Interview: Mr. Dan Balan about his dream job: Captain!

The Captain is perhaps the most important man on board! He steers the ship safely from port to port along Europe’s rivers, has the responsibility for the passengers and the entire crew and is the first contact person for all matters: being a Captain is a challenging but also interesting job.

Q: Why did you decide to become captain?
A: I’ve always enjoyed travelling and, even as a child, thought that the idea of exploring foreign cities and countries was something fascinating. I was always very aware that this job brings a great deal of responsibility with it – towards the guests, the crew and the environment, but it is something which I am happy to take on. The captain is the most senior authority on board and responsible for the whole ship and everyone on it and this is something, which I always take into consideration in my work. However, the responsibility is also a nice aspect and something I wouldn’t do without.

Q: What are your duties on board?
A: Besides the responsibility for the whole ship I, as captain, also have to make all the nautical decisions and managerial duties are also part of my work on board. A particularly nice aspect of my work is the contact with guests and on each trip, I always look forward to inviting guests to the captain’s gala dinner and spending a relaxing evening on board with them. It is particularly this diverse and varied work that makes my work as captain my dream job. The only disadvantage is that I am, unfortunately, not permitted to do weddings.

Q: Do you have a particular favourite port you like travelling to?
A: There are so many wonderful towns and cities along the European rivers that it’s very difficult to choose. For me, personally, though, the Residence City of Würzburg is a magical place which I always love to visit, time and time again – we visit here, for example, on our 15-day “Across the Heart of Europe” cruise.

Q: What would you say is so unique about your ship, the AMADEUS Queen?
A: The heart and soul of a ship is its crew. We spend the whole cruise season on board together and in this time the crew becomes like a second family. It is also this sense of togetherness that makes the AMADEUS Queen so special. I am sure that this is also something that our guests can feel and their feedback has shown that they particularly appreciate the very relaxed yet also elegant atmosphere on board. The indoor pool is also something very special to me as it brings the element of water a bit closer to our guests during their journey.

Q: Is there a dream which you would like to fulfil in the future?
A: Water is my life and I just can’t get enough of it and would therefore love to ride a sailing boat – that is my dream and, at the same time, also a challenge. I am looking forward to being able to achieve this in the future.

Mr Balan, thank you very much for the interview – all the best for the future in your exciting job!