cruise ships are not for me

[Unregistered]

Hi

im in phase 3 now, going back to sea in the summer, i'm sponsored by a well known cruise company, but its not for me. although i have signed a contract that means i have to stay with them for 2 years after i have completed my course, at the time of signing i did not know what cruise ships would be like. I love the job and the engineers have been helpful, i just don't like the lifestyle. id much rather be on something like a dredger or a container ship, but is there a way i can get out of the contracted 2 years other than paying my way out of it? and how easy is it to get a job as a third on dredgers/ containers with cruise ship experience?

thanks for your help

[Hatchorder]

I would be honest with them when you get to the end of your course and not before.

They will more than likely have taken on more cadets than they need and so they will not be offering you all jobs. The 2 year clause is not compulsory on their part. If you are one of the better cadets they may be thinking of offering you a contract, but if on your final voyage you tell your liaison that you do not want to stay they may well just let you go.

BUT

As there are a few people who have said recently it has been difficult to get their first stamp in their discharge book it may not be the worst thing in the world to be offered a contract. If you do sign it you will of course be obliged to honour it, but only you can decide that.

Whatever you do, do not tell them now. You are less likely to get co-operation from them for your remaining phases if you tell them now you want out.....

Ian

[Clanky]

^^^^^ This, all of it, every word.

Hang in there for one more contract, get you CoC and then tell them see what happens. You may even have a better second trip and enjoy it.

I was a cadet on cruise ships and hated every minute of it, after spending a couple of years on them as a junior / 4th / 3rd engineer I eventually jacked it in and moved to cargo ships, but I don't think that I would have appreciated cargo ships as much had it not been for those couple of years on the cruise ships.

I have never actually heard of anyone being sued by a company for not working for them after there cadetship, I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I have never heard of it, whereas I have heard of people walking away and the company not doing anything about it.

If the worst comes to the worst it is pretty easy to get yourself sacked on a cruise ship!

[Hatchorder]

If the worst comes to the worst it is pretty easy to get yourself sacked on a cruise ship!

When I was 2/O we had a 3/O joined us from cruise ships. He had been with the same company for years but suddenly decided he wanted a change of scenery.....

Eventually we got the full story out of him...

He came off watch one night at midnight, went for a nightcap and as he was walking around was chatted up by a couple of young American girls. One disappears off so he takes the other one for a drink, after checking her age, and one thing led to another... 02:00 and all sorts of rumpus outside his cabin. Goes out and asks what all the rumpus is - a steward replies "There is a Senator on board and his daughter is missing...." "What is her name?" he asks, back comes the reply and so he goes into his cabin and asks the young lady her name. Slightly embarrassed he goes out to tell the Steward "She's here - but why all the fuss?"

"She is only 15...."

He might have got away with it until her mate blabbed "I saw her going off with an Officer...."

Exit stage left with the minimum of fuss and a good reference ...... and a life on Cargo ships!

Simples!

[Clanky]

We had a similar thing with a cadet, he pulled this stunning blond who I would have taken to be in her early twenties, unfortunatley she was quite mature for 14. He found out her real age after a few days, told her that he couldn't see her any more, she got all upset, told her older brother that some guy had tried to molest her, older brother turns up at the cabin beats the hell out of the guys cabin mate who was in bed asleep, all the other cadets hear the ruckus, find someone kicking the **** out of their friend, and batter him. Brother ends up in hospital. Parents a little agitated. The cadet in question was resigned and every cadet on the ship got a final written warning, even the poor guy who was on watch in the engine room at the time!