Ships was built in your dry-dock or shipyards must have a crew, without which they can not navigate.
A ship's crew is a settler who must take the sailor profession. It can be embarked on the ship of your choice (caravel, privateer, frigate, galleon etc. ..) as crew. It can be loaded in a ship too.
When you will get promotions after naval battles, this is not the ship that will get them but the crew. If the crew is embarked, the icon of promotion will appear by selecting the ship, but it's the sailor who will be promote.
You can disembark your crews when you want and embark them on another ship.
You can swap two crews when you will select two vessels. However, a ship with a new crew doesn't be able to move in the same turn.
The ships purchased in Europe are always provided of crews.
A ship's crew is a settler who must take the sailor profession. It can be embarked on the ship of your choice (caravel, privateer, frigate, galleon etc. ..) as crew. It can be loaded in a ship too.
Spoiler :
When you will get promotions after naval battles, this is not the ship that will get them but the crew. If the crew is embarked, the icon of promotion will appear by selecting the ship, but it's the sailor who will be promote.
You can disembark your crews when you want and embark them on another ship.
Spoiler :
You can swap two crews when you will select two vessels. However, a ship with a new crew doesn't be able to move in the same turn.
Spoiler :
The ships purchased in Europe are always provided of crews.