mornin' all!

[swishwellingtons]

Hi folks,
saying a tentative hello here...I'm in the process of major career change. Hoping to embark on a cadetship with cruise ships come September and if I'm successful, you'll doubtless hear a whole lot more from me!
I just visited the Warsash Open Day which I found to be ok - certainly didn't put me off. Can't say I really learned that much from the presentations and so on since I've done plenty of research but it was great to be able to talk with some current cadets with Carnival and with Princess, all of whom seemed to be having a swell time...some who were just starting and some who were about to face their orals.

Also spoke to some lovely folks from cargo ships who were also having a great time!

Anyway, fingers crossed for an interview sometime sooooon.

Wellies.

p.s. please excuse the puns, can't help it.

[Superdandroid17]

Re: mornin' all!

Ive done the career change thing and it seems to have worked out so far.

Welcome to the site btw.

[Rowdy]

Re: mornin' all!

Hi Wellies,

I'm currently in the process of career changing from the Royal Navy to the Merchant...Hopefully I will be a September starter too, I looked into the cruise ship side of things...the only thing putting me off is that ive heard there trip lengths are like 4-6 months on then a small amount of leave, I dont suppose you know any better?

[swishwellingtons]

Re: mornin' all!

Hi Rowdy,

I've heard that to be the case, yes. I figure that cruise ships will be more interesting in terms of people interaction, whereas cargo stuff will have a eeper technical element for "changeover day"...on a cruise ship "Come on people, off you go, the plane's that way," whereas containers probably need a little more encouragement to leave

Thanks for the welcome Superdandroid, I'm looking forward to it! In fact, the suspense is killing me First applications are submitted, just working through a list now...then the waiting game...

[GuinnessMan]

Re: mornin' all!

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[alistairuk]

Re: mornin' all!

Hi Rowdy,

I've heard that to be the case, yes. I figure that cruise ships will be more interesting in terms of people interaction, whereas cargo stuff will have a eeper technical element for "changeover day"...on a cruise ship "Come on people, off you go, the plane's that way," whereas containers probably need a little more encouragement to leave

It's a bit more co-ordinated than that; ignoring the passengers themselves and pretty much all passenger related stuff since thats all the hotel departments problem - you also have;

+ Scan all passengers off + all new passengers back onboard (Security alas falls under deck)
+ Hotel provisions (were talking 4-8 trucks worth of food and drink)
+ Garbage - this is all our problem
+ Departing passengers baggage
+ Arriving passengers baggage
+ Technical stores
+ Refuelling
+ Removal of sludge and other misc. engine stuff

for starters all of which has to get loaded or taken off the ship in perfect co-ordination or you end up with either; angry passengers - pissed off chief engineers - or angry provision staff gunning for your blood because their pallets of ice creams melting. I don't envy the staff captains...

Much better being a lowly bridge officer where all they can complain at you for is not opening doors fast enough for them :-) or; how it becomes your fault that the tide went out and now the door thats easiest for them to use is facing a brick wall

[swishwellingtons]

Re: mornin' all!

sorry, was being a little facetious there.

Time and tide wait for no man then? lol ! Not even when your passengers have stumped up several thousand $$$ for their cruise? Where's the customer service these days then?

GuinessMan, I'm applying first and foremost to cruise because I believe it will be much more interesting. I'm sure cargo appeals to many people for very good reasons, but my own reasons mean that I want to work on cruise. So long as the ice cream doesn't melt, it'll be all good. And one day, I'll sort out them pesky tides.

[GuinnessMan]

Re: mornin' all!

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[size4riggerboots]

Re: mornin' all!

Why do all potential cadets think passengers are a positive?? I've just done a 4 hr watch being mobbed by questioning old ladies and people asking the same questiosn again and again... OK, most ships don't have the open bridge policy we do here, but you still get asked the same stupid questions when you're wandering around the ship! I'd love a bit of cargo that I can load neatly and know that it's going to stay where it's put, (as long as it's been lashed securely) and will not go wandering around the place in the altogether making things look untidy. Ok, so that was only last week that that happened, but one week was enough!!

[Superdandroid17]

Re: mornin' all!

Having previously been in customer services for a number of years I avoid the general public.

[GuinnessMan]

Re: mornin' all!

Why do all potential cadets think passengers are a positive?? I've just done a 4 hr watch being mobbed by questioning old ladies and people asking the same questiosn again and again... OK, most ships don't have the open bridge policy we do here, but you still get asked the same stupid questions when you're wandering around the ship! I'd love a bit of cargo that I can load neatly and know that it's going to stay where it's put, (as long as it's been lashed securely) and will not go wandering around the place in the altogether making things look untidy. Ok, so that was only last week that that happened, but one week was enough!!

Not to mention that the cargo doesn't come along and ask you stupid questions!

[Lukus]

Re: mornin' all!

haha you're a braver person than me...cruise ships are my idea of hell - at least for the moment :P

[size4riggerboots]

Re: mornin' all!

Didn't get a choice where I was put (Trinity House cadets get put all over the place) However, it has it's perks.. Sailing an Americas Cup boat, snorkeling trip, tour of Bequia, chance to get ashore to a beach and shops a couple of times a week at least, free cocktails at Introductions (aka ritual humiliation for the senior officers), lovely weather.... it's all a question of balance!!