‘Guests are surprised’: The pioneer making history on Sydney cruise ship
She’s a pioneer of the seas for Australia’s biggest cruise line. Carnival Cruise Lines appointed its first female Staff Captain, Daniela Gargiulo.
That means Italian sailor Daniela is second-in-command on the bridge on Carnival Adventure, which sails the South Pacific from Sydney.
Captain Francesco Bencivenga places the epaulettes on Daniela Gargiulo Carnival Cruise line has appointed its first female Staff Captain, Daniela Gargiulo.
Daniela joined Carnival Adventure last year. But she began at the company in 2013, progressing quickly through the ranks.
Like many professional sailors, she’s from Italy.
She told nine.com.au she has always wanted to work at sea.
“Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved being by the ocean, and I was drawn to its beauty, calmness and endless sense of adventure,” she said.
She started at a nautical school aged just 14 where she spent five years.
Her maths teacher encouraged her to apply to work for Carnival Cruise Line and she got the job.
“I joined Carnival in 2013 as a deck cadet onboard Carnival Destiny, and since then have progressed through various roles including third officer and second officer, and now staff captain,” she said.
Carnival Cruise line has appointed its first female Staff Captain, Daniela Gargiulo. Carnival Cruise Line
She said the promotion is an “incredible honour”.
However, many passengers on board a cruise don’t quite understand what the job involves.
It’s a high-ranking role, below only the captain and leading around 1,100 crew.
“I am responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the ship to keep it running safely and smoothly,” she said.
“Many guests are surprised to discover that the Staff Captain is the ship’s second-in-command and holds qualifications comparable to those of the Captain.
“During critical operations such as docking, undocking, and harbour navigation, the Staff Captain works alongside the Captain on the bridge, sharing responsibility for the safe and precise handling of the vessel.”
Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter sailing side by side. Carnival Cruise Line.
She works three months on then three months off.
Captain Francesco Bencivenga said he was proud to welcome Daniela as part of a “vital step forward for gender diversification in the maritime industry.”
While it might feel like 2026 is too late to be celebrating this kind of progress, there are actually very few female captains and staff captains of cruise ships around the world.
In fact, industry data shows that female commanders make up just under three per cent of the total cruise captain population.
The first female captain was appointed in 2007 when Karin Stahre-Janson took the helm on Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas.
American Captain Kate McCue was one of the most famous female cruise ship captains. Instagram
Since then, there has only been a few more. Captain Kate McCue is one of the most famous, with a huge online following taking fans inside her life at the helm of a ship.
She was a captain for Celebrity Cruises, and was the first American woman in the role when appointed in 2015. She then joined the newly launched Four Seasons Yachts to help launch the company’s first ship before taking a step away from sailing recently.
In 2016, Belinda Bennett became the world’s first Black female cruise ship captain for Windstar Cruises.
And in 2020, Serena Milani achieved a groundbreaking feat by becoming the first woman in the world to captain a new cruise ship at its launch with Regent Seven Seas.
