Sharp navigator. Savvy and spirited seafarer. Adventure seeker. These are ways you could describe Captain Mark Trembling, but none of them come close to adequately describing his passion for sailing and caring for guests and crew. He\u2019s joy in a bottle, skill at the helm and a comedian on stage.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
When asked how many years he has sailed the seas, Captain Mark\u2019s authentic charm didn\u2019t miss a beat. \u201cI\u2019m just coming up to 20 years with Holland America Line, and I know what you\u2019re thinking,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cI look far too young to have been with Holland America Line that long.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Though he\u2019s been with us for two decades, his passion for seafaring began when he was just 16 years old, ready to leave London for worldwide adventures. The sea had captured his heart \u2013 first on cargo ships and later as an officer with Holland America Line. It\u2019s a career that has kept him coming back for more \u2013 chasing the next sunrise and sunset, exploring the whole world over, and delighting guests along the way. As a captain, every day is new with multiple things to do.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"View](\"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/captain-mark-holland-america-line.webp\" "\\"Holland")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\u201cI think as a captain you wear many different hats. One minute I\u2019m maneuvering the ship. The next minute I may be doing an inspection of a space on board. Then I may be on stage talking to guests. If there\u2019s ever a medical emergency on board, then I\u2019m working with coast guards, hospitals, fire services or other officials. Every cruise is completely different, and that\u2019s one of the reasons I find my job so fulfilling and fascinating. There\u2019s always that sense of adventure, interest and intrigue. It\u2019s a fascinating job, and it allows me to cover a wide range of roles, which I personally really enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, what is it like to navigate a cruise ship?<\/p>\n
\u201cCruise ships are very big,\u201d he said with a smile, understanding why it may seem intimidating to maneuver. For him though, it\u2019s as natural as driving a car. Well, sort of. He\u2019s had years of training to get it right.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis ship [the Eurodam] displaces over 45,000 tons of water. She\u2019s 285 meters long, which is 936 feet. It\u2019s a long, big vessel that you have to get around some narrow-type waterways. So, it keeps things very interesting,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about looking at how big the ship is, but also what is the sea doing? What are the waters doing? What\u2019s the current and wind doing? It takes planning, management, and a great navigation team. We all play a role together to safely navigate this ship from A to B. I think that\u2019s another part of the job that\u2019s great. It really is a team effort, and the team on the bridge is fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking of teamwork, that\u2019s an area Holland America Line is well known for among guests and crew. Captain Mark knows this well, too.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"View](\"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/holland-america-line-crew-we-love-alaska-2.webp\" "\\"Alaska")
<\/span><\/div>Team members aboard the Eurodam gather for a group photo in May 2023.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> \u201cA ship is made by the people in it,\u201d he said. \u201cAt the end of the day, you can have the most incredible ship, but if you don\u2019t have the team to make it come alive, then it will just be a big steel box. At Holland America Line, we are very lucky to have such an amazing team; to have people that really care and want to do a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n He also noted the importance of having programs in place to support employees with career progression, and the difference the company has made for those wanting to navigate careers with the cruise line. \u201cPeople want to have a path to progress, feel valued and recognized. I think Holland America Line does a really great job of that, too. These are great things that keep people happy, and that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about \u2013 happy team, happy guests.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Captain Mark tests his photography skills with Staff Captain Jordi and Onboard Photographer Yoga before the group photo.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Captain Mark has a heart for our people, and he has bonded with many during our sailings. Although five years can go by before they cruise together again, they pick up right where they left off, reminiscing about their adventures. When he\u2019s not busy working, he\u2019s traveling with his family to embark on new adventures and make more memories.<\/p>\n \u201cMy wife and I are both avid travelers,\u201d he said. \u201cWe spend as much time as we can traveling. We have a 16-month-old daughter, and she\u2019s slowing us down just a little bit, but we\u2019ve already taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Greece, and Belgium to name a few. She\u2019s a very well-traveled 16-month-old.\u201d<\/p>\n If you were to ask Captain Mark about his favorite destinations, he would tell you it\u2019s hard to choose.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t necessarily have a favorite one because every itinerary truly has something I enjoy doing. We just recently did the Panama cruise through the Panama Canal<\/a>, which was fascinating. I personally find Central America to be just incredible. There\u2019s a lot of stuff to do there that\u2019s off the beaten track. And with Alaska<\/a>, there\u2019s the wildlife. You\u2019re on the bridge sometimes and there are whales jumping left and right. There are bald eagles flying overhead, and then all of a sudden to your right, there\u2019s a sea otter floating around. I love wildlife, and there are just some great opportunities to see that. Then there\u2019s the Mediterranean<\/a> \u2013 oh the food is incredible! And Northern Europe<\/a>, you\u2019re going to the Baltic and the Baltic countries are just beautiful. Going through the Norwegian fjords \u2013 breathtaking. And then Iceland\u2026I could go on for hours!\u201d<\/p>\n When Captain Mark talks about destinations and adventures, you quickly realize he could be a tour guide and vacation planner as a side gig. And speaking of vacation planning, he has a few tips to share.<\/p>\n \u201cTravel is such a personal experience. I really think you should delve into all the places you can go. One of the great things about working for Holland America Line as opposed to some other cruise lines is our itineraries are so diverse. We have so much to offer. So, look at everything that\u2019s available. Take in all that information, and see how you feel. What are you looking for and what adventure awaits you? Pluck it out because we offer it and you\u2019re never going to forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n Now for a Quick Cruise Q&A with Captain Mark:<\/strong><\/p>\n Favorite meal on board<\/em>: \u201cIt\u2019s so tough because the culinary team do a brilliant job \u2013 they\u2019re an amazing team. I love the homemade gelato on the pinnacle class \u2013 that\u2019s just to die for.\u201d<\/p>\n Favorite onboard activity<\/em>: \u201cI\u2019ve heard the captain\u2019s talks were fantastic, so probably that. Seriously though, you can never go wrong with any of the main headline show events. With so many options, how do you choose?!\u201d<\/p>\n Favorite mascot<\/em>: \u201cI saw our new lion buddy! Obviously, Lewie<\/a> would have to be at the top of the list, and if anyone from the Holland America Line shore team is reading this, I look forward to receiving one.\u201d<\/p>\n Always the charming comedian, Captain Mark is!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"View](\"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/captain-crew-alaska-cruise.webp\" "\\"Holland")
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