Author Topic: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?  (Read 29388 times)

Offline gratefuled

  • Just popping in
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #15 on: February 26, 2018, 03:10:54 AM »
Also great advice...thanks for putting in so much time and effort!

Quick technical question. You say:

>Recent DVDs/TV shows/Music will be greatly appreciated.

Can I reasonably assume the DVD players will be multi-region or region-free?

Might be a dumb question because I know nobody can say exactly what's on each vessel, of course, but I'd hate to bring DVDs from the US for a gift to the crew only to find out they were unplayable.

Offline seaway7228

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 35
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #16 on: February 26, 2018, 02:33:48 PM »
Ensure bottle jars cans and other sliding objects are secure and unlikely to start rolling around in any sort of seaway. That chairs are wedged are laid down in the least likely manner to fall over in rough weather especially in sharp quick rolling and pitching. Nothing worse than bonk-rattle-rattle -rattle bonk across a surface (usually inside an otherwise empty cabin drawer)- , or doors slamming --especially in the empty locked cabin next to yours  :-)

In the event of rolling heavily wedge a pillow under the offside of the bunk mattress it will help hold you against the bulkhead.

Make sure that doors entry door and toilet door are closed or opened and secured on a latch and close them quietly at all times.

If you have a favourite snack, bring some with you. Nothing like your own snacks on a vessel.

Dont sit on rails and dont walk up the weather side of the deck.

Whether a helmet is needed. This may be a tongue in cheek comment as the ship ought to have spare helmets but its unlikely you would require one. Ear plugs are cheap easy to carry and you only need the soft airline type plugs. If they offer a tour of the engine room they will probably offer you a set of ear muffs anyway. and Boots.

The bridge or wheelhouse is the place most passengers take an interest in and its advisable to judge the temperament and character of the watch keeper before asking permission to "hang around quietly" Some guys are quite welcoming but others do actually prefer a relatively unspoken watch.

Obviously in busy times when there is a lot of traffic around and the officer needs a little extra consideration time, is a good time to go up to the monkey island.

Never borrow the binoculars without checking to see who they belong to (permission)and whether the glasses have been set for a specific owner or user.

Never distract the lookout or strike up a conversation with him on watch. Officer may be a different matter.

Dont scare the watch officer at night by creeping up behind him and shouting "BOO".

Have a great trip.   Greg.



Offline Paul Bradshaw

  • Home away from home
  • ****
  • Posts: 156
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #17 on: February 27, 2018, 10:20:59 PM »
Ear plugs for sure. Rolled up toilet paper will be a distraction during your engine room tour.

Offline Russell Judge

  • Supporter
  • Just can't stay away
  • ***
  • Posts: 90
  • Ex seagoing engineer 1965-1971
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2018, 12:01:10 PM »
Regarding personal electrics ie chargers, you must find out the type of current operating (Normally AC these days but may be 240v or 110v.)
Also the type of electrical socket as there seems to be no standard; probably best to buy an international type adaptor with various interchangeable pins (UK US or Schuko Euro types) Really quite cheap but essential!

Offline smithy166

  • Oceangoing OOW (STCW II/1)
  • Quite a regular
  • **
  • Posts: 65
  • In a hole.
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2018, 09:16:04 PM »
Can I reasonably assume the DVD players will be multi-region or region-free?

It depends entirely on the vessel, sadly.

If you want to give something to the crew to say thanks, have a chat with the Master about donating a small amount to the ships welfare fund. That way the crew can spend it on what they need most (usually a new TV for the mess room, exercise bikes for the gym, sim cards etc etc...)

Something I forgot to mention before - ALWAYS assume the ship will be a "dry" ship. Do not bring booze etc aboard. If alcohol consumption is allowed on board, you'll be able to get some from the bonded store. Same with tobacco etc.

Oh, and keep your toilet door shut, especially when showering. Steam from the shower has a nasty habit of setting the cabin fire alarm off... Which will result in some half-asleep sailor bursting through your cabin door, fire extinguisher in one hand and radio in the other screaming about a "fire"...
Enough torque to restart a dead planet! OOW with an unlimited CoC looking for work. :)

Offline jdap

  • Just can't stay away
  • ***
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #20 on: March 03, 2018, 01:20:37 AM »
Hi again,

And congratulations for starting this thread. You managed to collect a very complete set of highly instructive insights on life onboard a containership from a vast array of contributors, to all of whom I am sure you are very grateful. They reflect accurately the perspective of the professional seaman working onboard.

Summing up, you have booked a trip on a containership. The trip will extend over two continents, will last for some three weeks, and you will visit several ports along the way.

And by now you already know all the DO

Offline pspott

  • Not too shy to talk
  • *
  • Posts: 20
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2018, 12:44:36 PM »
this is very useful information

Offline jdap

  • Just can't stay away
  • ***
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
Re: Just booked a cargo cruise with CMA CGM. Advice for a great trip?
« Reply #22 on: July 24, 2018, 07:49:03 PM »
Well, the vessel is now heading to Le Havre, with ETA there on the 5th August...I am curious to know whether Gratefuled will still be onboard for his adventure from Le Havre onwards, even if his trip has been postponed by ca. 1 month...

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:191732/mmsi:235052035/imo:9317975/vessel:CMA_CGM_WHITE_SHARK

If he is, I wish him a great trip! And look forward to read his trip report afterwards, with all the pluses and minuses he has found on board, and on land.

Jose
(jdap)

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk