With less than 100 days to go, Stuart Smart, Human Resources Manager on Iona, is in the shipyard in Papenburg getting ready to give Iona’s crew a warm welcome and ensure they’re fully supported in settling into life onboard. Sandra Thompson (photographed right) is also a Human Resources Manager on Iona and will be taking over from Stuart in March, supporting crew on the maiden voyage and beyond.
Stuart has shared his first few weeks in Papenburg in this Getting to know feature on The Insider…
Time with Carnival UK:
I started work with Carnival UK in 2014 on Aurora. I’ve since been on Britannia as well as Queen Mary 2. And now I’m very proud to be part of the Iona team.
What drew you to become a Human Resources Manager (HRM)?
After working many years as a Human Resources Business Partner ashore within manufacturing and professional services, I wanted to transfer my skills to a more varied role that would enable me to travel and meet people from all around the world, and to be able to support people in a ship environment. Being a HRM onboard covers many areas. One of the most satisfying aspects is supporting people through training and mentoring to enable them to reach their personal goals.
What is yours and Sandra’s role in getting Iona ready?
As well as our normal HRM activities, I’m planning for the arrival of the crew as the build progresses and working with everyone in the shipyard to ensure that we have what’s required for the ship’s company on Iona. Myself and Sandra will be looking at what the Seafarers Welfare Committee can support with and will be ensuring that we celebrate the success of everyone’s hard work in getting Iona into service. There are lots of great events coming for summer 2020 on Iona. I’ll be in the shipyard until March 2020 then Sandra will join and will be the Human Resources Manager onboard for Iona’s maiden voyage.
How are the crew areas on Iona looking?
Iona is looking amazing. When I first visited the yard in November 19 I couldn’t quite believe just how big she is. Since then the inside has really began to take shape, the crew lounge at the front of the ship leads out to the crew deck which has lots of space, a pool and two whirlpool spa’s. The aft end of deck 4 has The Summit, the ship’s company cafe and the crew and Officer Mess. The Crew Mess will turn into an area for Seafarer Welfare Committee (SWC) events and the DJ booth is already in place. These areas are going to be fantastic places to relax and socialise and we intend to make the most of our new facilities with a proactive SWC ensuring that we cater for lots of different events.
Iona is looking amazing. When I first visited the yard in November 19 I couldn’t quite believe just how big she is. Since then the inside has really began to take shape, the crew lounge at the front of the ship leads out to the crew deck which has lots of space, a pool and two whirlpool spa’s. The aft end of deck 4 has The Summit, the ship’s company cafe and the crew and Officer Mess. The Crew Mess will turn into an area for Seafarer Welfare Committee (SWC) events and the DJ booth is already in place. These areas are going to be fantastic places to relax and socialise and we intend to make the most of our new facilities with a proactive SWC ensuring that we cater for lots of different events.What are you most looking forward to about Iona?
Iona’s going to have lots of new concepts for our Guests and the facilities onboard are amazing. The crew areas are being finished to a really high standard which will help make Iona not only a great place to work but a great place to live.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
As I live in Scotland am only a short drive from some fantastic countryside I take the opportunity to get out hill walking and climb the occasional mountain when the weather permits, something that I will be able to do as we visit the Norwegian Fjords this summer. Whilst on leave I spend time with my extended family and friends and travel when possible.What can crew expect to see and hear over the next few months?
As Iona gets ready for service, we’ll be working hard to ensure that ship’s company have a good experience during the new build and beyond, whether they’re joining us in Papenburg, Emshaven, Bremerhaven or Southampton. Regular updates will be provided on the progress of the build and information on what to expect onboard and what we’re doing to make Iona welcoming, comfortable and sociable. We’re encouraging all Iona ship’s company to join the dedicated Facebook group now. It’s a great opportunity to get daily news from the new build yard, stay tuned to exciting developments such as the headlines for Ionafest (which I can’t wait for), as well as meet and connect with Iona colleagues early on.
To find out more about Iona visit The Insider/ Iona.