P&O Waive The Rules

Maritime tradition used to suggest that women were bad luck on ships; that ill fortune would catch up with any owner foolish enough to allow the fairer sex to influence the vessel’s operations.

To put that ancient adage firmly to rest, P&O Cruises have recently set sail with the ultimate female nautical totem – a woman captain. And a very modern meeting of sea-going savoir faire it is, too.

Captain Sarah Breton, the new master of P&O’s Artemis, has actually been with the venerable Steam Navigation Company for 21 years, starting as a third officer on the then-Royal Princess, and then going up through the ranks as second officer, navigator, first officer and safety officer before being promoted to Staff Captain in 2001. She has worked her way up to the supreme position after stints on a number of other Princess Cruises ships as well as Canberra and, most recently, Ocean Village.

Artemis set sail with 45-year-old Breton in charge for the first time this Monday, fittingly with P&O’s managing director Carol Marlow able to send off her fellow female high achiever in high style.

With the vessel poised for a 7-day journey from Southampton, Marlow insisted: “We are delighted that Sarah Breton has been promoted to the role of Captain on board Artemis. Sarah has worked on board P&O Cruises ships for many years and truly deserves to be Master of Artemis. We wish her every success in her new role.”

For Breton, it was most definitely a major milestone on her lifetime achievement chart. And she said: “Growing up near the water I always loved boats and the ocean, so it really does fulfil a lifelong ambition of mine to be a Captain with P&O Cruises. It is made even more special to be Captain of the first cruise ship I ever served on, after joining P&O as third officer back in 1989.”

Captain Breton lives on the Essex Coast and, when on leave, spends her time in the garden, sailing - whenever the weather permits – and watching Six Nations rugby and Formula One motor racing.

But there was no word from P&O and their 173-year history on whether they feel they are flying in the face of ancient nautical practice. Somehow, you feel it is a piece of maritime mumbo-jumbo that is now firmly consigned to Davy Jones’ Locker.

(Nautical history note – Sarah Breton is actually the second woman to be promoted to full Captain after Royal Caribbean’s Karin Stahre Janson in 2007, but the first Briton in that role)

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.