Nonnymus wrote:
> =DF wrote:
> > Thanks Nonnymus for that amazing story.
> > You are absolutely #ucking hilarious.................../"MS Salivation"/
> > //
> > B.
> >
>
> Thanks, Beta. . . or may I just call you B? Cruising is
> about people and having fun, so I break the rules
> occasionally and post one of my tales. It's all in fun.
> R.T.C. reflects this with camaraderie and friendships that
> go past the keyboard to real people. Over the years, Mrs.
> Nonnymus and I have met a good number of r.t.c. folks and
> have forged some wonderful friendships. The GGC's are a good
> example of how people can "ease into" meeting many of the
> r.t.c. folks without the worry of being trapped in a
> situation that is uncomfortable. GGC participants can come
> and go as they please and if they meet couples or
> individuals they enjoy being around, can spend time with
> them. If they don't feel comfortable with someone, there
> are many other people and places to be.
>
> Nonnymus
>
>
> >
> > "Nonnymus" > wrote in message
> > news:cJJ7g.175943$bm6.1635@fed1read04...
> > =DF wrote:
> > > Have you lost your mind ?
> > > Or are you nuckin' futs ?
> > >
> > > Why in the world would anyone sail on a freighter ?
> > > Can't even imagine the service from the white gloved concierge !
> > >
> > > B.
> > >
> > B.- Mrs. Nonnymus and I mistakenly took a cruise on a Tuna
> > boat, thinking it was the MS Celebration, last year. While
> > there was a bit of a need to adapt to a Tuna boat instead of
> > the cruise ship, we had a great time. I am reposting our
> > experience in the hope that you can expand your horizons and
> > include freighter and Tuna boat cruises in your vacation plans.
> >
> > Nonnymus
> >
> >
> > My wife and I recently returned from an Alaskan cruise that
> > turned out to be somewhat different from what we expected. I
> > accept some of the responsibility for not having opened my
> > confirmation or ticketing information that out travel agent
> > sent. However, I still place a good deal of weight for the
> > mistake on the agent.
> >
> > When we called the agent, we requested that he make
> > reservations for the MS CELEBRATION, out of Vancouver. When
> > we got to the pier and began filling out our forms, we
> > discovered that he'd made reservations on the MS Salivation-
> > a 93' tuna boat. It was quite a shock when we had to take
> > yet another taxi from Canada Place and go to the fishing
> > pier instead.
> >
> > The MS Salivation was tied up to the dock, taking on bait
> > when we arrived. The wife was first to board. Since the
> > ship had no gangway, they tied a rope under her arms and
> > hoisted her aboard. It was windy that day, and the breeze
> > let everyone see her bloomers. It was embarrassing for her,
> > but she got to quickly know the crew, at least. I rode on a
> > bait box onto the deck and we were shown to our stateroom by
> > one of the engine crew. The Salivation only has one
> > stateroom for guests, and it's located between the fish hold
> > and engine room. Since the hold is iced down to reduce tuna
> > spoilage, and the engine room is approximately 185f degrees
> > during operation, the stateroom's temperature ranges from
> > one wall being approximately 25f to the other being 185f. We
> > found this very convenient during the few times we were
> > permitted to sleep, since by choosing which hooks to place
> > our hammocks on, we could adjust our temperatures accordingly.
> >
> > We were pleased to find that our travel agent had supplied
> > us with a complimentary bottle of his favorite wine-
> > Thunderbird Red and a delicious plate of Tuna and bread,
> > with onion. He tells us that it's a favorite appetizer in
> > Pennsylvania. The choice of wine was enhanced by its
> > aluminum screw cap, since our traveling corkscrew had been
> > confiscated from our luggage by TSA out of concern we might
> > hijack a ship with it.
