Senior Officers to Take Helm of Royal Princess

A team of senior officers, including P&O Cruises captain Tony Draper, will be at the helm of Princess Cruises’ newest vessel Royal Princess when it launches in June 2013.

Captain Draper, who has previously commanded a number of Princess Cruises’ vessels including Ruby Princess, Crown Princess and Caribbean Princess, will lead a senior officer team with more than 100 years of seagoing experience among them.

The senior four-stripe team will include Relief Captain Dino Sagani, Chief Engineer Fabio Braccelli, Hotel General Manager Dirk Brand, and Staff Captain Tim Stringer, who has also worked with P&O Cruises in Australia.

Princess Cruises’ Executive Vice-President, Jan Swartz, said: “It takes a talented team to launch a new ship of the calibre of Royal Princess.

“These experienced officers bring considerable seagoing and management skills that we believe will contribute to the success of the ship’s maiden season.”

The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship currently under construction in Italy. It will debut a number of new features for Princess, including a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a 50 percent larger atrium, a new Princess Live! television studio, and balconies on all outside staterooms.

Captain Draper, who will take charge of P&O’s Pacific Pearl later this year before moving to Royal Princess, joined Princess Cruises as navigator of the original Island Princess in 1995 after starting a career with the Royal Navy.

Originally from Scotland, Captain Draper now lives in Cornwall with his young daughter, Alysia, and wife Joanna, who he first met whilst aboard one of Island Princess’ original Love Boats.

Royal Princess debuts in Southampton on June 16, 2013, and will sail on a maiden season of Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer, followed by Caribbean sailings in the autumn.