They are captains Craig Street and Paolo Arrigo, staff captains Brian Whelan and Valerio Esposito, hotel general managers Ralph D’Souza and Simona Stumberger and chief engineers Gaetano Guida and Davor Pavlovic-Kalifo.
Several of these officers are at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard where, over the course of several months, they will be joined by nearly 1,600 teammates who will serve as the inaugural Sun Princess crew.
The ship is scheduled to debut Feb. 8, 2024, for a season of Mediterranean cruises, followed by Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale later in the year.
Capt. Craig Street
Street joined Princess Cruises as a deck cadet in 1990, following his time at the Warsash Maritime Academy in England that also included training aboard cruise ships. Appointed third officer in 1993, he worked his way up, taking command of Star Princess in 2008, and has since served as captain of 13 Princess ships.
Capt. Paolo Arrigo
With a career spanning more than a quarter century at sea, Arrigo has been with Princess since joining as a deck cadet in 1996. This followed a year's service in the Italian Coast Guard. After roles as first officer, safety officer and staff captain, Arrigo was named captain in 2017. He also worked for Princess headquarters on a variety of projects, including managing elements of the development and launch of the MedallionClass Experience.
Capt. Arrigo, right, with other members of 'The Real Love Boat' cast
Arrigo served as captain on the reality-based television program, 'The Real Love Boat,' which recently completed its first season.
Staff Capt. Brian Whelan
A native of Galway City in Ireland, Whelan began his maritime career 23 years ago with Princess Cruises, moving up the ranks to staff captain. A graduate of the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, Whelan holds a master mariner's certificate. He was named one of 20 global cruise industry leaders under 40 by Seatrade Cruise News in 2018.
Staff Capt. Valerio Esposito
A native of Meta di Sorrento near Naples, Italy, Esposito has a maritime career spanning more than two decades, including the past 17 with Princess Cruises. He started as deck cadet on Golden Princess in 2006, and became staff captain in 2018, one of the youngest in the company. Esposito has commanded virtually every ship in the fleet. He is currently staff captain on Majestic Princess. He studied at the Nautical Institute Nino Bixio and holds a master mariner's captain license.
Hotel General Manager Ralph D’Souza
D’Souza joined Princess in 2006 as a junior purser and became a hotel general manager in 2019. A career highlight was being chosen as part of the inaugural team for the new Royal-class ships. D’Souza has been part of the launch team for Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess. In 2017, he became part of the deployment team for the MedallionClass Experience.
Hotel General Manager Simona Stumberger
A native of Slovenia, where she studied language and hospitality management, Stumberger began her career at sea in the bar department then worked in guest services and hand in hand with the hotel and food & beverage division.
Chief Engineer Gaetano Guida
Guida joined Princess Cruises in 2002 and was named chief engineer aboard Royal Princess in 2017. After earning his nautical degree in July 1999 from Nautical Institute Nino Bixio, he joined the Italian Navy. Guida met his wife onboard Star Princess in 2015.
Chief Engineer Davor Pavlovic-Kalifo
Pavlovic-Kalifo joined Princess in 2002 as second engineer and was named chief engineer aboard Sapphire Princess in 2014. The Croatia native worked as an engine cadet onboard a cargo ship and then went on to college, graduating as a marine engineer. His cruise ship job was aboard Tahitian Princess, where he met his wife.
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