I've been fascinated with the life inside a ship since I learned all about the Titanic and her officers. I find it quite fascinating that not many things changed regarding the routine of your job since 1912. Of course you have different technology, you have to deal with bigger ships and you have more stuff to do in your little spare time. Nevertheless the core of your job hasn't changed much and that's incredible. So glad i found this channel, all the best from Italy.
please make a video about navigation and the instruments you use. how do you avoid bad weather to make the cruise more comfortable for the guests and crew.
Hi Alfie! Hope you're enjoying your vacation. I noticed someone else mentioned Clear Eyes - that you shouldn't use it long term. My eye Dr said the same thing, and he told me to purchase Lumify by Bausch and Lomb. He said it doesn't have any side effects like the other (mainly dry eyes) and that it clears your eyes in 1 minute. Not sure if you can get it where you're located, but I'd give it a try if you can find it. Liked your video. I'd probably lay there not being able to fall asleep cause I think I'll sleep thru my alarm! Looking forward to more videos!
When I stood radio watches on USN ships, in port we stood 2 eight hour MID watches, 2 eight hour EVE watches and 2 eight hour DAY watches then 72 hours off. At sea, we stood Port and Starboard watches, 12 hours on and 12 hours off.
Thanks for sharing your day Alfie. Very cool to see how your routine goes, i am sure when you get home from contract you must sleep for days to get catch up. ✌🏻
I am so insanely jealous of both your job and your lifestyle! I lost my career in Aviation due to losing my other half and becoming a single parent. Which I do love but honestly, what you do is my absolute dream! ⚓️🚢 Embrace every moment for those of us who will never get the opportunity! 🇬🇧
I have been a shift worker my whole life and understand how beat up you can feel over long periods of early, late work. I just passed my 40 year mark driving buses for Transit, Greyhound for 30 years and back to Transit after Greyhound died here in Canada. My wife and I hope to be able to get back to cruising in the next year. Appreciate your content. Be safe.
Great to watch your video Alfie, and thanks for creating it, and giving me a few moments to reminisce! 50+ years ago I, too, was a Second Officer, on the Empress of Canada (Canadian Pacific) and our roles haven’t changed much at all - apart from a few minor differences like computerised navigation and positioning systems versus the old sextant! We, as Navigating Officers, were rotated between ships of the Canadian Pacific fleet, so I spent much of my time on freighters and bulk carriers on worldwide voyages. I must admit that I preferred the non passenger ships - the ports varied, the runs more exciting, and the cargoes less demanding!(Lol!) My last voyages were at time when containerisation was changing the nature of voyaging, and I could see the demise of the BritishMerchant Navy in the 70’s, so I swallowed the anchor, emigrated to Canada, with no regrets…..but still fond memories of my years at sea from late teens to late 20’s. Keep filming! Thanks!
Would love to know more about what is involved in Watch, and how it is changing or not with technology change - what is being automated and what can't be automated, what are your tools of trade and are they changing?
After being a truck hazmat dispatcher for years at the office by 5 am and on call 24 hours….yes. I think I would do well. The hardest thing is the discipline to exercise. Very interesting! Thank you for the vlog.😊
Aye, split shifts are a nightmare; I did them for a few years, never again, and I'm certainly glad that I wasn't responsible for anything like a cruise liner...
Just completed our 65th cruise and the officers have a good situation compared to crew but I have been told if they don’t stay on top of their responsibilities there is hell to pay. So officers are under a different kind of stress
wow, clear eyes is amazing. it clears your eyes, gets you dressed and showered all in a split second after using them. that would totally save time, I need to get some.
Great to see you again. How are the studies going? Do we get to call you First Officer Alfie yet? When you get another contract, do you have to go through all the quarantine procedures again when you join a new ship? Things are not that good right now in Australia, but my cruise on the Pacific Explorer on 20th December 2021 ex Melbourne is till listed as sailing as scheduled. Fingers crossed.
