Everything's Shipshape

The Age

Wednesday March 26, 2008

Paul Edwards

How to be Sarina Bratton is head of a luxury cruise ship business

I LEARNT about dreams and disappointments from an early age. I knew what it felt like to be on top of the world, only to have that world come crashing down. I also learnt that to be self-sufficient, emotionally and physically, is a cornerstone of survival in business.

By the time I was 16, I had Australian medals in three sports: diving, trampoline and gymnastics. But in 1970, I ripped the Achilles tendon in my left ankle and, without warning, my reference points changed. While my self-belief never wavered, I didn't know where to direct it. I had lived a disciplined life, way outside my comfort zone, but was striving to push the margins.

So I rebelled. I dropped out of school and joined George Patterson Advertising. My ambition was to become a creative director, so I went to a technical college at night and worked during the day.

At 20, I travelled overseas, spending two years in Spain and Austria, working in the leisure industry. I got a good taste for it working as a representative for a tour company, meeting clients, selling excursions and adding value to their core holiday products.

Back in Australia, I worked at Sydney's Wentworth (now Sofitel) Hotel. I applied for a receptionist position but shortly after I was promoted to groups and tours supervisor and then sales manager.

I met many fascinating people, including a senior vice-president of Holland America Cruises. He was here to interview staff and shortly before he left, he asked if I would consider running sales for Australia and New Zealand.

I loved the challenge of working for a quality hotel, but I also remembered my only ship experience. Well, I remember being seasick. It didn't bode well for a change of career - until he made an offer I couldn't refuse. I threw caution to the wind, stepped outside my comfort zone and began life in the cruise shipping industry.

It also inspired an idea about tackling Australia's remote and regional economic isolation. Our ships were cruising the Caribbean and delivering worthwhile economic benefits to small island nations. I reasoned there had to be a way to replicate similar economic gains in regional Australia.

After building revenues beyond expectations, I joined Norwegian American Cruises in 1982 to run its operations in the Asia-Pacific region. A year later, the company was bought by Cunard Line.

We combined the two businesses and I headed the Australia division from 1983-89. From there I was promoted to vice-president Asia Pacific. It was a time of discovery and achievement for me.

In 1997, I made a fundamental decision to act on the idea of developing Australia as a cruising destination. This meant leaving a well-paid, challenging job that I loved, to pursue my dream.

I created Norwegian Capricorn Line, with joint venture partners. In November 1998, we took delivery of the 800-passenger Norwegian Star. I will never forget the pride I felt as she sailed into Sydney Harbour. It was the realisation of a dream.

When a hostile takeover of the major shareholder forced us to dissolve the venture in late 2000, I was devastated.

After dissolving the business, I realised that I should not become so emotionally attached to a ship.

From this disappointment, I re-emerged to expand on the new cruising destinations we had pioneered, with a strong commitment to sustainable tourism development.

Cruising pristine, wilderness areas of the Kimberley, Tasmania, Antarctica and PNG became my mantra. I flew to Germany and found the perfect ship, Orion. She was launched in 2003 and we took delivery in March 2005. It was built for five-star expedition cruising and sets a new benchmark in this sector of the leisure industry.

Today, Orion Expedition Cruises is doing exceptionally well.

Born Sydney, 1953.

Education Dover Heights High School; University of New South Wales, executive development program.

Jobs Wentworth Hotel, Sydney, 1975-1979; Holland America Cruises, 1979-1982; Norwegian American Cruises, 1982-1983; Cunard Line Australia/NZ, 1983-1989; Cunard Line Asia Pacific, 1989-1997; Norwegian Capricorn Line, 1998-2000; Orion Expedition Cruises, 2003-present.

Career highs Success of Orion Expedition Cruises, VeuveClicquot Businesswoman of the Year Award in 2006, Travel + Leisure magazine's Travel Innovator Award.

Career low Dissolution of Norwegian Capricorn Line joint venture.

Unwinding Boating with family and friends; watching our daughter train and compete in diving; surfing holidays.

Five years from now The Orion brand will dominate expedition cruising in Australasia and will be the global market's operator of choice for the Asia-Pacific region.