It’s always hard to say goodbye but even harder when the person bidding adieu has spent half a century dedicated to the passengers and crew aboard some of the world’s biggest cruise ships.
After a remarkable 50-year tenure with Royal Caribbean, Captain Johnny Faevelen is embarking on his next journey – one that keeps him closer to home.
“It is with mixed feelings I have handed in my resignation,” the Norwegian-born captain shared in a heartfelt message posted to his Facebook account on January 13, 2025.
His new role, as he jests, will be full-time as a husband, father, and grandfather.
“I will be a 100-percent husband for my lovely wife, Sissel. I will be 100-percent father for our two fantastic children, Erelend and Eirin. And I will be a 100-percent grandfather for my 4.5 grandchildren, Tord 10, Enny 8, Guro 4, Alfred 3, and our last little grandchild girl, expecting delivery April,” said Faevelen.
The captain also shared personal photos, including when he first joined Royal Caribbean’s Song of Norway in 1975 at the age of 20 and when he first became a captain in 1994 aboard the Nordic Prince.
A final poignant photo, taken on the day of his post, shows Faevelen at the helm of his current vessel, Symphony of the Seas, set to Rod Stewart’s “Sailing.” The image featured lyrics from the song, “I am sailing, home again, ‘cross the sea.”
Read Also: Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay: Full Guide
Faevelen, who has nearly 150,000 TikTok followers, received hundreds of well wishes from former passengers and crew members alike.
Wrote Captain Rumen Yovchev of the cruise line’s Radiance of the Seas, “Captain Johnny, for me was an honor to be your OF1, OFCS, OFC, and SCPT. Wouldn’t be in the position I am right now without your coaching, mentorship, role model, and friendship.”
Said another, “Captain Johnny what an incredible career you have had and such an amazing Captain! You were my first captain on the Mariner [of the Seas] & my last Captain on Harmony [of the Seas] 14 years later. Your next job sounds fab too! Wishing you all the best.”
Faevelen’s last day, which comes at the completion of a 7-night roundtrip Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Miami traveling to the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at Coco Cay, will be January 26, 2025.
The captain is currently on a similar 7-night voyage, taking up to 5,518 passengers aboard the 228,081-gross-ton Symphony of the Seas to Coco Cay, Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten before he hangs up his captain’s hat.
From Seaman to Master
Captain Johnny Faevelen’s half-century tenure at Royal Caribbean began in 1975, when, as he puts it, he was “an ordinary seaman.”
Beginning as a deckhand and navigating through every rank until he ultimately took command of some of the largest and most prestigious vessels in the world, Faevelen has captained several iconic ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet, including Mariner of the Seas from 2004 to 2020, Allure of the Seas from 2010 to 2016, and Harmony of the Seas from 2016 to 2024.
He has been Master of the Oasis Class Symphony of the Seas since 2024 and has spent time navigating the waters of the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific, Alaska, Northern Europe, Asia, and the coasts of the US.
Besides his passion for his family and the sea, Faevelan is also an avid Harley Davidson rider and golfer and has managed and operated Lindesnes Golfklubb in his hometown of Spangereid, Norway, since 2022.
Cruise Hive wishes Captain Johnny a happy retirement!
