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Captain - National Geographic Venture

Lindblad Expeditions
United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 22 Jan 2026

About the role

WHO WE ARELindblad Expeditions is a true pioneer in Expedition Travel. From taking the first citizen explorers to Antarctica in 1966, opening the Galapagos and Easter Island to tourism in 1967, leading the first tourist expedition through the Northwest Passage in 1984, and launching our innovative partnership with National Geographic in 2004, we're now taking almost 30,000 guests a year to some of the world’s most remote and pristine locations on our fleet of 20 ships, and are committed to ensuring our guests experience the “Exhilaration of Discovery”.
ABOUT THE ROLEThe Captain is responsible for the overall safety of the vessel and overseeing all crew and operations on the vessel to which they are assigned. Maritime safety and protection of the marine environment must be the Master’s primary concern in all situations. The Master is directly responsible for all actions and procedures on board which may affect the interests of the Company, for adherence to regulations of the USCG, SOLAS and other international conventions and requirements, and for compliance with laws of US and foreign countries
ESSENTIAL DUTIES 

Supervisory:

  • Directly supervises all employees in the following positions: Chief Engineer, Chief Mate, 2nd Mate, 3rd Mate, and Hotel Manager.  Indirectly supervises all crew assigned to the vessel. 
  • Liaises with EL to provide the best expedition experience to the guests. 
  • Monitors and counsels work performance throughout the year, and conducts written performance evaluations.  Ensures that other officers complete the same. 
  • Coaches, disciplines, and/or terminates crew as necessary in a timely and appropriate manner, seeking the guidance and support of Human Resources as needed. 
  • Maintains professional demeanor with guests, crew, staff, agents, officials, and the public. 
  • Assists in the training and development of all direct reports.  Also assists in the training of any new or relief Captain. 
  • Conducts daily informal meetings with the HM, EL, CE, CM to map the day’s operations/activities and guest welfare.  
  • Conducts weekly informational meetings with the staff, officers and crew. 
  • Responds in a timely manner to all concerns, complaints, and allegations, and conducts investigations as necessary.  Notifies Fleet Management of potentially escalating problems. 

Administrative:

  • Distributes all information to and from officers, crew, staff, guests, and the Seattle and New York offices. 
  • With the Purser, prepares customs and immigration paperwork and personally attends the meetings with officials to clear the vessel. 
  • Oversees all reporting of vessel incidents (hull, crew, staff, guest). 
  • Through the Officers, oversees the management, operation, maintenance and repair of the vessel. 
  • Through the Officers, oversees all accounting reports, payroll, inventory and requisitions. 

Watch Duty:

  • Performs bridge navigation and deck watch as needed, especially in challenging navigational transits and harbor limits. Determines geographical position of the ship, using all available means such as GPS, radar ranges, visual observations, depth sounders, etc. 
  • Records necessary entries in navigation and radio logs. 
  • Handles the vessel in docking, anchoring, piloting, en route, in close quarters and open sea conditions. 
  • Acts as Radio Officer to handle ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore, and radio telephone calls en route and dockside. 
  • Navigates vessel to ensure avoidance of marine hazards such as reefs, outlying shoals, shallow waters, etc. using aids to navigation such as lights, lighthouses, and buoys. 
  • Assigns and directs deckhands to lookout and helm duties as needed. 
  • Completes pilotage logs for trips completed in Alaska, British Columbia, and on the Columbia and Snake Rivers to meet pilotage requirements and stand watch unsupervised. 

Small Boat Operations:

  • Drives inflatable boats as necessary. 
  • Oversees and assists with loading guests, staff, and crew in and out of inflatable boats. 

Safety and Security:

  • Oversees safety briefings for guests and coordinates with the Chief Mate for on-board instructive drills for guests, staff and crew. 
  • Ensures vessel compliance to company safety and pollution prevention policies and procedures and requests supervisory assistance/guidance when necessary. 
  • Conducts periodic inspections to ensure that crew and guests observe regulations pertaining to safe vessel operation. 
  • Oversees the security of the vessel both at sea and at dock; ensures gangway watch is posted at all times while at dock. 
  • Coordinates off-ship emergency medical aid.  Assists the Chief Mate in administering first aid treatment and in documenting medical incident reports. <

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Company

Lindblad Expeditions

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