Graham makes sure that your family's cruise is plain sailing

Jun 12 2007 By Sarah Dale, The Journal

There are not many places in the world that Graham Cook hasn't visited with his job working with young people in cruise ships. He keeps up with the Boro wherever he is and champions his Teesside roots while abroad. Sarah Dale finds out more.

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Imagine being in charge of anywhere between 350 and 400 children and being stuck on board a ship with them! That's a typical day for Graham Cook from Middlesbrough. The 33-year-old works as youth director for P&O.

"During the summer season, we can have anywhere up to 350 to 400 children from the age of two to 17 on board and it's my job as head of the youth department to ensure they enjoy their holiday," says Graham.

"Highlights of the job are meeting really nice families who appreciate your work.

"It's always great to see children having fun and enjoying their time with us. Having worked for so long on board, I have seen children come back year after year and it's nice to see them grow up.

"It's hard to describe what cruise ship life is like really. I never thought it would be a career move for me when I took the job, but once you are aboard it's very hard to leave.

"It's probably best described as a small floating community really, away from the outside world.

"I guess from an outside point of view it looks glamorous, but it's actually pretty hard work.

"In my job I am expected to work eight hours if the ship is in port and 10 if we are at sea, and we never get a day off.

"So imagine working seven days a week for six months and you have an idea of what it is like."

But, despite the hard work, Graham loves his job.

He says he is very lucky to have visited as many countries as he has. "There are not many places left in the world that I have not visited. I guess there aren't many people who could say that.

"Choosing a favourite place is pretty hard, but I do like New Zealand, the scenery is amazing, everyone is very friendly and there are so many exciting things to do there.

"Other highlights would be Australia, without doubt the best place the ship docks in, you have Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side - made from Teesside steel, as I tell everyone - and the opera house on the other. I always go back home to Middlesbrough when I am on leave and visit my parents, who still live in Eston. I tend to split my time between there and visiting my brother and nephews, who live in Swindon.

"I think cruising has instilled the travel bug in me as I often go travelling when I am on leave too. I went to Australia, New Zealand and Thailand this year and Canada last year. Visiting places for a short time on a ship you get a feel of the place which helps you decide if you want to go back.

"I am a huge Boro fan and always go and watch them when I am at home. We have the rights to show games on the ship too, so I often get to see them. Unfortunately we always seem to lose the ones on the telly!"

Graham grew up in Eston, with his mum and dad and older brother Martin.

He went to Stapylton Comprehensive School and then studied for A-levels and did a PE foundation course at Cleveland Technical College, now Redcar and Cleveland College, for three years.

He then took a year out, during which he gained several coaching qualifications, including the Community Sports Leader Award, which involved going into schools and teaching sports.

After his year out, Graham went to Wolverhampton University, at first studying a BEd in primary school teaching, specialising in PE, but after the first year, he changed course to a joint degree in history and sports studies.

"Throughout my time at university, I worked in children's camps during the holidays for a company based in Oxford," says Graham.

"We would run activities for four- to 14-year-olds Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm. We used to run sports, swimming activities, arts and crafts - it was always great fun.

"When my time at university was coming to an end I didn't really know exactly what I wanted to do, so looked around at the student employment bureau and saw an advert for youth staff on cruise ships.

"I had never really travelled before and had plenty of experience of working with children in a holiday environment, so decided to try my luck and applied to several different companies." The first interview he had was with P&O and lasted a whole day. He was offered a contract for the summer on board Arcadia in 1999.

"I joined the ship on July 25 and I remember looking up and thinking how big the ship was," says Graham.

"There were a few of us joining on the same day and we all became quite close - I am still in contact with them today.

"I had a fantastic summer and really enjoyed my time on board, making lots of new friends, seeing new places every day. I couldn't believe it when people stayed on the ship instead of getting off in port, the funny thing is I do that myself now."

Graham's contract was extended until February 2000, when he was offered a job on board Aurora until 2003.

"In the August of that year, I was promoted to youth officer and went to a new ship, Oceana," he says.

He worked as a peripatetic youth director before being given a permanent position more than a year ago.