MARAYA

Captain Rob's passion for the sea began at an early age, growing up in a coastal town on the South West coast of England before setting sail for the Caribbean to start a full time career in yachting over 25 years ago. Quickly rising through the ranks and honing his skills on a wide variety of sailing and motor yachts along the way, Rob has spent the last 20 years developing an intimate knowledge of the Mediterranean's hidden gems. Whether it is cruising the picturesque coastlines of the French Riviera, exploring the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean, or enjoying the rich cultural heritage of the Adriatic, Rob has a wealth of knowledge to share. Rob's knowledge and experience has seen him captain a variety of yachts from the square rigged sailing ship GALAXY through to the high performance transatlantic sailing yacht THALIMA and on to the legendary 70m luxury Lurssen M/Y SKAT. In his spare time Rob enjoys mountain-biking, snowboarding and water-sports with a keen interest in all kinds of motor racing. Captain Rob and his crew look forward to welcoming you on board MARAYA to give you an unforgettable experience cruising the pristine waters and stunning coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea.

Ruan was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa in a small coastal town called Fish Hoek, where he has had the privilege of being exposed to the ocean at a young age. This exposure and curiosity drove him to become a Commercial Diver, which ended up redirecting his career path into the Yachting industry starting on sailing vessels. Ruan enjoys spending his time sailing, diving and participating in all kinds of water sports, so don't hesitate to ask him about some of his stories about the unchartered territories he's explored around the globe. Previous yachts : Meridian adventures Ltd & M/Y Horizon

Hailing from Croatia, Dominik studied at the Maritime School in Split. Not only is he an experienced yachtsman, he also is a linguist speaking five languages – English, German, Italian, Slovakian and Croatian. With nearly 10 years in the yachting industry, Dominik has worked his way up the ranks from deckhand learning the ropes on a mix of busy private and charter yachts. Having completed numerous Atlantic crossings, Dominik has in depth knowledge of both the Caribbean and Mediterranean cruising grounds. He is a trained jet ski instructor and will ensure that guests enjoy all the watersport activities MARAYA has to offer. Dominik enjoys scuba diving, spear fishing, horse riding, martial arts and hiking. Previous Yachts: M/Y DEEP BLUE II, M/Y IDOL, M/Y DEJA TOO, M/Y KATINA

Caera absolutely loves working on yachts and providing the exceptionally high level of service that the lifestyle demands. She enjoys the outdoors and scuba diving, wake surfing and snorkelling is something you’ll find her doing in her free time. Prior to joining the yachting industry, Caera trained as a classical cellist and singer and her passion for music remains with her constantly. Caera is a skilled mixologist and enjoys creating the perfect drink to suit any occasion. Having worked onboard 60m M/Y BLUE MOON for five years, Caera is excited to start a new adventure onboard MARAYA. She thrives on being part of the friendly and cohesive MARAYA crew and is passionate about ensuring guests receive an excellent and memorable service.

Sarah grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. After completing her degree, she treated herself to a Eurotrip and developed a passion for travelling and meeting people. Upon immigrating to Australia, she settled in Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef. With an established background in hospitality and customer service, and a passion for the ocean through Scuba diving, she joined the Yachting industry and has worked her way around Australia and Tasmania before continuing onto the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. She is highly interested in history and the environment and enjoys immersing herself in different cultures and culinary delights around the world. Sarah hopes to one day swim with Tiger sharks in Hawaii and complete part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Previous Yachts - M/Y Tranquility, M/Y Amica Mea, M/Y Kensho, M/Y Coral Ocean, M/Y Mischief

Michael is a highly skilled chef with over 30 years of experience and MARAYA is delighted to introduce you to him. His career in cuisine started with an apprenticeship in Germany and from there it grew to working in a number of 1-star Michelin decorated restaurants, five-star hotels and some of the most prestigious catering companies. Michael has now spent 15 years working onboard various private and charter yachts as well as in some private residences. He specialises in healthy and clean, plant-based cooking with a Mediterranean, Italian, Middle Eastern and Asian influence. Michael prides himself on creating a great dining experience for guests. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife in their organic garden at home, snorkelling, biking and walking his dog.