> >
> > Departure from the pier was scheduled to be at 3:00p, but
> > our captain was still drunk from the previous evening and
> > didn't arrive at the boat until Noon. I found it necessary
> > to help out the crew in loading in ice and bait so we could
> > depart before sunset, at least. This is a great time to
> > leave Vancouver, since the winds are traditionally out of
> > the West and pick up before sunset. This, coupled with the
> > boat's speed and direction helps to blow away the smell of
> > the slightly spoiled squid, used as tuna bait by the vessel
> > during its week long excursion.
> >
> > As previously mentioned, our stateroom was located directly
> > below the main deck, between the fish storage hold and the
> > engine room. Access was by a straight ladder, carefully
> > placed in the storage hold and tied off to a metal beam. The
> > stateroom was decoratively painted in a dark brown color,
> > which we later discovered was called "rust" by the crew.
> > Besides a folding chair and card table, we had two
> > generously sized hammocks, one blanket and a bath robe
> > bearing the Holiday Inn logo. I inquired about towels and
> > was told that since there were no shower or bath facilities
> > aboard the vessel, they were not needed.
> >
> > The only complaint we had about the stateroom, was that
> > lighting was quite poor. There were no windows, so all we
> > had was a 15 watt bulb hanging from the ceiling. I brought
> > this to the attention of our steward (who also was the
> > primary hook baiter when fishing) and he replaced it with a
> > more generous 60 watt bulb. He explained that the stateroom
> > we had was primarily used for squid bait storage, so a
> > larger bulb wasn't necessary. However, since our travel
> > agent had booked it for our Alaskan excursion, they were
> > storing the squid on deck in 55 gallon barrels for this
> > trip. That also explained the salty, nautical "air" we had
> > noticed in the stateroom upon arrival.
> >
> > Dinner that evening was on deck, and quite festive. The
> > crew had placed a sheet of plywood over two squid barrels,
> > covered it with a checkered oilcloth and it became our
> > table. . . table #1, in fact. Dinner consisted of Tuna,
> > Wonder Bread and catsup. Because of our political beliefs,
> > the crew removed the Heinz catsup at our request and
> > replaced it with Hunt's, which we now prefer. My wife had
> > her tuna blackened, while I had mine fried. Other choices
> > were boiled, braised, breaded, raw, grilled, baked and
> > roast. The bread and catsup were excellent accompaniments
> > and the loaf of bread was sealed tightly between meals to
> > prevent salt spray from softening it.
> >
> > Sleep the first night was a bit difficult, since the 93'
> > boat encountered 85' waves. The hammocks were both a
> > godsend and problem. The best part was that they permitted
> > us to sway side-to-side as the boat rolled, and they could
> > be adjusted toward the hot or cold stateroom walls for
> > temperature control. The downside was that they were placed
> > 9' above the cabin floor, up toward the ceiling and we were
> > continually pounded against the ceiling as the boat pitched
> > and rolled in the 85' waves. During the night, I climbed up
> > out of the fish storage hold and requested some additional
> > rope to permit them to be lowered. The captain had sobered
> > up some, and told me that the only rope on a ship was the
> > rope for the ship's bell. Other than that, it was called a
> > LINE. I then requested about 30' of LINE and was handed an
> > entire skein of clothes line. That really helped to reduce
> > the number of times we were banged against the ceiling and
> > made climbing into our hammocks much easier, since they were
> > closer to the stateroom's floor.
> >
> > I mentioned that the ship had no shower or bathing
> > facilities. Our stateroom DID come equipped for our
> > personal needs, however. Over in the corner was a 5 gallon
> > drywall bucket, on which the ship's engineer had placed a
> > toilet seat. It was quite convenient and could be scooted
> > around to either the hot or cold wall for more comfort when
> > in use. A few nights into our cruise, we did request that
> > it be emptied on a daily basis, since it had a tendency to
> > turn over during several of the storms we encountered. There
> > was also a slight learning curve to using it, since the seat
> > had a tendency to slide off- much to the distress of my wife.
