PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2022) – Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has promoted Staff Captain Michele Intartaglia to the role of Captain.
“Over the last 10 years, Michele has been a tremendous asset to the Disney Cruise Line family,” said Sharon Siskie, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Disney Cruise Line. “His outstanding leadership skills, extensive experience and genuine passion for our company and the maritime industry make him a fantastic choice to serve in the role of Captain,” added Siskie.
Intartaglia was born and raised on a small island off the coast of Naples, Italy, and always dreamed of working at sea and visiting pristine coastlines. “I grew up knowing I would be a seaman, like my father. He would share fascinating stories with me about his voyages around the world, meeting new people and learning about new cultures,” shared Intartaglia.
Intartaglia earned his degree in 1992 from Nautical Maritime Procida Institute in Italy, and he received his Unlimited Master’s License in 1999. After spending several years sailing on a variety of cargo ships, Intartaglia’s professional path led him to the cruise industry. He joined Disney Cruise Line in December 2011 as Staff Captain and held his first temporary command as Captain on the Disney Dream in 2018.
“Disney Cruise Line is precious to me – it’s my second family,” said Intartaglia. “I am truly honored to be appointed to Captain and continue to create magic at sea for our guests alongside our remarkable crew members.”
Intartaglia will initially take the helm of the Disney Fantasy, which homeports in Port Canaveral, Fla.
Since its launch in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has established itself as a leader in the cruise industry, providing a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and children can experience all Disney has to offer. Today, Disney Cruise Line continues to expand its blueprint for family cruising with a fleet of five ships — the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish — and three more ships planned in 2024 and 2025. The Disney Cruise Line fleet sails to world-class destinations in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii and the South Pacific, and recently announced first-ever vacations for guests in Australia and New Zealand beginning in late 2023. The homeport for Disney Cruise Line remains Port Canaveral, Florida, where it has its own specially designed terminal.
For more information about Disney Cruise Line, guests can visit disneycruise.com.