I go to great lengths to get these photographs to you. This is the walk way from the Cruise ship Terminal at Port Kelang to the Ship.Greetings from Arcadia - all at sea!
A very steady morning here on board with ship's business to attend to. As promised here is the storing report with pictures.
Port Kelang is not the easiest place for Arcadia to store in because of the change in the tide, we only had a 2 hour window were the gun port storing door would be above the quayside.
At 7am Arcadia was along side and the doors were open, first off was the garbage for recycling to make room inside for the stores to come on.
At 7am Arcadia was along side and the doors were open, first off was the garbage for recycling to make room inside for the stores to come on.
Bags of crushed glass to be recycled
Containers were on the quayside waiting for us, they had already been checked by customs and were ready to unload. There were 5 40ft Containers from the UK with many UK brand items that we needed to unload and reload onto Arcadia. Our passengers like these products and we can’t buy them locally, British tea and British Bacon and the sorts.
Daniel, Assistant F&B Mgr is checking the container numbers and seals before opening
Conny, Stores Manager and Carl, F&B Manager waiting for the stores to arrive
The first of the many pallets on there way by fork lift
1st Officer, Alex, Security Officer, Bob and Dan on the quayside, they have checked the first container was safe before entering Arcadia and now waiting to open the second.
Kelvyn, 1st Storekeeper and Olvyn, 2nd Storekeeper on their electronic pallet trucks We were unable to unload the garbage and load all the stores in the 2 hour window, the tide has now dropped so low that we are no longer able to load the stores by fork lift… We still have 3 containers to load…
Not to worry, Conny and Orla have a plan!! Don't they always...............??
We call in the assistance of a mobile crane!
Crane on the quay side - you can just about see our storing door on the side of the ship!
The remaining 3 containers of stores are then craned onto the ship a pallet at a time
Jojo, 1st Storekeeper on an electric pallet truck waiting as the 2 guys receive the stores being craned on.
The remaining 3 containers of stores are then craned onto the ship a pallet at a time Jojo, 1st Storekeeper on an electric pallet truck waiting as the 2 guys receive the stores being craned on. And if we are not working hard enough against the challenges being thrown against us… the Black clouds are looming!!
View from the ship as it is about to rain…
View from the ship as it is about to rain… We have to stop storing shortly as the heavens open and Conny who is on the Quayside gets a soaking!!
Rain has stopped play, Orla on her pallet truck.
The rain finally stops and we finish storing the 90 tons of UK goods and some locally purchased items at about 4.30pm local time. Now we have the job of counting everything!! My thanks to Carl and his team for another great job - well done! I can't live without my Earl Grey Tea!!!!
Bye for now,
James.
'Every little helps'!
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15 comments:
James, hello! What a fabulous insight into the work that goes on behind the scenes. We're joining Arcadia at Fremantle and can hardly wait having thoroughly enjoyed the journey thus far thanks to your blog.
Keep up the good work.
Suzy & Bill
Wellington - New Zealand (but soon to be C5!)
What a mission!You all need a big,big reward.
See you soon!
fascinating stuff!
The logistics involved the The Arc's Grand Voyage is plain to see - especially all those palletised 1 ton sacks of crushed glassed. Is it a booze cruise?
Thoe old chestnut "a picture can tell what a thousand words can't" was ever thus so. Keep 'em coming!
Love the glimpse of the behind the crew doors operations. I've known that there has to be a lot going on out of sight to deliver the impressive public performance - this confirms it! Must be hair-tearing stuff sometimes with tides and weather and local contractors to contend with.
Hi James
Breakfast time for me again! And your blog is the first thing I've read!
Saw the blog for Port Kelang last night before I went to bed. As I don't fly I've never been to the places you are visiting. My daughter has travelled and has been to Thailand, which she says was wonderful and she'd like to go again. I see they have a day in Bangkok on Oriana. So looks like she will be visiting again ;-) Even if it is just for the day. At the moment Oriana is heading towards Hawaii! I was telling her were due for snow, so she rubbed it in by telling me Australia is recording temperatures of 45C (I think I've got the right letter there) ;-) Now that is hot, hot, hot.
The walkway in the picture seems to go for miles!!! But what a pretty little walkway. And it's interesting to see that you must ship the stores to your ports of call to load onto the ship for passengers. I have to say I'm a big fan of earl grey tea bags, but I have to admit I bring my own on board when I cruise. Many years ago you used to use twinings tea. And I'm afraid the tetley bags bags that you now have just aren't the same!!!!!! Maybe you get used to the tetley ones! I always have to take some boxes of twinings for my daughter when I got to visit her! So it's not just me being awkward!!!!!!!!!
