2008
The campaign
You Smoke, I Choke featured in Battlefront, with Alexander publicly credited as Zander Percival.
Battlefront campaigners archive ↗Cruise Director & Presenter
Alexander
Percival.
At sea. On stage.
In good company.
Bringing people together through entertainment, conversation and shared experiences.
Explore my career
Entertainment · Leadership · TelevisionDiscover the story
01 / About
A career built
around people.
Alexander Percival is a Cruise Director and presenter with a cruise career spanning more than a decade.
Since October 2023, he has worked as a Cruise Director with Celebrity Cruises. His career includes entertainment leadership at Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard) and programme direction with Viking Cruises.
Before his cruise career, Alexander appeared in Channel 4’s Battlefront, taking a campaign about children’s exposure to cigarette smoke to a national television audience.
02 / Cruise Director career
Life at sea
The stage is
just the start.
A public-facing role with people and teamwork at its heart.
Career on LinkedInProfessional focus
Cruise Director
Celebrity Cruises · October 2023–present
01
On stage
Hosting and presenting, connecting with guests and bringing a personal presence to onboard entertainment.
02
Behind the scenes
Leading the entertainment team, developing people and working with colleagues across the ship.
03
Shared experiences
Helping deliver the guest experience through collaboration, problem-solving and attention to people.
Career journey
View full experience on LinkedIn ↗Oct 2023–present
Cruise Director
Celebrity Cruises
Leads onboard entertainment while maintaining a visible presence as a host and presenter. The work brings together live shows, guest events and the coordination that keeps entertainment moving smoothly between venues.
Behind the scenes, Alexander develops the entertainment team, works with shipboard colleagues and responds to the challenges of a changing guest programme. His approach combines personal engagement with the teamwork, timing and preparation needed to carry an evening from the theatre to the next event.
Role reference
Celebrity’s official description brings together hosting, entertainment planning, staff and manager development, budget execution and adapting experiences to guest demographics.
Read role description ↗May 2022–Aug 2023
Entertainment Manager
Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard)
Returned to Carnival UK to lead onboard entertainment, events and conferences, with responsibility for programme planning, hosting and departmental performance. The role included adapting the entertainment offer to each itinerary and guest demographic, including cruises lasting up to 115 days.
Managed budgets, developed line managers and used guest feedback to inform improvements. Worked with hotel, food and beverage and retail colleagues on promotional events, and coordinated with teams ashore on visiting events and conferences. Guest communications included onboard publications, event advertising, promotional broadcasts and television interviews.
Role reference
P&O Cruises describes entertainment management as overseeing shows, activities and events, leading a team and working across departments on the onboard programme.
Read role description ↗Apr 2019–May 2022
Program Director
Viking Cruises
Coordinated the guest programme on board and ashore, bringing together entertainment, destination enrichment and shore excursions. Presented port talks, activities and public announcements, including bridge commentary, while maintaining an active guest-facing presence.
Worked with local suppliers, guides and transport providers to organise excursions, brief teams and monitor delivery. Responsibilities also covered guest transfers, optional programme bookings, daily programmes and cruise reporting, alongside liaison with Guest Services, staff training and the resolution of guest concerns.
Role reference
Viking’s careers information describes entertainment and enrichment roles as planning and delivering onboard guest programming. A published river Program Director description also covers excursions, transfers, suppliers, announcements and reporting, consistent with Alexander’s personal description.
Read role description ↗Oct 2017–Feb 2019
Entertainment Manager (Cruise Director)
Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard)
Moved into the Entertainment Manager role following earlier positions in hosting and assistant management. Led the planning and delivery of the onboard entertainment programme, hosted across venues and oversaw events and conferences.
Combined the public-facing role with budget management, team welfare, training and line-manager appraisals. Coordinated guest communications and event promotion, worked across hotel departments and liaised with onboard and shoreside stakeholders on external events, including themed and charter cruises.
