Two travel agents say ‘I do’ to P&O Cruises Shine Rewards Club – using points to buy their wedding rings
Two travel agents from Bolsover Cruise Club have each turned their day-to-day bookings into something far more personal – using P&O Cruises Shine Rewards Club points to pay for their wedding rings.
Olivia Whitaker, 26, a cruise expert who has worked at the agency for four years, and Lauren Foye, 31, a sales executive for three years, have both redeemed points earned through selling P&O Cruises holidays to fund one of life’s biggest milestones.
Olivia, who married her husband Charlie in May 2025 after getting engaged during a tulip-picking trip in Derbyshire, used around a year’s worth of Shine points to cover the cost of their rings.
“Weddings are really expensive, so it was such a nice bonus,” she said. “We spotted the rings we wanted, and I realised I could use my Shine points – it was a great feeling knowing they were paid for from the work I do every day.”
Selling P&O Cruises holidays is central to Olivia’s role, with the brand accounting for the majority of her bookings. A regular guest herself, she has sailed on Arvia and Azura and has a Norwegian Fjords trip booked to celebrate her anniversary next month.
She said: “I’m such a big fan of the brand – I’ve sailed with P&O Cruises for my own personal holidays – and Shine Rewards Club is one of the best loyalty schemes in the industry. We earn rewards frequently, for pretty much every booking, which isn’t always the case elsewhere. I use it daily – it keeps me up to date and the rewards are genuinely beneficial.”
Lauren, who is getting married this July in Lake Como after a 2019 engagement in Thailand, has also recently redeemed her Shine points to purchase wedding rings.
“While browsing the voucher list, I noticed there were jewellers included, so it just made sense,” she said. “It’s one less wedding expense to worry about, and it added an extra layer of significance knowing the time and effort I’ve put into earning those points played a part in something so special.”
Like Olivia, Lauren sells P&O Cruises daily, with around 90% of her bookings coming from the brand. She has also used Shine points to book two Caribbean cruises on Arvia in the past two years.
“It makes doing my job even more rewarding,” she added. “You’re helping customers find their dream holiday, and there’s a tangible benefit for you too.”
Shine Rewards Club enables agents to earn points on bookings, which can be redeemed on a wide range of rewards including holidays, shopping vouchers and experiences.
P&O Cruises associate vice president of sales and distribution, Ruth Venn, said: “Shine Rewards Club is designed to recognise and reward the incredible work our travel agent partners do every day. Stories like Olivia and Lauren’s bring that to life in a very real and human way.
“It’s fantastic to see points earned through booking holidays being used for such meaningful moments. It underlines the value of staying engaged with Shine Rewards Club – not just as a tool to support sales, but as a scheme that genuinely gives something back.”
Both agents are strong advocates for making the most of Shine Rewards Club, encouraging others not to let points sit unused.
Olivia said: “It’s definitely worth keeping engaged with. Firstly, as a useful tool to keep up to date with the latest news and campaigns, but also, the rewards add up quickly and can go towards something really meaningful. When we bought our house, we furnished it with IKEA furniture that was mainly bought through Shine points.”
Lauren added: “Use those points you’ve earned and treat yourself, whether that’s a holiday or something special like this.”
For more information, call P&O Cruises on 0344 338 8003, visit www.pocruises.com or visit a travel agent.
A selection of images of Olivia and Lauren can be downloaded, here.
ENDS
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About P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is Britain’s favourite cruise line, welcoming guests onboard its seven ships to experience holidays with a blend of discovery, choice, relaxation and exceptional service catered towards British tastes. With a proud history spanning more than 187 years, each ship has its own appeal from family friendly or exclusively for adults with every sailing delivering each guest a holiday like never before.
With over 180 destinations worldwide, P&O Cruises itineraries are carefully curated to inspire discovery and are varied to sui newcomers and experienced guests alike. P&O Cruises prides itself on working with top culinary talent; Food Heroes include chefs Marco Pierre White and José Pizarro as well as award-winning drinks expert Olly Smith.
Recent awards for P&O Cruises include:
1. Wave Awards 2025 – Best Advertising & Marketing Campaign
2. British Travel Awards 2025 – Best Cruise Line for Family Holidays
3. The Travel Industry Awards 2025 by TTG – Industry Marketing Campaign of the Year
4. Sailawaze Excellence Awards 2025 – Best in Entertainment
5. Best in Cruise Awards by Cruise Critic Awards 2025 – No-Fly Cruise Line (Ocean Category)
The company is part of Carnival Corporation & PLC (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).