- Albert Rodriguez has been a US Coast Guard-licensed
captain for 25 years. - He's the captain of the Amarula Sun, a 50-meter
yacht that starts at $195,000 a week to charter. - He manages the crew and helps keep the boat up to snuff. Here's his story, as told to Jamie Killin.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Albert Rodriguez, captain of the Amarula Sun, about how he became a yacht captain. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was practically born on the water, cruising on my father's sportfish - a sport fishing boat - and my uncle's yacht from a very young age. By the time I was 10, I was capable of navigating on my own with just the use of a compass and paper chart.
My passion for the ocean and yachts is what made me pursue a career as a captain.
I've been a US Coast Guard-licensed captain for 25 years and currently hold a 3,000-ton license that allows me to steer ships up to that weight.
I've captained several luxurious yachts throughout my career.
Amarula Sun is a 50-meter yacht that I currently run and have managed for the last eight years.
It's a beautiful yacht with exceptional owners and excellent resources to get the job done. It also has an extensive toy line-up - making it an action-packed charter yacht and one of the best in the industry. I'm very proud and honored to captain this very successful program.
The owners lease it to Fraser Yachts, who then charters it out to people going on vacation - with the cost starting at $195,000 per week.
Being the captain of a yacht brings many jaw-dropping moments.
We had a family that booked a charter for a relaxing vacation and unbeknownst to them, their relatives did the same exact thing on another yacht with a plan to surprise them.
Once their relatives arrived, they coordinated with their crew and ours to dress up like pirates and "invade" the other family's boat. There was a water gun fight between the entire family, and the shock and laughter that ensued led to such a beautiful moment that money truly can't buy.
We've seen the pandemic create a massive yachting boom, as it's become one of the safest vacation options.
Yacht sales through Fraser Yachts are currently up by 136.4% since June of last year, and bookings are up 36%.
So with the rise in bookings, it's also created more opportunities for crew members to work and kept us busy.
I'm currently fully crewed with nine team members and lucky to have a rock-star group. We're very busy with back-to-back charters and owner trips.
A lot of people don't realize that a yacht captain doesn't only drive the boat, which is the fun part of the job.
They also start each day by meeting with the heads of departments - first officer, chief stew, and engineer - to plan the start of a safe, productive day.
The most difficult part of my job is managing personnel crew. Having crew members with different nationalities and personalities living for an extended period of time in a confined place comes with its challenges, but it's always rewarding at the end of a successful charter.
Most of the crew lives on board full time during peak season, but there's a rotation system which allows us to take a well-deserved vacation when needed.
Managing the operations of a large yacht is very complex.
For example, I need to manage the compliance of flag and class regulations, budget, accounting, personnel, and owner's and charter's schedule.
We're a Jamaican Flag, which means the yacht is registered in Jamaica and that we must comply with the regulations enforced by the respective state. It ensures we're running a safe vessel, and we get inspected by a flag surveyor annually. We're currently able to charter in
We're an ABS Class (American Bureau of Shipping). Class regulates the mechanical side of things and also oversees that the vessel is kept up to standard. ABS also inspects the vessel annually. The history of Flag and Class surveys helps hold the value of the vessel.
A great captain is someone who puts safety first, maintains a meticulous yacht, manages the owner's funds as if it were their own, and always makes sure owners and charter guests have an extraordinary experience and can't wait to come back when they depart.
My career is a dream come true.
Not only do I get paid to do what I love and live my passion, but being in this industry allows you to gain an extraordinary reputation and respect.
The best perks are the amazing destinations I get to visit.
It's an unparalleled experience! You get to explore some of the world's best beaches, fantastic snorkel and dive spots, hidden villages, and historic landmarks. Sometimes, you wake up in a new location every day.
You also meet really incredible people from all over the world - both guests and crew.