#SameShipDifferentDay when you walked outside in the video, it was totally jet black, dark out there, with lights in the distance. Are the decks not lit up at night? I was hoping, if I don't sleep during the night on our upcoming cruise to go out on deck and have a ciggie and relax. But if there's no big lights outside on the ship, I reckon I'll be too creeped out. I've been watching the series "cruise ship killers" and it's been creeping me out just the thought of being alone at night on the ship . Stupid tv hehe I felt 1000 per cent safe on board till I watched that show. That'll teach me hehe
Hi Debbie the open passenger areas are all lit up at night, however the bridge and forward decks have to be in darkness for navigation. Like driving a car
Hello my friend. My name is Pedro. I will be working on board for the first time this year at MSC in the bar department. I would like to know how to become an officer, just like you? It is very difficult to find the correct instructions. Working as an officer I would have a better balance between time on land and on board. Much better than the bar department. Where you spend almost the whole year at sea. As an officer I could dedicate myself to the seas ;) Any help is welcome, sim og the seas !
Very interesting video thanks. I think the biggest challenge for me with that daily routine would be not being able to have the odd quiet drink, or two.
Definitely are advantages to be a bridge officer, but this "on the watch" schedule is not healthy at all for a long run. But for sure this is going to change when you are going to operate with passengers again, as I presume for now you are quite understaffed. Anyway, as for the schedule I prefer a hotel staff position than some stripes on the uniform.
What is the difference between carnival security that wears a black shirt and security that wears white shirts and has the stuff on the shoulder but a different design
He wouldn't have gotten that job if he smoke weed. They do a drug test prior to employment then do random drug tests for the employees. If he failed the drug test, he would've got fired on the spot
Interesting video but missed out the whole of the working day on watch? My security did not permit this? However interesting to know why you are wasting fuel steaming around rather than at anchor? Unless you are on a repositioning voyage? Have you taken your masters yet? Do you have a full complement of deck officers on board? If so how does the staff captain fill in his time? Thanks for posting and look forward to the next one!
Wait, 12 till 4..? 4 hour shift or 16? Either way, why? That's a little strange. If it is 4, do you do 2 shifts per day or something? That seems awkward.
Hi Roy we all hold unlimited tickets/CoCs but masters is not required at the lower ranks. I hold a Chief Mate CoC at the moment which is needed to be 2nd officer and above
Yeah, but if those hours he gave at the start of the video are true, he works a 16 hour day and gets 8 hours to eat and sleep between shifts. That's a grueling schedule! That's how slaves were treated!
Hi Alfie, I really enjoy your insights into the life on board, as an experienced cruiser I've always wondered what a day entails for the crew and bridge officers are like and what is behind those crew only doors, so thank you for the time you spend making the great videos and keep safe.
Thank you so much for sharing a typical day in your four month contract, Alfie! I get so sleepy watching TV that without high doses of caffeine, I would never be able to stay awake during night watch, but I'm 62 now. Thank you for being a great seamen or a Merchant Marine.
It's good to see you again. Thanks for posting. My husband was in the Navy and he told me about these kind of shifts. I didn't really grasp how it worked (though I think he was 4 on 4 off - not sure). Seeing you go through your day is an eye opener. It looks exhausting.
Hi Alfie, long time no see. Hope you are keeping well over there. Hoping for more industry decisions to get back in the water, so to speak. Greetings from Montreal.
Hey Alfie, live here in CT as well!! Small world. Thanks for this video, contemplating switching careers later in life from International Jet Pilot to Deck Officer, good insight into your world.
GREAT to see you Alfie! 🙂 👍 Thanks for the update. Good to see everyone having fun playing table tennis- a great stress reliever from the daily duties. Looking forward to future updates. Be well! 👍🙏
What do you do if one of the watch keepers gets ill? I’m not talking a serious illness but one that might require taking a medication like decongestants, or causes you to not be able to keep watch? Air crew would be grounded. Is something similar done for you guys? Or do the other watch keepers just have to cover for you?
