Flag of Convenience?

[Rowana]

SWIMBO has decided that she wants to go on a "proper" cruise next year. She got a brochure in the post today that has a cruise to Norway starting from Dundee. This would suit us very well, as we live near Aberdeen, so wouldn't have the hassle of travel to and from a more distant departure.

The ship is the mv Van Gogh, owned by Club Cruise Netherlands. However, she is registered in Kingstown, St Vincent & Grenadines. This makes me slightly uneasy, as I've no idea as to the standards that apply there.

Anybody know anything about this vessel, owners or port of registry?
Or any way of finding out more?

Any help much appreciated.

Jim


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[Jimmy20V]

I'm afraid it doesn't mean much at all. I left the MN when my company flagged out, but that was only one of many reasons. Most vessels now days are reg'd to an FOC, but it is usually the companies/marine superintendants standards that win at the end of the day.

I would expect that a Scandinavian vessel would have good standards of upkeep, and fortunately IMO now have made it virtually impossible for companies to pass up on any aspect of safety.

Don't worry, enjoy your cruise!

After all, most of P&O's fleet are on FOC, and you'd sail with them wouldn't ya?

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[Deep_6]

Jim,
Try this link for plenty of helpful info from fellow cruisers.
You could try for more info regarding the vessel on this YBW site in the Ships Monthly forum.
I would not worry too much about flag of convenience unless its some place unheard of. You only have to look in Aberdeen Harbour to see flags of convenience vessels and most of them are of a very high standard for working vessels.

http://www.chat-page.com/ship/1/welcome.html

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[Mirelle]

If she is sailing from Dundee

There are FOC's and FOC's - the best two, as good as the UK, really, are Bahamas and Hong Kong, followed by the Marshall Islands, then Liberia, then Cyprus and Panama, then eg Malta and the rest.

She is starting from a UK port, so is subject to Port State Control inspection by the MCA under the terms of the Paris MOU. I would think, given her flag, she is going to get looked at.

You might look her up on this website, which is really for people who work in the cruise business (I should declare an interest, I do some consulting for the site owners, a well established shipping media group, but I am not at all involved with this site).

http://www.cruise-community.com/clines_menu.htm



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[Bejasus]

Re: If she is sailing from Dundee

I work for an American company on a Norwegian ship. The ship was previously registered in Norway, but the rules as they apply to Norwegian vessels are very restrictive, and 2 years ago, we requested that they reflag the vessel to get around the problems we had. One of the main ones being the Norwegian rule that Norwegian crew members must have a single cabin and it must have a window/porthole etc. This meant that the ships crew used this to appoint themselves all the best cabin while we, the clients got all the crap. This had been the case for 15 years and the company had just accepted the fact until I got involved and tried to improve the lot of my guys on board. As soon as the ship's owners agreed to reflag in Nassau, the got rid of all their Norwegian AB's and galley staff and recrewed with Poles. Not because they had to, but they saw the oppertunity to cut their own costs as they were no longer obliged to employ an all Norwegian crew. I would suggest that this is the reason this cruise ship is under an FOC.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00>http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00</A>

 

[Deep_6]

Re: If she is sailing from Dundee

So now the Poles have all the crap cabins - is the clients rep in the old mans cabin?

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[Bejasus]

Re: If she is sailing from Dundee

Nah, apart from the Captain, I am the 'Old Man' on board...../forums/images/icons/crazy.gif..... but it did allow me to be able to have a better cabin available, for those occasional times when we have a customer or a female on board.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00>http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00</A>

 

[Guest]

Go and enjoy yourselves ....

The crud that surrounds the term Falg of Convenience is still galling me years after I stoped sailing on them .....

I can say in all fair and honesty that the worst ships I sailed on were British Flag ...... so called Best Flag and all that .....

The company's that use FOC include all the best known British Co.s ....... Cruise, Cargo, Tanker, Ferry etc. etc.

OK some will quote accident rates ............. Maths exercise then ..... if you have British flga ships representing 1% of the worlds tonnage ...... doesn't it mean that they will have far fewer accidents than the 99% majority ???? If a Flag nation has a large number of vessels under its flag then the law of averages dictates more accidents ...... Yes I agree that there are some appalling examples of ships - I run a Ships Cargo Inspection Company / Labs and we get to see literally all types and condition from Coasters to Supertankers .......

so treat yourselves to a cruise and stop worrying.



<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[bob_tyler]

The Van Gogh sails on cruises out of Falmouth throughout the summer and has a very good reputation locally. I am told she is small but comfortable with a very friendly crew.

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[ccscott49]

Re: If she is sailing from Dundee

It's getting bad, I'm the oldest guy on this rig!! and I still get a top bunk!

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[Deep_6]

Re: If she is sailing from Dundee

Time to pull rank and put the sprogs in the top bunk

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[nordic_ranger]

Van Gogh

Have a look at :-

http://www.choosingcruising.co.uk/Cruiseweb/ShipDetailsQuery_2.asp?nShip=Van+Gogh

Jim

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