This is the latest installment of our bimonthly column Crews on Cruise, spotlighting the people who work behind the scenes of the world’s most memorable voyages—from bartenders and entertainers to ship captains and expedition leaders.
When Nadia Durigon was little, she’d walk past a travel agency in her hometown near Venice and point excitedly at the ferry pictured in the window. When teachers would ask her to write school essays detailing where she saw herself in the future, her answer was always the same: “on a cruise ship.”
After studying foreign languages and tourism in high school, Durigon went straight into the industry and quickly found her niche in youth programming. (She was 19 years old at the time, so organizing group activities for teens often felt like hanging out with friends.)
Now 37, Durigon has spent nearly two decades working at sea and currently serves as the Traveling Fleet Supervisor for Family Entertainment at MSC Cruises. Her job blends youth programming, trend forecasting, activity development, staff training, and ship launches—essentially helping shape the onboard experience for families across the MSC fleet.
She’s helped roll out everything from mascot parades to laser-gaming experiences aboard ships like World America, MSC’s sprawling new flagship designed with families squarely in mind. The 22-deck mega ship packs in one of the largest kids clubs at sea, plus bumper cars, roller skating, waterslides, a ropes course, and the Cliffhanger—the cruise industry’s first overwater swing ride. There are quiz shows and dance parties, teen-only gaming spaces, Guinness World Records competitions, and enough stimulation to make some kids forget their parents exist for days at a time.
“It’s the best job in the world,” says Durigon. “I’m not a routine kind of person, and this allows me to meet new people every day and travel around the world while doing it.”
We caught up with Durigon at MSC’s headquarters in Geneva earlier this year to talk about launching new ships, designing activities that appeal to multiple generations, and the art of decoding Gen Alpha internet slang.
What does a typical day on the job look like?
“Because I only get to stay on board for one or max two cruises each time, I try to squeeze everything in. My afternoons and evenings are packed. I love joining the youth staff team so I can see the guest feedback firsthand. Our new LEGO family game show worked really well on World America; it’s always full of adults who want to play. Sometimes we have grandparents doing activities with little kids, so we have to find a way to get them involved in the games as well. Then afterward, I’ll give [the crew] my own feedback about what we can improve or change.
Launching a ship is craziness because everything is new, but it’s also very, very fun. The LEGO parade was one example. We had a choreographer come onboard and teach us dances in the mascot costumes. The team thought it would be impossible, but they were amazing.”
What is your favorite part about this job?
“I would be lying if I didn’t say traveling, even after so many years. But I think it’s also not having one day that is exactly the same as another. I love spending time with the kids and their families. I don’t know if you’ve heard of this ‘67’ trend, but it took me three days to understand what was going on. [Laughs] This job keeps me young.”
What is the most challenging part about working at sea?