Meeting a Bridge Officer on MSC Divina this week.

[AttilatheHun]

Hello Cruisers,

 

My son and his Dad are on the MSC Divina in Florida right now. My son just texted me that he has just boarded the ship and it is Massive. He has been in the Sea Scouts for 5 years and just graduated from High School. He will be going into college to major in Maritime Studies to learn to be a Captain on a ship, so he will be joining the NROTC and then he will join the Navy once he finishes school.

 

He would love to be able to talk to some of the Bridge officers while he is on this cruise but, we do not know who he can talk to on the ship that would be able to set him up with a meeting with one of them. I did find out that because of the ISIS terror issues that they will not allow anyone on the bridge anymore and that the Captain is usually too busy to meet with him, but, I thought maybe if the Captain would have time to talk with him if he can have lunch or dinner at the same table that would be really amazing. If you have to be a special or important person to be able to eat with the Captain then maybe one of his officers would be willing to sit and talk with my son about the work he will be doing in the future.

 

So if anyone is on the MSC Divina cruise today and can get this message to the right person I would be very grateful.

 

Thank you, Nora (Attila's Mom)

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[SuiteTraveler]

The Captain of Divina is Captain Pier Paolo Scala. Here is information about him:

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Cruise-Ships/Staff/Pier-Paolo-Scala.aspx

 

To meet with the ship's officers, I would suggest that your son go to Guest Services and ask if he could meet with one of them explaining that he wants to have a career in the Maritime Industry and would appreciate the opportunity to learn from one of the officers. There will be more than one officer on the ship who holds a Captain's license and may be willing to meet with your son briefly. Most likely Guest Services can arrange something. There is also Captain's night on the ship, where many of the officers are out and about as well and that is a good opportunity to meet them and there is also a question and answer in the theater where the Captain answers questions from guests.

 

In terms of being a Captain in the US Navy - typically that takes at least 15 - 20 years to gain the necessary experience and training - if at all. To command a ship you must be an Unrestricted Line Officer. This limits your choices of jobs to the Surface Warfare, Submarine Warfare, Aviation, and Special Warfare communities. My dad (who is a retired Captain) specialized in Surface Warfare. I would suggest your son set his sights on attending the Naval Academy and that he major in Naval Science - he really needs a Bachelor of Science degree first with lots of coursework in physics and calculus as well as coursework pertaining to the Navy and Seamanship. Other appropriate degrees are: Marine transportation, marine engineering, maritime operations and technology, logistics and intermodal transportation, marine engineering systems, marine engineering and shipyard management. A 4 year degree is only the minimal requirement for education, a master's degree is pretty much expected and many Captains also have at least some doctoral work if not a doctorate. Graduating at the top of the Naval Academy class will greatly enhance your son's chances of getting the job he actually wants in the Navy, but he also has to show some strong leadership skills as well. He also needs a high score on the Officers Aptitude exam. The other component is outstanding physical conditioning. It is important to know that color blindness disqualifies candidates from becoming Captains. Your son will need to live clean and his quarters can be searched at any time. He cannot face any disciplinary action and expect that he will be promoted. Being a Naval officer requires outstanding self-control in all aspects of life. Even your wife and children are expected to behave with decorum at all times and their behavior can damage your son's career. Alternatively, your son might go through the Merchant Marine which has course work that is even more intense than that of the Naval Academy. Typically it takes about 15 - 20 years to be promoted to Navy Captain. In rare instances, someone might perform such an extraordinary feat, that promotion may be possible after 9 years of being a commissioned officer. But that is quite rare.

 

An officer is addressed by his lessors (such as your son) by his rank and last name or as Sir. Before meeting with any of these officers your son should prepare intelligent questions to ask them. On meeting the officer, if seated, your son should immediately rise as the officer approaches him and only extend his hand, when the officer does. He should only sit after the officer has sat down. He should never have his hands in his pockets when speaking to an officer. At the end of the conversation, your son should rise and shake hands with the officer, look him in the eye and thank him for meeting with him. Your son shouldn't count on more than 10 to 15 minutes of the officer's time.

 

Hope that helps.

