P&O Cruises Expert Insight:
Interview with James Cusick, Executive Purser on board Aurora
With the recent launch of our World Cruise brochures, staff at P&O Cruises have begun to get excited and formulate special plans for the epic voyages. Whether you’re looking at a full world cruise or perhaps would like to cover a shorter sector over a couple of weeks, you can be sure lots of time and effort has gone into ensuring you have the holiday of a lifetime on board with us.
Those of you that have been following the P&O Cruises blog posts for a few years may be familiar with James Cusick; Executive Purser on board Aurora. He wrote our blog articles for a number of years before turning his full attention to his ship-side duties. For those of you not so familiar – James has been with P&O Cruises for nearly 30 years and as Executive Purser he plays a pivotal role in your cruise, overseeing everything from Passenger Services to Entertainment. As it’s been a while since James last wrote for us, we decided to catch up with him ahead of Christmas to talk about his role on board and what you can expect on a Round the World Cruise with us. Read his interview below...
How long have you been with the company and/or Executive Purser for the Aurora for P&O Cruises?
I joined P&O Cruises in 1983 so I have been cruising for 29 years. I have been Executive Purser since the year 2000 when Aurora was launched.
How did you get into the role?
Prior to coming to sea I trained in Hotel Management and Tourism. After two years of working in London as a Hotel Duty Manager, I wanted to travel and see all the countries where all my customers were coming from. Most of all I desired to visit Australia where I had a lot of family relations at the time. On my second tour of duty I was posted to the original Oriana in Sydney working for P&O Australia. It was great fun and after touring the South Pacific for four months I knew I was hooked! I progressed through the ranks and eventually got the top job in 2000 and a brand new ship to go with it!
What’s does your role entail – and what would a typical day look like?
As Executive Purser I oversee the Hotel Operation including Food and Beverage, Passenger Services and Entertainment. On a typical day I would walk the ship – both front and back of house to ensure that we are delivering the POC Product as our passengers like it. This gives me an opportunity to speak to the Ship’s Company and passengers alike – some social some business – this is the joy of the job.
What do you love most about your job?
Meeting people, seeing our staff progress and the reward of giving our passengers a great cruise holiday.
What is it about the World Cruises that makes them special?
The sense of occasion, the challenge of circumnavigating the globe, the wonder of what lays ahead, the sense of adventure. To have a group of people onboard the entire Round World Cruise gives a great sense of camaraderie. I have had the pleasure of completing 4 full World Cruises and being part of 18 other world cruises and Grand Voyages. The world is a lot smaller now than when I was studying Geography at school. It is amazing that my favourite subjects were history and geography and now I live the dream.
What’s your favourite leg of the World Cruise, do you have a specific destination that you like the best?
I love sailing into Sydney Australia – only then do you really feel that you are on the other side of the world. My favourite leg would be Sydney to Hong Kong as you get to experience many different cultures in a short time. Also the good weather helps – I do like hot climates!
What’s your most memorable moment from a World Cruise?
On one occasion we had a big party sail away from Sydney at dusk and we were all up on the Aurora’s iconic aft decks waving at all the well wishers who had lined Sydney harbour to see the great white liner sail on.
Is there anything that has surprised you on your travels? (Be it culturally, visually, perhaps more breathtaking than expected, much smaller etc.)
The sail in to San Francisco – passing below the Golden Gate Bridge, and past the prison Island of Alcatraz, seeing Fisherman’s Wharf and docking alongside the old wooden pier. You can breathe in the atmosphere and history of this unique City – the Jewel of the West Coast of America,
What sort of service do people expect from a World Cruise?
Top notch service, as we are the trusted Cruise experts on the World! We are one of the few Cruise lines who offer a variety or Round World Cruises year on year. I did my first Round World Cruise in 1985 and have been able to share my wealth of knowledge with passengers and crew our ports and destinations. An example of this would be the port of Xingang from where you can visit the Great Wall of China.
Are there any special preparations for a World Cruise?
There are immense preparations from all departments on board and shore side to ensure we deliver an unrivalled product. Many of our Round World Cruise Passengers are seasoned cruisers and we aim to meet their expectations. This involves keeping up to date with local port requirements relating to Immigration, Customs and Environmental legalisation. Food and Beverage stores are carefully planned and we send containers to key ports to top up our stores with the many British products that our passengers love. Crew rotations are scrutinised to make leaving and joining the ship as smooth as possible for our crew. This includes all the Entertainment planning for our extensive Round World Cruise Programme which is no mean feat.
What makes the service different on a P&O world cruise to other cruises?
My Reception and Tours Team are at the forefront on a world cruise as they have to be a ‘Travel Agent’ for the World! They also need to be experts in postage services, local taxis, the best Restaurants, and even the nearest pharmacy!
What do you tend to do on your days off when you’re away on a World Cruise?
I am always on duty to provide the best service to our passengers and to support Team Aurora. When I have shore leave I like to go for a walk or a swim in the sea. A browse in the local shops and a light lunch ashore is always a good way to unwind with friends. I have passion for architecture and I am fascinated by how buildings can vary from country to county in both form and function.
For more information on World Cruises and destinations available, click here