Nationality of Princess Captains

[MattOsprey]

Hi all,

There is no real point to this question, but I have noticed that a lot of ship Captains seem to be British. Is this common through the fleet or just my cruises?

Also what are the other nationalities of the Captains?

Thanks.

Matthew

[Saruman]

A lot of the bridge staff seem to be Italian or British.

[kdooley]

On my last cruise, CB out of SJ at Christmas, most of the senior officers were from Northern Italy (the Captain, Chief Engineer). Which is where my family is from, so I was able to chat with them!

[Pam in CA]

There is no real point to this question, but I have noticed that a lot of ship Captains seem to be British. Is this common through the fleet or just my cruises?

Also what are the other nationalities of the Captains?

I believe most Princess captains are British or Italian. Also, most have been with Princess for many, many years so the nationalities don't change much. I've met cadets (in training to become officers, from which they are promoted to Captain) from Canada and the UK. Don't remember if any were from the US.

 

Princess usually promotes from within and traditionally, their officers and staff were British or Italian. With cadets and thus staff being trained and new ships being launched, there may be other nationalities at some point in the future.

[IECalCruiser]

On our most recent cruises we have had Mariano Manfuso - Italian, Ed Perrin - British and David Calabrese - Brazilian living in Australia now.

[paul929207]

Captain Stefano Ravera of the Ocean Princess is of course Italian

[alolewis]

On my first Princes Cruise on the original Island Princess in 1982, Princess advertised British Officers and Italian dining/hotel staff. Times have certainly changed, now officers, staff and crew are a multitude of nationalities.`

[SkyMaster]

I agree that the vast majority of the staff officers on Princess are British or Italian. Carnival staff officers seem to ALL be Italian. (My Italian born wife LOVES that!) ;)

 

"SKY"

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Being under the "Carnival umbrella",

do Captains and Staff move around from one line to another?

[CruiseAdict218]

Being under the "Carnival umbrella",

do Captains and Staff move around from one line to another?

 

Yes, they Rotate ships or move to other lines sometimes example:

 

on our cruise on the Caribbean Princess our Cruise Director was Dan something and now its Neil Roberts, i believe its every 6 months?(correct me if im wrong)

[Pam in CA]

Yes, they Rotate ships or move to other lines sometimes example:

 

on our cruise on the Caribbean Princess our Cruise Director was Dan something and now its Neil Roberts, i believe its every 6 months?(correct me if im wrong)

Cruise Directors do because they work under contract. When their contract ends, they can join another cruise line. Hotel Manager James Deering has done that a number of times. I haven't heard of a Captain who does that. Not sure but I believe that rather working under contract, they are employees of the cruise line, i.e., they are corporate.

[ibfern]

Captain Stefano Ravera of the Ocean Princess is of course Italian

 

Not to mention awesome! Isn't his brother also a Captain with Princess?

[1FatPER]

On my first Princes Cruise on the original Island Princess in 1982, Princess advertised British Officers and Italian dining/hotel staff. Times have certainly changed, now officers, staff and crew are a multitude of nationalities.`

 

Back then the ships were owned by P&O and registered in Britain. Therefore the British captains. I enjoy the Brits as I can understand them. :)

[wfgm]

Can confirm Cpt Stefano,s brother Paulo was staff Capt on the Dawn Princess and the Capt was Todd McBride a Canadian in 2010

[Essiesmom]

Being under the "Carnival umbrella",

do Captains and Staff move around from one line to another?

David, I think Cunard uses British captains, and I think they also move back and forth with P&O. Would not surprise if some ahve been with Princess. CJ

[MSMcDuffy]

I love a man with an accent:D

[ocean42]

I think the British deck officers stem from Princess being owned by P&O. It is my understanding that some/all off the Italian deck officers came from when P&O bought Sitmar. This may be wrong but makes sense!!

 

Mike

[MattOsprey]

I think the British deck officers stem from Princess being owned by P&O. It is my understanding that some/all off the Italian deck officers came from when P&O bought Sitmar. This may be wrong but makes sense!!

 

Mike

That seems to make sense.

If anyone asks from now on I will say that is a fact!

Thanks.

Matthew

[Infi]

I think the British deck officers stem from Princess being owned by P&O. It is my understanding that some/all off the Italian deck officers came from when P&O bought Sitmar. This may be wrong but makes sense!!

 

Mike

 

This is correct. Several of Princess' captains, including the Commodore, are indeed from the Sitmar days. The majority of Sitmar's officers and crew were Italian. You'll also find some of the older dining room staff (Maitre D', headwaiters, etc.) are from Sitmar, too. I've had some nice conversations with both a Captain and dining room staff about Sitmar. They enjoy reminiscing about the "good old days" too. :)

[ibfern]

Can confirm Cpt Stefano,s brother Paulo was staff Capt on the Dawn Princess and the Capt was Todd McBride a Canadian in 2010

 

Thanks for the info. We had the best experience on the Tahitian Princess (Now the Ocean) with Captain Stefano, he made the cruise very memorable and we had never met a Captain who was so "hands on" and friendly.

[kenexx]

Nick Bates was on the Sapphire when we did Sydney to LA a few years ago. He was in command of QM2 when she was in Sydney for her visit last year.

[haggis]

The officers who served with P & O have a distinctive (yellow) rising sun, the P & O logo on their epaulets next to their stripes denoting rank ( shoulders bar rank stripes)

The present Commodore of Cunard, Bernie Warner, whom I'm sure a lot of you will remember, was a P & O officer and a Princess Captain.

I believe the inter company transfers have now been stopped, but I'm not too sure about that.

Jimmy