I know a few members of the fleet like to RP in-game, but there are times the environment can be a bit hostile to such activity. If you like to write and interact with others of a like mind, and be part of a crew instad of one captain amongst hundreds or thousands of others, I'd encourage you to check out Federation Space. I was one of the first people to participate at the beginning, but had left due to various factors, chief of which was burnout. While there are points awarded for participation and recognition (RPer of the month for each ship, for example), and you do earn promotions, it is more about the interaction and RP than gaining rank.
The site has a lot more information than I would want to try and cram in a post here. If you decide to join and give it a try, great, if not, then thanks for at least taking a look.