During her recent voyage to North Cape on board the Costa Mediterreanea, Jennifer Grech asked Captain Mauro Bellomo about life on the waves.

Walking into restricted areas on board a cruise liner, where only crew members are admitted, is practically impossible. Having access to the captain’s quarters is even more difficult.

But I was recently given the opportunity to meet the master of the ship that took me across the Arctic Circle to reach North Cape, Europe’s northermost point, while on holiday.

Captain Mauro Bellomo has the last word on everything that happens on the Costa Mediterreanea.

The 68-year-old Piedmontese shared some of the secrets of a job that sends him aboard some 200 days a year, the culmination of a 45-year career at sea.

It was in the 1960s when, soon after superior high school, the energetic, 14-year-old Bellomo chose to study at the Nautical Technical College of Genoa.

“I can still remember my mother dressing me up in nautical-themed clothing and accessories for my First Holy Communion in the 1950s,” he said.

After graduating from maritime school, just like in every other corporate job, Bellomo started to climb the ladder ‘deck after deck’ in different positions, from cadet officer in 1969 until earning Costa Riviera’s command in September 1998.

He also served on the Victoria, Europa, Fortuna, Classica, Atlantica, Luminosa, Deliziosa and cruise ships over 100,000 tons such as the ill-fated Concordia and Serena.

“You start with a small passenger ship and work up,” Bellomo said as he sat comfortably in a sofa in his office, close to the bridge.

“My whole life has been in the passenger cruise ship business.”

On a modern vessel, the captain spends more time on office work and hospitality than standing behind the ‘wheel’ or peering through a spyglass.

Bellomo is in charge of the whole ship, not just sailing it. He is the one who officially represents Costa Cruises, both to authorities and guests.

“My job does not end with steering the ship. It is also about how the ship looks and how it functions. Obviously, certain tasks are carried out by people who know the issues in more detail than me.”

My job does not end with steering the ship. It is also about how the ship looks and functions

So, rather than giving specific orders on every aspect of the ship’s operation, the captain leads primarily by conveying an overall vision and his priorities to his subordinates.

Manoeuvring in port is a little more delicate than navigation because there are a lot of personnel involved.

When entering a port, crew on the deck, bow, stern and the whole team on the bridge and in the engine room work in coordination with each other.

“It takes more attention and cooperation and, above all, we use the engine, rudders and side propellers in a different way compared with normal navigation,” the captain explained.

“Being no longer out at sea, entering a harbour and getting to the vicinity of the dock needs the cooperation of everyone.”

In the past two years, a bridge resources management has been implemented to improve cooperation between all the staff involved in the ship’s operation, both at sea and in port. Everyone has his own position and responsibilities and participates more actively.

“This system identifies any abnormalities in the chain of command, because sometimes a ‘correct’ order by the commander could be incorrect,” the captain said.

Bellomo is on duty all day. In fact, more than once, he receives a phone call, from the bridge asking for his views on certain decisions to be taken while cruising in the middle of the night, when he is supposed to be sleeping. Nor does he have a fixed timetable.

“Everything depends on the itinerary of the ship, the times of arrival and departure, any extra events... weather conditions, including fog, traffic and narrow areas of navigation.”

He starts his typical working day with a call from the duty officer for an update on the ship’s progress and weather.

“Early in the mornings I have regular meetings with the navigator and chief engineer.”

A captain is more or less able to dock the ship himself, giving straight orders here and there, while other people on the bridge are there to obey but not comment.

“Like any other human being, the captain could make a mistake. So we need to have more interaction between the people on the bridge.”

Several hours of office work follow before the captain begins a series of inspections throughout the ship, which accommodates up to 2,680 passengers and about 900 staff.

For Bellomo, first on the list is safety, which plays a huge part in the lives of all crew members. They spend many hours training on safety issues.

“One aspect of this is what we call institutional safety, which covers cases of abandon ship or fire,” he said.

“Another aspect is occupational safety, because people who board a ship want to enjoy themselves and feel safe. If they hurt themselves, they won’t enjoy the cruise, no matter how beautiful the ship is. We work a lot on prevention and try to keep guests informed if there is an issue. Carefully placed signs are put on slippery decks in and around the pool areas, or whenever it rains and areas tend to get more slippery.”

When there are strong winds, signs are put on exit doors because they can close back on guests and trap a hand or other body part.

“I would like us to be perceived as caring people – people who are not here just to do one more job.

“Guests need people who can listen to what they are talking about and to be sincere in what they say. Only in this way can people feel at home.”

While a cruise ship’s facilities, the service it offers and its itinerary are important to its success, the human element is vital. It is the thread running through each of the captain’s priorities.

“The best gesture is the warmth you approach people with. This can make a huge difference.”