Meet Our Destination Expert:

5 Revealing Questions

Cathy Tobin

Training Manager

Number of Years with Princess:

16 (8 years on ships and 8 years shoreside)

Number of Countries Visited:

I stopped counting many years ago…..

Hometown:

Waterford, Ireland.

A little about my job:

I help support our commitment to excellence in customer service by leading a team that designs, develops, delivers and evaluates training activities throughout our fleet and shore-based offices.

1.

What item is in your suitcase that you couldn’t travel without?

A DKNY wrap cardigan in bright fuchsia. It’s very warm and acts as my travel blanket and has the added benefit of being that great item of clothing that doesn’t wrinkle and helps you look reasonably put together when the need arises!

2.

What’s your most treasured travel souvenir?

A beautiful oil-on-canvas painting I bought in a street market in Callau, Peru many years ago. The painting depicts women in traditional dress with their hair in long braids picking flowers in gloriously colored fields that seem to merge the land with the sky. The picture radiates the vibrancy of that country and its people. It never fails to remind me of the joys of travel and discovery.

3.

What’s the most memorable dish you’ve eaten during your travels?

A Nepalese Curry that our onboard security team, comprised mostly of Ghurkas, cooked for a very special occasion. They were so proud of having the opportunity of showcasing their country’s food, it seemed to give the dish an extra-special something.

4.

What’s your travel motto?

It’s often not about the destination itself but the people you meet and the experiences you have along the way.

5.

Where haven’t you been that’s on your travel bucket list?

An all-American road trip, in an Airstream, to visit the Sequoia Groves at Yosemite National Park and a cruise to Antarctica.

Read this expert's Essential Experience

13 Comments

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    Although the convenience of email cannot be denied, the act of receiving and reading a snailmail letter is by far the better experience. So kudos to you!
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  7. Princess Cruises says... October 9, 2012 | 12:35pm

    Thank you all for sharing your comments and valuable feedback with us.
    In order to best assist you with customer service concerns and booking support, please call us at the Princess Cruises office that is closest to you:

    1-800-Princess (US)
    13 24 88 (Australia)
    0843 374 4444 (UK)

    Reply
  8. robert and marge dunning says... July 29, 2011 | 9:50am

    Very touching!!! .I am of Scottish decent[kind of detached as we came to North Carolina in 1720] My wife is 2nd generation Irish so I have been trying to convince her to cruise Scotland and Ireland. Your article just might do that.
    I notice you are in training you do one heck of a JOB!!!!
    Robert Dunning USAF RET
    Marge [McKenna] Dunning USAF RET

    Reply
  9. Jim Moynihan says... July 29, 2011 | 7:33am

    Hi Cathy….We might be related, my father came from Waterford and we did have some relatives from that area with the Tobin name..Will be leaving again on Princess Crown in November for seven days…..We may cross paths someday on a cruise….Jim Moynihan

    Reply
  10. GRACE BOLAND,WE says... June 7, 2011 | 6:00pm

    Hello Cathy from Australia, we have a magnificent country here ,but like you ,i find flying or cruising overseas is sio exciting,i have visited all our big cities many times but never one of our icons that people all over the world come to see and its ULURU,so i must make the effort
    i really loved IRELAND cathy ,great grandparents were born in WEXFORD

    Reply
    • nellydean says... June 8, 2011 | 6:59am

      Do make the effort to get down (or across) to Uluru, it’s absolutely magnificent – a LONG way from anywhere, but well worth it.
      We were there Christmas Eve/Christmas Day 2008, it was boiling hot, especially for three frazzled fair-skinned Englanders, and the flies were buzzing, but it was outrageously wonderful to stand there, and even touch, this amazing natural and sacred monolith.

      But, no climbing please! That’s a no-no, plus, it can be very dangerous when after it’s been raining. Just stare and enjoy :)

  11. Janis says... June 7, 2011 | 3:59pm

    Enjoyed your post as we are visiting Ireland next month for the first time.

    Reply
  12. Monica says... June 7, 2011 | 3:37pm

    Your story is so inspiring!!! I am also from a foreign land and I still have yet to experience my roots and where my family/background comes from. Hopefully one day I can that advantage as you did to learn about your homeland. Something to look forward to.

    Reply
  13. Missi says... June 7, 2011 | 7:52am

    This makes me excited to travel to Ireland and check out my Irish roots. As for Yosemite and Sequoia, we go every year and it is a MUST see! I’d be happy to share some tips before you go.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

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About This Blog

Few people have seen more of the world than Princess Cruises’ own destination experts.In the past 45 years that Princess ships have been sailing to all seven continents, many of our longest-serving shipboard and shoreside employees have logged thousands of sea and air miles visiting hundreds of countries, cities and sites. We’re often asked, “You’ve seen it all. What places do I really need to have on my travel bucket list?” Over the course of a year, some of our 15+ year employees shared their personal stories that we hope will inspire others. The resulting collection of 50 Essential Experiences touch 36 countries on six continents, and we hope you enjoy the journey!

  1. In the Embrace of Rio’s Most Famous Monument
  2. Dog Mushing on a Sunlit Glacier
  3. A Soldier Returns … as a Tourist
  4. Art Deco Treasures from Tragedy
  5. The Sounds of Santorini
  6. Bobsledding Down the Unlikeliest Mountain
  7. Majesty and Music in a Lost City
  8. A Castle to Call Home
  9. Unexpectedly Awestruck on the Golden Circle
  10. Discovering the Hidden City of the Incas
  11. New Year’s Eve at the Edge of Time
  12. My Grand Tour
  13. A “Homecoming” in a Country of Contrasts
  14. The Most Wondrous Wall of All
  15. In Search of Marco Polo
  16. In the Midst of a Holy Pilgrimage
  17. A Lesson in Courage and Sacrifice
  18. From Tahiti with Love
  19. Standing in the Shadows of the Moai
  20. First Time Around the Horn
  21. The Rhythm of the Animal Kingdom
  22. A Mayan Discovery with an Unlikely Guide
  23. Istanbul Ignites a Spirit of Adventure
  24. Mystery and Intrigue in the Venice of the North
  25. The Gift of the City of Lights
  26. Self Discovery Along the Mighty River
  27. A Divided City Reunited
  28. Remembering Gallipoli
  29. The City that Knows No Age
  30. Homeward Bound – Aloha Style
  31. A Crossing Between Worlds
  32. Finding Friendships in an Empty Town
  33. An Ode to My Emerald Isle
  34. For the Love of London
  35. In the Wake of the Bounty
  36. Hospitality Needs No Translation
  37. Discovering Delightful Diversions in Belgium
  38. The Theory of Travel Relativity
  39. An Eye-Opening Dream Destination
  40. Falling in Love with India
  41. In Step with the Dutch Life
  42. The Power of the Pyramids
  43. Unlocking a World of Wonder
  44. A Second Home in Vancouver
  45. Enveloped by the Magic of a Bygone Empire
  46. Savoring Flavorful Hong Kong
  47. The Great Love of My Life
  48. Trekking to the Hidden Temple City
  49. Romance in the City by the Bay
  50. The Ocean
Download the complete list here.

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