ORCA

Crew Info:

Name: Francesco Desideri
Position: Captain
Nationality: Italian
Languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian

Captain Francesco is a highly experienced yachting professional with more than 23 years in command, over 5,200 documented sea days and more than 180,000 nautical miles logged across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the US East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas.

Equally confident on both motor and sailing yachts, he is known for running safe, disciplined and well managed operations, backed by an exceptional 23 year incident free record.

With extensive experience serving private owners, charter principals and brokerage clients, Francesco brings a strong command of passage planning, crew leadership, vessel maintenance, compliance and guest operations. His background includes fleet management, sea trials, owner training, charter readiness and preventive maintenance across a wide portfolio of yachts.

Multilingual and process led in his leadership style, Francesco combines technical expertise with strong hospitality awareness, ensuring both vessel performance and guest experience are maintained to the highest standard. His long standing safety record, operational discipline and broad international cruising experience make him a trusted and accomplished captain in both private and charter environments.

Name: Diana Parra
Position: Chef
Nationality: Colombian
Languages: English, Spanish

Chef Diana brings over 15 years of experience in hospitality, yachting and fine dining, combining her talents as both a professional chef and an experienced chief stewardess.

Originally from Colombia, Diana is known for her warm personality, strong work ethic and ability to create memorable guest experiences through exceptional cuisine and service. With extensive experience across private and charter yachts in the Caribbean and internationally, she is highly skilled in menu planning, provisioning, fine dining service, mixology and event coordination.

Having worked on vessels up to 60 metres as well as luxury cruise ships, Diana thrives in dynamic environments where attention to detail and guest satisfaction are paramount. Her culinary style blends international flavours with fresh, high quality ingredients, while her background in hospitality ensures seamless service on board.

Passionate about teamwork and guest wellbeing, Diana is dedicated to delivering refined yet welcoming dining experiences that elevate every charter journey.

Name: Deana Homoud
Position: Stewardess, Rotational
Nationality: USA
Languages: English, Arabic, Spanish

Deana brings a unique background in behavioural health to her role in yachting. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counselling and spent ten years working with clients ranging from children aged two to adults aged seventy eight. This experience has developed her ability to read a room, anticipate guest needs and provide calm, attentive service.

Based in Miami, Deana has worked aboard yachts ranging from a 44 foot day boat to a 116 foot Azimut. She has independently managed guest turnovers and cared for groups of eight to fifty guests. Comfortable both on deck and in the salon, she is experienced with lines, teak, stainless steel, tenders and water toys.

Deana speaks English fluently, is comfortable in Arabic and speaks Spanish with enthusiasm. She holds current STCW and ENG1 certifications and is a strong swimmer and attentive listener.

Name: Candela Herrera
Position: Deckhand, Rotational
Nationality: Spanish
Languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese

Candela is a motivated and hands on Deckhand with strong experience in deck operations, watch keeping, tender handling, water toys and vessel maintenance.

She brings a proactive attitude, excellent safety awareness and a commitment to keeping the yacht in top condition. Her background across hospitality, guest services and logistics, combined with skills in cooking, first aid and professional hairstyling, makes her a versatile and reliable crew member who supports both the team and guest experience.

Known for her positive energy, fast learning and problem solving mindset, Candela is a team player who adapts quickly and always gives her best on board.