Day-to-day Living onboard

[EFC92]

Generally speaking of course, can members give me a better idea of what day-to-day boring living stuff is like. I just want to get a good idea of what to expect of the lifestyle. I know it all depends on the vessel.

Things like:

• Washing: shower conditions? hot water availability? frequency of (allowed) use? Toilitries needed/provided?
• Toilets (a bit crude): but anything out of the ordinary like vacuum pumps? or hopefully not like in foreign hotels where you're not meant to flush paper down the drains i refuse to store it in the bins
• Food: meal arrangements... snacks? Types of food, availability?
• Drinks: both soft drinks and alcoholic, generally what have people found to be available.
• Laundry: how often? by whom? drying facilities? ironing clothes?
• Smoking: Allowed? Where? When? How often? obviously tankers are a big no-no but what about in cabins or anywhere else
• Working hours: Waking-up time? Starting work? Breaks? Finishing work? Sleeping time/sleeping patterns?
• Free time: What is there to do, TV? Gym? Internet? What do you do to pass time, cards? sports? board games? consoles?

Or if theres anything else you think I've missed or should be aware of

[stronglead]

For smoking on tankers from what I can remember from my short course, you can smoke in the officers lounge mainly, I think some allowed it in cabins at certain times but I can't really remember as I don't smoke so didn't take particular note on the subject but I know cabins where mentioned with smoking, and being allowed, it stuck because I remember thinking its odd being allowed to smoke in your cabin, but it may have changed, plus smoking rules change when loading or discharging cargo.

Alot of questions you asked are ship specific as alot of these guys will tell you, all depends on ship type, age, company, crew, chef as for alcohol it is being phased out, I know many fleets are now dry due to to many accidents, I know on cruise ships its allowed but alot of other types of ship its not allowed and tested for by the master.

[CharlieDelta]

Cruise ships with Carnival UK.

Me in bold.

Generally speaking of course, can members give me a better idea of what day-to-day boring living stuff is like. I just want to get a good idea of what to expect of the lifestyle. I know it all depends on the vessel.

Things like:

• Washing: shower conditions? hot water availability? frequency of (allowed) use? Toilitries needed/provided? Ensuite shower, always available, as many times as you like. Soap provided, brand name toiletries available from passenger shop or ashore.
• Toilets (a bit crude): but anything out of the ordinary like vacuum pumps? or hopefully not like in foreign hotels where you're not meant to flush paper down the drains i refuse to store it in the bins Vacuum. Put human waste and toilet paper down only. Nothing else or you get anygry engineers.
• Food: meal arrangements... snacks? Types of food, availability? Three meals a day available in officers' mess, either choose from the buffet or order from passenger restaurant menu. Passenger buffet open for use with few restrictions. Dine with passengers occasionally. Can book a table at the premium restaurants (e.g. Marco Pierre White/Gary Rhodes)
• Drinks: both soft drinks and alcoholic, generally what have people found to be available. Typical UK bar stock, though can vary on long voyages without UK stores being loaded.
• Laundry: how often? by whom? drying facilities? ironing clothes? Stick out personal and uniform in bag, get back a day or two later on hangers/folded. Some ships do uniform only, though as far as I know it's only the Cunard ones. All ships have officer laundry rooms with washers/dryers/irons if you prefer to do your own.
• Smoking: Allowed? Where? When? How often? obviously tankers are a big no-no but what about in cabins or anywhere else Allowed in cabin (single cabin or if shared when both are smokers), on deck (designated side of ship) and in smoking room in crew bar.
• Working hours: Waking-up time? Starting work? Breaks? Finishing work? Sleeping time/sleeping patterns? Watches as usual or 8-6 daywork with 2hr lunch and two 30min smokos.
• Free time: What is there to do, TV? Gym? Internet? What do you do to pass time, cards? sports? board games? consoles? It's a cruise ship...

Or if theres anything else you think I've missed or should be aware of

[jc173]

Generally speaking of course, can members give me a better idea of what day-to-day boring living stuff is like. I just want to get a good idea of what to expect of the lifestyle. I know it all depends on the vessel.

Things like:

• Washing: shower conditions? hot water availability? frequency of (allowed) use? Toilitries needed/provided?
  Lot's of hot water, except if/when you run out of water in an area where you can't make it... toiletries for us was basically shower gel, toothpaste...usual stuff!
  
