Swapping the classroom for a cruise – local students set sail to study

Travel and Tourism students from Nescot College in Epsom have swapped the classroom for a cruise – with one student now announced as the winner of a luxury seven-night trip for her family. The opportunities came through the Cruise Career Springboard programme, an initiative where education and industry come together to promote careers in the cruise sector.

In February, Nescot students joined six students from Itchen College, Southampton on a five-day VIVA river cruise in Germany and the Netherlands aboard VIVA Enjoy. During the trip, they created social media content, planned shore excursions and completed marketing and promotion tasks. Back on dry land, each student presented ideas on how to sell cruises to younger travellers. The winning student, Jordyn Leyland McKenzie, has just been awarded an all-inclusive seven-night cruise for four on the Rhine or Danube.

The formal presentations took place at the colleges, and the judging panel comprised Michelle Daniels, Country Manager UK & Ireland, Australia & New Zealand from VIVA Cruises, Edwina and Matthew Lonsdale who founded the Cruise Career Springboard, and mentors Graham Sadler and Peter Shanks.

Julie Kapsalis MBE, Principal and CEO at Nescot said: “We always work to give our students real-world experiences and swapping the classroom for a cruise must be one of the most exciting we’ve ever offered! The Cruise Career Springboard develops confidence, self-belief and communication skills. It also allows the cruise industry to get an insight into how they can attract a younger generation as customers, as the students brought creativity, enthusiasm and fresh ideas. I am proud of everyone who took part, and especially Jordyn for her winning presentation. Thank you to VIVA Cruises and Mundy Cruising for giving my learners this life-changing experience.”

Michelle Daniels said: “The quality of the presentations was amazing, and I took back lots of notes and ideas to our marketing team in Düsseldorf.”

Graham Sadler, who followed this cohort of students from their first day on the programme last April through to the final presentations, said: “The transformation of these students from children who initially lacked confidence, to an enthusiastic and engaged group of young adults, excited about their future careers in the cruise industry, has been extraordinary to watch.”

Winner Jordyn Leyland McKenzie, Travel & Tourism student from Nescot, said: “I can’t even believe this is real! If you’d have told me 2 months ago that I’d have won something like this, I would have laughed in your face. I truly think this experience has pushed me out of my comfort zone, made me a better person and upped my confidence to a different level and I’m just so grateful and thankful.”

The standard of work was high across both colleges. The runner up Millie Moreno-Zumaquero from Itchen College. The new cohort of Cruise Career Springboard students from Nescot, Itchen College, and Farnborough College of Technology start the 2026 programme on 17th April on board Majestic Princess. 

Founder of the programme Matthew Lonsdale said: “This programme is the perfect example of UK cruise line collaboration, with nearly 100 individuals working at a variety of cruise lines giving up their valuable time to inspire young people to aim for a career in cruise.  We cannot thank them enough.”