MSC Opera

[Keith Tindell]

I see in my local paper a crew member from the cruise ship Opera jumped over off the coast of the Isle of Wight, and not recovered after a 6 hour search. Apparently an Indian National. He was seen jumping on CCTV. So i did not involve crew and passenger roll calls, which always amazed me how quick that could be carried out on a passenger ship. When we had one jump on the Stirling Castle circa 1960, i think i recall the check before we knew who it was took about 12 minutes, KT

[robpage]

If I remember rightly , and will stand correction from navigators and amatuer sailors ,( but not ex UCL catering men as I don't mean that type of Correction ) from the High tide anything off the Island from Bembridge to the needles gets swept out to sea , and from the low tide onwards gets swept towards Chichester Harbour

[Ron Kendall]

I have just booked a one week cruise on the MSC Armonia, for later in the year, anyone any idea what to expect? thanks

[John Arton]

Ron
Check out the Captain's credentials on boarding. Have a great cruise
rgds
JA

[Captain Kong]

I stopped sailing on Cunard Cruises, In 2012 after the Concordia disaster, on QUEEN ELIZABETH, they still had passengers sitting in the Theatre for boat drill and a shop assistant would lead you to a lifeboat, we were three decks higher up than the boat deck, we had to travel down SIX decks to the muster point in the theatre and sit there until a shop assistant lead us up THREE decks to a life boat. It was TOTAL confusion with up to 2000 passengers milling around.
No roll call to see if anyone was missing.
British Masters and Officers.
.
In 2011 and this year 2013, on Holland America Line, ROTTERDAM and STATENDAM, each cabin had its own designated lifeboat number and that is where we musterd.under the lifeboat.The man read out the names of each passenger in that boat and he knew instantly if anyone was missing. That is how it should be. Simple.
Dutch Master and Dutch and British Officers. All members of Nautilus. Official language English for everyone.
My next one is January 2 for the AMSTERDAM, HAL.38 DAYS. They are the best cruise ships.
Cheers
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

hi Brian, good luck on your comeing Cruise, where Bound ?, have heard good reports about that company, make sure the Captain is not Italian, the American Company my Brother goes with have much the same emergency drill as Cunard, muster station has allways been at your appointed lifeboat. i think it was you who gave bad reports of the Eastern European Crew Members, hygeine ect, that really suprised me. hope you find sunshine, regards, Tony W.

[Captain Kong]

hi Brian, good luck on your comeing Cruise, where Bound ?, Tony.
.
Hi Tony,
The Amsterdam, and all HAL ships have Dutch Masters. British and Dutch Officers.
We join in Fort Lauderdale FLA. on 4 January, bound for Costa Rica, Panama Canal, Manta in Equedor,
Calleo,/ Lima, Peru, for 3 days for Machu Pichu Inca trail. cross the south Pacific to,
Easter Island, Pitcairns Island, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora. Pago Pago , American Samoa, Fiji, Noumea and Isle de Pines in New Caledonia then pay off in Sydney.
A couple of weeks in NSW, Surfers Paradise in QLD, and Perth WA and Singapore for a few days then home. Two Months.
.
Done most of them before, I will see my Polynesian mates in Tahiti and Moorea, if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise, Missed out this year when I was hospitalised in Honolulu.
Then family and friends on OZ and Singapore.
Hopefully I wont have any accidents this time or gangreneous parts in my anatomy.
Cheers
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

well better Luck this time, we both know about illness rearing its ugly head unexpectedly, more or less a circumnavigation, WOW, thats the way to do it, you will be quite close to me at times, knowing what good service the Philippinos give it suprises me why they use Eastern Europeans, wages must be a lot cheaperk after that long you wont want to come home, its a fantastic Itinary. Regards,Tony W.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Tony, it was Cunard Queens that use the Eastern Europeans. dirty bastets.
On Holland America they use Indonesians in the Catering and Philipinos in the bars and serving wine at the dining rooms.
The Indonesians, mostly from Java, are very good, and love it when I speak a little Javanese to them and tell them about my adventures in Java and the other islands. They cannot do enough for me.
.
Have you not been flooded out in the recent Rains, and been shot at by the Mu**** Seperatists who took those 200 hostages in Zamboanga district. Quite a few people killed.
I have been watching it all on Al Jazeera TV.
Cheers
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

luckily brian here in cebu is pretty sheltered, the worst weather is up on luzon, manila allways flooded, its by a river, when it floods it really does, typhoons allways are luzon area, occasionally south in mindanao, we are surrounded by islands, so sheltered, am disappointed have not seen a typhoon yet, had a bit of wind but nothing great, the rebels are south around davao on mindanao and the smaller islands towards indonesia, philippine army has been there for years , with usa advisors, all hit and run warfare, hide in the jungle, all really viscious, beheaded a farmer last wek, rule by fear, usual separist way, want autonomous rule for the locals, goverment wont give in, so its a forever job, pretty peacful here, usual hold ups, robberies, occasional shooting, no worse than london. Maybe not as bad, theft is the biggest crime, snatchers, certain areas are dodgy. Tony. PS , HARDLY HAD ANY RAIN HERE, , Hope i have not spoke too soon.