PRerogative
bundantly labelled as the sailing Mecca of the world, the BVI is the home and celebrated destination to a vast range of boats and ships. Whether it is racing or cruising, the prestigious reputation of the islands attracts vessels from all over as they make their circumnavigation of the beautiful Caribbean. For many, they make their return visit like the MV Tere Moana, which will be touching down again this month.
His first command of scale was a Sea-Land container vessel, which is now one of the largest container companies worldwide; this established his career as captain of large ships. He then initiated his cruising vocation with Costa Cruises and spent 15 years as Captain and Staff Captain with the Orient Lines. He has voyaged worldwide and a notable journey was his 10 seasons in the Antarctic region and circumnavigation of the continent. Managing both the MV Tere Moana and the MV Paul Gauguin, which comprise the fleet of Paul Gauguin Cruises, Zupan admits his favourite ship, which he ran for nine years was the Paul Gauguin. Ferrying his guests through the most coveted regions in the world, he has acquired
an intricate and international knowledge of tourists’ appetites and essential wisdom on the fundamental elements of strengthening tourism in the locations he has visited. “I’ve been at sea for 40 years…I started sailing cruise ships in 1980 with Costa…[and]…first came through the BVI waters in 1989,” he said of his experiences. Tere Moana is in actuality one of the smallest ships Zupan has been charged with, compared to his largest ship, the MV Norwegian Crown—now Balmoral—with a passenger capacity of 1230 and crew of 470. The current route of the Tere Moana— Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Les Isles Des Saintes, St. Barts, St. www.bvipropertyyacht.com
March 2014
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