MBP&O2/O

Agree, and in those days ... minimal creature comforts, minimal 'fresh food. Obviously no Internet and computers. BP said they would try and get you home in six months but don't count on it.🫡 Having said that they supplied a box of three, three reel films of dubious quality🙂

We saw barge pushes. They looked to have the hydrodynamics of a house brick. I raise my hat to the pusher skippers. Very skillful.

What size of ship can now access the Mississippi, and how far? On the last oil tanker I sailed on we went to St. James, Louisiana...somewhere between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. We were 44,000 dwt, and fully laden, and that seemed quite large enough for me thank you very much 😀 Fascinating journey though!

Another thing I fell foul of was a well known UK Company who 'sold on' your email address AFTER you had placed an order. Read the small print was a lesson learned. I have never used that company since.

I tend to use all zeros.....if the form accepts the correct number of digits then great .... if it doesn't then I won't submit the form😏

No ... I meant the tanker was not a patch on the Avocets speed of 22.7 .... The tanker was pretty regular but with the clean bits it improved. Even with steaming bonnets on back to front that would be pushing it 😄 Having said that I sailed on one (British Courage) that was built with RAS in mind, and it is alleged that when they put the pedal to the metal... so to speak... it was capable of 22+ .... and the rattling could be heard in space. Mmm Thinks of a vibration problem on Strathmuir which had a prop balance issue .... 🙄

A big no to theatre, trivia, gyms, spa, shared tables, fixed time dining, Nor do I have time for Mr & Mrs Entitled and their friends the Demanders 😉

Surprisingly not! It was a reasonably new, 22000dwt oil tanker. We had discharged a full cargo of AvGas/JP4 and Kerosene around the Tahiti area / islands and we were in ballast. Recent drydock so a clean bottom etc. Not a patch on the Wild Avocet .... 22.7kts from Chiba to Los Angeles 🙂🙂

The hour a day wasn't an issue. We changed at 0200 and adjusted watchkeeping accordingly. What did cause confusion was throwing a Date Line crossing into the mix ... at the same time as a one hour clock flog 🤔 The first time I did that we ended up jumping from 25 December to 27 December ... missing Boxing Day completely. We were also steaming at a speed which couldn't cope with a one hour flogging and ended up with 'noon' at 1400 😄 Not often that the 8x12 3/O got morning star sights dropped on him! 🤣

We tried to do so, but several places didn't even open until 11:00am ....... too late for my coffee and pastries😄

We were in AK this year and many shops had a 'Local Owner' sign in the window and they were asking you to support local business.

Another good Star Viewing App is STELLARIUM.

For the Brits ... think Benidorm and Mel in the thong 😵‍💫

.... and if they close the gate 30mins before departure?🤔😵‍💫

Which is what I do. Easy peasy. I cannot recollect ever going 'casual' on an evening on SS .... even after an eleven hour excursio.n

If a vessel issues a distress call, the AMVER system notes any vessel(s) in the vicinity and sends a message to the vessel regarding the distress. Upon receipt, the Master is obligated to respond, in accordance with the laws of the sea. Could have done with that when I was a lad 😁 I have asked USCG Guam for info regarding a distress call but pleas and deaf ears etc .....

A UK vest .... with the fashion police😁 in hot pursuit. At least he is wearing a jacket.🙄

I'm sure I read somewhere that a specific type of detergent has to be used. OTC ones can affect the water filtration results. I stand to be corrected.

No restaurant on site? Thinking more of a lazy breakfast than anything else!

The smoking regs are there for a purpose. I am slightly biased on this one. I was a deck officer on oil tankers. Smoking regs / safety issues etc. were stringently enforced. This was obviously for safety and it had nothing to do with the comestic aspect of the impregnation / lingering stink of stale tobacco in the accommodations. At sea you were allowed to smoke inside, behind closed doors and windows and never EVER on deck. In port the whole crew was restricted to smoking in one room only ......... talk about passive smoking😁 Flaunting the regs was invariably a sacking offence. One lad was dismissed for smoking on the poop deck and flicking his smouldering tab end overboard. The offending object was caught in the wind and landed back on deck. A scenario which could occur on a cruise ship balcony. Imagine a ciggy landing on someone who was sunbathing on their balcony 😄🤔

Current weather ....

Exactly my outlook, except my books are on my tablet, and I hate trivia. 🙂

I watched aTV documentary about Regent. It showed the ship provisioning whilst the commentary was banging on about gourmet cuisine. It then showed a pallet load of a commercial brand of camambert being loaded. That particular brand retails at a price below the normal supermarkets own brand price. But, as long as the accountants are happy😏

At risk of being a doom and gloom merchant. 0730x1500? Off the ship by 0730 ... assuming it berths on time. Back on board by 1430 latest, possibly 1400 even? Allow three hours traveling there and back. Four hours max in Rome ... probably nearer three. Good luck 🙂🤞

I have heard similar comments regarding cancellations, some of which are at 24hrs notice! We are at Civitivechia next year and that one's off my list😏