Next February, the Sun Princess will debut within the Mediterranean, with Princess as we speak naming the beginning up workforce of officers for the brand new ship.
“With such an amazing opportunity to elevate the guest experience, it takes an equally talented team of revered mariners to oversee the ship’s final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard, then officially take delivery of the ship and welcome the first guests onboard,” mentioned Princess President John Padgett.
The extremely skilled workforce, with a collective 150-plus years of service, that may information Sun Princess via the rest of her building section and convey her out for the anticipated inaugural season embody Captains Craig Street and Paolo Arrigo; Staff Captains Brian Whelan and Valerio Esposito; Hotel General Managers Ralph D’Souza and Simona Stumberger; and Chief Engineers Gaetano Guida and Davor Pavlovic-Kalifo.
“Sun Princess promises something special for everyone and we’re pleased to announce the skilled and deserving team, led by Captains Street and Arrigo, who will guide Sun Princess through the remainder of the construction phase and ready her for her shining debut in just one year,” Padgett added.
Captain Craig Street: Captain Craig Street joined Princess as a deck cadet in 1990, following his time on the Warsash Maritime Academy within the south of England that additionally included coaching aboard cruise ships. Appointed third officer in 1993, Street labored his method up via the ranks, taking command of Star Princess in 2008, and has since served as captain of 13 Princess ships. Street developed an appreciation for journey at an early age as he spent a lot of his youth residing together with his household abroad in varied nations together with Nigeria, Singapore, Dubai, Tanzania and Saudi Arabia. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, Scotland, earlier than becoming a member of the Princess household. With a eager curiosity in flying, he additionally holds a personal helicopter license and when time permits, enjoys taking part in golf within the wonderful ports Princess visits. His favourite ports are these in French Polynesia and Hawaii.
Captain Paolo Arrigo: An completed mariner whose profession spans greater than 1 / 4 century at sea, Captain Paolo Arrigo joined Princess Cruises as a deck cadet in 1996 after serving for a yr within the Italian Coast Guard. After shifting up via the ranks, serving as first officer, security officer and workers captain, Arrigo was named captain at Princess Cruises in 2017. In addition to his position as captain, Arrigo has labored for Princess’ shoreside headquarters on quite a lot of high-profile tasks, together with the managing components of the event and launch of the MedallionClass Experience. His intensive maritime expertise and straightforward rapport with company and crew made him a pure option to function captain of the reality-based tv program, The Real Love Boat, which lately accomplished its first season and attracted tens of millions of recent viewers to the model.
Staff Captain Brian Whelan: A local of Galway City in Ireland, Brian Whelan started his maritime profession 23 years in the past with Princess Cruises, and through the years has steadily moved up the ranks to his present place of workers captain. A graduate of the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, Whelan holds a Master Mariners’ Certificate and has been named one in all 20 leaders below 40 by Seatrade Cruise News, a prestigious cruise business publication. When he’s not onboard ship, Whelan enjoys touring together with his household and lists the Mediterranean as his favourite place to cruise.
Staff Captain Valerio Esposito: A local of Meta di Sorrento close to Naples, Italy, Valerio Esposito’s profession spans greater than twenty years, together with the previous 17 with Princess Cruises. He began as deck cadet on Golden Princess in 2006, and rapidly progressed via the ranks as much as his promotion to workers captain in 2018, turning into one of many youngest within the firm to earn that place. Over the years he has commanded nearly each ship within the fleet, together with Star Princess, Dawn Princess, Coral Princess, Emerald Princess, Crown Princess, Ruby Princess, Caribbean Princess, Island Princess, Diamond Princess and for P&O Australia – Pacific Pearl and Pacific Eden. He is at the moment workers captain of Majestic Princess. Esposito accomplished his research within the South of Italy at Nautical Institute Nino Bixio, close by his hometown, and holds a Master Mariners Captain License.
Hotel General Manager Ralph D’Souza: D’Souza joined Princess in 2006 as a junior purser and labored his method via the ranks and achieved his aim of turning into resort basic supervisor in 2019. The spotlight of D’Souza’s profession was being chosen to be a part of the inaugural workforce for the brand new Royal Class sequence of ships. During his seagoing profession, D’Souza has been a part of the launch workforce for Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess. In 2017, he was chosen to be a part of the deployment workforce of the MedallionClass Experience, the place he was an envoy of this new and modern approach to cruise with Princess. D’Souza holds a level in EMBA and a Ph.D. in enterprise administration. When he isn’t crusing the ocean, he enjoys spending time at his seacoast residence the place he soaks up the abundance of nature round his residence by gardening and holding match.
Hotel General Manager Simona Stumberger: A local of Slovenia, the place she studied language and hospitality administration, Stumberger started her profession at sea within the bar division and additional diversified her resort experiences by working within the visitor companies division and hand in hand with the resort and meals & beverage division. She is now proudly a resort basic supervisor, the place she shares her ardour for journey and impeccable service with every visitor. When on trip, she loves spending time with household and pals, mountaineering the gorgeous mountains within the Alps and taking care of her orchids, that are her ardour.
Chief Engineer Gaetano Guida: Gaetano Guida joined Princess Cruises in 2002 and was named chief engineer aboard Royal Princess in 2017. After incomes his nautical diploma in July 1999 from Nautical Institute Nino Bixio in Piano di Sorrento, Italy, Guida joined the Italian Navy serving on the “M/V Vesuvio,” a refueling ship for different naval ships. He met his spouse onboard Star Princess in 2015, and collectively they’ve two sons. His hobbies embody studying, notably, management and psychology books, and listening to music.
Chief Engineer Davor Pavlovic-Kalifo: Davor Pavlovic-Kalifo joined Princess Cruises in 2002, as second engineer and was named chief engineer aboard Sapphire Princess in 2014. A local of Croatia, Pavlovic-Kalifo labored as an engine cadet onboard a cargo ship after which went on to varsity, graduating as a marine engineer. His first task on a cruise ship was Tahitian Princess, the place he met his spouse. They are proud mother and father to a 3-year-old boy, they usually love spending time as a household in Dubrovnik. When not touring the world, Pavlovic-Kalifo enjoys deep sea fishing and exploring the Adriatic islands through his motorboat.