Good crew in a small space
You work with the same people, eat with them and often share a cabin with one of them. With very little private space, the small things become important quickly.
Before you start
You do not have to become best friends with the whole crew. You do need to be clean, respectful, reliable and reasonably pleasant to share a small space with.
Video coming soon
Good crew in a small space
Straight to camera: your own area, rest, the boat's culture and being easy to live with.
The point
Your behaviour off deck affects the working day
If everybody is tired of living with you, it does not matter how good you think your washdown is. Being easy to live with is part of the job.
The lesson
The standard
- 01
Keep your own area under control
Your bunk, your uniform, your laundry and the shared bathroom are not somebody else's problem.
What goes wrong: Wet kit and rubbish left in a small cabin that the other person cannot get away from.
- 02
Respect rest
Somebody may be sleeping after a watch, even mid-afternoon. No slammed doors, no calls in the cabin, headphones on.
What goes wrong: Hours of rest only work if the crew respect each other's rest.
- 03
Read the culture before trying to change it
Arrive modestly and watch. You do not have to follow a bad habit, such as a drinking culture, and bullying or unsafe behaviour is raised properly through the hierarchy.
- 04
Leave it better than you found it
Refill the coffee machine, replace the milk, put a new roll on. Help when provisions arrive. Leave enough at the mess table for the people who have not eaten yet.
What goes wrong: Putting the empty container back on the shelf. It is noticed and it is remembered.
Remember: Keep private crew matters off social media and do not carry gossip between departments. If you have a genuine issue, speak to the person calmly or take it to the right senior crew member.
Quick check
Four decisions, then move on
This check confirms the principle. Your vessel's own induction still comes first.