Carnival Cruise Line: Italian Daniela Gargiulo is the first female Staff Captain of the fleet

Historic milestone for Carnival Cruise Line: On August 5th in Sydney, aboard Carnival Adventure, Italian Daniela Gargiulo was officially named Staff Captain. With this appointment, Gargiulo becomes the first woman in the company’s history to hold the role of second-in-command of the entire fleet, assuming responsibility for maritime operations, safety, and crew management alongside Captain Francesco Bencivenga.

A journey that began long ago for the Italian officer, who started her career by attending a nautical institute before joining Carnival in 2013 as a Deck Cadet (Deck Cadet). After steady professional growth through the various ranks of the onboard hierarchy, last year she embarked on Carnival Adventure, a ship currently engaged in itineraries between Australia and the South Pacific where the promotion ceremony took place.

Both Captain Bencivenga and the new Staff Captain highlighted the importance of this moment for gender equality in the maritime sector. Gargiulo expressed enthusiasm for starting this new chapter of her life at sea, proud to represent a benchmark for future generations of women who dream of a command career in the cruise industry.