Merchant Navy as a British citizen, is it worth it?

[John Arton]

Roger
Go for it. So you may be the only native English speaker on board, so what, walk down any street in any major city in the u.k today, do you hear all on the streets speaking English.
In all my time at sea, 41 years, I only ever sailed on 3 ships where everyone on board were British.
If you do end up on a ship with various nationalities, embrace it, try to learn a basic understanding of their languages and customs. Think on, many youngsters go traveling to see Europe or parts of the world in order to understand their languages and customs. If you go to sea you too will be doing exactly the same except you will have food and lodgings for free and getting paid for it.
Rgds
J.A

[James Curry]

Looks as if the Penny has dropped for Mr Penny only one post and not as much as a thankyou for your time.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John A
I regret not learning some of the languages while at sea, a bloke I sailed with had a turntable and earphones that he put on when he slept with some language playing away. he ended up working for the UN as an interpreter, he had picked up six or seven languages. And when one thinks about it we did have some time when at sea, at least the deck crowd did, maybe you where busy with your studies.
Des

[john jenkins]

the only foreign language you needed .was beer,number of,and how much short time.

[j.sabourn]

#14 Cerveza, Cinquo, and that’s just for myself , costa for mon Ami un petite garçon. There’s two foreign languages. Capitano passes de plateau manana. Which is a lie in Spanish. JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

Looks as if the Penny has dropped for Mr Penny only one post and not as much as a thankyou for your time.

Being charitable and its only three days, he may be busy looking for work.

[Julian Norman]

Having retired in the last few years after 45 years at sea, initially as deck apprentice then Master and retiring as a Pilot, I actively persuaded my sons not to follow in my footsteps. There were British ships I piloted where the only British thing about them was the flag on the stern.
Recent College courses seemed to suggest that superyachts or passenger ships were a realistic way to go.
A good training company that could place you on passenger vessels would seem to be the way to go as few 'British 'companies train their own these days.

[James Curry]

#16 well I wish him good luck, no doubt he will let the site know how he gets on.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Julian
I would love to have a go at on of those super yacht's, be about the only way to go these days. A mate and I tried to persuade an old sailing ship's bosun to put his yacht in the water in Auckland many years ago and sail to Fiji, but to no avail.
Des

[j.sabourn]

#17 The only thing British remaining might have been a few mouldy penny oxo cubes stowed away for a rainy day in the dry store Julian ? When I sailed under the Bahamas flag they liked to display the red ensign with the Bahamas crest in on the fly , I always insisted they display their National flag and not try and fool people they were sailing under British ownership. Most of these passenger ships fly a distorted red ensign making the passengers thinking they are sailing under British rules, suckers. As regards talking about shipping to family when home it was a no goer with me as did not want to be responsible for raising others hopes, if however my son had asked I would have done the same as you. If had insisted on taking up would have tried to persuade him to go in for D.P certification at which time could double a masters salary. Cheers JS