Highest command on board, and visible for the guests

Icon on board

When you’re the First Captain on one of our luxury river cruisers in Europe, the expectations are high from both our company and our valued customers like AmaWaterways, Excellence, Phoenix, and Saga. We’re chosen for this role because of our competence, qualifications, communication skills, and personality. It’s essential that our guests feel safe, thoroughly enjoy their time on board, and receive personal attention from us.

As the First Captain, you’re not just the face of the ship, you’re also the manager and the highest authority on board. You’ll lead the crew, liaise with authorities, suppliers, and the office, and ensure the ship is treated with the utmost care. A key part of your role is staying in close contact with the Cruise Director and the Hotel Manager, who are crucial members of the team but not employed by Rivertech. This three-way communication is vital for keeping operations smooth and ensuring that every cruise runs like clockwork.

Customer-Oriented

As a Captain at Rivertech, I understand that we operate our fleet on behalf of various tour operators from the US, Switzerland, Germany, and the UK. It’s crucial that our captains and crew are highly customer-oriented. We make it a point to speak the language of our customers and guests, and we represent ourselves as one of them. When guests are on board, they see us as employees of AmaWaterways, Excellence, Phoenix, or Saga, not as employees of Rivertech. This customer-focused approach allows us to fully support the tour operators while still bringing in our own nautical and technical expertise to ensure everything runs smoothly.

The First Captain is in charge of managing the crew and sails the itineraries as required by the customers. This challenging and rewarding task comes with a lot of duties and responsibilities.

A personal word from Corina

In a traditionally male-dominated industry, I’m proud to say that I’ve made history as the first female First Captain at Rivertech. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m fortunate to work alongside my husband Theo as part of the team. Our son Patrick is also part of the Rivertech family.

Our story began at an exhibition in Gorinchem, where we met another couple of Rivertech captains who were enthusiastic about their work and schedule. They showed us how we could all join the company and work together as a family. It felt like a dream come true, especially since we were used to working together on board. We made the switch to river cruising.

And indeed, river cruising is so different from captaining a cargo vessel. As an open person who loves socializing, I find my role both exciting and rewarding. I enjoy working with our international team and embracing this prominent role on board. Seeing our guests happy and enjoying their time brings a smile to my face. I truly love my job!

Expertise & Experience

Navigation and Operation:

• Safely navigating the ship on the rivers in Europe, in accordance with maritime regulations.
• Managing the ship’s itinerary, dockings, course, speed, and overall operation in line with customers’ demand.
• Sailing the ship by himself or instructing the second captain to do so.

Crew Management:

• Supervising and coordinating the activities of the nautical and technical crew on board.
• Conduct regular meetings and give instructions to ensure all crew members are informed and prepared.
• Completing personal plans of the technical and nautical crew and keeping record of absence or other occurrences.
• Interaction with Engineer on board to ensure maintenance, service and uptime of the ship.

Safety and Compliance:

• Always ensuring the safety of passengers and crew.
• Conducting safety drills and ensuring the vessel complies with all safety regulations.
• Initiating safety checks with Engineer and Hotel Manager.
• Spokesperson for authorities that come on board.

Customer Relations:

• Interacting with guests, addressing their concerns, and ensuring they have a pleasant experience.
• Acting as a representative of the cruise company, upholding its standards and reputation.
• Conducting welcome and safety speeches and hosting captains dinner or other formal representations.

Logistics and Coordination:

• Ensuring the ship is sailing the itinerary according to schedule.
• Managing docking procedures and coordinating with port authorities.
• Cooperation with Corporate Fleet Manager and Locks & Docks Manager.

Reporting:

• Keeping detailed logs and records of the vessel’s operations.
• Reporting the vessel’s performance and any issues that arise.

Overall, our First Captain plays a crucial role in the smooth operation of our fleet, balancing technical, managerial, and interpersonal skills to ensure a successful cruise with happy guests.

Should you be interested in working as a First Captain at Rivertech, please read more and apply.