Who is your favorite Captain?

[twinkletoes4445]

There has been no rankings. This thread asked if people had a favourite captain. Some people have shared nice stories about why they have a fondness for particular Captains. Some people like particular ships, and cruise directors are often discussed. The Captains mentioned may be complimented by their fans mentioning them. If they took this sort of thread as you have, then I would start to worry about them being at the helm.

 

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

You're right...we're not "rating" the captains. I thought the same thing when I saw your post...we've talked about favorite ships, CD's, and other crew members...and we mean no disrespect to any of the other wonderful people who work for HAL, including the other captains. I've lost track of how many threads I've seen Hunky Dory!

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's been interesting reading this thread.

How can anyone pick a favorite captain?

Hard to judge. (But I will.)

Over the years we have encountered these HAL captains: (in order with sailing with them)

Hans Eulderink

Edward G van Zaane

Jack van Coevorden

Jonathan Mercer

Leo van Lanschot

James Russell Dunford

Werner Timmers

Dick van der Berg

Fred Eversoen

Jan Smit

Arjen van der Loo

Hans Mateboer

Peter J van Maurik

Peter Visser

Wieger van der Zee

John Scott

Frans Consen

Peter Harris

And now to answer the $64,000 Question -- Captain Mike Moulin whom we met on a Princess cruise many years ago and sailed with him quite a few times on various Princess ships over the years -- even when he was named Commedore before he retired. WOW -- what a wonderful captain. We enjoyed so many wonderful times with him.

[sail7seas]

KK.... Curious what made Captain Mike Moulin so special?

 

I notice you didn't list Captain Jacob Dijk....(spelling?). Surely you sailed with him before his retirement?

[Krazy Kruizers]

KK.... Curious what made Captain Mike Moulin so special?

 

I notice you didn't list Captain Jacob Dijk....(spelling?). Surely you sailed with him before his retirement? Sorry -- never heard of him. I keep all my "Logs".

 

Mike was always out and about on all the ships we sailed with him. He always found the time to stop and talk to people. We were invited to tons of parties and dinners-- even private parties in his living quarters. On Christmas he would put on his Red nose and sing Christmas carols as we all entered the dining room. On one of our anniversaries we had bought a package which included a champagne breakfast. We were sitting out on our verandah and he noticed us from the bridge -- called -- asked what the special occasion was that we were drinking champagne in the morning. We told him. That evening he sent a bottle of champagne to out table.

[sail7seas]

Thanks. Sounds like a really nice gent. Of course you would remember someone like him.

 

[bucktoo]

Chris Turner wins hands-down. He is so great with the pax and a really neat guy. Our daughter dubbed him "Captain Yummy". We were on the Prinsendam with him twice and hope we will see him again.

[prescottbob]

IMHO, michmike's comment makes more sense than most, if not all, the other posts in the thread

 

I can only imagine the reaction of captains, all of whom by the way are extremely competent, to a rating or popularity chart

 

how bout a new thread ranking Chief officers, engineers dining room managers, hotel managers and last but not least cruise directors:rolleyes:

 

sorry: just don't think ranking of captains is necessary or even healthy

 

...this thread had grown. My first impression it was sort of a 'fun' thread'.

 

I surely doubt if any of the 'Captains' give a whole lot of thought as to a "favorite thread" running on an internet message board that comprises much less than 1% of the cruising population by the numbers.

 

Needless to say, all the HAL captains and flag officers (and all other cruise lines for that matter) are competent leaders and skilled 'mariners'. I've always felt safe regardless of individual personalities. And, I might add, several of those mentioned are in my "personal" top ten list.

 

Just a definition of "favorite":

 

fa⋅vor⋅ite 

–noun 1.a person or thing regarded with special favor or preference: That song is an old favorite of mine. 2.a person or thing popular with the public.

–adjective 3.regarded with particular favor or preference: a favorite child.

