STUDENTS from Leek College got a taste of life on the high seas when they toured one of P and O’s newest cruise ships this term.
A party of 20 studying for their BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism left Leek in the early hours and travelled by coach down to Southampton for a guided tour of the Ventura, launched last year by Helen Mirren.
P and O pulled out all the stops to ensure the party, joined by students from Moorlands Sixth Form College, got a proper feel for life aboard a luxury cruise ship and they were joined by staff from the company’s HR department to hear about opportunities working with P and O.
Course tutor Penny Meakin explained: “It’s all very well showing students videos but you can only realise the enormity of these cruise ships by actually going aboard. The Ventura is half a mile long and it simply blew our students away.
“We toured the restaurants, cabins and entertainment facilities and our group learned all about opportunities for work as pursers and entertainers aboard the ship as well as on shore careers with P and O. We had a great morning but, unfortunately, we had to disembark by noon to make way for passengers who were due to set sail that afternoon bound for St Lucia in the Caribbean.
“One or two members of the party were looking for places to hide as stowaways but, on a more serious note, now they’ve sampled life aboard, they are all keen on taking a mini cruise for our next trip abroad.
“With Caribbean cruises costing around £1,200 minimum that won’t be possible but we might try one of the taster cruises offering a couple of nights on board for around £300.”
Travel and Tourism courses at Leek College offer vocational training with lots of opportunities to go and experience opportunities for working in the travel industry.
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