We speak to Simone Clark from Iglu Cruise about her daily routines and her never-to-be-forgotten moments in the cruise industry…
My alarm goes off at…
I always wake up at 6am (and have done since having a child). The day starts with two espressos drunk while my son Theo has his breakfast, and we both chat about important things such as Lego, Avengers and football. I’m not really a breakfast lover and have eaten the same thing since I was at school – two slices of toast with either marmite or peanut butter (usually eaten as I walk down the street). Once a week I go to Pilates before work – it’s the only time in the working week when I can enjoy some peace and quiet.
My job entails…
My job is all about the relationships with our key partners – such as cruise lines, ancillary suppliers and ski operators. I strongly believe that a strong partnership is key for success. This also makes work more enjoyable as over the years many of these partners have become friends – although this doesn’t make commercial negotiations any easier!
I got my job…
12 years ago I started at Iglu Cruise, the UK’s largest independent cruise specialist – I’d worked in the ski industry before and was ready for a move from a big organisation to a small independent entrepreneurial business. It was my first time working for a travel agency as I’d always worked for tour operators before. I started my travel career repping overseas and then got a job in reservations, before working in product and commercial roles. Iglu Cruise was one of the first solely online agencies, which was exciting too.
At lunchtime….
If I’m in the office, I have lunch at my desk – usually two Diet Cokes and a salad or wrap. A couple of times a week I go to the gym for a half-hour PT session too. A lot of my time is spent out and about with our cruise line partners and other suppliers – so I’m often out to lunch in a restaurant locally, in London, or, if I’m lucky, on a ship.
A typical day involves…
If I’m out of the office, it’ll be meetings with suppliers at lunch or at their offices. We now sell internationally so this may involve travelling to Barcelona, Madrid, Naples or Genoa. There are lots of cruise events too, so this involves a lot of travelling – which is fun, but can be very tiring. At weekends I often crash out at 8pm and like to just relax at home with my family.
The most stressful part…
Diary management. I’ve got to juggle a lot of meetings and events with time in the office and spending a decent amount of time at home. I also spend a lot of time online shopping to make sure I have an outfit for every occasion.
I love it when…
I see the new innovations all the cruise lines are bringing in. Each cruise line has something for everyone and they are always striving to innovate and improve their offering. I love attending the namings and launches of new ships – I’m always honoured to be invited and take part.
I’ll never forget…
Attending the naming of Queen Victoria in Southampton. It was Christmas and the local choir sang “I saw 3 ships” and entered the marquee with candles. It was magical.
