| Captain’s Call 11 Feb 19

CAPTAIN Craig Street of Princess Cruises’ flagship, Majestic Princess.

When did you know you wanted to be a Captain?

This may sound a little cliched however growing up as a child I loved watching The Love Boat and from then I always aspired to be Captain Stubing.

On leaving school at the age of 17 I was offered a place at Edinburgh University however I really wanted to travel the world so applied and was offered a place as a Deck Cadet with Princess Cruises.

One of my initial ships was the original Island Princess which, along with the Pacific Princess was used in the filming of the Love Boat.

Although all Deck Officers’ ultimate goal and aspiration is to make it to Captain, this always seems a long way off.

Perseverance paid off however, as in 2008 at the age of 36 and one of the youngest Captains ever, I was promoted and first took command of the Star Princess.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career?

One great thing about being Captain is that I see new things and get challenged on a daily basis, which is one of the reasons why I love my job so much. There is always something new to experience and we never stop learning.

Another really enjoyable aspect of the job is manoeuvring the ship into port; the ship is so large compared to the available space in some of the ports we visit which presents a real challenge and focuses the mind – especially when the wind is blowing or the current is running.

What do you love about the cruise industry?

In general I think that cruising is a great, value for money way to visit new places and experience different cultures around the world.

Favourite port that you have visited?

One of my favourite ports in the world has to be Sydney; the sail in and out is absolutely beautiful and iconic with the views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Being on the bridge for arrival in the morning and being able to experience the sunrise while passing through the heads and then rounding Bradleys Head with the incredible skyline coming into view is spectacular and indeed very special.

Best place to eat/drink on board Majestic?

This is a difficult one as there is no shortage of restaurants, cafes and bars on the ship with a huge variety and choice. If I had to choose one however I would say my favourite place to eat is at Harmony.