> >
> > It was great being able to access both the engine
> > compartment and bridge during the cruise. The captain had a
> > bit of a drinking problem and after Happy Hour, which began
> > about 1:00p, he would permit and even encourage anyone to
> > take the helm. The Chief Engineer was a large gent named
> > Mordo, who never seemed to leave the engine compartment. I
> > asked the captain about this and was told that Mordo had his
> > own hammock and 5 gallon bucket down below, and preferred
> > the warm temperature and scents of his beloved engine
> > compartment to the spray and breeze of above deck. Mordo
> > was also concerned about several arrest warrants, and feared
> > being spotted if he was on deck. It worked out well for the
> > ship, since the crew would merely toss down some Tuna for
> > Mordo to eat and occasionally haul his 5 gallon bucket out
> > for dumping overboard in the Alaskan waters. My wife and I
> > were offered a tour of the engine room, but respectfully
> > declined.
> >
> > Since this was a Tuna boat, the entire 7-day Alaskan cruise
> > had no ports of call. We were "at sea" the entire time. At
> > first we had some concern about why this was called an
> > Alaskan cruise, but the captain explained that we would be
> > presented with a wooden train whistle that said, "Skagway
> > Alaska," a polyester tee shirt saying, "Juneau Alaska" and a
> > surprise Taiwan-made trinket bearing the Ketchikan moniker
> > when we completed the cruise. We considered this, and felt
> > that it adequately conveyed the Alaskan experience well
> > enough that we were satisfied.
> >
> > During our days at sea, the captain hosted a daily contest
> > called "Who can bait the most hooks?" We were placed on
> > folding chairs on deck with a 55 gallon drum of warm squid
> > beside us. At the count of 3, we began baiting hooks with
> > the squid and after 8 hours, the person who had baited the
> > most hooks won a prize. During the first three days of the
> > cruise, I easily won. However, as the squid "softened" in
> > the warm barrels, my wife's greater dexterity prevailed and
> > she began winning. She also reported that the combination
> > of "squid squeezings" and squid water from the barrels did
> > wonders for her hands. The MS Salivation had no spa, so
> > this was their substitute for Steiner's. It also saved us
> > quite a bit of money that would have ordinarily been spent
> > at another ship's spa.
> >
> > Meals aboard the Salivation were generally informal, with
> > only one formal evening. Breakfast consisted of Tuna, bread
> > and catsup (Hunt's). Lunch was Tuna, bread and catsup
> > (Hunt's). Dinner was at 5:00p sharp, immediately following
> > the hook baiting contest, and consisted of Tuna, bread and
> > catsup (Hunt's). There was one exception to this, however,
> > During the first breakfast of the cruise, we were offered
> > the choice of Tuna, bread and catsup (Hunt') or Calamari,
> > bread and catsup (Hunt's), Since the squid was not chilled,
> > it would have not been a good idea to have selected Calamari
> > following the first day of the cruise.
> >
> > As previously mentioned, meals were served on deck at our
> > squid barrel and plywood table. During formal night, the
> > captain joined us on deck and we found our tablecloth had
> > changed magically to a barely soiled furniture pad cleverly
> > labeled, "North American Van Lines." This was quite nice
> > and when soaked with spray, prevented the paper plates from
> > scooting around as the ship pitched and rolled in the waves.
> > The captain had his own beverage, which he drank from a
> > hip flask, but he presented us with a second bottle of wine
> > from his private stock. Unlike the Thunderbird Red given us
> > by our travel agent, this wine had a genuine synthetic CORK.
> > We asked that it be chilled, so the steward placed it into
> > the Tuna hold for a few minutes. Since the ship had no
> > corkscrew, we were forced to break the bottle's neck off. We
> > filtered the wine through our steward's a tee shirt, and it
> > was delicious- having a salty, fishy flavor.
> >
> > Dinner that evening consisted of Tuna, bread and catsup
> > (Hunt's), which was served by our steward. For formal
> > night, he washed both his good hand and the one with only a
> > thumb on it, and also changed into a fresh tee shirt and
> > boxer shorts.
