details being conveyed, ensuring quotes and prices are presented accurately
- Sustainability: Adapt working practices to minimise the negative effect on the environment
Training schedule
Phase 1: The Service Foundation (Months 1–9)
Focus: Technical proficiency, logistics, and "The Cost of Error."
Mentorship & Shadowing: Pair with "Industry Veterans" to observe how they handle complex guest issues and navigate the "mechanics" of a voyage.
Geography & Port Workshops: Structured sessions to master global port layouts, seasonal weather patterns, and local attractions to become a "walking atlas."
Systems Training: Hands-on "Sandbox" sessions with internal booking CRM and external supplier platforms.
Compliance Boot camps: Deep dives into the legal side of travel, including:
GDPR: Protecting guest data.
Package Travel Regs: Understanding guest protection and company liability.
Health & Safety: Mastering visa and medical protocols.
The Service Desk: Daily real-world application by supporting guests post-booking to understand the impact of errors.
Phase 2: Sales Excellence (Months 10–16)
Focus: Commercial acumen, relationship management, and high-value closing.
Consultative Sales Coaching: Shifting from "order taking" to expert advice. Training focusses on matching customer needs to the right cruise line and cabin.
Commercial Finance Training: Learning the "Business of Travel"—understanding the difference between Turnover vs. Profit and how to maximise margins.
The Art of the Upsell: Learning how to identify value-add opportunities (upgraded suites, excursions) that enhance the guest experience.
Rapport & Retention Workshops: Techniques for building a loyal client base through personalised follow-ups and CRM management.
Qualification Preparation: Dedicated study time and portfolio building to complete your Nationally Recognised Level 3 Qualification.
Ongoing Professional Development
Earn While You Learn: You will have regular "Off-the-job" training hours dedicated to your qualification.
Expert Reviews: Monthly progress meetings with mentors to review sales targets, technical accuracy, and career goals.
Product Immersions: Opportunities to learn directly from cruise line representatives about new ships and itineraries.
More training information
Training will be at our Cosham Offices and linked into your working week.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4 or above)
- Maths (grade 4 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
About this employer
Founded in 1998 and now part of Flight Centre Travel Group, Iglu.com is the UK’s leading specialist for cruise and ski travel. Through brands like Iglu Cruise and Planet Cruise, we offer expert, independent advice and over 20,000 holiday options. We prioritize innovation and expertise, recently winning UK Cruise Awards 2026 (Carnival UK).
https://careers.iglu.com/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Gym Discounts 💪
- Chances to go on familiarisation trips ✈
- Travel with work!
- Mental health and wellbeing support 🌻
- Discounted travel offers for friends and family ✈
After this apprenticeship
Immediate Post-Apprenticeship: Graduate Sales Consultant.
Once you earn your Level 3 Travel Consultant qualification, you transition from an apprentice to a full Sales or Customer Service role based on business needs.
Rewards: You move onto their commission structure. At this stage, your earning potential increases significantly based on your ability to convert leads into bookings.
Iglu has a strong history of promoting from within. Many of their current managers started as agents. A follow-on career path could look like this:
Assistant Sales Manager: Helping to run a sales pod, coaching agents, and monitoring daily targets.
Sales Manager: Overseeing larger teams, focusing on workforce planning and hitting department-wide KPIs.
Specialist Sales & Service Manager: Managing specific departments like Cruise Sales or Customer Resolution.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
ZENITH TRAINING LIMITED
jobs@iglu.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000031764.
Apply now
Closes on Tuesday 30 June 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.