Role reference
The employer’s entertainment-management overview combines team leadership, event delivery and cross-department collaboration. Alexander’s own description supplies the historical responsibilities summarised here.
Read role description ↗Oct 2015–Oct 2017
Assistant Entertainment Manager
Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard)
Progressed from Senior Entertainment Host into assistant management, adding an operational leadership role to his background in guest entertainment.
P&O Cruises describes assistant entertainment management as supporting programme planning, leading the entertainment team and coordinating activities and performances. The wider role includes deputising for the Entertainment Manager, developing colleagues and helping visiting entertainers settle into the onboard schedule.
Source note
Employer description of the role. The original historical duties are not listed individually on Alexander’s profile.
Employer role overview ↗Nov 2012–Oct 2015
Senior Entertainment Host
Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard)
Worked in guest entertainment aboard Carnival UK cruise ships, before progressing into assistant entertainment management in 2015.
Carnival UK’s description of senior hosting centres on daytime and evening entertainment, social gatherings and an approachable presence around the ship. Hosts bring guests together at activities and events, answer questions and help groups and solo travellers feel part of life on board.
Source note
Role overview drawn from Carnival UK’s 2017 Senior Entertainment Host advert; individual activities can vary by ship and assignment.
Read role description ↗Sep 2011–Nov 2012
Youth Staff
Carnival UK (P&O Cruises & Cunard)
Began his listed cruise career working with children and teenagers aged 9–17. The appointment preceded his move into entertainment hosting for the wider guest audience.
P&O Cruises describes youth work as delivering a daily programme of organised activities and events alongside youth-team colleagues, with a focus on helping younger guests enjoy their time on board.
Source note
Role overview from P&O Cruises. Alexander’s own profile confirms that he worked with ages 9–17.
Employer role overview ↗Apr 2011–Aug 2014
Communications and Engagement Coordinator
Solutions4Health
Worked in communications and engagement at Solutions4Health alongside the early years of his cruise career.
The organisation’s contemporary public material describes community-based health services, public information and service launches aimed at improving access to support. It provides the public-health setting for this early communications role.
Source note
Company context from 2014 public material. The original job description has not been located, so specific campaigns and responsibilities are not attributed to Alexander.
Read contemporary company material ↗
Roles and dates from Alexander’s LinkedIn profile. Employer references provide additional context; some appointments overlap.
03 / Television & Media
Channel 4 · Battlefront · 2008
An early voice.
A public platform.
The story behind You Smoke, I Choke.
In 2008, appearing as Zander Percival, Alexander campaigned through Channel 4’s Battlefront for a ban on smoking in cars carrying children.
The campaign’s stated proposal concerned children under 16. Its official page records his television appearance, campaign activity and a meeting with his local MP, Mike Penning.
Explore the original campaign2009
The public discussion
The campaign was discussed in a Spiked opinion article critical of anti-smoking campaigning.
Read the contemporary article ↗2015
Later legislation
On 1 October 2015, legislation came into force in England and Wales prohibiting smoking in private vehicles carrying under-18s, subject to exemptions.
Read the GOV.UK guidance ↗The later legislation is included as historical context; no claim is made that Alexander’s campaign caused the law to pass.
04 / Press & Recognition
Selected highlights.
Professional recognition and coverage
from the public record.
People & leadership
Celebrating the work
behind the experience.
From the stage to the team behind it, leadership is a central part of Alexander’s work at sea.
Pictured with MyLeadership and Leadership Spotlight certificates at an onboard recognition celebration.
Read his Manager of the Month reflection ↗Manager of the Month · Celebrity Edge
Alexander shares his onboard recognition and reflects on the entertainment team behind the guest experience.
Is anywhere free from the anti-smoking lobby?
Contemporary critical commentary discussing Zander Percival and the Battlefront campaign.
You Smoke, I Choke
The original campaign profile, television appearance and campaign milestones.
05 / Contact & Official Profiles