The Captain?

[riteonglor]

Does anyone know who the captain on the Princess Sapphire will be on the 8/14/05 Alaskan Cruise. My husband is always making fun of me spending so much time reading the Cruise Critic board. He always wants to know if I know the name of the captain yet. He would die if I gave him the name. Anyway of me finding out who the Captain will be on this cruise?

[Druke I]

Where is Andy Hogg, Deck Cadet, when you need him?

 

If he doesn't know, he will probably find out.

[APH]

Lol, Michael I'm here ready and waiting as always!!!! :D

 

riteonglor, your Captain is scheduled to be Christopher Rynd, see below for his bio - have a great cruise!

 

CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER RYND

Captain Rynd was born in Waiuku, New Zealand and grew up in the Far-East, Fiji and Samoa. He went to sea at the age of seventeen as a cadet in the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, before joining P&O Cruises in 1974.

He gained his Master's Certificate in 1979 and widened his professional experience as a reserve officer in the ships of the British Navy. He has previously commanded the original Pacific Princess, the Pacific Sky, the Regal Princess, the new Pacific Princess and most recently, the Royal and Sapphire Princess.

His interests apart from a full family life include sailing small yachts, hiking, gardening, and fly fishing and amongst his passive interests are classical music and history. He is married, has three teenage children and lives in Australia.

[Corinne Marie]

Hi Andy!

 

Do you have the bio on Captain Nick Nash who will probably be in command of the Caribbean Princess when we are on in August?

 

Thank you much......Corinne

[APH]

Hi Connie! Here is Captain Nash's bio:

 

CAPTAIN NICK NASH

 

Captain Nick Nash was born in Penzance, Cornwall, in the South-West of the United Kingdom in 1960 and he spent his formative years living in West Africa, East Africa and the Persian Gulf, flying back to the UK for his schooling at an English Public School in Somerset.

He ran away to sea in 1977 as a Deck Cadet with the Port Line/Cunard Cargo, serving on general cargo, banana boats, oil tankers and container ships. He studied at The Southampton School of Navigation and obtained his 2nd Mates Certificate in 1982.

After nine years serving on cargo ships, Nick joined the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a Third Officer serving on fleet oil tankers and landing ships in support of the Royal Navy. His best remembered tour was for eight months with a naval support ship in South Georgia.

He passed for Master in 1988, and joined P&O/Princess Cruises as a Third Officer on Royal Princess in 1989. He was promoted to Staff Captain on Grand Princess in 1997. Royal Princess was Nick’s first command in 2002 and he has since served as Master of the Grand, Golden, Diamond and Caribbean Princess.

He is a Member of the Nautical Institute and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation.

He continues to live in Penzance with his wife, young daughter and a West Highland Terrier called Gus. Nick dislikes all sports and DIY but occasionally flies gliders and drives a bus for the local Bus Corporation.

[jaspertl]

Would love to know who our captain will be?

[APH]

A couple of good videos from the bridge of Grand Princess with Captain Nash - just scroll down the page:

 

http://www.stickypod.com/newvideos.htm

[APH]

jaspertl, you Captain will be David Calabrese - have a great cruise! :D

 

CAPTAIN DAVID CALABRESE

Captain Calabrese was born in Brazil in 1954 but grew up in the Italian city of Naples and he has wanted to be a Captain at sea ever since the age of two.

He began his career on the great Italian trans-Atlantic liner of the early 1970s, the Leonardo da Vinci, but as part of his training also sailed on freighters and cargo-ships.

He joined Sitmar Cruises as a Second Officer (Navigator) in 1981 and worked his way up through the ranks serving later on Princess Vessels after their merger with Sitmar in 1988.

He was promoted to Captain in 1998 when he took command of the Sky Princess and he also served in command of the Fair Princess before returning as Captain of the Sky for her final voyages as part of the Princess fleet in 2000. He then oversaw her conversion and renaming to the Pacific Sky before returning to Princess as Master of the Crown and Dawn Princess. He was onboard Star Princess for her inaugural season in Australia and the South Pacific in 2003/2004 and then joined the Golden Princess for her inaugural season in the Southern Caribbean in 2004.

Since being promoted to Captain he has sailed in many exotic places around the world including the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, the Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, the South-Pacific, Australia and New-Zealand, Asia and the Far-East.

Captain Calabrese lives in northern New South Wales in Australia with his wife, Michelle and two children. In fact, he met Michelle on board the Fairstar on a cruise from Sydney and they married in 1988.

When on leave he enjoys DIY and also has a passion for maintaining and repairing engines of any kind.

[jaspertl]

thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mcca2]

Hi Andy,

 

When we sailed on Rhapsody of the Seas last December, we had a Captain who had been brought out of reirement for a few cruises. His name was Olafsen or Olafson, from Norway. He was the funniest guy, and his daily commentaries became a highlight of the cruise. He was a star entertainer in his own rite.

 

Do you have anything on him?

Thanks Kate

[Corinne Marie]

Thank you so much Andy for the bio on Nick Nash....All so very interesting to me. I tried to look at the video of the Grand Princess bridge with the link that you sent, but it says the page is unavailable. I would love to see this. Any other ideas on how to view this?

 

Corinne

[APH]

Corinne, if you email me at aph3012@msn.com then i will send you the videos as an attachment :D

[riteonglor]

Thank you Andy so much for getting me the name of the Captain of the Sapphire Princess going to Alaska in August. I just ran into the dining room telling my husband I not only have a name I have a lot of other info. Thanks to Andy!

[mommykim]

Hi there,

I can't help myself :-) Do you happen to know who will be the Captain of the Regal Princess on the 6/27 sailing? My husband loves to tease me that all the Captain's know me but that isn't actually true.

[dorisday]

wow Aph, where do you get your info from? Im really impressed.

 

Dont suppose you have details of past Captains & where they are now by anychance? Sailed with Captain Bob Baker & Captain Vito many times & became good friends with them both, would love to find out what they are up to now.

[laginog]

OK, Andy...how about the Captain of the Coral for July 2nd?? You are amazing with these facts!!!!!

[LARGIN]

Captain of the Regal should be Mariano Manfuso

Captain of the Coral is Giorgio Pomata

[laginog]

Thanks Largin!!!

[newcruisersfromtheoc]

Kim ~

It's me again and our cruise is getting closer everyday! Am I correct that our Captain is Mariano Manfuso?My sister booked our cruise but didn't know who our Captain was going to be and I hoped I could find out from this board. Are you and your family getting excited? We certainly are especially since this is our first cruise ever (unless you count the Catalina Express!!!).

 

Hermine

[Alessandrina]

Captain Binetti will take over the Coral Princess for your July 2 cruise. :)