New member from California

[deckofficer]

Joined the forum to try and catch up with SamandSally who joined the cruiser's forum that I am on December 12 before taking off on their around the world 4 month cruise. They had asked for packing hints for that cruise, and since it was a circumnavigation in just 4 months we all quickly figured that it wasn't on their own boat.

 

My name is Bob, and I've never hired on as a deckofficer on a cruise ship, but have sailed in that capacity on Break Bulk, tankers, container, and most recently offshore oil drilling ships. So, be gentle as I get my feet wet on this forum.

 

My last "ship", powered by (6) 5,000 hp electric thrusters to hold position over the well head.

 

 

My ugly mug on the bridge of the above rig

 

My "office"

[dustyroad]

hello and welcome :). and you dont have an ugly mug :D. let us know more about your cruise and we can help you more. what ship, where are you going and for how long. stuff like that will make it easier too give you info. but for now just remember-- dont over pack, take more money than you think you will need and have positive attitude about the cruise along with your great smile. you are certain too have a great time with that in mind. have a wonderful trip:)

[deckofficer]

Thanks Dusty. I'm here because SamandSally dropped by the cruising forum I belong to and I just figured since we all must share a love of the sea, I would join her forum here. I'm retired from the Merchant Marine, and as I stated, never hired on as a deck officer with a cruise line but have many miles on break bulk, container, tanker, and off shore oil drill ships. Currently in the market for a catamaran that needs a refit, so that I can install the systems that I want on board. I graduated from California Maritime Academy and you will always find CMA grads in the deck and engine departments aboard cruise ships. There seems to be cruisers here that have logged many miles on this forum, are you a high mileage cruiser?

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[deckofficer]

Thanks Paul, at 20K+ you have almost enough miles to have circumnavigated. On our merchant ships the food is always excellent, as the union stipulates a pastry chef must accompany the regular chef, and now days for a container ship our total crew compliment is all of 24 souls. So I imagine the food on cruise ships is top flight?

[dustyroad]

Thanks Dusty. I'm here because SamandSally dropped by the cruising forum I belong to and I just figured since we all must share a love of the sea, I would join her forum here. I'm retired from the Merchant Marine, and as I stated, never hired on as a deck officer with a cruise line but have many miles on break bulk, container, tanker, and off shore oil drill ships. Currently in the market for a catamaran that needs a refit, so that I can install the systems that I want on board. I graduated from California Maritime Academy and you will always find CMA grads in the deck and engine departments aboard cruise ships. There seems to be cruisers here that have logged many miles on this forum, are you a high mileage cruiser?

 

it sounds like you have had a exciting time on the water already. yes, i have been on 7 cruises ( 5 solo ) but that isnt nearly as many as so many others here. i love too cruise solo. i can come and go as i please, i dont have too wait on others in the shops or spots in the ports and not share the bathroom in the cabin. it is great. you will get alot of differnt conclusions on the food on the ships. some are happy with a certain ship while others thing the food isnt up too par. it is what one is used too and expect too be like. for myself i am very easy too please as far as food goes so i am always happy with what is served at all the venues. your catameran sounds like it will be very interesting when you get done with it. if you arnt going on a cruise you should think about it. you would like it im sure.

[deckofficer]

Dusty,

 

I think I would love a cruise, whereas everything is handled by others. No 0000~0400 watchstanding, not being stuck on the bridge in port directing loading, it would be sweet. I'll still go the solo route unless friends or family want to make a passage with me when I'm on the sailboat. 20 minute cat naps when solo gets old on a 25 day passage.

 

I'm real easy to please when it comes to food, meat and potatoes works for me. On most the commercial ships it is prime rib, steak, lobster, and as I mentioned, the union insists on a pastry chef, so tons of sweets.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[un4given2_3]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

[deckofficer]

Thanks un4given and Krazy Kruizer, and do you have a lot of posts here. You must know all the regulars. I found the folks I was looking for, PLUS a fellow sail boat cruiser is doing Alaska this July and it was weird finding her here. On her roll call thread I won't blow her cover, but it is fun watching her get decked out for the 2 formal night's dinner when I know back on her boat foulies are as dressed up as she gets.

[SadieN]

Thanks for the tour of the oil rig bridge. Always wanted to know what they looked like on the inside.

 

You might enjoy a Behind the Scenes tour. On Carnival they go everywhere except the engine room.

