Arcadia at Sydney - Press and Gala Functions

It was a pleasure to meet Ann Sherry - Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Australia. Ann spoke at the Press Conference and also hosted the functions. Ann said that she had read over 700 letters from past passengers saying why Arcadia was so special to them, and that it was such a difficult decision to whittle down to the final guest list.

Good Day Everyone,

No less than four functions in Sydney - no problem to the Arcadia Team. I was trained by Caroline Cousins - Lord Sterling's PA and Lucinda Hanbury from Buckingham Palace and together we have launched new ships, Hong Kong Cups and the like. It was a joy to work with Greg Dehn, Special Events & Project Manager in Sydney and his colleagues. Our Thanks to Greg for making it all straight forward for us!

Gary Glading gets the press conference under way. We are 'old hands' at this now as we have been hosting these in every port since Fremantle. Gary managed to get a good plug in for http://www.jamescusick.co.uk/.

Commodore Steve Burgoine addresses the Media.

A large gathering in our press office before joining the rest of the guests.

Past Passengers who travelled on Arcadia 2 with Commodore Steve Burgoine and Ann Sherry.

Superb company for lunch - Left to Right - Jane Humphries - Communications Officer for Carnival Australia, Patrick Hutcheon, Amanda and Lisa Maroun - Travel Daily, Helen Hutcheon - Australian, New Zealand & South Pacific Regional Correspondent for Seatrade Review & Seatrade Insider, Fredrick Shaw - Travel Correspondent ABC - Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Needless to say there was no shortage of conversation. Anthony Fisk Head of PR for Carnival Australia was also with us however he had to keep on the move networking. On the plates are a Trio of British Desserts!

Stephen Mitchell, Senior Purser - Food and Beverage Manager pictured with Ann Sherry along with a model of ARCADIA 2 which was brought on board for the day from the P&O Cruises Office in Sydney. It attracted much interest to our lunch guests in The Meridian Restaurant Upper Level 3. The Restaurant was even more spectacular than ever with the views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and The Opera House from our large panoramic windows - the sheers were all open! Steve has served on board all three Arcadias. Steve first flew out to Sydney in the last Arcadia in the 1970's when he started his career with P&O Cruises as a Bell Boy with eight berths to a Cabin - he has done well! I have known Steve for 25 years now - we are great pals. Steve and his team did us all proud on board Arcadia, alongside in the most prestigious berth in Sydney - Circular Quay.

Gary Rhodes - our Celebrity Chef.

While all this was going on 90 guests from VOGUE Magazine were having lunch in ARCADIAN RHODES. Prior to the lunch Gary Rhodes himself did a Cookery Demonstration in our Palladium Theatre. I met Sally Feidman - Senior Editor of VOGUE Entertaining and Travel - Sally so enjoyed her visit to Arcadia. Sally's Mother has just moved from England to Australia so we wish them both well and many happy days here!

Blog Babes from our Sydney Office - L to R - Aimee Ang, Direct Communication Coordinator,

Alicja, and Agnes Wychodil, Direct Marketing Coordinator. Keep checking my blog Ladies and I hope we all meet up again soon! You don't meet many people called Agnes these days, such a lovely name. My Mother was named Martha Agnes Grace to please her family, however my grandmother who was also called Agnes had no choice in the matter, therefore my Mother was known as Maudie!

A note of thanks and appreciation is always welcome and how lovely to return to my office to find a wrapped gift on my desk - in this case it was an Akubra - this style is called 'The Cattleman Hat'!! Thanks to Anthony,Greg, Jane and the Carnival Australia Team - it was a great pleasure to be part of all this very exciting media experience for Arcadia's Inaugural Grand Voyage to Australia - I will never forget it and neither will be feet or my mobile phone!

We have enjoyed press, Travel Agents and Media travelling with us since Singapore! Arcadia has received mega media coverage in Australia - let's hope we can come back for longer in the not too distant future - perhaps base ourselves down under for a winter season and cruise Australia and New Zealand - or even out to the Pacific Islands. There is no doubt that our Passengers and Ship's Company are enjoying Australia and the Australians! What wonderful people they are - nothing is a problem and they see the bright side of life. Ah what a country - it is more prosperous than ever and the climate.............it is all here! If you have never been to Australia then you have no idea what you are missing............

You can always come with us on board Arcadia in 2010 on our WORLD CRUISE - another first for ARCADIA. Our Arcadia has been referred to many down here in Sydney as ARCADIA IV - it has quite a ring to it.

Best wishes meantime,

James.

Never, never, never quit.

Winston Churchill

Arcadia dwarfing Doyle's famous Fish restaurant on the Quay.

Arcadia alongside - now on the Grand Voyage and World Cruise circuit - flying the flag for P&O Cruises UK - in Australia. I think she is enjoying the change of 'waters' after three winters of fly cruising from Barbados, New Orleans and Acapulco.