Do you send the items you offload (recycling etc) back to the uk in a container or does it get recycled in the places you are visiting? I know you are very good at recycling. And there must be quite a bit of recycling on the ships.
It's interesting to see the pictures of the gun door at the start of the operation and then at the end. That's quite a drop! Do you do the same thing in other ports (have containers shipped out)?
Well better let you get back to work. Keep up the good work James. I'm really enjoying this. It's my virtual world cruise ;-) Guess it will be some years before my OH retires and we can do a real one!
Elaine (aurorabore)
Hi Elaine,[aurorabore],
We are averaging temps from 30-45+ degrees C here in Australia and the humidity is amazing,just sweat all day and night,that is the nature of Australia.The flys love it.
Would love to go on one of those floating resorts one day but am worried about the cold places,don't think we have enough or any warm clothes.
Beer is getting hot,hope to read many more of your comments and good luck to all the Arcadia dwellers.
Anonymous
We never get temps like that here in the UK, but I know just how clammy it can be when it's very humid! You automatically think that everyone in Australia, probably has air conditioning, but I guess it's not like that in reality?
Better let you get back to your beer ;-)
You should try a cruise! The Med in the summer is very hot! The UK can (yes I'm choking whilst I say that) get nice summers! We've just not had a nice summer for 2/3 years now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So any hot, sunny climes is more preferable (for me anyway)!!
Elaine (aurorabore)
Hi James,
An absolutely fantastic blog - thanks for writing about your travels, giving us a little more of an insight into the operations onboard.
On the 20th February, I'll be joining the Arcadia for my first sea phase as a deck officer cadet (and so the joke goes...)! I'm not expecting to have the opportunity to get off in many ports because I'll be working, but it will be nice to see them at least from the ship!
Hope all continues to go well and will probably see you around the ship next month if you're still onboard for the remaining legs of the world cruise.
James
From Fabulous, we now switch to 'Fascinating', Tide tables, logistics and problem solving, the behind the scenes, 'nuts and bolts' of a Grand World cruise, as it happens.
This entire blog and all the wonderful photographs really has the makings of a bestseller.
The ultimate coffee-table book, to personally enjoy and share with friends too.
A wonderful adventure, yet seemingly, so effortlesly told.
This is a huge bonus to our own anticipation of the cruise itself.
We thank you so much!
Peter & Alan.
Hi James,
I really sympathise with you over the storing difficulties.When I was old man in the MN, it was always a fraught process.They dropped all the beer in the drink in Aruba once!!!
We're joining you in Bangkok,to join up with Daphne and Peter Titus Rees from the Daintree. Just hoping we can get 2nd sitting with them so I can try (for the third time) to convert Peter to Boddingtons.
Thoroughly enjoyed all your blog up to now & can't wait to get on board .Look forward to meeting up soon
Best regards
Peter & Elaine Crabtree
Hi James,
What a busy day yesterday with all the supplies coming aboard, I expect today will be busy getting it all unpacked and stored away in its righful place.
I do so enjoy reading the blogg,feel as though we are doing the journey with you, will you be on board on the cruise st the end of April, to the mediterranean, I hope so , look forward to meeting you on the Arcadia, the flowers in Port Kelang were something to see.
Best wishes,J. Lincoln
Oh James! what interesting pictures you sent this time. How nice to see the faces of those we never see and who do the jobs that make our holidays so wonderfully relaxing by making sure that the Earl Grey and everything is on board.
We met you first on Aurora in August 2002, her Maiden Season, Commodore Burgoine (then Captain of course) and his wife and daughter joined our table most evenings, making us feel very special. We had a lovely time with all the table companions. We are looking forward to meeting you again and the Commodore,too after we board at Singapore. We will be in C189. I think we will be lining up with all the bloggers to say a very special "thank you" for all the time and effort you have put into the blog. You have brought the Arcadia into our homes and we never miss a day on line.
With very kind regards
Judith and Alec
Hi James
What a hectic day for you all but glad to see all was well and you got your Earl Grey tea most important. Thanks for another great blog today it was very interesting a great photos.I didn't see any Lillies amongst the beautiful flowers!!!
Eunice & Paul Meeus
Hi James
Nice to see latest photos, especially the one of Daniel Thorpe, our wedding co-ordinator on Christmas Day. Tell him our photos we promised him of our fabulous "themed" wedding cake are being brought to him when Peter & Alan join you on Arcadia in Singapore!!! Say hello to him for us!
Heather & Malcolm
I got into your blog when researching for what people thinking about Thailand.
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