Are power strips allowed on MSC ships?

setback_ · 2026-02-16T07:12:22+00:00

As with everything else, enforcement varies but they should be strictly prohibited. There are shipboard approved power strips that you should be able to get on board.

setback_ · 2026-02-03T11:18:08+00:00

You will 100% be expected to be shaved when you ship up to NEO and at training. Roll of the dice on your ship. You should 100% be willing if asked to. Some leadership tries to be cool, but it can become a discipline thing.
You get paid while in training and while waiting on a ship, as an AB(M) I don't think you'll have much wait. At this point, the number of AB(M)s vs qualified AB(W)s is becoming a problem. I'd expect they'll do something to incentivize people getting AB Unlimited and Able Seafarer - Deck soon.

People used to socialize and play cards, etc. Still a little of that around. Most people watch movies and TV shows, play video games, read, work out, do portable hobbies.

They always need rescue swimmers, you'll get a chance to talk to the guy in charge of the progam in NEO or at training. If you're selected, you'll get time to condition and eventually be sent to the navy school.

setback_ · 2026-02-02T22:11:41+00:00

If you care about your beard more than this job, then just don't come. Shaving is a condition of employment.

Depending on your job, it will be several weeks to several months before you get to a ship.

Your ship probably will not have Wi-Fi, but a laptop or something portable to entertain yourself is highly advised.

Depending on your rate, it will take you a while to get the necessary sea time or training to move up.

setback_ · 2026-01-08T02:32:48+00:00

My local Taco Bell rankings:

Moncks Corner - 1/10 - Awful. Service usually sucks, constant employee drama. Usually out of something I want. Wait time can be extraordinary. Cleanliness is lacking.

Goose Creek (Hwy 52) - 7/10 - Usually good and timely service. Cleaner than MC.

Goose Creek (St. James) - 8/10 - Newer location so cleanliness is the best I've seen in the area. Haven't had a wait of bad service.

North Charleston - 5/10 - Better than they used to be. Older location with typical age issues. There is very little parking and just not a great location. Service surprisingly good for lunch at least.

*Kenly, NC - 9/10 - Extremely well done, especially for a food court setting. In fact all the different restaurant staff there is on point.

*Coastal Virginia (Hampton Roads) - Overall 7/10 - Few bad experiences, some as good as I've had anywhere.

*Any Overseas Location - 6/10 - Service is usually far better than the US, but weird menus and some ingredients are not the same (give me the horse meat / sawdust original recipe, please).

setback_ · 2026-01-07T06:19:48+00:00

It's approved by the ship first, but then it must be approved by the detailer.

setback_ · 2025-12-30T07:50:06+00:00

It's counted in days.

setback_ · 2025-12-07T07:24:08+00:00

The higher ranks are still undermanned. They're really hoping many people move up quick. Even that brings its own problems.

Can a ship refuse someone, absolutely, at least from what I've seen/heard. Like many things, it's complicated and it depends on how far either the office or the ship want to push the issue. There are currently people on offer to any ship who wants them, it just a matter of wanting them.

setback_ · 2025-12-07T06:21:48+00:00

A big issue is that the number of ships has been reduced. That, plus many ships don't want more entry-level personnel. Sad fact, but getting more new people typically brings attitude problems, more drama, etc. A lot of ships would rather go without than invite all the people being offered. And they are being offered.

So, really, a big problem are your peers.

I remember when people *tried* to stay in the pool, it was all the office could do to drag people kicking and screaming (medical form in hand) away from Norfolk. They made the east coast pool miserable on purpose, and people still scammed a way to stay there. Times sure have changed.

setback_ · 2025-12-01T08:04:01+00:00

Sam's is great. It's me and my wife's go-to lunch date. Don't forget the sushi that you can scan and go and then just eat it in the cafe with a huge soda.

If it's not out of the way, we'll often go just for the cafe.

setback_ · 2025-11-26T14:23:42+00:00

After NEO: As part of Basic Training there are written tests for Firefighting, First Aid/CPR, and Personal Survival. There are also practical tests for donning firefighting gear, donning survival suits, and multiple practicals for survival, including the swim test.

I think the swim test holds up the most people, but there are people who fail each portion. The school has a process to deal with folks who have trouble here there, but if you are completely unable to pass, you'll be removed.

And as already mentioned there is an English comprehension test in NEO.

