Thinking of a Cruise

[Glan Phillips]

Having sailed as Staff Captain for six months and as Master for over 14 years on cruise ships, I served on the older and smaller ones, 1,200 to 1,500 pax and am quite happy that I did not serve on some of the newer 'mega cruise ships', my name for those are 'floating shoe boxes' ! I operated out of Miami, Tampa, Ft Lauderdale and Port Canaveral. In 1988 whilst cruising from Port Canaveral, Carnival Cruise Line also had their first two vessela working out of there on three and four day cruises to the Bahamas...the "Carnival" (ex Empress of Britain) and the "Mardi Gras" (ex Empress of Scotland) both ex North Atlantic liners and beautiful ships. I also served on cruise ships cruising from San Diego, California, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and Cuba ( we were the first cruise ship to be based in Havana in 35 years), the ship operating the 6 day Cuban cruises was the "Santiago De Cuba" (ex NCL Sunward, their first vessel, built in Bergen, Norway !) Some of the others I served on were...."Azure Seas" (ex Sputhern Cross), "Regal Empress" (ex Olympia, Greek Line) and the "Rotterdam" (ex HAL). Most of these ships were 'classics'.
As Neville mentioned in an earlier post, up until the time I left in 1998, dining room waiters and bar waiters were paid a monthly basic of $50, relying on tips to make a reasonable wage (which of course were paid by the pax), and worked 70-80 hours per week
one year continuous contract.
In 1993 I repositioned the "Santiago De Cuba" , sailed from Freeport, Bahamas to Singapore a 34 day passage across the Atlantic to Gibraltar, down the Med., through the Suez, down the Red Sea, called at Aden for bunkers and water and direct to Singapore just stopping two miles offshore Pt Galle, Sri Lanka to embark some new crew members, what a beautiful, memorable voyage !
My only regret with my years on cruise ships, all the vessels I served on were under the Bahamian Flag and not the Red Ensign.
Cheers.....Glan

[happy daze john in oz]

Hi David wondered where you had been hiding. Royal Carribean do not allow grog to be brought aboard, they want you to drink theirs at a premium. Now I am going to try P&O. in August, have heard they are not so strict with the grog, and they advertise fridges in the cabins. Wonder if their policy is the same world wide?

[Neville Roberts]

Hi Glan ,the Mardi Gras was the old Empress of Canada, not the scotland , as the Canada was my last ship, before coming too the states.go on the emress of canada site there are a lot of pics of her inside and out, and a history of the name changes. all the best Glan ,let me know when is a good time too get together before you go back too wales.

[Dennis McGuckin]

Wife and her girl friend just did P&O Vancouver to LA. Tips were added to their bill.
Den.

[Glan Phillips]

Hi Neville.......your dead right....she was the "Empress of Canada"......how I made that error I dont know, probably a touch of "oldtimers' I guess. I went aboard her frequently when we were in Port Canaveral at the same time. They dont build them like that anymore. How does it look about meeting up in the next couple of weeks ? Let me know Neville.
Cheers....Glan

[Glan Phillips]

Hi Captain K,
Wow, guess I signed off the old "Regal Empress' much to soon ! She had been running short cruises from Ft Lauderdale to the Bahamas and the last I heard was that she was tied up in Texas being used as accomodation for construction workers doing re-building work after the last hurricane. Also that she would be heading for the junkyard early this year. Back in 1995 I did a four day cruise when the ship was chartered to the Naturist Association of Florida, that was something, clothing was optional everywhere except the dining rooms and casino ! Never saw so much 'blubber' and 'silicon' in my life !!!
The following week another four day cruise, this time chartered to the ' Gay & Lesbian Clubs of Central Florida". I wont comment on that one except that I nearly shortened the ship when backing into our berth at Ft Lauderdale, was distracted by two bearded guys 'smooching' just aft of the bridge !!! Forgot to mention that during the nude cruise, on one evening they wanted the swimming pool filled with "jelly".
Cheers.....Glan

[George]

Hi Captain Kong
The site you posted brought back memories of working by the old Queen Elizabeth in the Southampton dry dock all the mess the dock workers made we even had to have a fire watch never volenteered to work by her again absolute work up it was
Regards
George in Southampton

[happy daze john in oz]

Have booked one with P&O for August and they will add $7.50 per person per day. Thanks for the advice Dacid, will follow that up when the time comes.

[happy daze john in oz]

Have booked one with P&O for August and they will add $7.50 per person per day. Thanks for the advice David, will follow that up when the time comes.

[Bill Cameron]

Glad I was not on this cruise
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-sto...5875-21073669/