“I am in charge of running all the sporting activities onboard including the zip line, iFly skydiving, FlowRider surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, Ultimate Abyss slide, laser tag and sports tournaments,” he says.
Blane is living the dream but is a long way from home and where it all started — on the East Coast.
He grew up in Tokomaru Bay, raised by his parents and grandparents, where sport and adventure played a key role in his childhood.
“I lived a very active childhood trying out and playing numerous sports, followed by afternoon and weekend adventures with my group of friends.
“At the same time our father strictly enforced the ‘work hard, play hard’ rule. No free time would be had without the daily or weekly chores being completed first.
“Growing up on the Coast in Tokomaru Bay is unique and adventurous for sure, and it definitely moulded me towards a career like this.”
Blane says while his childhood led him towards his current role, it wasn’t until he went on board a cruise ship that the dream was realised.
“Before ships, I worked in the NZ Army for eight years based in Palmerston North and was then deployed to Afghanistan and Sinai for six months each.
“While in the army I studied for a specialised fitness and business diploma, which helped accelerate my path towards working onboard cruise ships.
“I was fortunate to have mid-tour leave whilst serving in Sinai with the NZ Army. I decided to go on a five-day cruise out of Barcelona with a friend.
“This, I would say, opened my eyes to the opportunity of one day being able to work on a cruise ship.”
He joined the industry not long after and has loved it ever since, visiting some amazing places on the way.
“I’d say my career on ships has taken me to some of the most exotic and beautiful places on Earth — too many to list.
“In short, I have covered the East and Western Caribbean, Mediterranean, Asia, Australasia, Eastern America and Canada.
“Since working for Royal Caribbean International I have been granted a double scholarship for study and am now a qualified indoor skydiving instructor.”
While Blane loves seeing the world, he still finds time to make it home.
“I come home as much as I can between contracts, when time permits.
“It’s always good to touch base with family and friends,” he says.
“It’s vital after contracts that you relax, unwind and recharge before taking on another, and there’s no better place to do that than on the Coast.”
His contract with Symphony of the Seas is six months long and after that he will take a long break then be back on locally-based ship Ovation of the Seas, where he is a member of the sports staff and an iFly instructor.
“I’m responsible for running and operating all the outer decks and sporting venues, which also includes a North Star viewing capsule, bumper cars, roller skate rink, trapeze school, mini golf and water slides.
“Working and being a part of the newest and biggest cruise ship in the world has been an awesome challenge. It is physically and mentally demanding at times, with long work hours and very high expectations.
“But seeing it successfully sail its inaugural season has been well worth it. I work with a good team of people who have all been handpicked to be here based on experience and performance.
“On Symphony of the Seas, we get around 6500 guests from all over the world on each voyage.
“A lot of us see this as the pinnacle of ship life and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“It feels great to be a part of history.”
