Serafin Blazquez recalls early years in the cruise industry
The cruise executive traced his career from port agency work in Barcelona to his first sailing as a passenger and his first Seatrade Cruise event.
Serafin Blazquez said his introduction to cruise ships came at the Port of Barcelona in 1999, when he saw Premier Cruise Lines’ Rembrandt. That same year, he began his first cruise-industry position, working as a port agent for MacAndrews in Barcelona.
According to Blazquez, cruise vessels at the time typically carried no more than 800 or 900 guests. Communication with ships was also limited, relying on telex or satellite fax.
Despite working in the sector, Blazquez did not initially experience a cruise as a passenger. He said that changed after the birth of his first son, Bruno, when he took his first sailing aboard Norwegian Epic.
Blazquez also recalled attending his first Seatrade Cruise event in Miami in 2009, shortly after joining Intercruises. He said the gathering’s scale and energy made an immediate impression on him.