Ever heard of somone going commercial for their freshmen cruise? (CMA)

**cajaya** · June 4th, 2009, 03:45 PM

Lets say someone got six months of sea time..went to the cg center, took the test for oiler and passed. So that person would now be a QMED 1.

Lets say that person decided they then wanted to go to CMA and just go straight for their license. . .

Ever heard of anyone just going on a commercial ship for their freshmen cruise instead of the bear?

If so let me know...

**jdcavo** · June 5th, 2009, 03:55 PM

I'm not sure if you're also asking if you use any of your prior time and skip a cruise, if so, the answer is no.

STCW requires either completion of a program that includes sea service (6 months for engineers, i year for deck). The service has to be part of the program, you can't use time you had before you entered the program.

**cajaya** · June 6th, 2009, 09:50 PM

Sorry I meant q4.

And I didn't mean using prior sea time. I meant going as a QMED for two months instead of a cadet wiper since besides the diesels class(which can be taken during the semester) all the freshmen do on the freshmen bear cruise is clean.

But I guess it sounds like no...I will just have to endure it and wipe up oil for them for two months.

Are you sure there's no possible way???

**jdcavo** · June 8th, 2009, 04:51 PM

For the 3rd Mate/QMED program, either commercial ships or the training ship is OK for the engine time as far as the Coast Guard is concerned, but it's up to CMA which they will give you. NOTE that if you use this post to argue against CMA, I will make sure you get the hardest license exam we've ever produced

.

**Kingfysh** · June 9th, 2009, 10:54 AM

Just suck it up grab a hand full of rags and go clean. Everybody who goes to an academy does it and everybody hates it. Being miserable it just part of going to sea.

**abergeron** · June 9th, 2009, 08:29 PM

In my class there were people in your situation who tried to get out of freshman cruise and were unsuccessful for the reasons Mr. Cavo alluded to. Sea time by itself is not whats important its the entire program including successfully completing the three training cruises which is important.

**weski** · June 10th, 2009, 06:55 PM

SUNY Maritime is now letting students do time on commercial ships over Christmas break and for their second summer cruise. Per the above post, part of the training idea is working together (also see indoc...), shared suffering, teamwork, and the concept that you can't do it all alone. Perhaps you can suggest that CMA do something similar. You are unlikely to get out of suffering as a freshman, so get over it and start chipping and polishing!