Sybe and Open Jaw's Martha Chapman touring the soon-to-be-launched Nieuw Statendam at the Fincantieri Shipyard near Venice, Italy in October.
Where
were you born? In
Leeuwarden, the Netherlands.
How
long have you been a captain?
For 15 years, on both
Holland America and Seabourn and as fleet captain – but I’ve been at sea for 33
years as a commercial pilot and have even worked on a banana boat!
How
many people work on the bridge with you?
Depending
on the time of day and whether or not we are entering a port, we are a maximum
of six. But the Nieuw Statendam will have a total crew of 1,000.
What’s
the best part of the job?
Working with people. The
technology we work with is beautiful – really
state of the art equipment. And we get
to work in a happy environment: passengers
are on their well-deserved vacations and our multinational crew give a positive
drive to the organization.
What
did you want to be as a kid?
Something at sea. My very first job, when I was a teenager, was
sailing instructor.
What’s
the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
Climb Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janiero.
Any
guilty pleasures? Sports
cars (smiles). I have a vintage two
seater Alfa Romeo and love driving it – especially in Italy. I also have a
motorcycle.
What’s
your favourite airline? Emirates.
Favourite
hotel chain? Four
Seasons.
What’s
on your tablet?
Netflix.
I just watched a documentary about freestyle mountain climbing –
climbing without any equipment. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! The footage! How did they get that?
What
do people not know about you?
That I have a normal,
“non-nautical” life at home.
Any
hobbies or interests? Photography, classical music, museums,
bicycling.
When
were you happiest? I’m pretty happy where I am now.
What
would you tell your 20 year old self?
“Follow your
passion, your heart, rather than the money.”
Who
do you most admire in the industry?
Micky Arison,
Chairman of parent company Carnival. He’s an amazing person when you consider
how big the company has grown. He’s always finding ways of doing things
differently and has a wonderful eye for detail and brand differentiation.
What
skill or talent do you admire in someone?
The ability to play classical piano music.
What’s
at the top of your bucket list?
I’ve travelled a
lot but must say Nepal. Yes (
laughs) I know they have mountains there
too!
How do you stay fit when you are at sea? I’ll skip meals, go to the gym – located conveniently close to my
stateroom. And I take the stairs,
always.
If you could change one thing about the industry what
would it be?
We are already doing a lot to reduce
our carbon footprint, and are always looking at additional ways.
If
you could sit next to anyone on a long-haul flight, who would it be?
George Clooney. I’d love to
talk to him about his career.
Do
you have a favourite charity?
The
Children’s Hospital in Amsterdam.
What
do you hope to be doing in 10 years? Hopefully about to retire!
