Disney Cruise Line along with the LJM Maritime Academy hosted more than 25 students, ages 10-13, as they participated in a two-week maritime summer camp in Nassau, The Bahamas. As a part of that camp, the students spent a day aboard Disney Wish learning first-hand about cruise time maritime careers from Disney Cruise Line crew members.
Joey Gaskins, Disney Cruise Line’s public affairs director, stated, “We want to inspire young people, especially here in The Bahamas, to explore careers at sea. Sponsoring the LJM Maritime Academy summer camp program is one of the ways we’re introducing young Bahamians to maritime opportunities early on so that they know this is an option for them.”
The students were given a tour of the ship, which included the ship’s theaters and dining locations. They visited the youth activity spaces where they also met Captain Minnie along with other Disney characters. They learned from the crew, met the captain of Disney Wish, and even visited the ship’s command center bridge.
One student in the program, Quinn, said, “It was so fun to see the Disney Wish. When we were on the bridge, my jaw just dropped. We met the captain, the pilot and other crew members. I hope to continue to learn more, so that one day, I can be a captain on a ship like the Disney Wish.”
Dr. Brenda Cleare, principal of the Academy, praised Disney Cruise Line for its ongoing partnership and said, “This camp is so important because it opens up new horizons for these young people as they begin to enter high school and think seriously about the direction they want their lives to go in.”
A former LJM Maritime Academy Cadet, Antoinique “Summer” Lightbourn joined the students and shared her experiences from working aboard Disney Wish. She encouraged the students to follow their hearts as they pursued maritime careers.
Disney Cruise Line has partnered with the LJM Maritime Academy for several years working to inspire the next generation of crew members and captains. Not only does the cruise line sponsor the summer program but it also sponsors a scholarship program that covers tuition for the three-year program at the LJM Maritime Academy. The program is two years of study at the academy and one year of service aboard a Disney cruise ship.