Cruising With Me

I’m so express thanks to God, for making my life’s so wonderful. My name is Agus Aris Ariyanto, just call me “ares”, I live in Karanganyar, Surakarta, central Java INDONESIA. here I wanna share my experience on board with all of you. i used to have one obsession to see the outside world, it was just a dream, I tried to find it out, how can I go there? so far, I just can see it on TV, I want to see it with my own eyes, I want to step my feet on it. and finally I can figure it out, yes…just by this way I can make it, working on a cruise ship, so it will automatically brings me there….i want to see Paris, Rome, Alaska, Japan, Venice, Acropolis, and many more beautiful places in the world….and now my dream come true,,I’ve been seen all the places in this beautiful whole world.

I started from a college in 1999 that taught me about Marine Hotel skills and ship informations, Mentor College International Marine Hotel Training School located in Tlogosari, Semarang INDONESIA, it’s not only a hotel college, it has changed my life, my attitude, and improved my knowledge. the point is my mental and skills raised up to 180 degree.

After graduated, I applied to PT SBI, it’s the only Holland America cruises agent in Indonesia, located at Sudirman tower, south Jakarta. why I choose it? because it’s the only ship agency that I don’t need to pay at that time. but now everyone who hired should pay $500 for the training process.

A little view about cruise ships, cruise ship industry is one of the biggest industry in United Stated of America, we can found them around USA and Europe, commonly Indonesian call it “WHITE SHIP” because it painted as white. a cruise ship industry such as : Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruise Line, Holland America Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and many more…and one of the biggest Cruise Ship Company in USA is Carnival Cooperation's.

Carnival has many ships such as carnival destiny, carnival valor, carnival fantasy, carnival conquest and many more..and this company mastered some cruise ship industry, they are Holland America Cruise Line, Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruise Line, WindShips, Cunard Cruises and Princess Cruise Line..

most of cruise ship called Ms (miss), why? because American said that ship is a female…so that’s why they called it Miss.

Why does in America this industry grow? because American people have a good life style and their economic life is good, also cruising is one of their tradition of their life style during their vacation. when I asked them why?,their answer is “we need to relax,and the best and perfect place to relax is on the Cruise Ship, I really love and enjoy it..”

Remembered that I’ve been as a crew member in one of cruise ship industry in Housekeeping Dept in many different ships of Holland America Cruise Line for 6 years service Ms Volendam, Ms Prinsendam, Ms Statendam, Ms Vista Westerdam, Ms Maasdam, and the last is Ms Zaandam, so here I’d like to share with you about a cruise ship life in this company.

Holland America is the famous cruise ship belongs the Netherlands and has a very classic style and color, white on the body,and dark blue on the bottom. most people can recognized it just by see it. ”that’s Holland America Cruise Ship...”

Holland America crews based on Indonesian crew member since year 1970, at that time most of them come from Nguter, is a small village in Sukoharjo, Central Java, as they called it Nguterdam, because most of them work on the Dam Ship of Holland America Cruise Line.

the amount of crew member is 60 % of Indonesian, 20% of Philippine and 20% of other country. at that time Indonesian crew was so strong, because the they majoring most of the important position in Housekeeping dept, Food & Beverage dept, Deck & Engine dept, Office dept, and many other position as officers staff. but now company replace them with some crews from another country such as Indian, Romanian, England, Hungary as a hotel staff. but dutch is still mastering as the Captain and staffs.

Holland America has many different ships,they are:

Ms Volendam, Ms Statendam, Ms Zaandam, Ms Ryndam, Ms Prinsendam, Ms Maasdam, Ms Veendam, Ms Amsterdam, Ms Rotterdam, Ms Noordam, Ms Zuiderdam, Ms Oosterdam, Ms Eurodam, Windstar Cruises, Windsong cruises.

One of the identity of this company is they use some of the Netherlands town as a ships name such as Noordam,Amsterdam,Rotterdam,Volendam etc.