• Toilets (a bit crude): but anything out of the ordinary like vacuum pumps? or hopefully not like in foreign hotels where you're not meant to flush paper down the drains i refuse to store it in the bins
  Vacuum pumps...nothing strange
  
• Food: meal arrangements... snacks? Types of food, availability?
  Depends on the cook, we had a 'varied' diet.... breakfast was just cereal/toast.... lunch was cooked or salad....
  
  Meal times
  
  0700 ish breakfast
  1200 lunch
  1800 dinner
  
  
• Drinks: both soft drinks and alcoholic, generally what have people found to be available.
  No Alcohol
  
  Soft drinks from 'slop chest' for a fair price...although in Malaysia we took on a free gift of some orange stuff that we got 'issued' a can each now and again of.
  
• Laundry: how often? by whom? drying facilities? ironing clothes?
  DIY washers and tumble dryers above them..... iron and press as well
  
• Smoking: Allowed? Where? When? How often? obviously tankers are a big no-no but what about in cabins or anywhere else
  Cabins, Officers saloon (day room type room) and outside away from anything dangerous
  
• Working hours: Waking-up time? Starting work? Breaks? Finishing work? Sleeping time/sleeping patterns?
  For an engine cadet/engineer: 0800 start 1030 - 1100 break 1200 - 1300 lunch 1500 1530 break 1700 end plus alarms if duty and a check at 2100/2200
  
• Free time: What is there to do, TV? Gym? Internet? What do you do to pass time, cards? sports? board games? consoles?
  Gym, 25gb internet for the whole ship a month sloowwww, table football errm computer games PS2 etc
  

Or if theres anything else you think I've missed or should be aware of

Brief but truthful!

[danielbv07]

Cruise ships with Carnival UK.

Me in bold.

And this is why I shouldn't have picked a sponsor operating ancient bulk carriers ...... Oh well

[tlloyd1983]

Ok, I will give you the run down from my time on container ships, (2004 build, 2009 build and 2011 build):

Washing
--------
Excellant showers, better than my shower at home. Hot and Cold water no problem. E/R usually produces excess FW so water use wasn't restricted. But if you go on older ships (as on my bulker), then we were rationed on water use. Modern ships should be no problems. Soap and towels provided, if not in your cabin when you arrive, call the steward. Beware 'Lux' brand soap, which has been the norm on the ships I have been on, brought me out in a nice chest rash. I promptly threw them out and used the soap I brought from home.

Toilets
--------
Vacuum system. The paper in your toilet is designed to be flushed. But apart from that, and the obvious, nothing else to go down the toilet. Otherwise you will have made an enemy of the 3/AE for the whole contract.

Food
-------
Highly variable. Depends on multiple factors, such as length of time since last provision refresh on board, cook's skill, how far the cook is in to his contract. You cannot predict ship's food in my limited experience. It will fulfill your basic dietary requirements, anything extra, is a nice bonus.
Snacks, all available from the slopchest. Usually overpriced chocolate, nuts, popcorn, etc.

Drinks
------
For the messroom, usually Ultra long life Milk in the morning, water or juice for lunch/dinner. Lemons/Limes usually available, as well as squash.
Soft drinks available in slopchest, usually good price. Alcoholic drinks, also slopchest, hard spirits banned on my companies ships except for Xmas day.

Laundry
--------
By you. Usually machines will be in good order, drying machine or sometimes a drying room. DONT wash your overalls in the normal laundry, there is usually a seperate laundry room for working gear. You will stink out the next 4-5 washes. Iron usually available in the laundry, if not there, steward will have one.

Smoking
---------
Yes. Up to the Chief Mate really, but as a rule, stick to smoking in your cabin, or in the smoking rooms. If you have a smoke on watch, don't flick your fag overboard, take it inside, put it out with water, put it in the PLASTIC bin (big fine in little China if you put it in the normal garbage bin). Don't smoke on deck or near containers, you don't know what kind of DG could be inside them. Tally Room is usually a smoking area if the Bosun is a smoker. Buy cigarettes from the slopchest for very cheap, ?6 for 200. Get lung cancer.

Working Hours
-------------
First trip, expect to be on day work with the crew for a month or two. After that, depends what watch you are on. 3rd Mates watch is 8-12 on watch, 1 hour lunch, 2 hours maintenance of LSA/FFA and other tasks, 5 hours rest, 4 hours watch, 8 hours sleep. Sunday is usually study day, but I jacked that off after a while and worked it, as it makes time go quicker if you have no break. If you can't fit in your workbook time in your 5 hours rest, you probably brought too much porn with you. No breaks on watch.