Hi William. Other officers would cover the watch until the officer in question is fit for duty. Most commonly the Safety Officer, who is usually day work, will take a watch to avoid reducing the rest time of other watchkeepers
As a retired Navy officer I was particularly interested in the bridge and navigation, but doubtless you can’t show much if that fir security reasons. Our days at sea were filled up with many more things related to maintenance, training if the crew, and there were times when we were only in three section watches so sleep was even harder to get, although I never had to resort to eye drops. I am VERY jealous of your accommodations, though. Space is at a premium in a warship, and we never had an espresso machine. Navy coffee is notoriously bad, LOL. At one time I had thought about taking the second mate’s test (having been both a navigator and in charge of the desk crew on a supply ship) but the employment situation in the US Merchant Marine was rock bottom. So instead I went to jump school and joined a Marine Corps airborne unit.
The question has probably been asked before, ... do you mix /integrate with the (I hate to qualify) the "lower'and/or'higher' ranks ? Does each " rank/profession" has its own eating/distracting and sleeping facilities/areas/advantages? Do you think you're wages are justified? You look exhausted... (sorry, just being honest).
Wow dude your sleep pattern is as bad as mine 🤣great insight, these kind of videos always fascinate me, also dude you work on a boat, how cool is that?! ☝️☝️
I thought cruise lines were accepting passengers again. Confusing considering that airplanes in the US are packed and rental cars are hard to find, that the cruise industry is still not back.
Hi Alfie, I really enjoyed the episode and seeing behind the scenes such as the wardroom. I sailed both with P&O Princess and the RAN. With Princess we worked standing watches for the time we were onboard which I think allows your body clock to get into a routine. Navy often ran a routine whereby you stood rolling watches with the routine being changed by splitting the Dog watch (1600 - 2000) into two, two hour watches which meant you never got into a fixed routine however depending upon the number of watch keeping officers every fourth night you got a full nights sleep. Think I preferred the standing watch routine. Do you still have ancillary duties such as acting as a boat coxswain in boat ports, LSA maintenance and survey work? Cheers Ivan
Hi Ivan. Yeah it’s good to have a routine, and yes I have LSA inspections and various safety related duties, as well as administrative and passage planning duties. Though the majority of passage planning is done by the 1st Officer
This split shift would not be for me! Why don’t they schedule regular 7 to 8 hour shifts around the clock? Glad to see you have a good coffee machine on board. I would be putting 2 of those espresso shots in my cappuccino if I had to work your schedule!
Hello Sir Myself Pradeep Rathi from India I have 9 months experience as a Deck Cadet on a Tanker ship. I want to join Cruise ship. Can you please guide me how to join a Cruise ship as a Deck Cadet? Thank you
I though the lack of videos was because you had gone home! What is the rationale of giving you multiple shifts and not provide for 8 hour sleep? Concerns about alertness at end of 8 hour shift? I would have though that preventing proper sleep every day would end up degrading your alertness all the time. Do all crew work the same shifts or only the bridge crew? (so when your girldfriend is on board, so you have matching sleep cycles, or is it a challenge to be on similar shifts? Also very mad thjat you panned camera away from the keypad so we can't find out the code to get on the bridge :-) How much of your work is done from a well lighted office vs dark bridge when on duty during darjk hours? is it hard to stay awake in a dark bridge for 4 hours when the ship is idle and not much happening?
Happy Saturday from Canada Alfie!!! I was just thinking of you yesterday. So you're ears must have been ringing. (wink, wink - giggle, giggle) That would be a HUGE no for me doing what you've been doing. Especially for 4 - 5 months. 3 questions. These 4 hours shifts are still the way even when the ship is full of paying passengers? I ask because there might be more bridge staff then. Does the captain do these shorter shifts as well? And, is it hard on the eyes to walk onto the bridge when it's so freaking dark? So now the wait to see if you're off the ship yet? Which I'm guessing you are. Take care of yourself as well Alfie.
