How Does It Feel To Be A Captain Of A Royal Caribbean Ship?

How does it feel to be the captain of a cruise ship?

While millions of people travel on cruise ships every year, only a select few get to drive one. TTG hears from Captain Aris Medina, Captain of Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, about life onboard – and why he really loves the job.

• How have operations from the bridge changed in recent times?

As technology has advanced throughout the years, the operation from the navigational bridge has changed with it. We nowadays have much more advanced electronic equipment, which makes our jobs easier, faster and safer.

Of course, one should not forget that despite all of these technologies the human factor will continue to be the most important part of our operation, therefore, our training in operating this equipment and using these technologies is vital to our success. In order to achieve that, our company has partnered with different training centres, where all marine officers attend different type of training to develop and enhance our skills and knowledge.

• How has technology shaped the onboard experience for you?

The biggest recent advancement in technology has been the introduction of VOOM, the fastest internet at sea. This has been a real breakthrough in the cruise industry, allowing our guests to communicate just as they would ashore and enabling them to stream content to their devices. Constant and fast connectivity makes it easier for our guests to respond quickly to personal messages, work messages or use video chat applications, no longer distinguishing connectivity on a cruise from a holiday on land.

We have also introduced interactive touchscreens (or digital signage as we like to call it) in the elevator lobbies of Navigator of the Seas and most of our other ships. This gives our guests the opportunity to access an incredible amount of information about their cruise at any point in their journey, such as directions between points on the ship, activities onboard and show schedules, dining options and menu information.

• Has the Royal Caribbean passenger profile changed in recent years?

With new destinations and new homeports across Europe, the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East and Asia, the Royal Caribbean guest profile has become even more diverse. We have adapted to cater for different markets and to meet and exceed all of guests’ expectations. This includes the expansion and diversification of food and beverages offered onboard, varying dining times and activities and entertainment, all of which are tailored to suit the market we’re catering for.

• How have new destinations for Royal Caribbean shaped your experience as a captain?

Every port of call that we visit will present different challenges and opportunities to us, from manoeuvring the ship in and out of the port to the unique experiences each port offers. The more ports we visit, the more opportunities I get to enhance my skills as a ship handler and to widen my knowledge of the different places we visit. I enjoy learning something new about every port we visit and, if it is my first time visiting a port, I research the area and share interesting facts with our guests and crew, either during my arrival announcements or on social media.

• What do you love most about your job?

There are so many things I love about my job – I love to drive, so manoeuvring the ship in different locations, under different conditions, is the part I enjoy the most.

As the captain of such an international and diverse ship, I really enjoy meeting guests and crew members from all over the world. The experience makes you grow as a person and means you can get to know and understand very different cultures. We can easily reach 65 different nationalities working as part of our crew at any one point, so to manage and lead this team is a truly fantastic experience.