interview
What’s it really like to be a captain? Nick Nash tells Natalie Marsh about life on the high seas
Q. How did you decide you wanted to be a captain? A. I read Tintin when I was eight and decided I wanted to come to sea. I knew it was a career for me, but I had to fight for it because in those days, school careers officers had no idea what the merchant navy was. I left school at 16 and went to work for Cunard’s cargo division. After that I worked for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and then joined P&O Cruises as a third officer, before joining Princess Cruises and gradually working my way up to third officer and then captain.
Q. How long did it take to get to where you are now? A. It takes a minimum of 10 years to get a master’s licence. I got mine when I was 28, and this is now my 43rd year at sea and my 31st with Princess!
Q. What does a typical day on board look like? A. If we’re coming into a port, I’ll normally get a call about 4.30am with a weather update. Then I’ll get up, go to the bridge, run through a takeover list with the staff captain and eventually dock the ship about 7am. After that it’s time for breakfast; then we’ll have a meeting and do the crew rounds. At 3pm it’s back to the bridge to check the weather again before we set sail at 5pm. The pilot would come on to the ship to discuss the manoeuvre, then I’d move the vessel out of the harbour and hand the control to the navigator. But if we’re coming into Southampton to do a turnaround, the day starts about 1am and we wouldn’t set sail until around 6pm, so that’s a longer one.
Q. What would people have to wake you up for? A. It could be any number of things – the visibility changing, heavy traffic, another ship not doing what it’s supposed to do, a fire alarm, a piece of kit that’s failed, the compasses not aligning properly… I always say if there’s any doubt at all, call me so we can decide what needs to be done.
Q. What are some of the biggest challenges you encounter day to day on the ship? A. You have to constantly be watching the weather as it can change at any moment. I’m always aware of the wind. That’s the biggest thing when I go on leave – I can stop worrying about the weather!
Nick Nash Princess Cruises captain
Q. What is the best part of your job? A. Docking a 330-metre ship is always pretty special – I get a real feeling of pride at that moment. And if I’ve had a cruise where the passengers have been happy, we’ve had good weather and we’ve docked everywhere, then I feel immensely satisfied.
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