Meet the Captain of the Largest Ship in the World

June 04,2024

nbsp; As Royal Caribbean’s newest (and largest!) ship, Symphony of the Seas, prepares to set sail from Barcelona, Spain, to idyllic Mediterranean destinations, we’d like you to meet the man at the helm—Captain Rob Hempstead. Captain Hempstead has sailed with Royal Caribbean International since 1999, and has served as Master aboard six ships since 2005 making him well prepared to sail Symphony. “After working at sea for more than 30 years, I’ve never once wished for another life of less excitement, exploration and adventure,” he says. Captain Hempstead was born on the coast of Rhode Island, a famous sailing state. He first went to sea as a young boy with his dad, who carried on the family tradition of setting out to sea. There was never a doubt that Rob would someday set sail too, and in 1986, he graduated from the California Maritime Academy and accepted his U.S. Naval Reserve commission. Though he’s now on the largest cruise ship in the world, his career began with the U.S.