Captain Michael Fatchen, a 40-year veteran of Princess and P&O Cruises, has been named commodore of the company's 15-ship fleet. He becomes the senior master of the fleet and will represent the interests of all ships and their captains.The title of commodore is an honor that is traditionally bestowed upon the most senior captain of a fleet of ships, and the position represents the highest rank attainable to a Princess mariner.
"We're delighted that Mike Fatchen will serve as commodore of the Princess fleet," said Peter Ratcliffe, Princess' chief executive officer. "This honor is a well-deserved recognition of his long career of service and contributions to Princess over the years."
Most recently serving as master of Pacific Princess during the past three years, Commodore Fatchen will take command of the new Royal Princess when it debuts in April. Throughout his career at sea he has commanded many of the ships in the Princess and P&O Cruises fleet.
Fatchen, 62, who hails from Gawler, South Australia, studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He began his career at sea with a cadetship with the Adelaide Steamship Company in 1962, winning the Australian Company of Master Mariners Annual Prize in 1965. He joined P&O Orient Lines as a fourth officer in 1966 and rose through the ranks, reaching the title of chief officer in 1976, sailing on the original Oriana. Fatchen was promoted to deputy captain in 1986 when he sailed aboard the original Sea Princess and Canberra.
His first appointment as captain was aboard the original Sea Princess in 1993, and has also commanded the original Pacific Princess and Sky Princess. In recent years, he has served as master of many of the ships in the P&O Cruises and Princess fleets, including Oriana, Victoria, Aurora, Pacific Sky and Pacific Princess.
When not at sea, Fatchen lives near Wrexham in North Wales, where his interests include steam locomotives, model soldiers and country pursuits. He has three children and five grandchildren.
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