Turkish women take the helm of luxury cruise ships

IZMIR

Two Turkish women are making waves as trailblazing captains of cruise ships, navigating not just the vast oceans but also gender barriers that have long defined the maritime industry.

Meet Hande İpek Yamanel and İrem Düzdaban, whose remarkable journeys have set them at the helm of maritime history. They captain the ships of the world's leading cruise companies, breaking taboos and paving the way for women.

Yamanel works as a third officer in a maritime company headquartered in Florida, U.S., while Düzdaban works as a first officer in another company. Yamanel and Düzdaban are both graduates of maritime studies from Dokuz Eylül University.

Yamanel shared the story of her maritime journey.

"My father inspired me to choose maritime work. I did my internship on container ships. While everyone was stuck in their homes during the pandemic, we continued to sail on the high seas. I had no previous knowledge about cruise ships. When I decided to work on land after leaving the freighter, I applied to cruise companies. Three months later, they got back to me and I started working in 2021," she said.

"There were no female officers on cruise ships before us. We paved the way. I encouraged İrem. After us, the number of female captains and female chief engineers started to increase," Yamanel added.

Yamanel stated that she desired to inspire more people to pursue the field and said, "We shared a video with İrem about the job opportunities on cruise ships. I am elated when high school students say that they want to study this department. It is heartwarming knowing that they believe a path has opened for them. I hope we set a good example."

Speaking on the incentives of the sector Yamanel said, "You can learn Italian and Spanish in addition to English. Salaries in the sector range from $4,000 to $7,000 per month depending on the companies."

Captain İrem Düzdaban, who started her career working on chemical tankers, one of the most difficult areas of maritime transportation, said, "I like challenges. We shouldered the heaviest burdens when necessary in order to break taboos. Also, in a male-dominated world, there are staff that do not like to take orders from women."

"It looks rosy from the outside, but it is a very difficult sector. You need to be versatile and constantly learn new things. The maritime industry is dynamic, but the cruise industry is much more dynamic. We have difficulties, but there is more we are happy about," she added.

These young females serve as informal ambassadors of Türkiye in the world seas and set an example for many young people with their work, showing that the call of the sea is open to all who dare to answer it.