Team Blog

Congratulations - It’s a Girl!  May I present you Britannia, born on 14th Feb 2015, weighing in at 141,000 tons – God Mother Queen Elizabeth II and Ship both doing well.

For some, this really is as long and anticipated as the joyous news of a new arrival, and with MV Britannia’s christening taking place today (10th March 2015), P&O Cruises are very happy and proud parents.

The cruise industry is the fastest growing sector with new ships being introduced every year, but still, more than seven in ten UK holiday makers have never been on a cruise and impressions of being for the older generation lingers.

It’s nearly ‘that’ time of year – buckets and spades at the ready everyone...last one in the sea’s a sissy.

But with four in five of us having taken a well earned holiday last year...and, according to research by ABTA, one in five stating that an overseas holiday is a necessity rather than a luxury, how much do we think about the financial implications of our summer jaunt?

According to The Travel Association, the cost of a holiday is less of a priority than safe accommodation, financial protection or ATOL and ABTA accreditation.  Value for money ranks 5^th most important and having the lowest prices down at 9^th...

Posted 03 July 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director

Is it me, or does it now seem there’s never enough time to enjoy the delights of airport departure lounges?

As a kid I remember sitting there for an eternity with my colouring-in books and my mum unwrapping packed lunch sandwiches from the family sized cool box. Now, I’m first in the queue as check-in opens, I’m through security in a well rehearsed shoes off, liquids out hand luggage scan, and just as I get to Ted Baker....my name’s called over the Tannoy and I’m back out the door. Shopping - denied!

I can understand the need to keep passengers moving through terminals to avoid over-crowding, but it’s not encouraging the customer experience of relaxation if that’s what you’re after.

Posted 19 June 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director

Have you heard of the new Heathrow Terminal 2? ...Except for the name of the stop on the Piccadilly line tube...? No – me hardly either, and for someone than can walk to the airport, I’m wondering how I’ve missed it...or has it been a deliberate action to keep it so hush hush?

Admittedly, about 5 years ago, I received a DVD through my door with an artist’s grand impression of how the old terminals 1 and 2 were to become ‘Heathrow East’, which I eagerly sat down to watch, popcorn in hand. But since then, alas...like the ‘perfect’ guy you meet on a date...silence.

Posted 23 April 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director

It’s a tough decision – a family holiday at a peak season prices, or to take the kids out of school?  As someone without children, I’d like to trust parents to decide with the best interests of their offspring’s education at heart, but at the same time, I’ve seen the hike in prices.

And it’s not for the ‘exploitativeness’ of the holiday providers rubbing their hands together with glee – we’re all tied with the mass exodus of families, throwing their school bags into the air for the end of term escape – impacting supply and demand.

Posted 04 April 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director

Whilst we’re on the subject of trains, is it just me, or is anyone else getting frustrated with the train travel experience around London? Whilst arranging to meet a colleague in London last week, he was under the misconception that ‘as a Londoner’ it’d be a quick pop out of the office compared to his trip to the capital from Manchester.

It’s no surprise to many of us, we automatically grin and bear the two hour trip to the city, but I can’t help but wonder how, as a capital city, can it take so long to get from Heathrow on ordinary (non Heathrow Express) public transport?

Posted 25 March 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director

One of the things I noticed recently is the interactive use of social media when commuting – not for catching up on your own personal life, but for communication between service providers and customers.

What once used to be more one-sided tweets/posts from travellers about their train service has become much more of a two-way relationship.  Social media has become a real-time and public way of keeping customers up to date, to engage with them in a more personal way, and is now very much a part of some train companies PR strategies.

Posted 13 March 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director

One of the hazards of working in travel and tourism is you’re always ‘thinking’ holidays that seem so far out of grasp, but as the never-ending drizzle may finally be springing forwards, I’m starting to divulge in the daydream of my next getaway. 

You’d think that perhaps as someone in the know, I’d be a bit more clued up as to what I was doing, but, like the average Joe, I’ll be doing the usual brochure browsing, website searches and peer reviews for inspiration. 

Am I normal?  Well...loosely speaking, but I’m a bit more of a traditionalist if the latest research is anything to go by...

Posted 6 March 2014 by Lynn Tweedale, Associate Director