Hi Cory, it’s good to be back! Yes shift patterns are the same with or without passengers onboard and the captain just does day work most of the time so not required to take a watch. We usually come up 15 minutes or so early so our eyes can adjust to the dark. And I won’t ruin the surprise in videos to come!
I got hired on by Norwegian Cruiseline and after all the paperwork training medical exam I will be assigned to Pride of America ship and I plan to work my way up the ladder
I have experience on board and actually it is modern slavery there....A few people who call themselves officers act like Gods there and the rest of the crew are slaves and sleep like cockroaches in tiny cabins without any 'privileges'...I have engineering education and good professional background but on board because my position was administrative I was treated like a slave among these medeival villagers...
Wishing you and all the crews well as you keep watch. Job well done !
I've been fascinated with the life inside a ship since I learned all about the Titanic and her officers. I find it quite fascinating that not many things changed regarding the routine of your job since 1912. Of course you have different technology, you have to deal with bigger ships and you have more stuff to do in your little spare time. Nevertheless the core of your job hasn't changed much and that's incredible. So glad i found this channel, all the best from Italy.
please make a video about navigation and the instruments you use.
how do you avoid bad weather to make the cruise more comfortable for the guests and crew.
Hi Alfie! Hope you're enjoying your vacation. I noticed someone else mentioned Clear Eyes - that you shouldn't use it long term. My eye Dr said the same thing, and he told me to purchase Lumify by Bausch and Lomb. He said it doesn't have any side effects like the other (mainly dry eyes) and that it clears your eyes in 1 minute. Not sure if you can get it where you're located, but I'd give it a try if you can find it.
Liked your video. I'd probably lay there not being able to fall asleep cause I think I'll sleep thru my alarm! Looking forward to more videos!
Hi Anna. Thank you very much for the recommendation. I’ll see if I can get some!
Thanks Alfie. Very interesting. No way I could keep your schedule!
I used to go to see in the early 80s with blue star line on reefers and box boats,great life wish I could turn the clock back,great video👍👍😄😄
When I stood radio watches on USN ships, in port we stood 2 eight hour MID watches, 2 eight hour EVE watches and 2 eight hour DAY watches then 72 hours off. At sea, we stood Port and Starboard watches, 12 hours on and 12 hours off.
It’s amazing how similar life as a 2nd office with NCL is to yours.
Thanks for sharing your day Alfie. Very cool to see how your routine goes, i am sure when you get home from contract you must sleep for days to get catch up. ✌🏻
Love the Magic Eyedrops!
This looks like a Sun Class ship. I worked as videographer on the former Sun Princess. It’s so good to see BTS again after 4 years on shore.
I am so insanely jealous of both your job and your lifestyle! I lost my career in Aviation due to losing my other half and becoming a single parent. Which I do love but honestly, what you do is my absolute dream! ⚓️🚢 Embrace every moment for those of us who will never get the opportunity! 🇬🇧
I have been a shift worker my whole life and understand how beat up you can feel over long periods of early, late work. I just passed my 40 year mark driving buses for Transit, Greyhound for 30 years and back to Transit after Greyhound died here in Canada. My wife and I hope to be able to get back to cruising in the next year. Appreciate your content. Be safe.
Thanks Jim. You definitely feel my pain!
Thank you for another great video.
Oh to be young again… Thanks for the great insight into your day Alfie… All the best 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇬🇧🇨🇦
Great to watch your video Alfie, and thanks for creating it, and giving me a few moments to reminisce!
50+ years ago I, too, was a Second Officer, on the Empress of Canada (Canadian Pacific) and our roles haven’t changed much at all - apart from a few minor differences like computerised navigation and positioning systems versus the old sextant!