Free Time
----------
TV with DVD in the smoking rooms. Wide selection of DVDs. Sometimes a PS2. Chess board, checkers, board games. Or you could study, but I guess all work and no play and all that.
Gym - Depends on the ship, some have had well equipped gyms, others just a ping pong table and a pair of dumbells. If you are into your P/T, I suggest taking a set of gym rings, or something like a TRX, which will enable you to workout. And a skipping rope, for cardio.
Do try and get ashore, but don't shy away from a port watch, there is much to learn and see.


Hope that answers everything!

[size4riggerboots]

Okey dokey...

• Washing: Expect a cubicle bathroom in your cubicle cabin, shower curtain that clings to you etc. Bring all your own toiletries, nothing will be provided. Hot water shouldn't be a problem, the engineers like to shower too!
• Toilets: Vaccum flush, you just press a button and WHOOSH it goes. DO NOT PUT ANYTHING DOWN THE TOILET THAT HAS NOT BEEN THROUGH YOU. Seriously, tampons, t-shirts, sweet wrappers, fag butts, etc are a massive no-no. They will block the system and then the engineers will have to pull it apart, putting the whole system out of use for everyone. When they find the offending object, it will be returned to the original owner. Publicly.
• Food: Breakfast 0700-0830. Lunch 1200-1300. Dinner 1700-1930. It does depend on the ship though. Smoko (cuppa tea time) at 1000-1030 and 1500-1530. Ish. Food will depend on the cook, his skill level, his nationality and the nationality of the majority of the crew. Again, depends Massivley on what kind of ship you are on.
• Drinks: Cans of pop easlily available, alcohol, depends on the ship's policy. (PLEASE let's not get into the whole alcohol on ships debate again, it's been done to death!)
• Laundry: Mostly I think you'll find there's a laundry room where you do your own clothes. Bedding, not so sure about, I always had a laundry service on the ships I was on.
• Smoking: Allowed? Yeah Where? There'll be a smoking room, if it's not a tanker and not a cruise ship then probably on deck as well. Also in your cabin is generally allowed. If you share, then only if it's ok with everyone who lives in the cabin. When? When you're not working How often? see previous answer!
• Working hours: Day work: Up whenever you like, as long as you're ready to start work at 8! half an hr or 20 mins for smokos, an hour for lunch and knock off at 1800. Watches, well that depends on which watch you're on. Generally you get a call 20 mins before your watch. When on watches you also do 2 hrs daywork on top of your 8 on the bridge.
• Free time: TV, yes, but do you have a satellite connection?! Cruise ships will. Take DVDs, preferably on a hard drive to save on space and weight. Take an e-reader (saves A LOT of space!). Take your laptop. Learn the random card games the crew play, talk to them, hang out with them, have fun with them. Some crew messes might have consoles you can all use. Oh and Sleep! You will miss sleep!

[tlloyd1983]

And this is why I shouldn't have picked a sponsor operating ancient bulk carriers ...... Oh well

Don't worry, there is nothing more boring than listening to a Cruiser's sea phase stories. Seriously, you'll see in phase 3 when they try to dazzle you with tales, look around and see the whole rooms eyes start rolling and people start yawning. All the ladies know, if you want a cool guy, you get a cargo guy.

[CharlieDelta]

Don't worry, there is nothing more boring than listening to a Cruiser's sea phase stories.

I should be offended. But I'm not. Because I actually agree.

[tlloyd1983]

I should be offended. But I'm not. Because I actually agree.

Haha, no offense intended, just a friendly bit of ribbing. Gary Rhodes restaurants? Seriously? I'll remember that one when I am eating my beef cubes with potatos.

[CharlieDelta]

Haha, no offense intended, just a friendly bit of ribbing. Gary Rhodes restaurants? Seriously? I'll remember that one when I am eating my beef cubes with potatos.

I think Gary's been given the push though, most ships have Marco now. And some have random other celebrity chef types. To be honest, even the normal food is pretty good quality; think standard-to-decent hotel banqueting.

Bragging's not cool. There's plenty of cruise ship cadets who go on and on and on about dancers, food, this, that and so on. It does get tiresome, even when you've experienced it. What's worse is cruise cadets who do it before even going to sea... But I digress.

[alistairuk]

I think Gary's been given the push though, most ships have Marco now. And some have random other celebrity chef types. To be honest, even the normal food is pretty good quality; think standard-to-decent hotel banqueting.

