Afternoon guys (and girls!)

[Ross154]

How do,

I'm Ross. Just been offered a Deck Cadetship starting in January with Holland America Line cruise ships. Can't wait!
Is there anything anyone would recommend getting, apart from armbands etc, that might help on the course? Like are there any good books that aren't mentioned for the course but you've found useful?

Cheers,
Ross

[Randomist]

Hey Ross! Welcome to the forum.

Seamanship notes, pocket guide to officer of the watch and a copy of the colregs. Specifically A. Cockroft Collision Avoidance Rules Vol. 7 is very good and is 20% off at amazon at the moment.

[Ross154]

Cheers Randomist. Guessing they're all books are they? Is it these ones, or do these just happen to match what you said but isn't what you meant:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seamanship-Notes-Angus-Ferguson/dp/0953437965/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351895248&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Watch-Officers-Guide-Handbook-Deck/dp/1557508135/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351895210&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Collision-Avoidance-Rules/dp/0080971709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351895053&sr=1-1

Thanks again. Very helpful!

[YoungMariner]

Enjoy Holland America Line, it's generally a good company with reasonable conditions. For motivated and keen people, promotion is rapid, so get good reports and make friends during your cadetship.

[Randomist]

That was the correct seamanship notes book, only take care with some of the info in it as I found a couple of mistakes when I was preparing for my orals.

this is the pocket book I got: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Macneils-Sea..._rhf_se_s_cp_9

and that was the correct book for the colregs guide it has the rules in it and then after each one it has an in depth explanation. At that price it's not bad either. It's usually ?50.

later in your cadetship y may want to look for some books on stability and 'seamanship examiner' is good as well but not necessary when you're just starting out.

When you're learning rules on ship a good book to carry around with you is: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pocket-Inter...ref=pd_sim_b_6

I'm sure lots of other people have found stuff they find particularly useful as well.

[Ross154]

Enjoy Holland America Line, it's generally a good company with reasonable conditions. For motivated and keen people, promotion is rapid, so get good reports and make friends during your cadetship.

Sound advice. You with HAL yourself then? Good to see them getting a good review from a source other than their own website. Reassuring that.

[YoungMariner]

I worked for HAL until 2008, and thoroughly enjoyed my time there.