 

 

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)

[serendipity1499]

I'm afraid to answer this question...We love them all!

There are those who we think are wonderful & one or two who we think are just OK...Could never tell anyone in a public forum or we may never be invited to another party again if we disclose who our favorites are..;) Anyway wouldn't want to hurt any Captain's feelings, but agree with Mitchmike...I love Captain Morgan!!

I've enjoyed all your comments..;)

Cheers..:)Betty

Edited April 6, 2009 by serendipity1499

[Copper10-8]

Look, I don't think any one them are being 'rated' here. Passengers have favorites for different reasons and there are pax who don't give a flaming hoot who their captain is. These guys with all the stripes on their shoulders/sleeves are all very competent mariners. Otherwise, they wouldn't be there. They all know their sh.............stuff and then some when it comes to driving a modern cruise ship, navigating some out in the boonies waterway or dodging traffic in super crowded port channels, interpreting weather charts, knowing how to outrun a nagging storm front, deal with difficult local foreign authorities (or passengers who think the world revolves around them), you name it! Having said that, some are born public speakers, have outgoing personalities and have ab solutely no issues being around their guests. Some are funny,some are quick. Those are the ones you always see in and around the public decks, some of them give lectures, presentations or schedule question & answer periods.

On the other hand, some of them are perfectly happy to run their ships, give the obligatory speech or run a mandatory presentation, aren't real comfortable in front of large crowds, are no great orators, and like to stay in the background. You don't see 'em out and about much. Ain't nothing wrong with that - it's personalities, personal likes/dislikes, sometimes has to do with 'old school', etc. - These guys, on HAL no ladies yet;), all professionals in their own way.:)

Edited April 6, 2009 by Copper10-8

[serendipity1499]

.

 

- These guys, on HAL no ladies yet;), all professionals in their own way.:)

 

Copper,

Wonder if there are any Lady Captains on other Cruise Lines? Have seen a few Lady Captains in the Airlines, but have never heard of any on the high seas..Come to think of it have never seen a woman Bridge Officer...Do you know of any?

Of course you are absolutely right & your entire post is the voice of reason, but I'm still not going to take a chance in naming my favorite Captain....;)LOL

There are several I would like to meet though, because I've either read their book's or their Blog's, such as Capt Hans Mateboer & Capt. Albert Schoonderbeek..Both of these Gentlemen have the "writers gift", which I admire..:)

I'm also excited about being able to sail with your Capt.

Consen on the Statendam in Nov. (if he's still there)..He sounds like he's lots of fun as so many of my favorite Captains are..

Cheers.....:)Betty

[RedmondCruiser]

Frankly I don't really notice who the captain is any more. The only thing that I'm concerned is that he does not hit any ice bergs and ruin my Caribbean cruise. The captain is more of a manager with good social skills --- he also is the designated driver so you and I can enjoy ourselves.

in the 90's we seems to always be on a ship commanded by Elko Yupma -- I wonder when did he retire ? Also if you want to really get into the head of the captain you need to stay tuned to Captain Alberts Blog, when he returns from vacation. I find his commentary facinating about all the detail that goes into the navigation and handling of the ship.

[Copper10-8]

Copper,

 

Wonder if there are any Lady Captains on other Cruise Lines? Have seen a few Lady Captains in the Airlines, but have never heard of any on the high seas..Come to think of it have never seen a woman Bridge Officer...Do you know of any?.................................

 

:)Betty

 

RCI (Royal Caribbean International) has had a female cruise ship captain on Monarch of the Seas since May 07:

 

In the male-dominated world of global shipping, Karin Stahre Janson is used to raising eyebrows. Now the self-described "tomboy" is making history as the first woman in charge of a major cruise ship. "I'm a pretty tough girl," says Janson, 38, of Stromstad, Sweden. "I've always said I know what I'm doing." Janson, who has taken command of Royal Caribbean's 2,400-passenger Monarch of the Seas, talks with USA TODAY's Gene Sloan about her rise through the ranks and life at sea.

