Former Celebrity Sales Director EMEA John Wilson has just started in the newly created position of Cruise Sales Director at The Travel Network Group (TTNG) to boost the consortium’s cruise sales. Travel Gossip caught up with him to talk cruise, cars and campervans…
Many moons ago I joined Thomson Holidays as an overseas rep. I did what every rep does; I went over thinking I would do one summer and I was there for eight years working across Greece and the Canaries.
Being a rep was the best job in the world. I loved coming up with new ideas and working with suppliers, bar owners and hoteliers to plan things that other companies didn’t have. We came up with some great celebrity DJ nights in Faliraki and even managed to get Nigel Benn to come over for one.
It was such a blast, but it got to the stage I needed to settle and put some roots down. It was an amazing grounding and provided unbeatable camaraderie with those you were working with. Plus I met my wife, Hayley, in Rhodes and we went back there to get married a few years later.
I was working for TUI when I got a call from Virgin Holidays to say they were setting up a cruise division and wanted me to be part of it. To work with this maverick, brilliant business that had cruise lines climbing over themselves to work with us was incredible.
At that time it felt like the guys on the phone were converting for fun! It was mainstream, but with that extra edge. It was around 2010 when everyone thought that if you decided to cruise, you’d sail out of Southampton. But we were getting customers cruising out of Miami to Barbados and breaking that traditional mould.
I love Miami. I love sailing out of Miami and staying around South Beach. It’s just got that constant fun, day and night, 24/7. When you go over there in our winter and the weather is great and everybody is happy, it’s the best place to be!
I relax by doing more things. I am not good at sitting still and watching TV. I bought a campervan with the intention of doing it up myself. But during the pandemic, I was so busy with work (at Celebrity Cruises) that I handed it over to a company to do it for me. What took them three weeks would have taken me three years!
My 16-year-old daughter likes combining our campervan trips with going to a festival, so we go to some small festivals around the UK when we can. It’s like when you wake up on a cruise ship and you’re somewhere new, there’s also that buzz when you wake up in a field!
I have a 1967 Ford Mustang which is a labour of love. Most of the time I hate it when I am doing it up and giving it attention, but I do love it deep down. I like stepping out of work and doing more manual things.
One of my heroes is the legendary US car builder Carrol Shelby. He was a real genius with never-ending determination and a ‘need for speed’! I could do with his help now rebuilding my Mustang!
After leaving Celebrity last year I took some time out to recharge and then the opportunity came up with TTNG. Our members run their businesses and make their own choices, but my brief has been to come in and support them if they want to grow their cruise sales.
I am really excited about it. It’s early days but I am out meeting members, talking to them, and asking them how we constantly improve.
In the travel world, Richard Fain (former CEO of Royal Caribbean Group) is someone I look up to. His innovation in ship design and commitment to cultivating strong teams has revolutionised the entire cruise industry. Plus, he ‘led from the front’ through the pandemic, looking after the customers and employees, both on and offshore, of a very big company.
I have been living in Worthing in Sussex for over 10 years. I’m close to the beach and love to walk my dog by the sea, especially when the sun is shining.
I’m keen to take a chunk of time out one summer and tour the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. In a few years I want to head to Europe and drop down through Spain and Portugal for an extended trip enjoying great food and wine along the way!
Talking or texting? Talking
TV or radio? TV
Cats or Dogs? Dogs. I have a Jack Russell called Calon (Welsh for ‘heart’) as she is Welsh and my wife is also Welsh.
Cruise or campervan? Cruise
