Laundry and Packing

[BFG]

hi

silly question time, i am just waiting to go away on my first sea phase and am getting some stuff set aside for packing.

was just wondering if people would be kind enough to explain if washing is on a schedule or if it is done as and when its needed. trying to save space in my bag by taking just enough imstead of going overboard on the luggage.

does it vary company to company as i dont know who i will be heading to sea with as i have a charity as my sponsor

thanks in advance

[alistairuk]

Normally there are laundry machines for use on board whenever they are free - depending upon what type of ship you are going on they're may also be a ships laundry - although unless you're an officer they will normally only wash uniforms for you.

[CharlieDelta]

Cruise ships will have a laundry, and it depends on the set up as to what they'll do for you. My last ship, everything went into a bag (uniform and personal) which was taken down by the cabin steward and returned on hangars the next evening. Some companies will only do uniform, and depending on ship/company you might need to drop it off/collect it yourself. My ship also had officer and crew laundry rooms if you wanted to do your own. (Why do your own when they do it for you? Because the laundry people have a wierd way of knowing who you are and what colour your underwear is...)

[BFG]

so how many days of personal clothing would you guys say would be sufficient?

[The H]

I took 10days worth of underwear/socks/t shirts so that the laundry man didnt get to pissed off.

As for other casual clothes these are only worn in cabin or ashore, so depending on where you are going you may hardly use them. I know people that live in their uniform and hardly ever dress in civies.

[bryan_s]

While on board I'd wear nothing but my uniform

[IRI5HJ4CK]

When working with passengers, are you ever expected to wear your hat? Or has that been phased out? A friend of mine said he used to have to wear his, but when regulations on hard hats and so on came in, the company changed their policy.

[bryan_s]

That's different from company to company.. and from ship to ship.. I've been on cruise ships where non of the officer ever wore a hat and I have been on cruises with the very same company where they all did.. so depends on the policy :P

[BFG]

10 sounds a nice round number. shall pick up vacume pack bags to keep the space down!

any other housekeeping rules which will come in handy when im away?

[The H]

If you get supplied safety boots in a box, keep the box. Then at the end of each day you can put them back on or in the box. This prevents you ruining the carpet in your cabin. Also dont forget to take plenty of hangers.

[BFG]

what about travel adapters etc. not all ships will be 3 prong will they? and i have rigger boots no box though. but will ensure i take care of my carpet

[bryan_s]

Surely there are hangers in the wardrobes? The kind you can't steal and barely use?

[bryan_s]

Travel adapters is a good idea as only (some) British ships tend to have 3 prong sockets :P

[BFG]

excellent. thanks for the advice and help

[alistairuk]

The first time you go to sea as a cadet (or in my case every trip including my first one as an officer) you will take far to much stuff with you - most of which you won't even take out the case!

These days, I only take 2/3 t-shirts, 1/2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of trousers and then my uniform and thankfully it all fits nicely into 1 suitcase. Mainly I just wear the uniform all the time, with casual stuff for the few occasions that I go ashore (I think in 4 months last trip I was ashore 5 times - altogether totally an amazing 14 hours!)