 

Q: When did you first feel the pull of the ocean?

 

A: I met a lot of sailors when I was a student (taking sailing lessons) in my early teens. They told me about their lives, about exotic places they visited. I was hooked.

 

Q: These sailors, in fact, helped you get your first job on a ship. Tell us about that.

 

A: It was the summer I turned 19. It was a small petroleum tanker sailing around coastal Sweden, Norway and Denmark. I was a junior seaman, the lowest rank, and I was just there to try it for six weeks. I painted, chipped rust, scrubbed the decks, greased the pumps — whatever needed to be done.

 

Q: And you loved it?

 

A: I realized I liked the life. It's not a stationary workplace. It's never the same, day to day. But I also realized I didn't want to swab decks for the rest of my life. I wanted to be on the bridge and navigate. So I enrolled in cadet school.

 

Q: You were a woman breaking into a very male-dominated world. Was there resistance?

 

A: Ninety-nine percent of the time (in those early years) I was just treated like one of the boys. I can remember one grumpy old sailor telling me I shouldn't be there, that I should be out making babies and looking for a husband. But I have met very few of those (on ships).

 

Q: Why did you switch from cargo ships to cruise ships?

 

A: I like working with and for people. On a cargo ship there are maybe 15 or 20 crewmembers; on a cruise ship there may be 800 or more. It's a much more social life and a more interesting life. (On Monarch of the Seas), we come from 60 different nationalities. You learn about different cultures, religions. And you meet the guests.

 

Q: What do you think has held women back from commanding a cruise ship until now?

 

A: It's all about timing. Back in the '40s and '50s, when shipping was blooming, it was hard, muscular work, and (therefore) it was very male-dominated. These days it's all about brains and knowledge.

 

Q: Are there any advantages to being a woman as captain?

 

A: They say females are better at multitasking, and that's a plus because there are a lot of things happening at the same time .… (and) maybe we show more empathy.

 

Q: How has the crew reacted?

 

A: It's all positive. Everyone is saying, "It's about time, and we're so proud you're on our ship." Also our guests are very positive. I had an old lady the other day pat me on the head, which is hard since I'm 5-11, then pinch me on the cheek.

 

Q: Your favorite port?

 

A: Mombasa in Kenya, because you see the small, old-fashioned sailboats coming in with bags of spices, then (it's transferred) to big shiny container ships that take it around the world. It's this wonderful meeting of old and new.

 

Q: Least favorite port?

 

A: Any oil terminal in the winter when it's raining horizontally

[Sir PMP]

KK.... Curious what made Captain Mike Moulin so special?

 

I notice you didn't list Captain Jacob Dijk....(spelling?). Surely you sailed with him before his retirement?

 

Capt. Jacob Dijk is no longer with us, great man sailed with him on the SS Rotterdam..

[rkacruiser]

I am going to cast a vote for another gentleman who I am pretty sure is no longer with us: Captain A. H. Laagay. He was the Master of the Rotterdam V when I sailed on her for my very first two cruises. Very passenger oriented and kind; I remember him so willing to pose for pictures with us guests on the night that they had the Dutch Fair.

 

For current captains, Captains Mateboer and Harris receive my vote. Harris, along with the Cruise Director, helped to make the Volendam's Asia Pacific cruise just that much more special!

Edited April 6, 2009 by rkacruiser

[serendipity1499]

Thanks John...That was very interesting...That Lady deserves a lot of admiration & credit..It's not easy for a woman in a male dominated field..;)

Cheers...:)Betty

[sail7seas]

Capt. Jacob Dijk is no longer with us, great man sailed with him on the SS Rotterdam..