A Cruise ship is much different with cargo ship, oil ship, or war ship. it designed for passengers, to make them feel comfortable, to give them leisure, enjoy and fun, just feels like in the 5 star hotels. it has swimming pool, casino, dining room, Theater, photo gallery, shops, internet cafe, library, volley ball square, meeting room, and more. and this ship has a stabilizer, so it always in a stabilize motion anytime even though the sea is rough or in a bad weather.

this ship also has Auto Pilot Systems, it means that it can sail without any pilot in charged, so the pilot makes the program by the computer systems and decide where will the ship goes…it’s so Hi-Tech…

Ms Volendam is my first ship on my first contract with Holland America with 1 year contract. volendam brought me round over Alaska, Caribbean, and mexico. I really enjoy it, and I felt excited, because it’s my first time as a stranger in town, in somebody else country…and in that contract I’ve been chosen as the employee of the month of September 2000, and I got the award. I was so proud, it’s the begin of my career.

In this ship I worked as a public cleaner, yes that’s an easy and fun job. we knew embarkation and disembarkation day…that’s the day the passengers get in and get out aboard…actually I hate that day…we should work like a horse….we took all the passengers luggages…it’s not only 10 or 50 suitcases, but more than 1000 of suitcases….we should bring them in and out the ship. some passengers said that we are crazy…we are small but so strong…and working very fast….wow…Iam proud to hear that!

Ms Prinsendam, is my second contract. I worked on Spa, as a spa attendant. I worked with some beautiful stainers from Elemis company, England. what I did is taking care of Gym, Saunas, Steamrooms, saloon, massage rooms, swimming pool etc, it’s a hard job but I like it….it’s a challenge…I got a board when this ship was Seabourn sun, because Holland America bought this ship in 2002, and we were the first Holland America crews that handled over it. one thing that I love from this ship is just because it brought me traveled around the world, 5 continents in the world: Asia, Australia, Afrika, Europe and America…that’s amazing time even though spent all my salary…

Ms Statendam, is my third ship in my contract, it brought me traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, and Alaska again….but I love Hawaii…it’s so different island…so exotic…I love the mountain, the volcano, and the city life…it’s so clean..maybe the cleanest town I’ve ever seen.

I work on this vessel just for few months, because I was transferred to Vista Westerdam…it’s a brand new ship of holland America cruise and it still dry dock in Fincantiery,Venice, Italy in 2003..yes until now I still can feel it smells. i never forget that moment, we stayed in a few weeks in Venice..that’s the most romantic place in the world that I’ve been visited, i love it in the sunset.

Ms Maasdam, was my next contract. and I was promoted as a Bellboy. but it’s so different with a bellboy on the land. I should take care of all offices need, responsible with all the stuffs for all departments, offices and ashore side. it’s a challenge job, and need more responsibility. but one thing that I like, I can make good relationship with all the ship staffs, such as Captain, Hotel manager, Chief officers, Chief engineer….and many more important persons on the ship, it built my self confident. because my job was taking care of them, so Iam the most important person on the ship, without me they were nothing…because I take care of all their top secret letters, packages…and it must be delivered on time!...wow…so confident…ha ha….
oh..yeah…I almost forgot, this ship brought me to New England: Boston, Montreal, Quebec, Halifax, Rhode island…and many more cities around USA and Canada. also it transit to Europe..Iceland, Norway, Ireland, and Scotland.

Ms Zaandam, is my last ship of Holland America line. I was a bellboy but during the end of my contract I have changed my function as a room steward

Indonesian crews is the biggest population in Holland America company. and they give us facilities for activity such as mosque, church, Indonesian food, and we celebrate our independent’s day party every august 17^th. some of the Indonesian crew members have talents and they can show it to the passengers in Indonesian crew show. I was in a band. we were dancing and singing, and the passengers love it. because they cannot found it in their own country, we were presenting our traditional dance and songs…and they’re were so enjoyed it, they hope that they can visit out country Indonesia to see more…