We, as Navigating Officers, were rotated between ships of the Canadian Pacific fleet, so I spent much of my time on freighters and bulk carriers on worldwide voyages. I must admit that I preferred the non passenger ships - the ports varied, the runs more exciting, and the cargoes less demanding!(Lol!)
My last voyages were at time when containerisation was changing the nature of voyaging, and I could see the demise of the BritishMerchant Navy in the 70’s, so I swallowed the anchor, emigrated to Canada, with no regrets…..but still fond memories of my years at sea from late teens to late 20’s.
Keep filming! Thanks!
Would love to know more about what is involved in Watch, and how it is changing or not with technology change - what is being automated and what can't be automated, what are your tools of trade and are they changing?
Hi Paul. There’s a Bridge Tour coming up soon, but I may also discuss the watchkeeping in more detail in a future video. Thanks for watching
Be interesting to see a track map of where the ship has been for the past week (or whatever).
After being a truck hazmat dispatcher for years at the office by 5 am and on call 24 hours….yes. I think I would do well. The hardest thing is the discipline to exercise. Very interesting! Thank you for the vlog.😊
Alfie your back! Nice to watch another video of yours. I think I'd be pretty good at managing the shift patterns. When do I start? Haha
Thanks for serving
I don’t think I could handle split shifts like that. Interesting look at shipboard life, thank you
Aye, split shifts are a nightmare; I did them for a few years, never again, and I'm certainly glad that I wasn't responsible for anything like a cruise liner...
I love it! More videos to come, mate!
Just completed our 65th cruise and the officers have a good situation compared to crew but I have been told if they don’t stay on top of their responsibilities there is hell to pay. So officers are under a different kind of stress
wow, clear eyes is amazing. it clears your eyes, gets you dressed and showered all in a split second after using them. that would totally save time, I need to get some.
Great to see you again. How are the studies going? Do we get to call you First Officer Alfie yet? When you get another contract, do you have to go through all the quarantine procedures again when you join a new ship? Things are not that good right now in Australia, but my cruise on the Pacific Explorer on 20th December 2021 ex Melbourne is till listed as sailing as scheduled. Fingers crossed.
Have booked Pacific Explorer in march
#SameShipDifferentDay when you walked outside in the video, it was totally jet black, dark out there, with lights in the distance. Are the decks not lit up at night? I was hoping, if I don't sleep during the night on our upcoming cruise to go out on deck and have a ciggie and relax. But if there's no big lights outside on the ship, I reckon I'll be too creeped out. I've been watching the series "cruise ship killers" and it's been creeping me out just the thought of being alone at night on the ship . Stupid tv hehe I felt 1000 per cent safe on board till I watched that show. That'll teach me hehe
Hi Debbie the open passenger areas are all lit up at night, however the bridge and forward decks have to be in darkness for navigation. Like driving a car
USA your nice looking very interesting 😊
Salute(Sea is calling)
Do you ever sail with US licensed officers or are they restricted to sailing in Us flagged ships?
Hello my friend. My name is Pedro. I will be working on board for the first time this year at MSC in the bar department. I would like to know how to become an officer, just like you? It is very difficult to find the correct instructions.
Working as an officer I would have a better balance between time on land and on board. Much better than the bar department. Where you spend almost the whole year at sea. As an officer I could dedicate myself to the seas ;)
Any help is welcome, sim og the seas !
Dream Job
Very interesting video thanks. I think the biggest challenge for me with that daily routine would be not being able to have the odd quiet drink, or two.
Definitely are advantages to be a bridge officer, but this "on the watch" schedule is not healthy at all for a long run. But for sure this is going to change when you are going to operate with passengers again, as I presume for now you are quite understaffed. Anyway, as for the schedule I prefer a hotel staff position than some stripes on the uniform.
What is the difference between carnival security that wears a black shirt and security that wears white shirts and has the stuff on the shoulder but a different design
What about cadets? Do they have the same schedule?
Hi Javier. Yes for the most parts cadets have watches the same as us, however they are usually given a day to study each week without watch
Hi Alfie, when you become captain will you be getting a cat on the bridge?
