Royal Caribbean has given a proper send off to one of its most beloved ship captains.
Captain Johnny Faevelen announced he would be retiring after 50 years of working in the maritime industry, and Royal Caribbean wanted to make sure he was recognized for his hard work.
Executives and friends were on Symphony of the Seas when he was invited to a gathering where the Captain got an official thank you.
"Bittersweet day as we celebrate the legendary Captain Johnny’s retirement," wrote Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley on Facebook.
"50 years of your dedication and leadership at Royal Caribbean will always be honored! We will greatly miss you and your Harley but not too long until we’ll see you cruising on Star of the Seas!"
As part of the celebration, he was awarded his own glitzy "Royal Bling" necklace.
The crew members chipped in and bought him a personalized motorcycle helmet that he can wear on shore to remember his time as Captain.
The significance of the motorcycle helmet is Captain Johnny is an avid Harley Davidson motorcyle fan and would keep a motorcycle onboard his ships to take on shore for joy rides.
Captain Johnny's favorite cruise memories
After 50 years of working on cruise ships, anyone would be curious what stands out.
He's spent so many years at the helm of the world's biggest cruise ships and been a very prominent figure within the fleet.
Captain Johnny was asked what his top cruise memory was and he picked one from when he was Captain of Mariner of the Seas.
"Top one would be we sailed Mariner of the Seas around Cape Horn," he reminisced in a video.
Cape Horn is the southernmost point of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and it's a challenging and dangerous place to sail because it's where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. It's considered one of the most difficult yachting challenges in the world.
His second favorite memory was about being the Captain on a brand new cruise ship, "Number two would be taking out seven of the biggest cruise ships in the world."
Among the ships in the list include Symphony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas.
But one memory he treasures a lot is a personal one, "Top memory I have from 50 years is actually when I gave away my daughter. You know, a Captain can marry people, and my daughter and future son-in-law contacted me and said, 'Daddy, can you marry us?'."
"And in doing that, have a Captain's hat on one minute, and then being the father the next one and I could marry them, that's the pinnacle of my life as a Captain with Royal Caribbean."
Cruise fans share their favorite Captain Johnny memories
News of Captain Johnny's departure from the fleet spread quickly, and it seems many cruise fans will miss him.
Many of them shared anecdotes and stories on Facebook.
Chris Birdsong wrote, "My first captain I ever had on Royal! Well deserved retirement, will miss seeing him around the ship."
Fabian Rodriguez posted, "I was fortunate and honored to sail alongside Captain Johnny for several years, sharing wonderful moments as part of the Freedom and Mariner crew. You will be missed Captain. Stay safe and take good care of yourself."
"That Around The Horn cruise on Mariner was also our favorite memory of our own 35 years of cruises... Well done, Captain Johnny," wrote Robert Lorrey.
A career spanning decades of incredible ships
Looking at Captain Johnny's resume, you'll quickly discover an impressive array of ships he has worked on.
He began his journey with the company in 1975 as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the Song of Norway, Royal Caribbean's first purpose-built cruise ship.
He spent some time working on cargo ships in order to move his career forward, but eventually returned to Royal Caribbean and achieved the rank of Captain in 1994, with his first command on the Nordic Prince.
Over the years, Captain Faevelen helmed several notable ships, including the Monarch of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas.
One thing that always set him apart from other Captains was his style and outgoing personality. He drove a motorcyle, had a Segway that he used around the ship, and even had a pet parrot for a time.
In recent years, he has been open about his battle with melanoma, sharing updates on his treatment and recovery.
As he steps into retirement, Captain Faevelen looks forward to dedicating time to his family, including his wife, two children, and soon-to-be five grandchildren.
