Interview: How P&O Britannia Pulled Off Last Minute Transatlantic

For well over a decade, Jason Bridge has travelled the world via cruise ship fulfilling one of the most important roles on board: Port Shopping Consultant. When you get off a ship in port and want to find that perfect gift or souvenir to bring home, Jason and his peers are there to guide you in the right direction.

His most recent tour was this winter on board P&O MV Britannia which sailed throughout the Caribbean. The crew only found out last minute that the ship would forgo the rest of the season in the Caribbean and would head back to England on a last minute 8-day transatlantic cruise to bring the ship back to port in Southhampton. 

Jason was kind enough to join Porthole Cruise Magazine Editor-in-Chief Bill Panoff from his home in England to talk about what it was like being on board as the industry and his own ship underwent such dramatic changes. He discussed the wonderful job the team at P&O Cruises did to manage the situation and make sure their guests and staff were well taken care of. 

I have to tell you, P&O Cruises were absolutely brilliant. It was really well done. 

Jason explained that the trip back to England wasn’t just for crew. They had 1,409 passengers on board and the challenges of keeping guests entertained for 8 days at sea were daunting. Jason said that it took some creativity and extra effort from the entertainment staff and really everyone working on board to ensure the trip was a pleasant one.

“We were really, really kept in the loop as much as could be because we all know things change literally minute by minute,” he said. The Captain of the ship even had video chats with the crew to keep people informed and to keep morale high.

“My fellow crew mates are from 48 different countries, so everyone was in really good spirits, communicative and still happy and still smiling even when they weren’t on stage,” he said. 

Thank you so much for speaking with us, Jason. We can’t wait to follow along with your adventures once we’re all back at sea! 

Did you miss our interview with Christine LaVonna, Cruise Director for Holland America Line? Find out what she and her crew are up to!