What's the difference between Captain and Commodore?

[arlenemilt]

On all of our cruises, except one (and there have been 45) the ships' Captain was called Captain. On the Star, the Captain (Cesare Ditel) was called Commodore. Can someone explain?

Arlene

[Coral]

The Commodore is the "top Captain". Here is some info:

 

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na706

 

10/15/2004

 

Cesare Ditel Named Commodore of Princess Cruises Fleet

 

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (October 15, 2004) -- Cesare Ditel, a 40-year Princess veteran, has been named commodore of the company's 14-ship fleet.

 

The designation of commodore is an honor that is traditionally given to the most senior captain of a fleet of ships.

 

Currently serving as master of Star Princess, Ditel takes over the new title after a long career commanding many of the ships in the Princess fleet. He began his career at sea with Princess Cruises and the former Sitmar Cruises in 1964 as a third officer. Ditel also holds the distinction of being the first Italian captain in the Princess fleet to earn his British Master's certificate, allowing him to sail the line's British-registered vessels.

 

Ditel hails from a seafaring family on Italy's island of Elba. He began his maritime studies in 1953 at the Nautical School in Leghorn, Italy, and after attending the Italian Naval Academy and serving in the Navy for a couple of years, he began a Merchant Navy career in 1961 aboard tanker ships. In 1964 he joined Sitmar as a Third Navigating Officer and moved up the ranks, receiving his first post as Captain in 1985.

 

He was appointed captain of Star Princess for her 2002 launch, plus brought out Ocean Princess when she debuted in 2000 and Regal Princess at the time of her 1991 debut. He has recently commanded Golden Princess, and has also been master of Sun Princess, Crown Princess, and the original Star Princess, Sea Princess and Dawn Princess.

 

When not at sea, Ditel lives in the town of DiCampo on the island of Elba with his wife and two sons.

[arlenemilt]

Ah, so Ditel is the Captain of Captains (so to speak). The Godfather. :) Thanks Coral.

 

Arlene

[Coral]

I like that - "the Godfather" :)

 

I don't remember who the Commodore was before Cesare Ditel.

[APH]

Previous Commodore of the fleet was Mike Moulin of the Royal and Grand Princess. He retired in early 2003 but now goes round the ships doing lectures for the Scholarship-at-Sea program.

 

We sailed with him on the Grand in 2000 and found he had a great presence. I particulary liked the way he used to frightened the smaller cruise ships by bearing down on them at tender ports - great fun!!!! :p

 

Does anyone else remember him?

 

Andy

[Coral]

Thanks Andy! I knew you would know.

 

The name "Mike Moulin" sounds familiar - I will have to go back through my patters and see if I sailed with him.

[LARGIN]

Previous Commodore of the fleet was Mike Moulin of the Royal and Grand Princess. He retired in early 2003 but now goes round the ships doing lectures for the Scholarship-at-Sea program.

 

We sailed with him on the Grand in 2000 and found he had a great presence. I particulary liked the way to frightened the smaller cruise ships by bearing down on them at tender ports - great fun!!!! :p

 

Does anyone else remember him?

 

Andy

 

Hiya Andy.. I remember him from our 1991 Alaska cruise on the Sky Princess.

[APH]

Arlene - the official description of the role of a Commodore is as follows:

 

The title of Commodore is awarded to a Captain with an exemplary service record and the position is the highest rank attainable in the Princess Cruises fleet. In this role, the Commodore represents the interests of all the Princess Cruises ships and their Captains. Every Captain in the fleet must report directly to the Commodore daily.

 

Hope this helps! :D

 

Andy

[APH]

Largin:

 

COMMODORE MIKE MOULIN

 

Born in London in 1943, he was brought up in Scotland and began his career with P&O as a cadet in 1960, directly after attending the Thames Nautical Training College, HMS Worcester for two years. His first trip to sea was as a 15-year-old boy aboard a 1,500-ton coaster.

 

He rejoined the company with his Second Mates ticket in 1964. His early sea-time was spent in freighters and tankers trading to the Orient. He sailed on his first passenger ship, the Cathay in 1963, and then the Oronsay in 1970 and has been on passenger ships ever since.

