chengkp75

Nope. Here is what is required in lifeboats: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/169.529 And, what you have quoted from Wiki is for US Navy liferafts, not SOLAS approved lifeboats. That equipment is listed above the part you quoted, where it says "Equipment to be carried on lifeboats and liferafts. Been checking lifeboat equipment for 46 years.

As the guy who was responsible for maintaining all the various galley equipment, I have a good idea of what and how the food is made. I know I've maintained bread proofing cabinets, dough sheeters that make puff pastry, baguette rollers that take dough balls and roll them into the loaves, dinner roll machines that divide a ball of dough into 19 balls, and rolls them into spheres, bread slicing machines, tart presses that put the dough into the pans, machines that make butter pats, buffalo choppers for salads, a $65k machine that can take a 35 gallon trash can of potatoes or vegetables and slice and dice them in minutes, band saws for meat and fish, stand mixers for doughs and sauces that can hold 20 gallons, steam kettles for soups and sauces that hold 40-50 gallons, pressure cookers that will cook 50 lbs of vegetables in minutes, bread ovens that hold 6 racks, each rack holding 10 full baking sheets, and roasting ovens that you roll a cart into that holds 10 full baking sheets full of chickens, hams, etc. As the guy who maintains the walk-in freezers and refrigerators, I get a pretty good idea of what is in them.

You'd be wrong about the thermal blankets. There is food, water, and safety equipment. As professional mariners, we always stress dressing warmly, if at all possible (and if you are in your cabin, it is definitely possible), even in a totally enclosed lifeboat (which cruise ship boats are not).

Uh, yes they are. Breads are baked onboard, soups, sauces and stews are made onboard in steam kettles, vegetables are steamed from fresh in pressure cookers. What items do you think are not cooked from scratch? Sure, they'll use canned stewed tomatoes, and such, is that what you are talking about?

What do you mean by "pre-made"?

Single hull tanker where the entire ship ahead of the house disappears under green water.

I know none of these is for NCL, but the policies are very similar across all lines. There was one on NCL a few months back, where one poster even claimed they had a letter from NCL saying that they provided cremation service onboard. That one might have gone poof, though.

Actually, based on the first post, I looked up Greek regulations on scattering of ashes. Greece was the last European nation to allow cremation, and their rules are relatively new (less than 20 years). Scattering of ashes is allowed in "public places well away from residences". And, while the US allows scattering outside of 3 miles, there is no "outside" limit of 12 miles, you could do it mid-Atlantic if you wanted. In general, in Europe, you can scatter ashes over land provided you have the landowner's permission, and there are few rules regarding scattering at sea, and most of these deal with not sending non-biodegradable items with the ashes.

Neither for the passengers or the crew. I dread an actual emergency after a couple of years of this new "virtual" muster. I know I'm in a minority of one, but I hope for a return to the actual muster drill. I tend to have emergency plans for virtually any place I'm in, and any situation I'm confronted with. Always have, always will.

There are several old threads about this, on various forums, try a search. At a minimum, you will need a copy of the death certificate, and a copy of the certificate of cremation. This will be for both the cruise line and the TSA if you are flying with cremains. When you notify NCL that you wish to do this, they will direct you to contact Guest Services when you board, and the Captain will determine a day and time for your service (it has to be more than 12 miles from shore). You will need a biodegradable urn, with a certificate that it is biodegradable. If you wish to put flowers in the sea as well, it is best to arrange this with NCL, as there are strict rules about what can be in the floral arrangements (no metal or plastic of any kind). On the day of your service, the Environmental Officer will take you to the after mooring station (as far aft and down low as possible), where he/she will give instructions, and then step away to give you privacy during your memorial. You cannot open the urn, the entire urn must go into the sea closed, no "scattering" of ashes. Afterwards, the Captain will send you a certificate showing the latitude and longitude where your loved one's ashes were committed.