Alvaro grew up in a small village in Northwest Spain, always surrounded by the sea. He has worked as an Engineer throughout his life, starting in the big fishing trawler industry. With over 10 years of experience as a Chief Engineer, he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Naval Surveying. Currently, Alvaro resides in Barcelona. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, restoring vintage motorbikes and traveling in his old Volkswagen Westfalia. Previous yachts: M/Y Ilona, M/Y Namaste, M/Y La Tania, M/Y Seven Sins.

Charl grew up in a small town called Hermanus , in South Africa. He has been working as a chef for nearly 10 years on wine farms and Michelin-starred establishments across Europe. He started his career in yachting 1 year ago cooking for crew and assisting with guest food. Onboard Motor yacht Maraya he enjoys getting creative in the pastry section in the galley as well as cooking healthy and flavorful meals for the crew. Charl is an active and fit individual who enjoys quick workouts or going for a swim when time permits. Seeing new places and meeting new people has definitely been the best part of this carreer so far!

Charlie has been in the Boating industry as an Engineer for five years. He started his career off on commercial vessels, to complete his Cadetship. During his time in the Commercial industry, he worked all over the world, from Singapore to Nigeria. Charlie is passionate about Engineering and has a love for his work. He also thoroughly enjoys the Yachting industry, as it has enabled him to meet different people, from different places, and he likes to learn more about their different cultures and languages. In his spare time, Charlie enjoys playing video games, as well as golf (although I am terrible at it).

Caitlin, better known as Caity, comes from Sunny South Africa. She grew up in Durban and has always lived close to the ocean and this is where her natural love for it comes from. She has been in yachting for a year, starting off in and around the USA and now on Maraya, ready to explore and learn. Caity studied Foundation Phase Teaching and has a dream of starting her own school one day. She loves a good laugh and is always around to listen to a story and have a chat. Previous Yachts - M/Y Atomic

Dynamite comes in small packages! Being the youngest of three in her family, and growing up in Johannesburg South Africa, Kiana has found herself to be energetic, easy going, and unstoppable with a goal in mind. She loves a good laugh, and is always able to have fun and smile. She’s a big lover of animals and all things nature (but will _not_ react well to a bug on her). In her free time she enjoys dancing (silk and latin), volunteering, learning languages and practising the ukulele and violin. Above all, Kiana will always try to be kind.

Raised in Sweden, Jacquline studied Economics and Law and was a Youth Club Leader before starting work in the hospitality industry. Having worked as a waitress, barista and head waiter/butler, Jaquline decided to train as a masseuse. Jacquline specialises in Swedish classic massage, sports massage, tissue massage, trigger point massage and pregnancy massage. Jacquline customises each treatment to her client’s needs and preferences. It is a pleasure for her to see the wellbeing and physical health of her clients improve and she looks forward to helping guests onboard MARAYA relax.

Joshua is from the East coast of South Africa. He brings a great energy to the Maraya team, along with an enthusiastic approach to every challenge he faces. His Love for Yachting was sparked from his older brother, who has been in the industry for over 7 years. Joshua started his yachting career before joining Maraya cruising areas like the Med, Caribbean, North America and Central America. He has completed three Atlantic crossings. Joshua comes from a big sporting background back home which has made him a valuable team player, with a competitive edge, and always strives to exceed guest expectations. Previous yachts: M/Y Amaral

Noah grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where he spent his early years before his family's two year stint in Singapore ignited his passion for travel. Returning to Sydney, Australia, for a new challenge, he embraced snowboarding, wakeboarding, and football. Noah's love for water originated from childhood visits to Perth, where he developed a deep appreciation for coastal beauty. Noah is new to the Yachting industry and he hopes to bring excitement and joy to your time onboard Maraya. Furthermore Noah is also a passionate, and courageous person who wishes to embody the spirit of exploration and adventure.

Having spent most of his life in the coastal town of Salt Rock, South Africa, Matt has always been an avid lover of the sea and feels most at home when in the water. From surfing and free diving, to rugby and cricket, his love for sport and competition has been a constant within his life and is a key factor towards his competitive and goal orientated lifestyle. Matt’s passion and enthusiasm for life and new experiences lead him towards the yachting industry and hopes that his joyful attitude will provide you with an unforgettable time onboard MARAYA. Previous yachts: M/Y Brigadoon