[deckofficer]

Thanks for the tour of the oil rig bridge. Always wanted to know what they looked like on the inside.

 

You might enjoy a Behind the Scenes tour. On Carnival they go everywhere except the engine room.

 

Are those tours popular? I've had a bit of a cool reception here and wondered if the other forum members have no interest in the workings of the ship and its personal? While I may never be on a cruise ship, I do enjoy the sea as well as any other on this forum.

 

This is one of the (7) engines.

 

Our Evap watermaker

 

And how we come and go

[dustyroad]

im sorry you feel you have had a cool reception here. i feel we have welcomed you alot and have enjoyed your great photo's. we tend too talk more about the planning and excitement of an actual cruise. at least i do anyway. im sure you would enjoy a cruise with a behind the scenes tour of how a cruise ship works and all the ports you could enjoy. your many yrs of working at sea might help you appriciate the relaxation of a cruise even more than being at work on a big rig.

[deckofficer]

Dusty,

 

It wasn't a cool reception here on this thread, and your right I would enjoy a relaxing cruise where I don't have to bail out crew from foreign port slammers and all the other parts of the job that are stressful. I had joined this forum to track down SamandSally who by mistake joined the cruising forum I am active on http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/ which is a forum for folks that cruise year in and year out on their own boats. I wasn't able to even give them a "sales (sails) pitch" on our lifestyle before they quickly left that forum after discovering it wasn't a cruise ship forum.

 

After being here awhile I ran across another member of my forum, sarafinadh who will be leaving her boat behind this summer and cruise with her in-laws who are celebrating their 50th by paying the way for her, hubby, and 18 year old daughter to cruise up to Alaska. Just maybe more of us will take a cruise with a cruise line and some of you fine folks might join us with your boat, your destinations and schedules. I think we all most share the same love of the sea, and intermingling is good for the species, don't you think?

[dustyroad]

Dusty,

 

It wasn't a cool reception here on this thread, and your right I would enjoy a relaxing cruise where I don't have to bail out crew from foreign port slammers and all the other parts of the job that are stressful. I had joined this forum to track down SamandSally who by mistake joined the cruising forum I am active on http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/ which is a forum for folks that cruise year in and year out on their own boats. I wasn't able to even give them a "sales (sails) pitch" on our lifestyle before they quickly left that forum after discovering it wasn't a cruise ship forum.

 

After being here awhile I ran across another member of my forum, sarafinadh who will be leaving her boat behind this summer and cruise with her in-laws who are celebrating their 50th by paying the way for her, hubby, and 18 year old daughter to cruise up to Alaska. Just maybe more of us will take a cruise with a cruise line and some of you fine folks might join us with your boat, your destinations and schedules. I think we all most share the same love of the sea, and intermingling is good for the species, don't you think?

 

im glad to read that the cool reception wasnt done here. we try too be very welcoming too newcomers and help out as much as we can. im sure if you folks and us cruise ship members got together it would be very interesting conversation. im glad you found your freinds you were looking for. :)

[deckofficer]

Dusty,

 

When you are in a social gathering with other well traveled folks, it is fun to chat about common places in the far reaches that you have visited. That is something both cruisers have in common, of course we tend to spend a lot more time at any given port. Typically for us, passage making is around 10% of our time, the other 90% spent on the hook, going to shore (town) in the dinghy for R&R, and provisioning.

[SadieN]

Thanks for the rest of the pix. I've seen them off the coast and always wondered about them.

 

The tours can be popular. Depending on the line and ship tours run a bit of money. I know on Carnival the prices are $55 for the smaller ships and $95 for the others. Usually these do sell out fast. They are limited to 16 people. Here's a link for more info:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1538916&highlight=behind+the+scenes+tours

 

Other lines have similar tours for around $100.

[deckofficer]

Sadie,

 

The ones off the coast are jack-ups and are supported on the sea bed. That is the easy oil, current exploration is 100 miles off shore and the drill rigs are now deemed vessels, and must have a marine compliment of officers with unlimited tonnage licenses to operate because they are using marine propulsion to hold position over the well head. The above rig has 32,000 ton displacement and at times fighting environmental loads of 40 kt of wind and 3 kt of current, I can burn 1,000 gallons of diesel per hour just to hold position. That is close to 30,000 horsepower just to hold position.