Why don't they work 8 hour shifts and then get a day off?
How you get promotion on cruise ship
I am deck officer on oil tanker. How can I work on cruise?
Do u always do the same shifts or what other shifts u do
Eye drops because of salty air why didn’t I think of that excuse. He’s totally stoned
He wouldn't have gotten that job if he smoke weed. They do a drug test prior to employment then do random drug tests for the employees. If he failed the drug test, he would've got fired on the spot
I thought you were supposed to be home already? What happened to your replacement?
Hi Norman. Don’t worry I’m home, just catching up on videos so will be a while before I’m home on TH-cam!
Interesting video but missed out the whole of the working day on watch? My security did not permit this? However interesting to know why you are wasting fuel steaming around rather than at anchor? Unless you are on a repositioning voyage? Have you taken your masters yet? Do you have a full complement of deck officers on board? If so how does the staff captain fill in his time? Thanks for posting and look forward to the next one!
Do you get shore leave?
Where's the passengers? Why are you sailing with no passengers. Seems odd.
Wait, 12 till 4..? 4 hour shift or 16? Either way, why? That's a little strange. If it is 4, do you do 2 shifts per day or something? That seems awkward.
I see that shift length was answered in the video. Why do 2 4 hour shifts rather than 1 8 hour shift?
Are all Cruise Ship Deck Officers(bar Cadets) required to hold Foreign Going Masters' Tickets ?
Hi Roy we all hold unlimited tickets/CoCs but masters is not required at the lower ranks. I hold a Chief Mate CoC at the moment which is needed to be 2nd officer and above
Just an FYI Clear Eyes are not meant to be used indefinitely.
Yeah, but if those hours he gave at the start of the video are true, he works a 16 hour day and gets 8 hours to eat and sleep between shifts. That's a grueling schedule! That's how slaves were treated!
@@fredashay They do 2 x 4 hour watches, so 8 hours, and an hour or so of admin.... NOT 16 hour days so to speak
@@todddawes2759 2×4 navigational watchkeeping, 2×4 deck work.
Omg I can tell with the carpet the bathroom and deck 12 it's pacific explorer!! We're you on the cruise x337 from August 29 to sept 9??? I was on that
Hi Alfie, I really enjoy your insights into the life on board, as an experienced cruiser I've always wondered what a day entails for the crew and bridge officers are like and what is behind those crew only doors, so thank you for the time you spend making the great videos and keep safe.
Nice presentation, Alfie, thanks for the video. Kudos for the good editing in the eyedrops sequence. Very smooth! All the best to you.
This seems like the perfect dream job. Being an Officer on a ship, not really having to deal with public as much as crew, and amazing food.
and all that while travelling the world
@Lilman Yellow but if you don’t wanna have kids you’ll be great!
@Lilman Yellow For sure it has cons, however the time you spend on-board, is the same amount of time you'll spend back on shore, paid leave! :D
On 99% vessels is not this good. This gives fake perspective of job. Only you are on cruises or gas tankers it is not worth the money
First you would need to be an officer to have the same experience. Also, 5 hours of sleep a night does not sound nice
Mad respect for you & rest of officers. Also mad respect for the entire crew on a cruise ship.
Thank you so much for sharing a typical day in your four month contract, Alfie! I get so sleepy watching TV that without high doses of caffeine, I would never be able to stay awake during night watch, but I'm 62 now. Thank you for being a great seamen or a Merchant Marine.
It's good to see you again. Thanks for posting. My husband was in the Navy and he told me about these kind of shifts. I didn't really grasp how it worked (though I think he was 4 on 4 off - not sure). Seeing you go through your day is an eye opener. It looks exhausting.
back in 2009-2013 on submarines we'd do 6 on 12 off for at sea watch sections. They may do it differently now though.
Hi Alfie, long time no see. Hope you are keeping well over there. Hoping for more industry decisions to get back in the water, so to speak. Greetings from Montreal.
