Captain - Robbie

11 years ago I was taken onboard my first cruise ship; Thomson Celebration! I was blown away and thought the ship was huge! I struggled to comprehend how a ship could have all these facilities.

However, it was coming over a bridge in Istanbul when I had a lightbulb moment with 4 ships in the distance. There were 3 huge ships and a 4th which looked like a dinghy in comparison. It was it was pointed out that our ship was the ‘dinghy’... it was mind blowing!

I just had to learn more but found good information hard to come by. I started to write an occasional blog in Ireland which grew and grew. When Jonathan lost his position in the pandemic shortly after I had a personal family tragedy I knew it was now or never. The Cruise Room was born and it’s been a rollercoaster 4 years but the most incredible 4 years at the same time.

It fills me with pride every time I step onboard the store or our Cruise Lounge and I’m incredibly excited as to what the future has in store both for us and for this incredible industry with so much innovation, so many new ships and experiences to come!

Favourite Cruise Line

Ah, this is like choosing a favourite child! Impossible! However, if I had to choose a river cruise line it would be AMA Waterways. I can’t explain the feeling I had while onboard; it was the warmth of the crew, the lovely ships, the incredible Cruise Director... it was the combination of all these things that resulted in me feeling emotional when we said goodbye (it’s never goodbye, it’s see you soon!) On the Ocean? I’m torn between Explora Journeys & Seabourn. I’ve found my own tastes have changed as I’ve got a little older and experienced more cruise lines. For me I feel that smaller ships with more space per guest, more port intensive itineraries and a higher crew to guest ratio works best.

Favourite Destination

I’ve just returned from Svalbard in the Arctic Circle and it’s left a mark on me I can’t explain. Of course, the scenery was spectacular but it was the remoteness of the destination, the simplicity of life there, the land of the midnight sun... it was like nowhere I’ve ever been and I need to go back for more (also I didn’t get a polar bear sighting and I’m desperate to have those moments...)

Favourite Cruise Memory

I’ve been fortunate enough to have so many. I was on the last ship to leave Perfect Day at Cococay before the pandemic – this private island was everything I hoped it would be and more however leaving was so sad as we knew the industry was shutting down. So, I had the high of being on this incredible game changing island but the sadness of not knowing when the industry would return!

More recently shopping with the chef in Seabourn was brilliant, I never expected it to be so interesting to watch the chef at work – he was like a kid in a sweet shop as we worked through the food markets. Absolutely fascinating and a real Seabourn moment for me!