The new Ruby Princess anchored off George Town during her maiden winter voyage.

By Steven Knipp
steve@caymannetnews.com

In a rare honour for a small Cayman company, Sea Trek of Grand Cayman has been given an award for excellence in service by the Florida-based Princess Cruises.

Phil Cassingham, boat captain and PADI dive instructor with Sea Trek, received a letter in August from Lisa Jensen, Manager of Shore Operations for Princess Cruises, which manages 17 large cruise ships.

The letter to Mr Cassingham read in part: “Many of our tour passengers have specifically mentioned your name as providing personalized service while you were their tour guide on one of our Adventure Ashore Tours.

“As emphasized in our C.R.U.I.S.E. Program, the “Moment of Truth” is the instant when a Princess passenger comes into contact with you and forms a first impression. This first impression is typically a lasting one and therefore, this “Moment of Truth” will have great impact on that passenger’s overall satisfaction of the cruise and the tour experience.

“…On behalf of Princess Cruises, the Captain and Passenger Services Director of the ship, and the rest of the Princess team, thank you for a job well done.”

Mr Cassingham also received a special plaque, presented by the commander of the Ruby Princess, Captain Tony Yeomans, in a ceremony aboard the ship on Tuesday, 9 December.

Afterwards, he and Nick Leighton, also of Sea Trek, enjoyed lunch aboard the 951-foot-long, 17-deck ship, and were given a tour of the vessel. The Ruby Princess, which can host over 3,000 passengers, and boasts an 800-seat threatre and a casino, was christened in a gala ceremony in Fort Lauderdale
least month. She visited Cayman on her maiden winter season.

Sea Trek offers Cayman’s only underwater walking tour. Patrons are given specially designed diving helmets with air hoses linked to the surface and are accompanied by two Sea Trek staff along the sea floor, which is between 25 feet and 30 feet beneath the surface.

Mr Cassingham told Cayman Net News: “We have had people from age eight years old to well over 80 years, and everyone has enjoyed it. It’s very safe and very easy- and, unlike snorkelling, you have a very wide visual view, so you really get to enjoy the undersea world.”

Sea Trek was launched just over three years ago, by long-time Cayman resident Ben Tressider, who said that what makes his company special is that it “enables anyone and everyone to go diving. Customers don’t need prior knowledge of diving and they don’t even have to know how to swim.”

Speaking about the service award, Mr Leighton said:

“Considering that we are a relatively small company and relatively new, and how many vendors and tours the Princess line works with, this is a genuine honour for us, and something that we are very proud of.”