Born in Nantes in West Brittany, Florent learned to sail at the age of 7 and since then he started competing very quickly. At 26, he became an offshore racing professional. After being a marine mechanic for a while, Florent went back to the merchant marine school to obtain his captain’s certificates and officially started his yachting career in 1995.
He has enjoyed being the captain of M/Y THE PALM since 2019. In his free time, Florent enjoys staying active through a wide range of sports, spending time in nature, and exploring the sea and mountains in new countries. His greatest strength comes from the support of his family and friends.

Florent Rupert
Captain
Harold has been working for the owner of THE PALM for 12 years and is ready to delight guests with his culinary delights. He brings an energetic, positive outlook to the galley and approaches his craft with genuine passion. Harold hails from the Philippines and has a college degree in advertising and public relations. He defines his career in yachting as the most exciting and the biggest contributing factor in his life. Since 2001, his professional journey has included various shipping companies and vessel types. He started as a deckhand, crew chef, assistant cook, Chef cook/OS, Demi chef and Acting chef de Partie. His various interests when not cooking include carpentry, automobiles, travelling, new technology and more - anything that can help and shape him to be a better person.
He defines himself as a fighter and his biggest strength is always assessing the situation before acting.

Harold San Pedro
Chef
Leah is ready to welcome guests onboard with the highest level of service. She has a friendly personality, positive attitude and a respectful, guest-focused approach. She started working as a seafarer in 1997. Her professional journey includes working onboard cruise ships as well. Being kind hearted with a soft personality is her weakness, but her strength is her family. In her free time, Leah enjoys watching movies, comedies and dramas and, of course, travelling the world!

Leah Biseno Belleza
Stewardess
Sidney D. dela Cruz, also known as Sid, was born in the beautiful Province of Aurora, Philippines, and is currently living in Cavite with his family when he is not onboard. He graduated in 2006 from one of the Philippines’ prestigious maritime schools, the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP).
After obtaining his engineering license at the age of 21, Sid began his maritime career as a Junior Engineer onboard tanker and offshore vessels. Through years of dedication, hard work, and technical expertise, he eventually earned his Chief Engineer license at the age of 31.
Sid is a family-oriented and sporty individual who enjoys playing basketball and pickleball. During his vacations, he also spends time breeding African Lovebirds, one of his personal hobbies and passions.
He loves traveling, exploring different places, and working with people from various nationalities and cultures. As a Chief Engineer with extensive experience in tanker vessels and currently serving onboard a yacht, his strengths lie in technical operations and troubleshooting. He is highly committed to ensuring that all onboard equipment and systems remain in top condition to provide the best comfort and services for all guests onboard The Palm

Sidney Dela Cruz
Engineer
Originally from the Philippines, Kim’s journey in the maritime industry started at the age of 21 on a cruise ship, based in Hong Kong. Onboard THE PALM, Kim is a first mate/engineer. He successfully ensures that the guests have all the comfort needed. His interests include video games, exploring the sea and discovering beautiful places. He likes to travel, meet different people and to get to know their culture. His strength is his friendly personality and his adaptability to every situation.

Kim Solis Atienza
First Mate- Engineer