How P&O Cruises Keeps Track Of Uniforms At Sea

Smart uniform range designed to withstand vigorous on-board laundry

For the launch of P&O Cruises’ flagship vessel Arvia, Jermyn Street Design (jSD) created new custom uniforms designed to not only withstand high temperature laundry processes but also return to the same employee time after time.  The custom uniforms are all fitted with RFID tags, so that, out of many hundreds of items washed and dried every day at sea, every employee gets their own clothing items returned to them.

Georgia Webb, jSD’s P&O Cruises Account Manager, explains:  “The uniform range is worn by the food and beverage teams across all dining venues on P&O Cruises’ new ship Arvia.  They have to be washed at 40^o and then tumble dried to be used again quickly to minimize the need for extra stock.  Therefore, the fabrics and clothing designs need to withstand that process, time after time, and still look immaculate.  It was a key requirement from P&O Cruises that all uniform items must stand up to their industrial laundries and be durable, but also be stylish and comfortable for crew.  Our designer Nihal worked wonders and within a week came up with a versatile range that delighted P&O Cruises from the very first wearer trial which took place on Arvia’s sister ship Iona.”

A P&O Cruises spokesperson, outlines the brief:  “We wanted to modernise the uniform and showcase the brand identity for all the fantastic venues on board Arvia. We required a uniform that had core base layers that could be worn across multiple venues and differentiation could be shown with aprons, waistcoats, braces, sleeve garters and ties, using logos and aligning colours to the interior design of each venue.”

jSD designed a core range which is shared across various venues on board Arvia.  Each venue has its own identity, so items are personalised with accessories such as aprons and waistcoats.  As staff are often shared between venues and moved according to how busy they are, jSD designed the aprons and waistcoats to be reversible so that the employee can simply switch the bespoke uniform around en-route to their reassigned restaurant.  Georgia explains:  “There is one core range in order to keep stock requirements to a minimum, but with clever design each team member is dressed according to the individual venue.  With a simple change though, they can switch to a new venue and be wearing the correct uniform in an instant.”

P&O Cruises have given Arvia’s crew options to choose items to suit their own identity.  Employees can select a ‘male’ or ‘female’ fit, and any gender can select from skirts, trousers, jackets and shirts.  jSD manages the stock on behalf of P&O Cruises, with core items held locally and stock predictions used to forecast ongoing requirements, which are delivered to Southampton ready for Arvia’s next visit.

jSD worked closely with P&O Cruises to ensure the correct sizes were available to fit the existing staff profile.  Size profiles were provided for the launch to ensure everyone was wearing the correct size for them in order to look their best and be comfortable carrying out their daily tasks.

The P&O Cruises spokesperson continues:  “The uniform once launched looked great, the crew loved it and they looked super smart. A favourite was the denim look trousers which have been reported as very comfortable and wash well. It is great to see a uniform that really brings each venue to life. It was new for us to have so many uniform items but the crew are enjoying having an individual identity in their venues.”

They conclude:  “JSD were always very professional and communication was always clear and on time. All deadlines were met and any issues were clearly communicated and managed. Nihal was a fantastic designer, her work really brought the designs to life and lifted the project. The whole team at JSD were always very welcoming and helpful and the ongoing relationship with our account manager Georgia is good with clear communication.”