By
Rebecca Gibson |
Young passengers sailing on Costa Diadema and Costa Fascinosa can spend a day learning how to captain a cruise ship as part of Costa Cruises’ new onboard programme.
As part of Costa’s ‘Captain for a Day’ initiative, young passengers can wear a captain’s uniform to attend training and learn about the ship, nautical terms, how to navigate with a map and compass, and how to spell their name and send secret messages with signal flags. They will also learn how weather affects sea conditions and have the chance to broadcast the day’s weather forecast on the ship’s in-cabin television network.
“Children get excited when they see the captain and officers walking around our ships and many say they may want to be a cruise ship captain when they grow up,” said Scott Knutson, vice president of sales and marketing at Costa Cruises North America. “With the ‘Captain for a Day’ programme they’ll get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the role the master fulfils onboard, learn a few tricks of the trade and enjoy an experience unlike anything else they’ve ever done while at sea.”
Guests opting for the €49.99 Aspirante Comandante (Captain Trainee) package will be able to wear a uniform while undergoing a day of captain training, before enjoying dinner at the captain’s table in the main dining room with other participants. After dinner, the junior captains graduate and receive a diploma and two commemorative photographs.
Those choosing the €79.99 Comandante (Captain) package can access all the perks of the Aspirante Comandante package and keep a captain’s hat autographed by the ship’s master.
Meanwhile, the €124.99 Comandante Superiore (Senior Captain) package allows trainees to access all of the above perks, and keep their uniform and an autographed captain’s hat.
Costa’s ‘Captain for a Day’ programme complements its ‘Princess for a Day’ scheme, which launched in November 2014. The ‘Princess for a Day’ package offers junior cruisers the chance to have their hair, nails and make-up done, wear a princess costume with a dress, crown and wand, attend a Princess Tea Party and participate in a Princess Parade around the ship.