Ep. 265 - What does it take to navigate a cruise ship through the high seas and ensure the safety of everyone onboard? Captain Jonas Lyddby of the Azamara Quest cruise ship shares his experience and sea career journey. Jonas Lyddby is the captain of the Azamara Quest cruise ship. He has been working with Azamara since 2008; he had earlier worked with cargo ships before shifting to passenger ships. In this episode, he talks about his career journey and experience working with different types of ships over the cause of his career.
Listen in to learn about the role of a cruise ship captain navigating through the high seas and as the leader of the ship’s crew. You will also learn the qualities you need to develop to have a successful career as a crew member working on a cruise ship.
Key Takeaways:
- Why you shouldn’t let age or past choices stop you from going after dreams
- The importance of letting go of prejudice and being open-minded when looking to work at sea
- Have determination, skills, open-mind, and willingness to learn to have a successful career
- Why you should live your dream but also do the right thing
"Everybody has prejudice in one way or the other, but it’s good to let go and be open-minded.” - Jonas Lyddby
Key Moments:
Learn the importance of mentoring young people and passing along your experience and knowledge to prepare them for a better life journey.
Jonas on how he developed his love for the sea and ships at a young age [1:53]
He describes his time in the Swedish navy and how his education influenced his career at sea [3:04]
His experience in the maritime academy, working in cargo ships and shifting to passenger ships [7:54]
Why leaving his well-paying office job for a career at sea was the bravest thing he ever did [14:19]
He describes his role as the CEO of the ship and as the captain of it [15:49]
The challenge of ensuring guests’ security as the captain of a ship [19:50]
The qualities you need to develop to have a successful career as a crew member on a cruise ship [21:45]
Understanding contracts for different crew members plus the hiring process [22:50]
He explains the challenges he faces at sea and how he navigates through them [24:22]
Jones on his interest in classical piano and why he didn’t choose that route as a career [28:14]
CAREER
Born in Lund in southern Sweden, a career and life at sea for Captain Jonas Lyddby was inevitable, although the path to the ship was not quite a straight line.
"The dream started as far back as I can remember. As a toddler, I greeted the sea every morning from the balcony of my grandmother's house in Malmo."
During the early 1990s, Captain Jonas completed military service in the Swedish Navy, which was the first step towards a professional career at sea.
Exploring all options, Captain Jonas completed a master's degree in Civil Engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm before starting at the Maritime Academy in Kalmar, Sweden.
The time at the Academy took Captain Jonas across all types of ships, but the focus on passenger shipping and all its components was there from the beginning.
After more than 12 years on cruise ships, Azamara is now the home away from home.