In The Spotlight - Nikki Murray
Meet Nikki Murray, whose Tempest beginnings were almost sunk by a rising pandemic and whose spare time is sometimes tortoise shaped. Nikki is the Tempest Travel business manager, and below she tells us more.
Neil: Hi Nikki, thanks for agreeing to be the second guinea p...uh...volunteer for this series. Could I start by getting a brief overview of your own time with Tempest?
Nikki: I joined Tempest Travel Photography in April 2020 as Relationship Manager. Obviously, with the impending pandemic, it was not the best time to start a new job – especially in the cruise industry! In fact, the client that I was due to build a relationship with was made redundant before I even met him!
In the August an announcement was made by Carnival that the first Cunard ship would begin sailing again on 25th March 2021. We were the first suppliers to be allowed back onboard during Covid times and had to take a tender out to meet the ship in Weymouth Harbour. Once the ships started sailing, we didn’t look back and today we now have six ships up and running with both Cunard and P&O ships with photographers onboard, and I am now the Business Manager for Cruise.
Neil: It sounds like after that start everything else must be plain sailing (excuse the pun). Do you have any favourite memories?
Nikki: Every start-up on a ship is so exciting. Seeing all the hard work by the team come together to get photography started onboard is very special. The passengers and the crew always comment on how happy they are to see photos starting again. When onboard, I always try to have a team photo taken, and these are then displayed in my office providing wonderful memories.
Neil: And on the flip side, is there a day you’d rather forget?
Nikki: When I joined Queen Elizabeth during Covid to begin our set-up. There were no guests onboard and very little crew. There would normally be approximately 50 women onboard but there were only five of us! A lot of the lights were not turned on in guest areas, so the ship was quite creepy when walking around. One night I flushed my toilet and it overflowed and kept overflowing – I couldn’t stop it! I was panicking pressing every number on the phone until eventually, someone answered – it was the captain! Thankfully he sent a team to suck all the water out of the carpet and fix the toilet. How embarrassing!
Neil: Haha! I can definitely see how that's a day to forget! When the moment comes that you call time on your Tempest journey, which song is playing as the end credits roll?
Nikki: Leaving? I'm just getting started.
Neil: Good answer! We'll do a follow-up on this in a few decades' time. When not busy working, what do you like to do with your days?
Nikki: I have four tortoises and at this time of the year, I am normally weighing them all on a weekend. I currently have 10 tortoises in the fridge hibernating (not all mine!) By hibernating them in the fridge I can ensure the temperature remains consistent and every week I weigh them to check how they are doing. This weekend was particularly busy as I woke them all up after 14 weeks in the fridge and returned the guests to their owners.
Neil: I love that you have a tortoise fridge! That is so cool...literally! Moving on, What was the last film to make you cry?
Nikki: It was Adrift, I watched it on a plane and was sobbing!
Neil: And, the book you can never forget?
Nikki: Me before you, by Jojo Moyes.
Neil: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Nikki: The Galapagos Islands as I love wildlife.
Neil: Wonderful choice! How about your perfect meal and location to eat?
Nikki: Eating ceviche in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
And with that, we leave Nikki, her chilled-out tortoises and many exciting adventures to come (just don't flush the toilet on a largely deserted ocean liner), and say a huge thank you for taking part in this much smaller adventure.