ASTERIA
BUILDER
BUILT /
& TSORTANIDES
PAVLOS | Captain
Pavlos comes from the southern edge of Europe, the sunny island of Crete. His village, Loutro, is only reachable by sea. Following the traditional path set by his family, he joined an ocean-going oil tanker at the age of 18 with the focus to become an Unlimited Master. A decade later he joined the yachting industry, with his first yacht being the explorer ITASCA. In his free time, he studies to become an Ice Pilot, enjoys diving and volunteers as a paramedic in South Africa.
VANJA | Chief Engineer
Vanja is coming from a family of ‘Chief Engineer’. After a first career on large commercial ships, he came to yachting by replacing his own father as chief engineer on the famous century classic 80m steam yacht SS Delphine. That’s on this ship that he worked for the first time with the Captain Patrick. Vanja is coming from this beautiful country of Montenegro. He can go from a very old machine tuned by ear to a machine of the latest technology without any problem. No breakdown can resist him.
CHARLES | Chief Mate
Charles is coming from UK. He got a BSc in Biomedical Sciences at University and is also a qualified PADI dive instructor. He is currently working towards his yacht captain license he should obtain in the coming months. He enjoys dinghy sailing, skiing, cooking and photography (his photo camera is never far from him).
BARBARA BUSCIALA | Chef
Most people call me Bibi. I came from South Italy and I am half Sicilian half Apulian. I started my career in the kitchen at the Intercontinental hotel in Malta, where I honed my flare for professional cooking. I started working in the yacht industry 15 years ago where I rapidly realized I had found my niche. I love the freedom, the sun and the sea, and the challenges that come with cooking on board. Being a Chef is the most tasty of the arts, where forms colors, soul twist all together to make the diner fall in love. I love the traditional European authentic way to cook, Spanish Italian, Greek culinary cultures are my preference and I have a special eye for homemade pasta. Over the years I have gained great experience in working in all aspects of restaurant service, from working directly in the kitchen to front of house and management. Since working on yachts, I have opened several restaurants back home in Italy. At the moment I’m opening one in Puglia. I have worked on various sized yachts for varying numbers of crew and guests, from the small to the very large and I am extremely adaptable in the style of food I can offer, cooking to suit all tastes. I have a particular interest in healthy, organic food, as well as catering for specialist diets. I love dogs, walking in the forest, Opera and Pavarotti.
ANDREJ | Second Engineer
Andrej is Lithuanian and has started his career at sea in 2000. Since 2011 he works as Engine Officer first on Offshore vessels and Cruise ships before joining the Yachting industry on board of all sizes of yachts. He likes kitesurfing, scuba diving and traveling.
MARIUS | Bosun
Marius has extensive experience working on yachts. he has 8 years of experience working on deck and about 4 years in the engine room of various sizes and types of yachts in the yachting industry. He completed his studies in electrical school, and a few years later, he realized how much he loved dealing with wood, so he chose to recertify as a carpenter. He enjoyed the challenges of working on a ship, as well as the freedom, sun, and sea. He loves to climb, fish, and take leisurely walks in the forest to enjoy the outdoors.
ADRIAN | Deckhand/ 2nd Mate
Adrian is an experienced seafarer from Poland. He has a strong background in navigation, ship maintenance, and deck operations. His maritime career began in 2015 after attending the Maritime University in Poland. Since then, he has worked on a variety of vessels, gaining valuable experience across different types and sizes of boats. In addition, Adrian is a certified PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor. Passionate about sailing and travel, he is always seeking opportunities to further develop his professional expertise in the maritime industry. He used to work already in the past on another Explorer yacht with the Captain Patrick. In his leisure time, Adrian enjoys hiking and playing chess
JAN | Deckhand & Videographer
Hailing from the vibrant landscapes of South Africa, Jan-Hendrik spent his school years as an avid sports enthusiast, excelling especially at tennis and cycling. Although only recently starting out, Jan-Hendrik is living his dream as Deckhand / Videographer on MY ASTERIA. Having recently completed his RYA Day Skipper, his next aim is pursuing his Yachtmaster Offshore ticket to progress in his career.
Jan-Hendrik has a passion for creating digital content. In his spare time, you will often see him running around with a drone or other device, capturing scenes around the vessel.
ALYSSA | Service Stewardess
Lyssa hails from Metro Manila, Philippines. Her interests include badminton and nature camping. She studied banking and finance. However, since graduating from university, she has realized that working in the cruise/yachting sector is her actual calling. She began her profession as a seafarer in 2013. Being on a yacht allows her to do what she is passionate about, traveling and providing outstanding service to guests. She enjoys visiting new places and providing unique experiences for her guests, all of which contribute to their memories.
RUTH | Housekeeping Stewardess
Ruth was raised in the Philippines. She has a passion and love for the sea and a knack for providing service to guests on board yachts. She developed a deep appreciation for the beauty of the ocean and knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career that would allow her to spend her days on the water. After completing her studies in hospitality and tourism management, she worked her way up through hotel gaining valuable experience along the way. During her spare time, she enjoys exploring new destinations, diving into the crystal-clear waters, and playing musical instruments.