After decades in cruise operations, I’ve learned that the most powerful moments rarely happen publicly — they happen in all weather, on the pier, or in a quiet corner.
In every cruise port, there’s a story I always look for — and it rarely makes the highlight reel. It’s the story of the people in the middle. Not the ones giving speeches or snapping selfies, but the pierside teams standing in the rain with clipboards, the bus drivers who know every shortcut, the guides who help guests find their way.
At Aquila, our Living Lab in Saint John runs on these people. They’re the heartbeat of our operations — the ones who prove, every single day, that true service excellence is built by those who quietly make things work.
Last month, we had a day that tested our carefully laid plans. A bus was very late arriving to the pier, stuck in traffic due to an unexpected road closure during morning rush hour. The full-day tour already had tight timing because of the ship’s all aboard time. The itinerary looked like it was about to unravel.
In the middle of it all was one of our Cruise Managers — calm, cheerful, radio crackling in one hand, phone in the other. She figured out a solution while reassuring guests they’d be on their way soon. When the bus pulled up, she cracked a joke, held the door, and guests climbed aboard laughing instead of complaining.
Guests will never know most of the things we do to solve problems that they never see. They’ll just remember feeling looked after. That’s the magic in the middle.
Aquila’s Purpose says: Our shining stars will light the path of excellence, inspiring meaningful connections and transformative discovery for all who work, live and play in the cruise industry.
For me, these unsung heroes are the shining stars. They don’t ask for a spotlight — but they deserve it, because they are the living proof that what we promise in the training room holds up in the real world.
In our Living Lab, we get to test that promise every day — with real weather, real timelines, real buses and of course, real humans. And what I love most is seeing how small actions — an extra umbrella, a last-minute switch, a kind word — create moments of trust and connection that guests carry with them long after they leave the port.
I’d love to hear your stories — who are the unsung heroes in your world? The ones who hold things together when nobody’s watching?
#CruiseOperations #LivingLab #UnsungHeroes #CustomerExperience #TourismLeadership #ServiceExcellence #Aquila