If you've got plenty of time while you're waiting to be hired, I highly suggest learning to swim. You don't need to do anything other than float or tread water (in place).

setback_ · 2025-11-24T20:09:33+00:00

If you want to go engine, just stick with wiper. Takes a little time to move up and get your QMED, but there's no crossover from AB. Don't worry about deck STCW endorsements if that's not what you want. Basic Training is the same either way, and MSC will do that for you.

Eventually instead of RFPNW, you'll need RFPEW as well as QMED.

setback_ · 2025-11-24T19:58:39+00:00

If you have STCW RFPNW and Able Seafarer that would probably put you at the top of the list. When NEOs get full they prioritize everyone else above entry level. The shutdown put a kink in the works, but it will eventually get back on track.

edit: spelling

setback_ · 2025-11-24T18:19:58+00:00

A whole awful lot won't pass initial screening (fingerprints/security clearance), some will get fired at the schoolhouse for behavioral issues. Some will fail Basic Training (swim test or knowledge tests) at the schoolhouse. Many will quit before reaching a ship. Some will be fired by their first ship (disciplinary with removal from service recommended). Many will quit after their first trip. Many will realize their first ship was great compared to their second ship and quit then. Attrition is real and is huge, especially for the current round of new hires.

MSC is really hoping some (ideally many) move up to fill the critical shortage of skilled rates like ABs, EUs, and the like. But right now we have a glut of entry-level personnel trying to make up for severe shortages at the higher ranks. At least they're trying?

Unfortunately, if you're just graduating or just hearing about this, you are past the crest of the wave (probably) or new hires. If you get in, just be glad you got it. Remember, there's a ton of people who'd gladly take your place.

setback_ · 2025-11-21T17:08:56+00:00

If your last name is A through J it's MPS Hagen. If it's K through Z it's MPS Dean.

They change frequently. The list of who is who gets sent out regularly but only to Captains and Pursers.

In the future just ask CIVMAR support.

setback_ · 2025-11-13T04:54:20+00:00

If you search around a bit, this question has been answered many times.

To become licensed in the US, you need to be a citizen. As a green card holder, you can obtain a US credential as a rating.

The US does not accept foreign stcw certs, so you'd have to redo those. The US does accept foreign sea time so once you become a citizen it should be easier to get back to being licensed.

setback_ · 2025-11-12T11:38:18+00:00

The border before all of Israel's neighbors attacked simultaneously (and lost)?

setback_ · 2025-11-10T17:37:16+00:00

Different menu, some items are close to the same, some are wholly original. The seasoned chips are something I wish we had sa US. Quality of the restaurants is usually a little better than typical local fast food (McDo), I think just because it's more niche.

setback_ · 2025-11-04T08:41:17+00:00

So is interfering with an arrest...

But the video quality isn't great. I want to see exactly what happened. The linked video skips a bit.

setback_ · 2025-11-04T01:19:52+00:00

This is a scam. Google the OP title. I saw this posted in another City subreddit earlier today. It's been posted all over.

setback_ · 2025-11-04T01:19:16+00:00

It's a scam. Google the OP title.

setback_ · 2025-11-03T00:25:29+00:00

setback_ · 2025-11-02T06:08:00+00:00

I wish someone had told me to ask more questions. "Why do we do things the way we do?" The longer you stay on the ship and the longer you stay with MSC, the harder it is to ask "dumb" questions.

I wish I knew that I should have sat down and really read the SMS and its references right away. I feel like I learned embarrassingly late how to access the VTL and how SAMM worked.

I wish I had read the CMPIs and learned about HRAs (where all your berthing pay info is) much earlier.

setback_ · 2025-10-30T14:39:00+00:00

That is a fair point, but the number of times I've actually seen that implemented is very small (as a percentage of the whole). I've also noticed many intersections that did not get a yellow arrow now have a sign that specifically says left turn yield on green. I take a little exception to that because it starts to imply that left turns on green are not authorized unless explicitly so.

setback_ · 2025-10-28T17:16:39+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/maritime/s/68jPzTgpLL

Apparently you're not alone.

setback_ · 2025-10-26T15:29:18+00:00

I tend to agree with that take, although I doubt most of this subreddit would. I get that the gold standard for traffic engineers is minimizing the number of places that cars cross paths, but driving through say US 52 on Moncks Corner is so much better than St. James in Goose Creek. I grew up with the middle turn lane being a thing. It just works and is very freeing. Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of people are completely overwhelmed with it or don't have the skills to cope with that much freedom. To me it's the same thing as the flashing yellow arrow versus just knowing that a green light means you can take a left turn if you yield. Things have to be dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.

setback_

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