Bragging's not cool. There's plenty of cruise ship cadets who go on and on and on about dancers, food, this, that and so on. It does get tiresome, even when you've experienced it. What's worse is cruise cadets who do it before even going to sea... But I digress.

Dancers are always stuck up and boring - shoppies are more fun :-)

[Whitefall]

As for my last trip with Maersk on a g-class container ship, here be answers;

• Washing: shower conditions? hot water availability? frequency of (allowed) use? Toilitries needed/provided?

Showers are decent enough, standard issue shower head mounted in chest height, clingy curtains. Hot water not a problem, however thinking your last setting on heat is still the same can lead to some brutal experiences, both hot and cold. Shampoo, razors and other basic stuff was available through the slopchest. As previously mentioned, own supply are often better, at least if you have the sensitive skin and scalp.

• Toilets (a bit crude): but anything out of the ordinary like vacuum pumps? or hopefully not like in foreign hotels where you're not meant to flush paper down the drains i refuse to store it in the bins

Flushy bio toilets, body produced waste and ships tp only, NOTHING ELSE!

• Food: meal arrangements... snacks? Types of food, availability?

Breakfast 0730-0830, lunch 1130-1230 and dinner 1700-1800. Pretty basic, and everyone got the same, no different meals to choose from. This largely depends on the cook, provisions available and budget it seems. There was little available outside of ordinary mealtimes.

• Drinks: both soft drinks and alcoholic, generally what have people found to be available.

Juice and milk available for breakfast, othervise water and coffee/tea. No alcoholic beverages at all, not even for christmas/newyears. Soft drinks and non-alcoholic beer available for purchase with the cook.

• Laundry: how often? by whom? drying facilities? ironing clothes?

Ships laundry, when ever there is a free machine. You do your own clothes, steward does sheets and towels. No mixing of working clothes/boilersuits and ordinary clothes in the machines. Tumble dryer and drying room available, I have my own iron, but can also be borrowed from the steward.

• Smoking: Allowed? Where? When? How often? obviously tankers are a big no-no but what about in cabins or anywhere else

Own cabin, Suez room, engine workshop and bridge wings (only at sea). No smoking allowed on deck at any time, and you get to throw stevedores of the ship if you catch them smoking on deck.

• Working hours: Waking-up time? Starting work? Breaks? Finishing work? Sleeping time/sleeping patterns?

I was going the 3rd mate watch, so breakfast 0730-0800, watch 08-12, lunch and so 1200-1300 LSA/FFE 1300-1500+, sleepy/internet/movies 1500-2000, interrupted by dinner at 1730, then watch again 2000-0000. Sleep 0005-0753. In port I was doing deck watches by 6/6, so 0600-1200 and 1800-0000. You like sleep and feeling rested, many ports are not for you.

• Free time: What is there to do, TV? Gym? Internet? What do you do to pass time, cards? sports? board games? consoles?

Sleep! Or watch movies/read books from the library. No TV, so you can hit the gym instead. Limited internet from 1700-2100, as we had excessive usage. Otherwise socialize.


You might also occasionally get to see girls, I personally saw two in my time on that ship, a customs officer and a stevedore. Neither of them were what those cruisies would define as fun.

[Steve]

[*]Washing: shower conditions? hot water availability? frequency of (allowed) use? Toilitries needed/provided?

"Unlimited" fresh (hot and cold) water available, either from ridiculously large tanks backed up with evaporators (FW is often a cargo and we can self-replenish) or produced by RO plants. No toiletries provided other than a bar of pusser's soap, if you can find one or ask a steward. Bring all your own, there is no provision to purchase onboard unless someone is running a shop. Towels and bedding provided.

[*]Toilets (a bit crude): but anything out of the ordinary like vacuum pumps? or hopefully not like in foreign hotels where you're not meant to flush paper down the drains i refuse to store it in the bins

Typically vacuum toilets. Some can be temperamental and with those you should drop the lid before flushing to avoid backwash...

[*]Food: meal arrangements... snacks? Types of food, availability?

No snacks (i.e. crisps and nutty) unless the mess has purchased them for sale. Breakfast served at 0730 - hot greasy fried food, cereal, fruit, juice, tea, coffee etc. Lunch served at 1200 or 1215, self-service. Used to be routinely four courses (soup, entree, main, dessert) but I'm not sure if they have officially slyly cut the entree from lunch or if it was just a local thing on my recent ships. Dinner at 1830, table service, four courses. Salad bar available at lunch and dinner and maybe for grazing in between and after but it depends on how silly the saloon stewards and/or chief cook are being about it. Similarly there may be cold sausages available for snaffling after breakfast, or there may not. If there are, get in quick before the engineers clean them out.

