Carnival Australia’s ranks have been bolstered by a new Training and Engagement Manager who, after growing up in the UK’s cruise hub Southampton, seemed destined to work in cruising.
Carl Stephens has vivid memories as a six-year-old of the P&O liner Canberra and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 being escorted back to Southampton by the Queen on the Royal Yacht Britannia after they served as troopships in the Falklands War.
After working as a Beverage Manager with Star Cruises, he landed a coveted job on the grand ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2. For the next seven years, Carl worked in several positions across Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria including Chief Sommelier, Paymaster, Crew Purser and HR Manager.
He stepped back ashore in 2010 as hotel recruitment specialist and when Cunard merged with P&O Cruises to form Carnival UK in 2012, his role changed again to resourcing advisor covering 10 ships and all areas from deck and technical to hotel and medical.
He made the move to Australia last year in the role of People and Performance Manager on Pacific Jewel and is now on land working in the Carnival Australia office with his raft of responsibilities including offering advice on shipboard policies, providing shore based communications to the fleet and helping to produce the successful Proud magazine.
SOURCE P&O Cruises