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Reports written by Susan
Wels
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Images produced by Matt Tulloch | |||
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Tuesday, August 25, 1998
"It is difficult to describe just where exactly that unity of feeling lies between a ship and her crew, but it is surely there in every ship that sails salt water."
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 It
is the captain’s job to keep the ship afloat. But on the Nadir,
it is Michel Squiban—known to everyone as "Aldo"—who
sees it as his job to keep the standards and spirits aboard the ship from
sinking.Tall, trim and always impeccable in his white shirt, black trousers and black tie, Aldo supervises virtually everything that affects the quality of life aboard the Nadir—from meals and housekeeping to cleaning and general maintenance. Mainly, though, Aldo says that he’s responsible "for making life agreeable" at sea. His most visible appearances are at lunch and dinner, where he serves two sittings for the crew with the brisk panache of a Parisian maitre d’. While presiding over meal times, Aldo makes it his business to sense and lift the mood of everyone who comes into the galley. "On a ship," he says, "it is important for the crew to go into the dining room to eat and discuss and relax. I see it right away in people’s faces, if they’re happy or not. And it is my responsibility to make them feel more comfortable." |
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 Aldo
acquired his considerable skills and sensibilities in a much more elegant
environment—on the staff of the France, one of the last great
transatlantic liners. During his eight years on the ship, Aldo managed its
elegant dining room and made more than 120 transatlantic crossings by time
the France was sold in 1974.For nearly 10 | ||||