Thanks Jeremy!
I would be a walking zombie! I need more sleep than that!
Hey Alfie, live here in CT as well!! Small world. Thanks for this video, contemplating switching careers later in life from International Jet Pilot to Deck Officer, good insight into your world.
I look forward to the day you can make a video telling us about cruises resuming in Australia.
i would love those shifts i have done shifts all my life but to be on the bridge and not have to deal with the public on a ship bloody fantastic.
GREAT to see you Alfie! 🙂 👍 Thanks for the update. Good to see everyone having fun playing table tennis- a great stress reliever from the daily duties. Looking forward to future updates. Be well! 👍🙏
What do you do if one of the watch keepers gets ill? I’m not talking a serious illness but one that might require taking a medication like decongestants, or causes you to not be able to keep watch? Air crew would be grounded. Is something similar done for you guys? Or do the other watch keepers just have to cover for you?
Hi William. Other officers would cover the watch until the officer in question is fit for duty. Most commonly the Safety Officer, who is usually day work, will take a watch to avoid reducing the rest time of other watchkeepers
Fair play to you Alfie! I'm tired just watching this! 😴
Hi again Alfie,
Great to see you!
Any word when your ship may resume cruising with passengers? It looks so lonely now 🥺
Hi Linda. Unfortunately not at this stage, but some cruises have started up around the world
There was a pandemic still a year ago...? 😂
Great to see you 😀 👍 reminds me of my Air Force days. Harder to do when older my friend 🥰👊👍
Thats crazy…you dont get enough sleep
As a retired Navy officer I was particularly interested in the bridge and navigation, but doubtless you can’t show much if that fir security reasons. Our days at sea were filled up with many more things related to maintenance, training if the crew, and there were times when we were only in three section watches so sleep was even harder to get, although I never had to resort to eye drops.
I am VERY jealous of your accommodations, though. Space is at a premium in a warship, and we never had an espresso machine. Navy coffee is notoriously bad, LOL.
At one time I had thought about taking the second mate’s test (having been both a navigator and in charge of the desk crew on a supply ship) but the employment situation in the US Merchant Marine was rock bottom. So instead I went to jump school and joined a Marine Corps airborne unit.
Heck no, I need my sleep and time off.
The question has probably been asked before, ... do you mix /integrate with the (I hate to qualify) the "lower'and/or'higher' ranks ? Does each " rank/profession" has its own eating/distracting and sleeping facilities/areas/advantages? Do you think you're wages are justified? You look exhausted... (sorry, just being honest).
Very very interesting. Completely different perspective. Thanks. Subbed.
Wow dude your sleep pattern is as bad as mine 🤣great insight, these kind of videos always fascinate me, also dude you work on a boat, how cool is that?! ☝️☝️
A younger me would love that career, and the amazing coffee machine would definitely help!!
Wired shift schedule. Must be tough to get used to.
I will choose 8-12 shift.
So glad your back, look forward to your posts.
When will you be the rank of captain? Is that what you want to be someday?
It would probably take me another 10-15 years, I’m not sure if I’ll stay around long enough to make it that far
Long time no see🤗
Good to see you back on TH-cam again doing great videos as always and hope to see cruising back in Australia 🇦🇺 soon as our ships are lowed back
Looks familiar! As a Quartermaster in the Navy we had a routine like this while at sea!
I thought cruise lines were accepting passengers again. Confusing considering that airplanes in the US are packed and rental cars are hard to find, that the cruise industry is still not back.
Hi Brian. Some have started back up now
OMG I WAS ON THIS CRUISE A FEW WEEKS AGO. room 12012. Deck 12 was amazing place and the cruise was amazing ( especially cruise director Damien)
Hey Alfie where the hell Re you
I experienced this TH-cam Channel name for 12 straight days once.
