Welcome to Face to Face, where we chat to cruise industry leaders. How did you get into the cruise industry? I came back from overseas and figured a role as a Sales Rep would be nice, as I love to travel, so I was lucky enough to get a role...
Welcome to Face to Face, where we chat to cruise industry leaders.
How did you get into the cruise industry?
I came back from overseas and figured a role as a Sales Rep would be nice,
as I love to travel, so I was lucky enough to get a role that provided that.
What is the key to your success?
The key is having a great product to promote, and a great network of
agents to work with.
How many cruises have you been on in the last five years?
I’ve been lucky to have done nearly 30 cruises all up, from 1 night trade/
media cruises to highlight the new ships, to a number of inaugurals and
agent famils.
What is your favourite destination and why?
I loved exploring the Caribbean on Oasis of the Seas in September a few
years ago. My favourite food is Mexican, and the ship called into Cozumel
so I spent the day eating Mexican and drinking $0.50c Coronas.
How do you spend a day at sea?
I know it’s obvious, but sea days are a great time to explore the ships and
all the various activities that you may not necessarily be able to do on
land. I’ve been flowriding, sky diving and rock climbing all in a day, and
also done a few cooking classes onboard where I learnt how to cook the
perfect steak! I usually have the drinks package when cruising for personal
holidays, so on sea days I get my money’s worth.
What is your most memorable moment on a cruise?
I’ll never forget stepping foot on the Royal Promenade on the maiden
voyage of Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest passenger cruise ship.
It was unbelievable to see everything that had been talked about with
the Oasis Class, in the flesh and to be one of the first to experience it is
something I’ll never forget.
What is the next “hot spot” in cruising destinations?
I think for us Aussies, the logical new hot spot is Asia. With cheap flights
from Australia, I see cruising in Asia as the next choice after people have
experienced a local South Pacific or New Zealand cruise.
The best tip for handling
sea sickness is…?
Lots of fresh air!
What is the most
important issue in the
cruise industry today?
For my company it’s the
infrastructure, as we
want to bring the big
ships down here and our
agents and passengers
are asking for them, but
we are limited by berth
space. If they could raise
the Harbour Bridge it
would help, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
What do you think is the most underrated aspect of cruising?
The most underrated aspect is the fact that there’s a cruise and cruise line
for everyone, and although we have ships that hold the population of a
small town, you can find parts of the ship that you’d swear you’re the only
passenger onboard!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Cruising, as everyone knows is booming. We’ve gone from one ship to six
down here in 5 years, so I’d like to throw down a challenge to have 12 ships
here. That is an exciting thought, yet scary at the same time.
Describe your perfect cruise in 25 words or less?
A Caribbean cruise, drinks package included, specialty dining booked,
What are your career ambitions?
I’d love to be the person who cruises all year long and critiques the
individual cruise ships for the Berlitz Guide to Cruising. If that’s not an
option, I’m happy where I am and working for such an innovative brand.
Tony’s Cruise Favourites
Ship: Celebrity Silhouette.
Ship Activity: Skydiving.
Shore excursion: Ziplining (Flying Fox) on one of the longest runs in the world, in Labadee, Haiti.
Region: The Caribbean.
Port: Any in the Caribbean
Onboard food/drink: Jamie’s Italian.
Perk of the job: Being able to brag to your friends and family that you get paid to go on cruises!
