HoW College Students Set Sail for Success!

HoW College students were delighted to take a trip to Southampton to step aboard the Queen Mary Cruise Liner and dive into the world of travel and tourism.

As part of their work experience, three students were selected to participate in a cruise ship visit in Southampton. The visit was hosted by members of staff from Cunard, a luxury cruise line that offers a fantastic travel experience. The students had the opportunity to become a part of this world and gain valuable insights into the cruise industry.

During the visit, all three students, Dylan Carr, Jayme Fuszard and Jess Gittins, were given a guided tour of the ship by Cunard staff. The ship, Queen Mary 2, was built as part of Cunard’s express service between Southampton, Cherbourg, and New York. The tour provided the students with a glimpse into the daily operations of a cruise ship, including the facilities and services offered to passengers. The students were able to ask questions and interact with the staff, gaining a better understanding of the cruise industry and the roles and responsibilities of those who work on board.

Commenting on their experience, Dylan said:

 ‘As I’d done a ship visit before I had quite high expectations. However, this had exceeded those expectations. The staff we’re extremely polite and welcoming. As for the food, that was outstanding. I had the baked goat’s cheese to start, the Thai green seafood curry and the lemon meringue pie. All of the food was presented flawlessly and have never experienced such high-quality service.’

Jess added:

‘My favourite part of the visit was the three-course meal, the customer service was fantastic, and the choice of meals were great for everybody. We ate in the Britannia restaurant which was huge, and each table was neatly laid with cutlery and fresh flowers. Each meal didn’t take long, and the food was amazing.’

After the tour, the students reflected on their experience and the insights they gained. They were able to see first-hand the level of attention to detail that goes into creating a memorable and enjoyable travel experience for passengers. Additionally, they were able to reflect on the challenges of working in the travel and tourism industry, including the need for effective communication, attention to detail, and the importance of customer-service skills.

Overall, the cruise ship visit provided the students with a unique learning opportunity that is most likely to benefit their future studies and career goals in the travel and tourism industry.

To find out more about travel and tourism courses at HoW College please visit here.