Odette McFarlane

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT ODETTE MCFARLANE

I’m a global cruise port and shore operations leader, responsible for planning and delivering safe, efficient, and guest‑focused port calls and homeport turnarounds for P&O Cruises and Cunard. My role sits at the intersection of operational reliability, commercial discipline, and premium guest experience. I lead the end‑to‑end delivery of complex port operations, covering ground services, port agency, embarkation and check‑in systems, air and sea logistics, and guest flow, ensuring fleet deployments consistently meet brand standards, regulatory requirements, and SLA/KPI commitments. I work closely with port authorities, destinations, port agents, ground service operators, and vendors to solve the problems that matter most in cruise operations: on‑time turnarounds, scalable capacity, cost control, and a seamless first impression for guests. What I’m known for is making complexity work; turning diverse ports, partners, and operating models into repeatable, resilient turnaround operations that perform under pressure. I bring particular strength in:* Global homeport and turnaround leadership* Port cost, budget and forecast ownership* Destination Engagement and building long term relationships* Contract, SLA and vendor performance management* World Cruise delivery and new homeport development* Cross‑functional leadership across Brand, Maritime, Deployment, Hotel Operations and IT Ultimately, I help cruise brands deliver on their promise ashore, with operations that are reliable, commercially sound, and guest‑centric.