Captain Training?

[cactusflower]

I'm just curious - what is the typical background experience of a cruise ship captain? Do they tend to be former military (like airline pilots), or do they get their experience working their way up through the ranks of the cruise line, etc.? Does anyone know?

[Sequim88]

I suspect more are Merchant Marine than Navy or other military. Even the ones that work their way up in cruise line probably had experience elsewhere.

 

Profiles of several RCI Captains are at:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/behindTheSmiles/profile.do?INTERVIEWID=14

[cruisenfever]

Captain Claus A. Anderson was born in Bergen, the second largest city in Norway. There, in 1988, he started his merchant naval career at the local Maritime Academy. He continued his education in 1989 at the Maritime College in the city of Aeslund, Norway where he graduated in 1991 with papers as Master Mainer.

 

In the years to come, Claus held various positions on a variety of ships, such as fast ferries, stand-by and supply vessels in the North Sea, dry cargo ships, as well as experiencing the cruise industry in 1995. He then moved to Oslo to work shore side for one of Norway's major cargo ship companies as a Port Captain.

 

Claus returned to the cruise industry in 1998 when he joined RCI as a 1st Officer. Since then, he has been serving on several ships within the RCI family; Enchantment, Splendour, Majesty, Adventure and Sovereign of the Seas and is now proud to serve as Master of the Radiance of the Seas.

[cactusflower]

Thanks for the link and the background information. :)

[TEXASMUNK]

Pretty much tells the story. These folks have extensive training and experience!

I would have to guess (my opinion, not fact) the tragedy on the Costa Concordia and the probably erroneous decisions of that vessel's Captain are the very, very, very rare exception.