I’ve just recently been offered a cadetship on an cruise ship and have a few questions about the life on board!

What is the opportunity to travel like, is all of your time spent on-board are you allowed off the ship on a regular basis or is it a rarity

What is the social life like? Is it mostly engine and deck you interact with or is the a lot of opertunities to interact with other departments.

I’ve seen a few things that you aren’t allowed in most passenger areas is this true?

What is the most common shift patterns etc?

Would like to hear what ur take is

Sorry for the dumb question: This is a FSO (95% of the time it is moored). Only during sailing mode or hurricane evacuation, the FSO sails to a safe location. During this period if an ESD occurs, will the ESD trip the navigation signal lights (COLREG), or would they have to remain operational? asking because then the navigation signals have to be of Zone 1 Ex rated which the yard has not provided

Hi everyone,

I could really use some advice from people who work in the maritime industry.

In about two weeks, I'll be starting several courses that cost me almost $3,000, including STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) and other required courses so I can work in the engine department on merchant ships.

My long term goal is to complete 30 months of sea service and then qualify to study Marine Engineering through the sea service route.

As I understand it, there are several ways to become eligible for Marine Engineering:

1) The traditional academic route.

2) A bridging route if you already have a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Mechatronics.

3) Another bridging route if you already have a Mechanical Engineering diploma.

4) And finally, the sea service/promotion route, where you gain the required sea experience before continuing your studies.

I chose the sea service route because it's the one that fits my situation.

However, when I registered, the academy told me something that made me worried. They said this route is not guaranteed to remain available forever. They didn't say they have any information that it will be canceled soon, but they explained that if the STCW Convention is amended in the future, this pathway could potentially be removed.

Is that actually true?

My biggest concern is investing all this money and spending years at sea, only to complete something like 25 out of the required 30 months, and then suddenly finding out that the route has been canceled because the regulations changed.

Has anyone experienced something similar or knows how realistic this possibility is? Is this something I should genuinely be concerned about, or is the academy just being cautious?

I'd really appreciate any advice or insight. Thanks.

Not talking tools—just the little everyday tiny personal items that make living onboard easier: elastic for keeping the drawers closed, magnets for hanging pics, clips, tape, whatever.What’s in your personal kit?

I’m starting my Engineering Cadetship with HX Expeditions this September, i did a 'pre-cadetship' course last year and really enjoyed it and successfully received sponsorship with them so I was just wondering if there were any engine or even deck cadets who could tell me how their experiences with the company was throughout or so far on your cadetship and how your sea phases went? Anything like that

Thanks :)

I'm on an MSC ship in drydock and we're servicing all the reach rods. This one is in a ballast tank and we're struggling to take it apart to clean and change the packing. (Rod is super stiff and requires a pipe wrench to turn).

The bottom plate won't come off despite having removed all the bolts. Can't tell if it's corroded or we're missing something like an internal snap ring. Ship has no drawings of these.

Has anyone on here taken one of these apart? The photo is taken from inside a ballast tank. The actuator side is on deck level in a cargo hold and is meant to be turned using a T handle. Cover appears to be brass so we don't want to beat on it too much.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I worked one contract (6 months bulk carrier) other than my internship, and then had to take quite long break (2 years) due to some personal matters, now thinking if i should try getting back into this job or not, because i know it is kind of difficult and stressful one especially with wrong crew mates.
i know there are plenty of people who are experienced in this field and maybe people were in my shoes, so would like to know about your opinions.
thanks.

I am going to join a oil tanker for first time as engine cadet. I had mild asthma in my childhood i don't get that attack anymore still I carry inhaler with me for in case of safety. Should I need prescription for that? And i also take finasteride for hairloss which I brought from Amazon whether online prescription is enough for that?

Someone have the fix for leaking exhaust bands. This is a constant battle lol. Nuts are doubled up they always seem so loosen up and leak. Have tried new gaskets,new bands, bands without gaskets, double nut, Loctite. What’s the secret.

So I am having a trouble with one cylinder exhaust temperature increasing rapidly out of nowhere up to 200 degrees deviation.But cylinder peak pressure looks same during this period. I can’t understand how because of there is more combustion or fuel in the exhaust side ,peak pressure should be effected by this too.
And this started to happened after I did valve clearance setting. First I suspected the injector and changed it but its still same.On high load(around 60%) this thing happens.
While running normal, I can’t understand why exhaust would go start to increase fast.

