Is to enable passengers to enjoy every port of call, giving them an insight into the Country, Region and City they are to visit. Let them know the high's and the low's of the area, the 'Must see, must do' that every city has. A little Geography, Culture & Local Customs are always useful. I have been lecturing on Cruise Ships for over ten years on the Ports of Call and various destinations world wide. I have been fortunate enough to have worked for most of the major cruise companies. I have given lectures on over thirty different ships, on some of those ships I have done in excess of a dozen different cruises. I have been involved in seven World Cruises. Some might be suprised to hear that I still love every minute of my job, including the many hours of research work I do when formulating a new presentation.
To date I have visited in the region of 200 different countries over the past 50 years, having set foot on all continents, including Antarctica.
MY HISTORY
I have had a passion for travel for as long as I can remember. From the age of eight I wanted to be a Pilot and to travel the world. I never became a pilot, but I have enjoyed travelling all over the world by air, as well as by sea.
My first flight was in a De Havilland Fox Moth bi-plane. I persuaded my father, mother and younger brother to take a flight from Southport Beach, round Blackpool Tower and back. The cost was fifteen shillings [15/-] [75p] for all four of us! I was hooked! I joined 2168 Squadron Air Cadets [ATC] at thirteen. I made dozens of flights as a passenger in many different types of military aircraft. Through the ATC I learned to fly a Glider, going solo aged fifteen. I joined the Royal Air Force as a Technical Apprentice aged sixteen. Working on, rather than flying in, various military aircraft, from Jet Provost’s to Vulcan ‘V’ Bombers. This took me on UK and Overseas Postings for the next eight years.
A spent a full year as a Radio Announcer [DJ] in the Maldives. I did a little work as an extra in a TV series.
I joined British Airways [Then called B.O.A.C.] Long Haul Division. Then I really did start to see the world, with flights to the Middle & Far East, most of the African Continent, Canada and the Americas, even inside the ‘Iron Curtain’ to Moscow. Little did I know the knowledge gained at this time would prove invaluable in years to come.
For twenty five years my travelling became that of a ‘Tourist’ as I went into business in the Frozen Food Industry. With my wife I enjoyed many trips overseas with visits to India, China and the USA. We enjoyed cruising on ships such as Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 [QE2] and the Cunard Countess.
With offers I could not refuse, I sold my companies and retired from business early.
On some ships I work as part of the Shore Excursions Team. Some companies prefer me to remain separate from the tours operation, some like me to subliminally include tour details within a presentation. I take a flexible approach, with talks of thirty to sixty minutes. I also have a number of presentations for those long sea days on world cruises, with titles such as ‘The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’, ‘Fifty Places to See Before you Stop Cruising’, ‘Fifty Places You Should Visit In Great Britain’, 'Top Thirty UNESCO sites.'
I have done assignments for cruise companies shore excursions departments, visiting Ports of Call to check out and evaluate new tours, taking photographs and timings to enable brochures to be produced.
I have given presentations to lunch and evening clubs and travel groups in the UK.
