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Hariet Ngoka
Junior Seaman, Odyssey of the Seas
Hariet Ngoka accepted an offer to work on Odyssey of the Seas for the first time last September. Though she may not be the most tenured of our Junior Seamen, her knowledge of the maritime industry runs deep.
“I chose Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) because of the beautiful itineraries and destinations all over the world,” she said. And in only a few months, she’s already visited many of her dream destinations including Greece and Aruba.
“In Aruba, I saw dancers like I’d only ever seen in the movies,” she said.
Hariet graduated from Kenya’s Bandari College, now Bandari Maritime Academy, with a diploma in nautical science in 2016 and worked incredibly hard for her first job as a cadet onboard a shipping vessel. By the time she completed her cadetship, she had worked her way up the officer’s position. From there, she went to the Philippines to pursue advanced courses and became the first woman to earn a Class Three License from Kenya Maritime Authority.
As a Junior Seaman, she’s responsible for maintenance and conservation of the vessel’s decks and superstructures, often using sophisticated technology. She operates the winches during mooring operations. It’s an important duty – and one she felt comfortable taking on thanks to training and support from her supervisors.
From day one, it was clear to her that RCG puts its employees first and emphasizes safety at sea. She was surprised when she and the other newly hired crew got to meet with the captain and other leaders to learn about the company, ship, and culture.
“This gives us morale and we know that we are loved and feel comfortable working with the company,” she said. “When they welcome you, you feel at home – you feel loved. As a new hire you know you’re at the right place and can do what you came here to do with passion.”
With her deep maritime knowledge and interest in learning all she can about the cruise industry, Hariet is optimistic that her future with RCG will be full of adventure and memories to last a lifetime.
“The company gives opportunity to everyone. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you look like,” she said. “Here, you can grow by sharing your talents.”