Meet Arvia’s amazing crew…
Arvia is our new sunshine ship and with her arrival just a few days away, our incredible crew have been hard at work getting everything ship shape and ready to welcome our guests on board. We caught up with a few of the team to hear their stories and find out what they’re most looking forward to.
Carina Carino, Restaurant Host, 6th Street Diner
“I’m from the Philippines but my home away from home for the past 7 years has been at sea with P&O Cruises. I’ve previously worked on Azura, Ventura, Oceana and Oriana, and I was also part of the team involved in setting up Iona. I’m a Restaurant Host and I love what I do. Looking after our guests and ensuring they have a great experience in our restaurants makes me feel really good, especially now as I’ll get to show off our exciting new 6th Street Diner!
“I’m so excited to be working on Arvia and can’t wait to show our guests how special she is. I’m also looking forward for the Caribbean sunshine and can’t wait to see Barbados again!”
“I’m so grateful to be part of the P&O Cruises team. I’ve met so many beautiful people and amazing guests over the years – they’re all so lovely and give me motivation every day. I really enjoy meeting different people – it feels so good to help others, including many colleagues who are new to sea. It’s been great to share my knowledge and help empower them.”
Sijin Oommen, Housekeeping Manager
“I’m from Mumbai in India, have been married for 13 years and live a simple, happy life. It was always my dream to work on a ship – to see the world and experience beautiful places.I’ve worked for P&O Cruises for 16 years, starting as a Junior Supervisor and working my way up to Housekeeping Manager. I manage and run the second biggest department on the ship and it gives me great pleasure to do so.
“I’m really proud of my team; together we manage the ship’s outfittings, laundry, florist activity, public area cleaning, crew areas, butler services, upkeep of all furnishings, maintaining the open deck lounges, providing services to guests, and so much more!
“I’ve previously worked on Ventura, Azura, Adonia, Artemis, Aurora and Oceana – but most special was Britannia. Like Arvia, I’m very proud to have been part of Britannia’s set up and I have many beautiful memories from my time on board.
“Now it gives me pleasure to contribute my experience to Arvia and build the best department in delivering exceptional services to our guests, all whist sailing in the beautiful Caribbean.”
Rachel Wallis, Crew Services Manager
“I was born in South London and now live in West Sussex with my family. Living in between London and the South Coast is great as I get the best of both worlds – the hustle and bustle of the city and the fresh air at the seaside.
“As Crew Services Manager, I’m responsible for our crew’s documentation which must be kept and maintained accurately to ensure the ship is clear to sail. The Crew Office is a very busy place on board as we’re also the main point of contact for our crew, handling all their financial, logistical and administrative affairs – quite a task for 1500+ colleagues!
“For the past 5 years, I’ve been working on board P&O Cruises sister brand, Cunard and have experienced life on all three Queens. There are many things I love about ship life. The exciting destinations we visit was the attraction that brought me to sea, but I’ve stayed because of the people.
“I love working with a diverse mix of nationalities and cultures and have made friends for life here. They make being away from home that little bit easier and as much as I look forward to being reunited with my family, I get the same feeling when I return for a new contract.
“Coming to Arvia posed a new challenge and change of scenery – she’s my first ship build and a change of brand, so the concept was both exciting and daunting. Coming into an environment with new ways of working and few people I knew made me a little nervous, but everyone has been so welcoming, and I’m really enjoying the experience. It’s been amazing to see her build progressing each day and I’m very impressed at how well she handles the rough seas.”
Thank you to all our colleagues on board and ashore for your hard work getting ready for Arvia’s arrival.
