<Janet Parton, sales and marketing director of Cosmos and Avalon Waterways, on her love of the coast, experiential river cruising and who motivates her the most
I get up at… I’m not really an early bird, but during the week I get up around 6.30am. I’m more of a night owl than an early riser, so I never really enjoy the alarm going off!
My job entails… I have the overall responsibility for the sales and marketing departments within Avalon Waterways in the UK. No two days are the same – one day I could be in meetings with our travel agent partners, the next I could be planning promotions and campaigns to help drive sales. I love how varied my job is and the different people that I get to meet.
I got here by… I started working in the industry when I was 19 as a travel agent. I then moved into the tour operations side with an ocean cruise company about 20 years ago and never looked back. I’ve worked with amazing people throughout my career, and it’s most definitely the people around me that have helped me get to where I am now.
I stay motivated by… My teammates. They are all so passionate and enthusiastic. If I’m ever feeling like I need a ‘pick me up,’ I give one of them a call.
I destress by… Doing some yoga or going for a walk. I love being by the coast – being by the sea is my favourite place.
I can’t travel without… Ear pods. I love to be able to unwind on a flight and watch a few films or listen to a podcast.
My last cruise was… On an Avalon river cruise in Holland and Belgium. It was an Active and Discovery cruise so I got to try lots of new experiences – painting, chocolate making, beer tasting… it was so varied.
The cruise line to watch is… Can I say Avalon?! The included excursions on all Avalon cruises give guests the greatest choice. Whether it’s taking a guided walking tour of one of Europe’s great cities, joining a cooking class or paddling a canoe, our Avalon Choice selection of excursions offer a wide range of possibilities. We’ve also recently launched the Douro as a new destination with a new ship (Avalon Alegria) being built especially for the river. I can’t wait to get onboard!