We caught up with Chiltern Maritime Deck Cadet, Fraser Craigen, who has been sailing with his sponsors, MSC Cruises, to gain an insight into his experience so far at sea.
“Spending almost half a year working at sea can seem a daunting prospect; it certainly was for me before embarking on MSC Grandiosa in Barcelona.
However, I needn’t have been worried. The officers were very welcoming and always keen to share their expertise and knowledge. During my time on board, I worked on many different elements which are a Deck Officer’s responsibility – in the safety office performing maintenance on life saving appliances, manual call point and water tight door testing, and coordinating response to emergencies.
I spent three months watchkeeping on 4-8 and was involved in the bridge team for daily manoeuvres.
During my overtime I conducted enclosed space entries and assisted in administrative tasks necessary to keep a vessel of such size operational.
My time on board MSC Grandiosa flew by very fast, and I made memories and learnt things I will never forget.”
Would you like to embark on a career at sea? Our range of varied cadetships offer study and sea time to allow you to gain the skills and experience to transform your future, click here to discover more.
