What Happens on Turnaround Day?

[SFLcowboy78]

I was watching the Science channel last night as I do before bed on most nights and found a show that was of particular interest. They have a series called Mega Machines and this particular episode had to do with Cruise Ships (RCI Harmony of the Seas) and what a turnaround day looks like. This show took an indepth look into the inner workings that most guests do get to see, and I found it very interesting. I highly recommend watching it. Below is a link for it. 

 

https://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/mega-machines-sea-giants/ 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the link -- I will check it out.

 

Having done quite a few back-to-back cruises, turn around day on a ship is very hectic.

[cb at sea]

Turnaround day is hectic, but they do it weekly or bi-weekly....depending on length of cruise....they pretty much have it down to a science!

[Hlitner]

It is the worst day for all members of the crew except the few who get to go home.    

 

Hank

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, cb at sea said:

Turnaround day is hectic, but they do it weekly or bi-weekly....depending on length of cruise....they pretty much have it down to a science!

Unfortunately, yet again a highly uneducated response. From experience, as both a passenger and cruise ship officer, the only truth is that TAD is in fact a very hectic day.

 

Saying they do it weekly or bi-weekly is utterly ridiculous considering the number of options available for length of cruise. 

 

Best description is probably "organised chaos", but when they get a variety of curves thrown in, it may quickly trend to unorganised. As passengers, we see the cabins being turned around, baggage, stores, etc but we don't see many of the other challenges that occur - pilots, weather/tides, bunkers, crew, critical spares, etc just to mention a few.

[GUT2407]

Turn around days are incredibly interesting and the logistics are fascinating.

[chengkp75]

13 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Best description is probably "organised chaos", but when they get a variety of curves thrown in, it may quickly trend to unorganised. As passengers, we see the cabins being turned around, baggage, stores, etc but we don't see many of the other challenges that occur - pilots, weather/tides, bunkers, crew, critical spares, etc just to mention a few.

While food and beverage stores were being loaded at the after shell door, I remember when as First Engineer, I was the "choreographer" of I-95 at the midships shell door.  In the 4 hour window between the last baggage cart going ashore, and the first baggage cart coming back on, we had to load all the engineering stores, the hotel dry stores (linens, china, mattresses, etc), holiday decorations, and the shop and concession inventory, and find space to store it all while others then moved it to the proper locations, and get I-95 empty again for the baggage carts.

[Heidi13]

Chengkp75 - found it interesting the main alleyway was I-95, as on the UK based ships it was M-1. Similar concept naming after a major motorway.

 

On TAR day, when off-watch, many mornings were spent with contractors or inspectors/surveyors and afternoons completing the W/T door training and emergency duties famil with new joiners.

[chengkp75]

24 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Chengkp75 - found it interesting the main alleyway was I-95, as on the UK based ships it was M-1. Similar concept naming after a major motorway.

 

On TAR day, when off-watch, many mornings were spent with contractors or inspectors/surveyors and afternoons completing the W/T door training and emergency duties famil with new joiners.

Typically, new joiners were handled by HR to get signed on and into their cabins, get uniforms, etc, and then the next day was taken up with a full day of orientation, with presentations by each department head, and safety duty and station orientation.

 

On turn-around, the Chief was typically with the superintendent or contractors, the Staff Chief was supervising bunkers, and the First was directing the storing evolution.  After bunkers, as Staff Chief I spent the remainder of the turn around touring all pax areas and hotel back of house, looking for maintenance problems to nip in the bud.

[Heidi13]

The Engineers look after all maintenance these days, but back in my P&O days the Chief Officer looked after all topside maintenance, so as 3rd Officer, we got delegated responsibility to escort contractor/surveyors.

 

On Island Princess, I had the unfortunate experience of being aboard when the shoppie was killed in a W/T, I actually closed the doors due to fog. She joined the day before, so the company initiated crew W/T door training, before departure. I believe it still goes on, as our son conducted the training while 3/O with Princess. 

[chengkp75]

42 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

The Engineers look after all maintenance these days, but back in my P&O days the Chief Officer looked after all topside maintenance, so as 3rd Officer, we got delegated responsibility to escort contractor/surveyors.

 

On Island Princess, I had the unfortunate experience of being aboard when the shoppie was killed in a W/T, I actually closed the doors due to fog. She joined the day before, so the company initiated crew W/T door training, before departure. I believe it still goes on, as our son conducted the training while 3/O with Princess. 

For us, the Chief Officer still deals with topside maintenance (exterior).  NCL also had an instance where an engineer was cut in two by a W/T door.

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

For us, the Chief Officer still deals with topside maintenance (exterior).  NCL also had an instance where an engineer was cut in two by a W/T door.

The local ferries also lost a 2nd Engineer in a W/T Door.