> >
> > Our Alaskan Cruise's success was naturally measured in part
> > by the number of Tuna caught. In the 7 days we were aboard
> > the MS Salivation, over 1500 tuna were hooked, brought
> > aboard and gutted. We were offered a choice of whether we
> > wished to participate in the Hook Baiting contest or its
> > Tuna Gutting alternative, but both chose the Hook Baiting
> > for its simplicity. It was a vacation, you understand. I
> > have to admit that by the time we finished our cruise that
> > we would have become quite handy with the gutting knife.
> > However, the prize for winning a gutting contest was that we
> > could keep the knife, and we realized that despite its
> > sentimental value, TSA would confiscate it at the airport.
> >
> > Our ship returned to the fish dock in Vancouver at 1:00a,
> > but we could not disembark until the Tuna had been off
> > loaded. This was accomplished by 5:00a and we were
> > permitted to go ashore. I rode ashore in one of the empty
> > squid barrels from the deck. The captain and crew were all
> > on deck to wish us well and possibly to see a rerun of my
> > wife's bloomers, as she was hoisted ashore. She has a great
> > sense of humor and since she realized that they were all
> > standing there to see her bloomers, she played a trick on
> > them and didn't wear any that morning.
> >
> > In all, our Alaskan Cruise was somewhat different from what
> > we had expected aboard a Carnival ship. As mentioned
> > earlier, I blame myself as much as the travel agent, since I
> > never opened the cruise ticket package until we were at the
> > docks. However, we salvaged what we could of our vacation
> > and made the most of what we were handed. The MS Salivation
> > is a bit small for cruising Alaskan waters with 85' waves,
> > and being the only paying passengers aboard the ship has
> > both benefit and drawback. On one hand, we had the full
> > attention of our steward when he wasn't placing squid on
> > hooks, but we missed having other passengers to visit with
> > while competing in the daily squid baiting contest. With
> > the whistle, tee shirt and trinkets given us at the end of
> > the cruise, we felt we really didn't miss much of the
> > Alaskan experience, but it would have been fun to at least
> > go ashore once to see a Totem Pole or visit the Red Dog or
> > Red Onion saloons.
> >
On a serious note, it is possible to book passage on a frieghter. I
work with someone who at one time was in the Merchant Marine. He has
mentioned that from time to time they would get people who would book a
cabin on the ship he was working on.
My conversations with him about these, and what I have managed to pick
up about this type of "Cruise"... good and bad points...
Bad: The ship will keep a schedule for the frieght. You might have 3
days in one port while they are loading frieght from that port, one day
in the next... until the ship is loaded... then it will sail across the
Ocean and unload in different ports, same story... if they are
scheduled to unload most of the cargo in one port, you are going to be
in the port for most of the cruise. If they only have a small amount
of cargo for that port, you may only be there for the time it takes to
drop off a couple of boxes, cars, or what ever.
Most cargo ships have really limited entertainment. The crew is on
board to work, not to be entertained. They pull their shiifs, and
sleep, and maybe a movie theater, or the television in the cabin, and
exercise equipement. That might be the limit of the entertainment on
one of these types of cruises.
However, if you are looking to get from point A to Point B and not fly,
it is a workable way to do this.
This one I am not sure if it is a good or bad point: Most of these
ships have a limited number of passenger cabins. I have heard various
numbers, from 1 to 16. The person at work said on one ship, they put
the people who booked passage in the Captains quarters, and the Captain
took other quarters. This could be good or bad, depending on what sort
of cabin you end up with.
The good:
The service is normally much better than on the standard cruise lines.
You normally end up with the Captian's Steward, and at the Captian's
Mess and sometimes the Captian's table.
If you want to spend more time in one port, it is a better way to go,
as a ship might take two or three days to load from one port.
The ports are not the cruise terminal ports, but the cargo ports. You
don't end up fighting with all the tourists for transportation, taxis
and such. (This could be bad?)
roland
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