Hi Alfie, I really enjoyed the episode and seeing behind the scenes such as the wardroom. I sailed both with P&O Princess and the RAN. With Princess we worked standing watches for the time we were onboard which I think allows your body clock to get into a routine. Navy often ran a routine whereby you stood rolling watches with the routine being changed by splitting the Dog watch (1600 - 2000) into two, two hour watches which meant you never got into a fixed routine however depending upon the number of watch keeping officers every fourth night you got a full nights sleep. Think I preferred the standing watch routine. Do you still have ancillary duties such as acting as a boat coxswain in boat ports, LSA maintenance and survey work? Cheers Ivan
Hi Ivan. Yeah it’s good to have a routine, and yes I have LSA inspections and various safety related duties, as well as administrative and passage planning duties. Though the majority of passage planning is done by the 1st Officer
Is the pool open for you?
Yes fortunately!
Could you please make a video about how you became an officer on a cruise ship? I’m curious and would love to hear your story
This split shift would not be for me! Why don’t they schedule regular 7 to 8 hour shifts around the clock? Glad to see you have a good coffee machine on board. I would be putting 2 of those espresso shots in my cappuccino if I had to work your schedule!
Nope....couldn't do it! Good on ya tho! 👌
Hello Sir
Myself Pradeep Rathi from India
I have 9 months experience as a Deck Cadet on a Tanker ship.
I want to join Cruise ship.
Can you please guide me how to join a Cruise ship as a Deck Cadet?
Thank you
I though the lack of videos was because you had gone home!
What is the rationale of giving you multiple shifts and not provide for 8 hour sleep? Concerns about alertness at end of 8 hour shift? I would have though that preventing proper sleep every day would end up degrading your alertness all the time.
Do all crew work the same shifts or only the bridge crew? (so when your girldfriend is on board, so you have matching sleep cycles, or is it a challenge to be on similar shifts?
Also very mad thjat you panned camera away from the keypad so we can't find out the code to get on the bridge :-)
How much of your work is done from a well lighted office vs dark bridge when on duty during darjk hours? is it hard to stay awake in a dark bridge for 4 hours when the ship is idle and not much happening?
Happy Saturday from Canada Alfie!!!
I was just thinking of you yesterday. So you're ears must have been ringing. (wink, wink - giggle, giggle)
That would be a HUGE no for me doing what you've been doing. Especially for 4 - 5 months.
3 questions. These 4 hours shifts are still the way even when the ship is full of paying passengers? I ask because there might be more bridge staff then. Does the captain do these shorter shifts as well? And, is it hard on the eyes to walk onto the bridge when it's so freaking dark?
So now the wait to see if you're off the ship yet? Which I'm guessing you are.
Take care of yourself as well Alfie.
Hi Cory, it’s good to be back! Yes shift patterns are the same with or without passengers onboard and the captain just does day work most of the time so not required to take a watch. We usually come up 15 minutes or so early so our eyes can adjust to the dark. And I won’t ruin the surprise in videos to come!
I got hired on by Norwegian Cruiseline and after all the paperwork training medical exam I will be assigned to Pride of America ship and I plan to work my way up the ladder
I have experience on board and actually it is modern slavery there....A few people who call themselves officers act like Gods there and the rest of the crew are slaves and sleep like cockroaches in tiny cabins without any 'privileges'...I have engineering education and good professional background but on board because my position was administrative I was treated like a slave among these medeival villagers...
Hi Alfie,
Thanks for sharing your day. Like the Clear Eyes transition.
Very Nice english and Pronounciation, Thanks for the vids.
Sorry the question,but,do you as an officer sometimes join the crew partys etc or is that only „crew“ ?
Like the video,..but as the Captain ... It takes a while.....just hang in there ..
What kind of watch are you wearing ???
Breitling Superocean Heritage
Please help me! I am very interested in working on the bridge of a cruise ship as a cadet officer. I have experience but am happy to start somewhere.
Watching this video today 21/7/2023 having been on that ship in March