 

He qualified as a Master Mariner in 1969, marrying in the same year, and joined his first Princess ship, the original Sun Princess in 1974. He took his first command in 1983 aboard the original Pacific Princess before spending a year in P&O’s Southampton office as Fleet Captain in 1988. Since then he has commanded the original Island Princess, Sea Princess and Sky Princess and was promoted to Senior Captain on the Pacific Princess in 1992. Most recently, he was captain of Royal Princess in 1996 before assuming command of the Grand Princess in 1998. He was promoted to the rank of Commodore in January 1999.

 

Mike is a member of the Nautical Institute, a Younger Brother of Trinity House and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

 

Mike lives in Lymington, Hampshire, on the southern coast of England with his wife Maggi. They have one married son, Philip.

 

Family leisure pursuits include walking quickly and sailing slowly. He races a 36ft yacht - he has completed two Round-Britain two-handed yacht races as well as other off-shore races – and also enjoys golf, scuba diving and photography.

[crusdiva]

Previous Commodore of the fleet was Mike Moulin of the Royal and Grand Princess. He retired in early 2003 but now goes round the ships doing lectures for the Scholarship-at-Sea program.

We sailed with him on the Grand in 2000 and found he had a great presence. I particulary liked the way he used to frightened the smaller cruise ships by bearing down on them at tender ports - great fun!!!! :p

Does anyone else remember him? Andy

 

DH and I sailed with Commodore Moulin in the Med in 1999. Wonderful man, very approachable. I love that about frightening smaller ships. :D

It's good to hear that he's still out and about on Princess.

 

Hey, Andy your assignment is coming up at the end of the month, right.

Best of luck to you and keep it touch here. Your posts are always so helpful and informative. Thanks again.

[arlenemilt]

Andy, hope you're still reading this. According to another thread, Capt. Goodway (whom we know well) is leaving the Pacific Princess on August 18th and Capt. Fatchen is taking over. On August 16th we will be in Kuala Lumpur and we don't reach another port (Colombo, Sri Lanka) until August 20th. What are they doing to Goodway; airlifting him off? :)

 

Thanks for the Commodore info and we too remember Capt. Moulin.

 

Arlene

[Colo Cruiser]

Hey Andy wasnt Commodore King also before Moulin??

[Coral]

Arlene - I have been on a few ships where we have had 2 Captains - where they have had 1-2 weeks for the transition/hand-off between Captains. Maybe that is what is going on on your sailing.

[arlenemilt]

Could be, Coral. We continue to South Africa and if Capt. Goodway isn't getting off before Cape Town, we'll have two Captains for 4 weeks. I'm not familiar with Capt. Fatchen at all? Are you?

 

Arlene

[Colo Cruiser]

Coral if you are referring to the staff Captain they always have 2 if you include him.

[arlenemilt]

No Colorado, we were talking about Captain captains. :)

 

A.

[Colo Cruiser]

Oh Captain Captains:D

[Druke I]

And in the US Navy, and I believe the Royal Navy, a Commodore is a one star admiral, usually an honorary rank, similar to a brevet, as there are already Rear Admirals, Lower Half and Upper Half (one and two stars).

[Colo Cruiser]

Your right Druke it is an honarary rank over the fleet.

[Coral]

Coral if you are referring to the staff Captain they always have 2 if you include him.

 

No - talking about real Captains. Last year on the Dawn Princess - we had 2 Captains on the ship. The Princess Patter only showed one but when talking to the Captain Circle Host - there was a two week transition from the exiting Captain to the new Captain (Tony Herriott). According to her, there is often a one week transition when one Captain shows the other Captain "the ropes of that ship" - but for some reason, there was a 2 week transition on our ship.

 

Since the Captain is in charge of a lot of personnel matters - maybe this is why they do it. Or maybe it is an adjustment for a Captain to get used to a different ship - think if they came from the Tahitian and then went to the Diamond. It would be difficult to switch gears right away even if they have been on that ship previously.

 

Maybe Andy can fill us in.....

[Coral]

I'm not familiar with Capt. Fatchen at all? Are you?

 

Never heard of him......

[arlenemilt]

Maybe our teeny ship is going to have a "baby" captain. :) We'll see.

 

Arlene

[TIBTEE]

DH and I were married by Commodore Moulin on the Grand November 2000. He made the wedding even more special with his personality.