Norwegian Cruise Line has announced the captains and senior officers who will serve on the upcoming Norwegian Escape.
Captain Evans Hoyt will take the helm of the new ship upon its delivery Germany this October. Currently serving as captain of Norwegian Breakaway, Captain Hoyt will be responsible for all aspects of the ship, her guests and crew. He joined Norwegian Cruise Line in 2005, and has served as captain aboard four ships within the Norwegian fleet, including the U.S. flagged Pride of America. Born in Morocco, the son of a U.S. diplomat, he has lived in many different countries. Hoyt graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York in 1982. When Captain Hoyt is on vacation, Captain Gunnar Hammerin will take command of Norwegian Escape. Currently serving as captain of Norwegian Pearl, Captain Hammerin began his nautical career more than 40 years ago serving in the Merchant Marine. He has more than 30 years of experience as a captain, 20 of those years with Norwegian Cruise Line and Star Cruises.
Staff Captains Robert Lundberg and Preston Carnahan will be on board to introduce the vessel to guests during her inaugural season. As staff captains, they are second in command and report directly to Norwegian Escape’s captain. They are responsible for the deck department and are versed in all of the responsibilities and duties of the captain. The staff captains will also assist Norwegian Escape’s captain with all operations, including being responsible for the safety of guests, crew, the ship and the environment. Originally from Sweden, Lundberg joined Norwegian in 2006 and since has served as chief officer on Norwegian Breakaway and staff captain on board Norwegian Getaway. Hailing from Texas, Carnahan joined the company in 2003 and has held positions on several ships, including Norwegian Pearl and Pride of America. He currently serves as staff captain on Norwegian Epic.
Zoran Posa will launch Norwegian Escape in the position of chief engineer and when on vacation will be relieved by Edin Huskanovic. The chief engineer has full responsibility of the entire technical operation of the ship, plays a key role on the ship’s senior management team and works closely with the staff captain and hotel director. Posa, who is from Croatia, has been a member of the Norwegian team since 2002 and has spent the majority of his time working on board Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky, and most recently as chief engineer on Norwegian Breakaway. Huskanovic, from Sweden, joined Norwegian in 2001, holding positions on Norwegian Star and Norwegian Dawn. He currently serves as chief engineer on Norwegian Jade.
Sean Wurmhoeringer will serve as Norwegian Escape’s hotel director. Sean began his career at Norwegian in 2002 on board Norwegian Sun and has since held a variety of positions on numerous ships in Norwegian’s fleet. As Hotel Director, he has led teams on several ships, including Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway and most recently, Norwegian Getaway, where he led the hotel team that successfully launched and delivered the ship in 2014. He is from Salzburg, Austria.
Cruise Director Julie Valeriote will lead Norwegian Escape’s entertainment team. Valeriote, who hails from Ontario, joined Norwegian in 1999 and has led entertainment teams on Norwegian Epic, where she was also part of the ship’s inaugural team, and most recently launched Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.
Norwegian Escape will sail weekly seven-day cruises from her year-round homeport of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean beginning November 14.
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