[AttilatheHun]

The Captain of Divina is Captain Pier Paolo Scala. Here is information about him:

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Cruise-Ships/Staff/Pier-Paolo-Scala.aspx

 

To meet with the ship's officers, I would suggest that your son go to Guest Services and ask if he could meet with one of them explaining that he wants to have a career in the Maritime Industry and would appreciate the opportunity to learn from one of the officers. There will be more than one officer on the ship who holds a Captain's license and may be willing to meet with your son briefly. Most likely Guest Services can arrange something. There is also Captain's night on the ship, where many of the officers are out and about as well and that is a good opportunity to meet them and there is also a question and answer in the theater where the Captain answers questions from guests.

 

In terms of being a Captain in the US Navy - typically that takes at least 15 - 20 years to gain the necessary experience and training - if at all. To command a ship you must be an Unrestricted Line Officer. This limits your choices of jobs to the Surface Warfare, Submarine Warfare, Aviation, and Special Warfare communities. My dad (who is a retired Captain) specialized in Surface Warfare. I would suggest your son set his sights on attending the Naval Academy and that he major in Naval Science - he really needs a Bachelor of Science degree first with lots of coursework in physics and calculus as well as coursework pertaining to the Navy and Seamanship. Other appropriate degrees are: Marine transportation, marine engineering, maritime operations and technology, logistics and intermodal transportation, marine engineering systems, marine engineering and shipyard management. A 4 year degree is only the minimal requirement for education, a master's degree is pretty much expected and many Captains also have at least some doctoral work if not a doctorate. Graduating at the top of the Naval Academy class will greatly enhance your son's chances of getting the job he actually wants in the Navy, but he also has to show some strong leadership skills as well. He also needs a high score on the Officers Aptitude exam. The other component is outstanding physical conditioning. It is important to know that color blindness disqualifies candidates from becoming Captains. Your son will need to live clean and his quarters can be searched at any time. He cannot face any disciplinary action and expect that he will be promoted. Being a Naval officer requires outstanding self-control in all aspects of life. Even your wife and children are expected to behave with decorum at all times and their behavior can damage your son's career. Alternatively, your son might go through the Merchant Marine which has course work that is even more intense than that of the Naval Academy. Typically it takes about 15 - 20 years to be promoted to Navy Captain. In rare instances, someone might perform such an extraordinary feat, that promotion may be possible after 9 years of being a commissioned officer. But that is quite rare.

 

An officer is addressed by his lessors (such as your son) by his rank and last name or as Sir. Before meeting with any of these officers your son should prepare intelligent questions to ask them. On meeting the officer, if seated, your son should immediately rise as the officer approaches him and only extend his hand, when the officer does. He should only sit after the officer has sat down. He should never have his hands in his pockets when speaking to an officer. At the end of the conversation, your son should rise and shake hands with the officer, look him in the eye and thank him for meeting with him. Your son shouldn't count on more than 10 to 15 minutes of the officer's time.

 

Hope that helps.

Hi, Thank you for your response. We have already done a lot of the research which you have mentioned. I am also a retired US Air Force member of 20 years so a lot of his everyday behavior has already been instilled in him. LOL my civilian friends always tell me how polite he is. We did apply to the Navy Academy but, unfortunately he was not chosen. He does want to specialize in Marine Transportation so we have decided to do his first 2 years in out local college then transfer to Texas A&M's Maritime Program in Galveston. Cost wise this will work out best for us and then he can go to school via the NROTC program.

 

I will now have to figure out how to get this message to him on the ship. Is there a way to send an e-mail to guest services so they can print the e-mail and put it in his room to read? Thank you again for the info.

[sidari]

Get them to write a letter addressed to the Captain explaining why he is writing and ask customer services to pass it on, worked for us on Princess. Nothing to lose.

[AttilatheHun]

Thank you, will pass it on to him once I figure out how.

[Cruisergal1208]

Did they book through a travel agent or MSC? Perhaps contacting the booking agent could help contact the ship with your message.

[63galaxie]

You can text him.

[SuiteTraveler]

Text or email or fax:

 

MSC DIVINA

Dialling Code:

(+00) 870

by telephone:

765 097 163

765 097 164

765 097 166

by fax:

765 097 165

765 097 168