Carol Marlow - Managing Director of P&O Cruises pictured on board Arcadia in Sydney.Good Day Everyone,
What a busy time we had in Sydney – a tremendous air of excitement always abounds when the ship is alongside in such a stunning city. We had lots going on with the turnover of passengers, storing the ship and Entertaining.
Carol Marlow joined us on board from Sydney to Brisbane. Carol took this opportunity to catch up with Passengers and Ship’s Company alike. Carol also hosted a function for our 1,000 passengers who are doing the complete Round World Cruise. The same evening we had Des O’Connor performing in The Palladium Theatre and it was a night to remember.
It is not often I get a chance to have a chat with the MD therefore I made the most of the opportunity in my office!!! How about something for my blog Carol? Carol was up for it! We discussed many aspects of the cruise business. I asked Carol what it like was to be the Managing Director of Britain’s Favourite Cruise Line. Carol said ‘it was wonderful and a real privilege. P&O Cruises has a 170 year heritage, to have stewardship of this for a period of time is fabulous; and one I take very seriously’.
I first met Carol in 1999 when we were both working for P&O Cruises on the launch of AURORA. Since then Carol has been with Princess Cruises, Swan Hellenic and most recently MD for Cunard. ‘I am proud of my experience in the Cruising Business. I feel passionately about our Britishness, the sense of occasion that we capture on board celebrating life on board a ship’. I asked Carol how on earth (pardon the pun!) do you keep up with all your emails and messages when on the move? Carol said it was quite simple – ‘a Blackberry’! We talked about Azura and I asked Carol some questions!
What is so special about our new ship Azura?
Azura will offer the Classic Cruise Experience on a very modern Cruise Ship. The Classic Cruise Experience is very much being planned with our P&O Cruises Heartland Passenger in mind. This is our ‘typical’ customer with the largest share of our market.
What is there to get excited about?
As with all our ships each one is an individual and there is always something unique to each of our ships. I will mention some of the things that I believe will be of special interest.
The Glass House – a British Wine Bar & Restaurant with over 30 wines available by the glass – so you will not have to buy a full bottle in order to have variety! The wines are chosen by Wine Expert Olly Smith. The menu will be steaks and sea food. In addition we have our fine dining Restaurant - SINDHU with Celebrity Chef Atul Kochhar who is the master of spices, and a gift for mixing these with European flavours. At the aft end of deck 17 we have another fine dining Restaurant – SEVENTEEN, where food will be carved at the table and Gueridon trolleys will be in service; celebrating all that is best in British cuisine. Here you can enjoy fine wines, fabulous food and gaze at the stunning sea view. The Peninsular and Oriental Restaurants will offer Club Style Dining (with reservations/fixed seating) and The Meridian Restaurant will offer Freestyle Dining – when you can enjoy flexibility with dining time and table size.
BRODIE’S is a British Pub named after Brodie McGhie Wilcox who along with Mr Anderson was a joint founder of the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company, where P&O Cruises can trace its roots.
THE RETREAT is an outdoor SPA Area with over sized sun loungers and cabanas where you can relax and experience SPA treatments. There will be healthy option juices and snack food on offer here. The SEASCREEN – an open air CINEMA – a first for P&O Cruises, showing classic British Films and Blockbuster Movies.
SINGLE STATEROOMS – these are two thirds the size of a double cabin and centrally located on Deck 6 with inside and outside cabins to choose from. This is a great move forward and demonstrates we are listening to our passengers.
AZURA’s Glamorous God Mother will be the ballet dancer, Darcey Bussell CBE. Darcey lives in Sydney, Australia so we gave her a wave as we sailed out. With Darcey’s classical ballet training and elegance we thought it very appropriate that a young mother of two should name Azura.
When Arcadia first came into service it was said that Arcadia would be too big and too modern for P&O Cruises customers, now she is one of the most popular ships in the P&O Cruises Fleet!
Do you think the same will apply for Azura?
Azura will have a definite following and be very successful. We are giving our passengers the Classic Cruise Experience which they enjoy most of all. P&O Cruises are not all about big ships! We range from Azura and Ventura with 3,100 passengers on board to Adonia with 710 passengers. The choice is yours. I can’t wait to experience it for myself as I will be travelling on the first nine days of the Maiden Voyage. In keeping with the Classic Cruise experience we will have performances from international opera singer, Russell Watson, and stars of British musical theatre, Gary Wilmot and Claire Sweeney.
Thanks for your time Carol – this gives us a taste of what it to come. It has been great to have you on board for four days and I know our passengers have appreciated your visit as have we. I hope it is not too long until you return to Arcadia.
Just think the Maiden Voyage of Azura is on the 12th April 2010 and by this time Arcadia will be just two days away from returning to her home port Southampton and her first Round World Cruise completed. I wonder if we will pass Azura? Now that would be something – I must find out!
Carol left us at Brisbane to overnight there before joining our sister ship AURORA to cruise back to Sydney. I have pictures of our Sydney sail out and of Brisbane which I hope to get posted over the next few days. Just where does the time go?
Hope you are all well wherever you may be and thanks for all your messages.
Best wishes from Yorkey’s Knob, Cairns - North Queensland – our last Australian port as we sail on with the excitement of Hong Kong ahead.............I went ashore this afternoon so more to follow........
James.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
The unique sound of horns blasting echoed between the two ships - a moment in time that can only be experienced on the ocean. Best wishes to all our friends on board Aurora - many of you were with us last year on our Grand Voyage - thinking of you....................
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