Q – As you might be able to tell, we’re going on our first cruise, a 21-day sailing with Seabourn that will include cruising in portions of the Middle East. If I am going to be trusting my life and that of my wife to a ship’s “pilot”, I would like to know who he is and what his sailing experience in the region might be. So far, my agent has not been able to provide this information. Would you be able to get that information for us? If you think I am being paranoid please let me know.
A – You are – but that’s OK. First-timers are allowed to be paranoid. Forget the passengers for a moment – you are going to be sailing on a luxurious $500 million vessel that can get damaged if not driven properly. Just as no airline would knowingly entrust one of its multi-million dollar aircraft to an inexperienced pilot, no cruise line would entrust such a major investment to anything but the best qualified Captain. But in cruising, it actually goes far beyond that. Each of these vessels must be insured. This is a very high stakes venture and insurance costs are, in part, determined by the qualifications of the Captain and the senior staff. The training and experience of the Captain is paramount – skills at cocktail party chatter do not really factor in to these kinds of hiring decisions. Cruise lines do not like to release the names of senior staff too far in advance as assignments and availability often change. But if your agent calls the line about a month prior to your scheduled departure, the name of the Captain and other senior officers is generally available. Have a safe trip – and don’t bother to tip the Captain for safe driving.
