Change of Captains and a retirement

Currently on the final leg of a Western Mediterranean cruise ORIANA will tomorrow have a change of captains when she reaches Southampton.
Unlike other change overs for her current Captain Hamish Reid this will be his last as he retires after 39 years of service with P&O.
In his time with P&O Hamish has served on many of the company's ships including it's most iconic CANBERRA where on occasion he joined the ships Rugby team.

Third Officer Reid seated next to Staff Captain John Chester, on CANBERRA's 1977 World Cruise.

In the early 1990's he was assigned to P&O's Project Gemini in Germany for their first new build project in over 25 years.
In 2000 he was promoted to the rank of captain, since then he has commanded several of the company's ships including ORIANA, AURORA where he was in command during her ill fated 2005 world cruise, and more recently OCEANA and VENTURA.

Speaking about his upcoming retirement he commented that he is looking forward to spending time with his family at home in Lauderdale, Southern Scotland.

Captain Reid will be succeeded by Mark Symmonds who will be in command until the 27th September.

Mark Symmonds hands out awards to crew members on board ORIANA earlier this year.

From the blogs' admin team and I am sure many of ORIANA's passengers and crew, Happy Retirement Hamish!

Photos Copyright : P&O Cruises & Seadogs Reunited.com.