Cruising is a multi-million pound-business for the port of Southampton, now recognised as the UK's centre for the industry. Keith Hamilton talks to one of the most powerful and influential leaders of this rapidly expanding sector

FACTFILE....

NAME: DAVID DINGLE

AGE: 46

BORN: Fareham, Hampshire

COMPANY: P&O Princess Cruises UK

POSITION: MANAGING DIRECTOR AND ALSO EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT P&O PRINCESS CRUISES PLC, CHAIRMAN OF SWAN HELLENIC AND CHAIRMAN OF P&O TRAVEL

YEARS WITH COMPANY: 24

----

Tell us about your role. - Bottom-line responsibility for the three UK cruise businesses of P&O Princess Cruises plc (P&O Cruises, Swan Hellenic, Ocean Village) and also P&O Travel, one of the UK's leading business travel management providers.

Also responsible for the UK sales and marketing of Princess Cruises, as well as 700 Southampton-based staff and more than 3,000 sea staff.

Q. And your business background?

A. Joined the company in 1978 from Cambridge University as a graduate trainee. Concluded training with a four-month secondment to Australian office. Various sales and marketing positions. UK Marketing Director for Princess Cruises 1986. Marketing Director for P&O Cruises from 1988. Commercial & Corporate Development Director 1999. Managing Director P&O Princess Cruises UK from July 2000.

Q. What qualities have enabled you to reach this position?

A. Strategic and analytical skills. Willingness to understand and communicate with people at all levels in the business. Being a good all-rounder as cruising is highly multi-faceted, ranging from marine engineering to public relations. Ability to detach personal feelings and emotions from professional life, a positive outlook and lack of cynicism. Hard work and application.

Q. Tell us about your typical day.

A. I arrive in office any time between 6.30am and 7.30am. First of all I read the daily booking statements and catch up on e-mails, then spend time with my PA to cover correspondence and business travel planning. After that, it's calls to or face-to-face meetings with directors, ten in total, and contact with one or more of the ships' captains.

Sandwich at desk or quick outside lunch with media or leading travel agent partner. Afternoons typically taken up with meetings on finance, strategy, commercial performance and product development. Late afternoon calls to CEO in Los Angeles. Leave office any time between 4.30pm and 9pm, often to attend business functions in London.

Q. What are the challenges facing you in business?

A. Broadening the appeal of cruising, particularly to younger age groups, which is the objective of our new Ocean Village brand. Taking cost out of the business while increasing levels of customer service as a safeguard against any downward pricing pressure, which may eventually occur through market expansion.

Q. And the most enjoyable part of the job?

A. The pride of watching our ships sail full of happy passengers. Celebrating successes within the business as a whole, and that of individual members of staff.

Q. Your vision for the future of P&O Cruises, especially in Southampton?

A. To ensure that the P&O Cruises brand remains Britain's leading cruise line and continues to act as the engine room for the expansion of P&O Princess Cruises UK, as it introduces new brands and develops existing ones. To place cruising as more of a mainstream holiday option than it is today, and see Southampton re-affirm its position as a leading world-class cruising port.

Q. Will the forthcoming takeover of P&O Cruises by Carnival Corporation in America have a dramatic effect on the way the company does business?

A. Remember that the transaction is, strictly speaking, a merger although I am delighted to be working under Micky Arison as Chairman and Chief Executive of the combined company. The effect on how we do business will be entirely positive. Carnival has a proud track record of preserving the existing management structures of the businesses it has acquired, respecting the skills and individuality within each brand business and making investment capital available as required.

In return for this, each brand is expected to return excellent results and I am confident that our UK brands will continue to do so. There are likely to be synergies in back office systems which will provide major cost efficiencies, while allowing us to improve customer services.

I recognise that our soon-to-be sister company Cunard has a major expansion programme and it will be a pleasure to provide them with any additional support they may need during that period.

Q. Won't you soon be facing a problem of too many cruise ships chasing not enough passengers?

A. The UK cruise market has grown fourfold over the last ten years. The global cruise market has now more than 11 million passengers annually, with a growth curve of 8 per cent per annum. Despite this, it represents at most four per cent of the total holiday market in developed countries. So with the demographic and economic trends we see, which favour older more affluent people, there is no question of the market being able to absorb all the new capacity being delivered over the next two years.

Q. Looking at the global economy how does this affect the cruising industry and the way you do business?

A. Cruising has held up very well through previous recessionary periods and we remain optimistic that growth will continue. Inevitably there can be periods of softer as well as firmer pricing and as a result we manage the cost side of our business as prudently as possible - but we would do this whatever the economic condition.

Q. Gazing into your crystal ball, what do you see as the major influences in the next 12 months?

A. There are a lot of new ships entering service over this period. I do not believe that this will create over-capacity but it will raise the profile of cruising still more and will introduce many more people to cruising for the first time. So the biggest influence will come from within the industry itself.

Q. What attributes do you look for in your staff?

A. A positive outlook. Dedication. Excellent interpersonal skills. Attention to detail. Customer focus.

Q. The Euro - for or against and why?

A. Personally I am a committed Europhile from a cultural perspective. As the issue of a single currency is so politically charged, it would not be appropriate for me to offer a view in my professional capacity.

Q. What really irritates you about your business life?

A. Uninformed office gossip and speculation. The British ability to see negatives before positives.

Q. What would make your life easier?

A. A new purpose-built office with all my staff housed in the same building

Q. What car do you drive and why?

A. Jaguar XJ. A large, comfortable car is essential since I drive 35,000 miles a year.

Q. How environmentally aware are you at work and at home?

A. The cruise industry is one of the most environmentally regulated in the world and an increasing amount of my working time is spent on these matters. At home I have two young children - I want them to grow up in the most environmentally safe way.

Q. Family details - married? children?

A. Married to Lovie, a former work colleague, for 12 years. Two boys - Dominic, aged six and Tim, aged four.

Q. Away from the office, what are your interests and hobbies?

A. Playing and watching sport - football, rugby, golf, skiing, water-skiing. Travel, especially Mediterranean Europe. History, especially classical and Byantine. Classical music, particularly late Romantic period.

Q. Your ideal holiday?

A. Any one of my cruises. A luxury hotel on a Greek island.