Back to News Menu         Cruise News for the Corporate Travel Professional           March 2016

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has appointed 18-year maritime industry veteran Serena Melani (age 42) as the first female captain in its three-ship fleet, she will oversee the 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner and its crew of 450.

A native of the Tuscany region of Italy, Melani began her first shipboard position in 1998, serving on a ship carrying cars and general cargo after four years working on oil tankers and gas carriers, she made a switch to the cruise industry serving with a competitor cruise line for seven years until in 2010, Melani joined Regent Seven Seas. She most recently served as staff captain on Seven Seas Mariner for two years.

"On cruise ships, you travel to more exotic places and get to meet so many interesting people," said Melani, whose favorite cruise destination is West Africa. "The ship is like a small village, and I take pride in ensuring that all of our guests experience a unique and enjoyable journey."

Melani sailed on her first voyage as ship captain on Feb. 21, when Seven Seas Mariner departed Buenos Aires on a 12-night South American cruise destined for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Female captains are rare in the cruise industry. Only a handful of lines including Royal Caribbean, Silversea Cruises, Cunard and P&O Cruises have appointed women to the chief role in the past decade. The top deck officers at major cruise lines tend to be men from European countries with rich maritime heritages such as Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Italy.

Last summer, Celebrity Cruises announced the appointment of the first American woman to captain a mega cruise ship: Kate McCue. In August, McCue, then 37, took over the helm of the 2,158-passenger Celebrity Summit ship.

Of the appointment as captain, Melani said: "Yes, I am a female in a traditional male environment. But when you are on board, you are part of a team. Regardless of your gender, you have a job to do. And you must do it well."

In a news release Wednesday, Jason Montague, the cruise line's president and chief operating officer, called Melani's promotion well-earned given her experience and leadership abilities. "I know she will perform admirably in guiding Seven Seas Mariner as [it] sails from the Caribbean to Alaska," Montague said.

Regent Seven Seas, based in Miami, is a luxury cruise brand of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which also is the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises. The cruise line's other ships are Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Voyager and the new 750-passenger Seven Seas Explorer, which is set to debut in Europe this summer.

Touted as the world's most luxurious cruise ship, Seven Seas Explorer will make its North American debut at PortMiami on Dec. 2.

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