Here come the girls…..

So my blog this week is a bit of a hot topic and been written along with the help of my wife. There’s been press galore on the controversial topic of how women are being treated and portrayed in every sector. This year’s women’s march took place just a couple of days ago. It took place on the one year anniversary of Donald Trump’s inauguration, and showed that marchers aren’t slowing down. Organised by Women’s March London, in honour of the campaign launched in January by women in Hollywood to counter sexual harassment in the entertainment business and workplaces following the Weinstein scandal and #MeToo movement.

So this isn’t going to be a heavy scandalous blog on any issues around sexual harassment or anything like that but more about bringing awareness and celebration that women are holding their own in the cruise and travel industry. I started to think about this week, when after working so incredibly hard whilst doing a job she absolutely adores, my wife this week got the recognition she deserves and was promoted to wedding and events manager where she works. I wind her up chronically along with many of the lovely female colleagues i have but was chuffed to bits for her.  So here is a little refresher of how women are holding their own in the cruise industry.

Cunard introduced their first female captain Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge way back in 2010, she became captain of the Queen Victoria.  In 2015 Celebrity cruises introduced their first female captain Kate McCue. For the first time in the cruise industry, an American female would be captaining a ship, the Celebrity Summit. In 2016, Regent Seven Seas,  appointed Serena Melani as the first female captain in its three-ship fleet. Melani, 42, will oversee the 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner and its crew of 450.

Female captains are rare in the cruise industry. Only a handful of lines including Royal Caribbean, Silversea Cruises , Cunard and P&O Cruises  have appointed women to the chief role in the past decade. Whats refreshing is that this seems to have been happening for a while and long may women continue to be celebrated and recognized for their hard work.

Here at Cruise.co, were all equal and that’s how it should be. But when you are on board a cruise, or in an office , i look at it that  you are part of a team. Regardless of your gender, you have a job to do and you must do it well whether male or female, gender shouldn’t  even come in to it. Keep up the good work, everyone! ….