 

We also sailed Rotterdam with him about 3 or 4 cruises. I loved his humor. :) Great Captain IMO

 

 

One cruise, we were waiting to board in Copenhagen and they only had a tent to protect shore ops workers and arriving guests from the pouring rain. DH and I and about 4 other couples were sitting on picnic benches they set up and he came down the gangway and noticed us. He turned to the lady ready to do check in and asked if she was prepared to get us checked in though it was about 30 minutes early. She said sure and he asked why then did she have us sitting there in the rain when she could have gotten us aboard. He personally waited until she checked our docs and brought us aboard.

 

Throughout that and subsequent cruises with him, he always remembered us and always had a pleasant word whenever we saw him.

 

One does not forget a Captain that does something like that. :)

 

Edited April 7, 2009 by sail7seas

[Fran Harp]

RCI (Royal Caribbean International) has had a female cruise ship captain on Monarch of the Seas since May 07:

 

 

 

Now Captain Karin Stahre. Captain Lis Lauritsen is due to be promoted any minute now. Good on RCI.

 

Does anyone know how to find out who would be captain of Noordam for January 24, 2010 cruise????

 

Fran in Toronto

[Copper10-8]

Now Captain Karin Stahre. Captain Lis Lauritsen is due to be promoted any minute now. Good on RCI.

 

Does anyone know how to find out who would be captain of Noordam for January 24, 2010 cruise????

 

Fran in Toronto

 

If the rotating schedule stays the same, probably Johannes 'Hans' Mateboer but it's really too early to tell plus a lot of 'things' can change

[Aussie Gal]

Perhaps someone can help me with the name of a HAL Captain. We sailed with him on the Maasdam in 1999 on a Baltic Cruise. I have fond memories of him as when we arrived back from a trip to Berlin - on the special train - around 9.30pm at night (900+ of the passengers), he was waiting down the bottom of the gangplank to shake our hands and wish us happy homecoming.

 

It was a wonderful gesture, especially as there were so many of us arriving back altogether.

 

Jennie

[Nancyquilts]

Captain Gundersen, who helps make Prinsendam our favorite ship.

[Sage]

One of my favorite Captains, Weiger van der Zee, I understand is now retired, but we also enjoyed Frans Consen. I do have a favorite CO, as someone mentioned before, Gerd Teensman from the Volendam.

[Fran Harp]

If the rotating schedule stays the same, probably Johannes 'Hans' Mateboer but it's really too early to tell plus a lot of 'things' can change

 

Thanks Copper 10-8 - I am sailing HAL for the first time next January, being mostly an RCI fan:eek:. A friend of mine on the Royal Caribbean boards has a thread called "current captains", which is so helpful in many ways. We've been told by several captains that they all follow her list to find out where everyone else is, because the head office won't tell them.

 

Yes, the rotations are always fun to follow, especially when shuffles and promotions are going on.....

 

Fran in Toronto

[Copper10-8]

Thanks Copper 10-8 - I am sailing HAL for the first time next January, being mostly an RCI fan:eek:. A friend of mine on the Royal Caribbean boards has a thread called "current captains", which is so helpful in many ways. We've been told by several captains that they all follow her list to find out where everyone else is, because the head office won't tell them.

 

Yes, the rotations are always fun to follow, especially when shuffles and promotions are going on.....

 

Fran in Toronto

 

Have a great time Fran in Toronto!

[Copper10-8]

Perhaps someone can help me with the name of a HAL Captain. We sailed with him on the Maasdam in 1999 on a Baltic Cruise. I have fond memories of him as when we arrived back from a trip to Berlin - on the special train - around 9.30pm at night (900+ of the passengers), he was waiting down the bottom of the gangplank to shake our hands and wish us happy homecoming.

 

It was a wonderful gesture, especially as there were so many of us arriving back altogether.

 

Jennie

 

Hans van Biljouw ?

Nico Corbijn?

Kees Buckens?

Wieger 'Charley' van der Zee?

[samsonmo]

Have a great time Fran in Toronto!

we are on the Volendam Hong Kong Vancouver leaving on 4/18. Any idea who is the captain .

peter