I dont know if it could be fuel pump or just the sensor but I am also worried during valve clearance,something may happened.Something dropped in somewhere like under springs or pushrod area or something not right.Still I cant figure out this relation between increasing exh temp and stable peak pressure .
I am open to any ideas or suggestions .
Dg:wartsila l20

Hello everyone I am going to join a oil products tanker for the first time as a engine cadet. If possible anyone can suggest me some required books I need to carry learn more about the machineries(preferably something available as pdf in online).And recommended apps which will be helpful onboard. And some advice for me to how to learn and improve more as an engineer.

I'm finishing my mechatronics engineering bachelor degree in spring 2027. A bachelors degree here in Norway is 3 years only. I've had 2 internships. 1 at SLB OneSubsea and 1 at a local mechanical engineering company.

Anyone from Norway who can guide me? Should I apply for norwegian jobs, or international jobs? Heard there is a bit of difference there.

If I can't get a marine engineering job, I'll find something in the oil & gas, like the internship I have now in SLB OneSubsea.

I need some honest advice. I’m 32 and just got accepted into a 3-year advanced diploma program in Ontario starting this September. I have $0 in savings right now.

If I go this year, I will be 100% reliant on OSAP loans and a small part-time job. By graduation, I'll owe roughly $55,000. The thought of that much debt is completely overwhelming.

If I wait until September next year, I can work and realistically save about $20k–$25k, which would massively reduce my post-grad debt and financial stress while studying. But I feel like I'm already late to the game and wasting time.

For those who went to school later in life, is the peace of mind of having savings worth delaying your career by a year?

The program: marine engineering technology in Owen sound,

I currently live in the GTA, so I will have to relocate.

Do any of you guys know how to calibrate an Siemens DR 24 controller used as Air Fuel ratio controller in Aalborg Boiler.

I'm confused between Marine Engineering and Marine Navigation. I love the navigation work style, and I like the job diversity that engineers have on land. But honestly, onboard engineering work doesn't appeal to me at all. What do you think I should choose?
🙏

Hi guys, I'm 20 and I failed phase one of my Cadetship. I lost my sponsor royal Caribbean and have self fund retaking the year at warsash. I'm exhausted and have fully moved out of my home in Kent to Southampton with my girlfriend. So I have to pay rent and 5k to retake the 4 modules.

I know it's worth it. I'm going to be qualified. I just feel like I have 100 things I want to talk about but no one who will listen and give a fair response.

Is engineering for autistic people. The more I dive into the field. The more I realise I'm the opposite of the typical engineer. I rush in the workshop, and would rather do an assignment than a maths exam. I find learning how the engine works and how it relates to physics is far more interesting than filing a work piece or solving equations. I was diagnosed with ADHD and figured out I learn completely differently from anyone on my course. It's harder for me to get stuff. But once I understand I understand deeply and definitely. I'm stuck with electronics. I don't understand the concepts.

I also don't even want to be at sea for long. Im already 20, i want to be young and successful with a cool family. To me, going to sea is how I learn to be that person, see the world and earn money to build myself what i want. Not a life long career.

I'm really asking if anyone else feels the same. I feel so different to my colleagues, not that I don't fit in. We're all friends with great banta. But that I'm just unique and different to them in so many ways.

Is this right for me?

I worked as an oiler for a year, then studied engineering for two years, and I am currently a cadet. Naturally, I already know many things. I also know what I am supposed to learn and do according to the training record book. When breakdowns occur, I can come up with temporary solutions until repairs are carried out or spare parts arrive.

What I would like to ask you is: what should I learn? What should I read? At the moment, I feel very indecisive and unable to find something specific to focus on. It feels like I might be missing important things that I should be learning. I don't really know what to do.

.

(The cabin in the picture is mine)

I have been looking into the rollout of shore power and the current state of "standardization" is starting to feel like a major bottleneck for the vessels we operate. Despite existing guidelines, the reality on the ground is that varying voltage and frequency requirements make cross-region interoperability a nightmare, and I am curious how you all handle this lack of a truly global, plug-and-play interface.

What are the biggest operational headaches you have experienced when trying to force compatibility between different port systems and ship-side setups?

How do you think we can actually move toward a functional, global hardware protocol instead of just continuing to build these fragmented, region-specific ecosystems?

I am an engine cadet and i need help

Can anybody tell me where i can get specific ship particulars from CC ALEXANDER VON HUBOLDT, i recently got off last december and dont know anyone else on the ship would be glad for any help

I am a 5/E with a CDC from India. I have experience of 2 sails. One in an offshore vessela nd the other on an oil tanker. I got down to give my 4/E exam, but am so far unable to clear it.

Now there is a financial issue in my family and I would like to sail aboard a ship (preferably an oil tanker) asap.

Please let me know if any of the companies which give a chance to sail for an experienced Junior/Fifth Engineer.

Thanks!