[*]Drinks: both soft drinks and alcoholic, generally what have people found to be available.

Full bar with softies, beer, spirits. No limits on purchase/consumption but BAC limits apply (loosely). Lunchtime opening hours still exist but are impractical except at weekends due to alcohol/work regulations. Opens at 1745 for pre-dinner drinks and continues until 1030 (at sea) or 1100 (in port). We used to have a steward serving pre-dinner but that is just another standard that has slipped.

[*]Laundry: how often? by whom? drying facilities? ironing clothes?

Daily service provided by laundrymen for uniform and personal items at a modest charge. A certain number of uniform items per week are at Crown expense. Self-help laundries if you prefer to do your own with tumble-dryers and sometimes drying rooms. Irons and boards available.

[*]Smoking: Allowed? Where? When? How often? obviously tankers are a big no-no but what about in cabins or anywhere else

This is where the RFA seems to be at greatest variance from the rest of the industry. Company regulations changed in 2007 based on UK public smoking bans. Smoking is entirely prohibited below decks. An area of the upper deck is designated for smoking, including on tankers (). Occasionally an otherwise unused internal space will be designated when loading at an oil terminal (). 'When' is covered under working hours below.

[*]Working hours: Waking-up time? Starting work? Breaks? Finishing work? Sleeping time/sleeping patterns?

For dayworkers at sea or in port:
Shakes at 0700. Breakfast 0730. Turn to 0800. Smoko 1000-1030. Lunch 1200-1300. Smoko 1500-1530. End of working day 1700 (officially 1800 but locally on every ship it is 1700 with the exception of one daft captain who thinks everyone works till 1800).

On weekends the working day finishes at 1200. On Sundays shakes are at 0730, breakfast 0800, turn to 0830.

Watches as per usual MN three watch system.

[*]Free time: What is there to do, TV? Gym? Internet? What do you do to pass time, cards? sports? board games? consoles?

Satellite telly. Gym. Maybe very slow Internet. Bar. Bar. Bar. Board games in bar. Film nights in bar. Bring your own laptop/console/DVDs. Library.

[BO-AT]

The below is what i experienced on a 2 year old cape size bulk carrier with an all male Indian crew!


Washing: shower conditions? hot water availability? frequency of (allowed) use? Toilitries needed/provided Loads of hot water at all times, just watch out for the cold water supply disappearing! we were given soap, everything else you must take. due to only vistiting deep water ports which were far away from any cities the only place we could buy them was in seaman's clubs if they had one (male toileteries only) so i took enough for the full trip!
Toilets (a bit crude): but anything out of the ordinary like vacuum pumps? or hopefully not like in foreign hotels where you're not meant to flush paper down the drains i refuse to store it in the binsAs everyone else said, human waste and toilet roll only.
Food: meal arrangements... snacks? Types of food, availabilit. food...wellllll... on my ship lots of rice, chapatis, spices and fish with bones. I couldnt actually eat the same food as the rest of the crew and officers as it was soo spicy, thankfully the chief cook would make me the same think but with out spices in it, eating as much rice took alot of getting used to. when the ships company are all the same nationality apart from you and the other cadet you just have to get used to their food.
Drinks: both soft drinks and alcoholic, generally what have people found to be available. soft drinks, beer and whiskey available from bonds store.
Laundry: how often? by whom? drying facilities? ironing clothes. Do your own simple as that! just dont put boiler suits in the clean machines.
Smoking: Allowed? Where? When? How often? obviously tankers are a big no-no but what about in cabins or anywhere else.Cabins, officers and crew smoke rooms. Bridge and bridge wings if duty officer is a smoker. NO smoking on deck.
Working hours: Waking-up time? Starting work? Breaks? Finishing work? Sleeping time/sleeping patterns?As a deck cadet, i was on the 4-8 morning and evening watch and deck work from 9 till 12 with a 30 min break, some times done extra deck work in the afternoon if hold cleaning needed finished quickly, and on a sunday we only done bridge watch!
Free time: What is there to do, TV? Gym? Internet? What do you do to pass time, cards? sports? board games? consoles?we had some dvd's on board you could borrow and the gym consisted of a table tennis table. i highly recommend taking a hard drive full of programs and dvds, and if you like reading a few good books to keep your self entertained when you are off duty.