FACE-2-FACE: Toni Pope

Reservations Manager, Cruise & Maritime Voyages

1. What is your favourite part of your job?

I love getting to know one product intimately and seeing the feedback we get from guests and agents about product developments, itineraries and destinations being put into place.

2. What a racted you to a career in the cruise industry?

I have always been in travel and always loved it, but cruise is such a growing sector. It’s also great being the only cruise line based in Adelaide as I can now support the wonderful travel agents I used to work with in a new way.

3. What is the biggest challenge facing the industry?

I think explaining the value and inclusiveness of cruises to those who are new to cruising is one of the biggest challenges we have as an industry, but it is a message we are working to communicate better with the help of our agent partners.

4. What is your advice for upand-comers?

Keep up to date with knowledge. There are always fleet changes, new itineraries, offers and product developments, which all change so quickly so you need to be working at it all the time.

5. What was your best trip?

I recently travelled to the Baltics and St Petersburg on

Columbus. Plenty to see and do!

6. How do you unwind a er a busy week?

I am a bit of a foodie so like to find great restaurants and visit bars with friends.

7. Which celebrity would you most like to cruise with?

Ellen or Jimmy Fallon for a good laugh.

8. What should the cruise ship of the future look like?

Something that blends the old with the new – the aspects of a ship that makes cruising great while using tech to enhance these aspects.