Jobs onboard as an engine cadet.

[Unregistered]

hey guys, im starting in september with princess cruises and im just wondering what type of jobs the engine officer cadets do onboard? obviously i know about watchkeeping, customer service etc. but will i actually be watchkeeping by myself as a cadet? i assume i get the jobs like emptying the grease trap and all those messy jobs! and i also am aware i will by studying onboard. so really my question is: what are the main jobs of an engine cadet onboard cruise ships.

thanks

[stronglead]

I would guess now this is a guess, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning then maybe some learning when you clean an area you will learn it which helps you learn how to work there thats how I see it

[penfold]

I don't think it'll be that much different to what I got; shadowing the 4th most of the time, helping out with his tasks and being given the simpler ones(and progressively more complex ones as your time onboard increases) to do yourself with occasional shadowing of the 3rd and 2nd. The biggest difference to deepsea is that cruise ships have very big engineering departments with lots of 4ths and 3rds. It's very unlikely that you will stand a watch solo; it's not legal for a start, but you will/should get acquainted with the routines of watch, what to check, what gives regular trouble, what readings to take and how to fill in the ER log. Towards the end of your time onboard you may find that you'll be doing all the actual watch activities with the watchkeeper observing/drinking tea/playing spider solitaire, but legally he's the one who gets reamed if it goes pearshaped.

With respect cleaning things is a pants way of familiarising; ripping things apart and fixing them is much better(then you will have some cleaning to do!).

[Unregistered]

thanks, the other thing i was wondering is during the 4 hour watchkeeping, surely things will all be mechanically sound and no emergencies will occur etc. so are there times where you are sitting in the ECR for 4 hours doing nothing?!

[CharlieDelta]

I'm not an engineer, but fro what I've seen there's always rounds to do, discharges to start/stop/log, monitoring, managing defects etc etc.

[penfold]

sitting in the ECR for 4 hours doing nothing?!

Have you been spying on me? As CD says, if your vessel is operating a watch system as opposed to dayworking/UMS you have to do a round of the engine room; drain condensate from the air bottles, Blow down/gauge check if you have a boiler, check levels/temperatures/pressures, look for leaks, listen for weird noises, smell for unfamiliar smells, feel for vibrations/hot bearings. Once that is complete, you may have other duties to attend to; boiler/FW testing, cleaning strainers, genny service, fuel transfer/purifying, or dealing with a problem that has occurred.

[Lewis]

Once that is complete, you may have other duties to attend to

Milk and sugar with that :P

[dawg]

I've shadowed or assisted every rank in the E/R doing something or other: bunkering with the chief, water tests and engine pre-start blowing through with the 2nd, purifier shenanigans with the 3rd, getting a dunking in the bilge tanks with the 4th, HV alternator inspection with the EO, incinerator with the junior, dips and soundings with the oiler, fixing a grease pump with a machinist, lifeboat launching with an AB, duct keel inspection with the 2nd mate, waffling with the captain, frying with the chief cook even deballasting with the 1st mate! but watchkeeping, no.
This morning I was doing some of the logs for the Junior, then the white box / OWS discharge with the 4th, and then lift maintenance with the EO and 4th, this afternoon I'm doing more studying of the compressed air system (line tracing+), and maybe doing the incinerator with the 4th to get a proficient sig off him, then a bit more typing up of things and editing photos and grilling the EO about some stuff to get a proficient sig off him for something.

As purveyor of an exquisite range of quality tea bags, I forego the tea boy duties... I would advise bringing a good supply for oiling the cogs at smoko.

[Chiefy]

Hob Nobs

[GuinnessMan]

Rounds, repairs, servicings, testing and then walking around muttering to your clipboard if the Chief or the 2nd Eng come down with a "special job"....

[Brimbo]

Ask to take on daily jobs like tank sounding, and filling in the log book (if your trusted !), if you end up sitting around for more than 20minutes go around with a notepad and jot some things down, or ask one of the engineers how something works, look through manuals, or grab a mop/bucket and mop the decks down or anywere you see oil spills ! never sit around!

EDIT: Make sure you don't go to low on the lipton too

[Chiefy]

Rounds, repairs, servicings, testing and then walking around muttering to your clipboard if the Chief or the 2nd Eng come down with a "special job"....

It the "weee jobie" you want to run away from screaming like a girl (unless you are a girl in which case just run away screaming!)

A Wee Jobie is never EVER wee and will take upto days to complete, the actual job may on the face seem meaningless and menial, BUT there will be hidden elements like finding the actual "special" tool to remove that innocent looking fastening clip, or gathering the gear from the 4 corners of the engine room, just run like the wind and hide some where the chief wont find you (pretty much any where in the engine room!!!!! )

[penfold]

Walk around purposefully with a notepad, rags, a sounding tape and a bucket. Hours of peace.

[stronglead]

I will hide under my bunk they will never find me there

[Chiefy]

If you can get under a bunk these days then you're welcome to stop there, most have drawers under them, which most people use for their dirty washing and ermmmmmm nautical publications