In just three days, our incredible new ship Arvia will welcome guests on board for her maiden voyage. So many colleagues have been involved in getting us to this milestone moment, not least Arvia’s amazing crew!
Following last week’s crew spotlight stories, we caught up with a few more colleagues to hear about what brought them to Arvia and what they’re most looking forward to.
Say hello to…
Yasmyn Cocca, Senior Entertainment Host
I’m from East Anglia in the UK, have a big loving family (including my cats) and I live by the sea. My role on Arvia takes me all around the ship from morning until late at night. I host events such as bingo, quizzes, sailaway celebrations, dance classes, game shows, comparing and much more.
Growing up by the sea, I’ve always had a deep connection with the ocean. I love to travel and explore new places and love entertaining, so working on ships is the perfect combination of my passion and my interests.
I’ve worked at sea for 7 years now and it feels like a home away from home. I love the fact that ship life has so much diversity. We live and work with lots of different nationalities and learn so much about each other and our different cultures.
I’ve worked on Oriana, Oceana, Aurora, Azura and now Arvia. Every single ship is special and has something unique and different, but Arvia is a whole new level. There are so many amazing experiences for our guests to enjoy – they’re going to love her!
Being part of the launch team has been such a great experience and I’m very grateful to be here. Now I’m looking forward to welcoming our guests on board for the very first time and, of course, sailing to the sunshine! The Caribbean is my favourite itinerary of all – the music, the people, the sunshine and the vibes make it a really happy place to be.”
Priti Sonawane, Hotel Assistant
“I’m from Mumbai in India where I live with my dad, two brothers, sister and sister in-law. This is my first contract and my first job ever! Working in the housekeeping department we have various tasks each day and right now I’m looking after the crew laundrette, making sure it’s clean and well looked after.
This is my first time out of India so visiting Europe has been exciting and I’m really looking forward to seeing the Caribbean – it sounds like it will be hot!
Every day since joining Arvia has been a new experience for me and I’m learning so much. Everyone has been very helpful and friendly, and as a first job it feels like the best place to be. I’m excited to see where my career progresses with P&O Cruises and look forward to future opportunities to work with the galley team. I’ve always wanted to work as a commis, so one day I can become a chef.”
Jason Pollard, Junior Doctor
“I was born and bred in Johannesburg in South Africa. My mum, dad and sister are at home and I look forward to visiting them when I’m not on board. My job as a junior doctor is to oversee the wellbeing of both crew and guests. We do two clinics a day and provide 24 hour, seven days a week emergency assistance.
I’ve worked at sea for one year now and I wanted to join a cruise ship because of my love of travel; combining work with the opportunity to see a bit of the world.
Before joining Arvia, I worked on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth. My highlight was travelling on board Queen Elizabeth during her Alaskan season.
This is my first P&O Cruises ship, but already it’s an enjoyable atmosphere with friendly people. Meeting all the crew has been wonderful and the excitement of our first sailing is immense. I’m especially looking forward to getting to the warmer waters and weather of the Caribbean!”
Sandra Thompson, HR Manager
“I live in Watford, near London with my husband Ian. We’ve been married for 33 years and have three sons. I started my career at sea on Ventura, moved to Britannia and was then lucky to launch Iona. I’ve loved all my ships, but I think your favourite is always the one you’re currently on. Therefore, it has to be our sunshine ship Arvia!
Along with providing traditional HR support, I’m responsible for the Crew Office team and the Learning & Development Officers (LDOs). We’re the first team that the ship’s company meet when they join and the last when they leave. We ensure that everyone is compliant, paid, have access to foreign currency and deal with a multitude of queries and questions about all aspects of living and working at sea. In addition, I chair the Seafarer’s Welfare Committee (SWC), making sure that we offer activities and social events for everyone to enjoy during their leisure time as well as overseeing all wellbeing matters.
I love the diversity we have with colleagues coming from all over the globe.
I’m dedicated to providing a happy, inclusive ship where everyone can be themselves and have opportunities to flourish both personally as well as professionally.
All of us are incredibly proud of being part of the team that takes Arvia into service. She’s a beautiful ship with so many amazing features and we’re all looking forward to the moment when we can finally show her off to our guests.”
All of us at Carnival UK wish our colleagues on Arvia the very best of luck, fair winds and following seas for an amazing maiden season. We’ll be sharing more on this over the coming weeks so be sure to keep a look out!
In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our Arvia Hub for more exciting news and the chance to WIN a cruise and tickets to a very special event! Hurry, entries close at 17:00 today.
