Thread: Freighter Cruising.

Sail aboard the RMS St Helena

Quality, comfort and peace of mind
The Royal Mail Ship St Helena was built in 1989 specifically to supply the island of St Helena, the British Overseas Territory deep in the tropical South Atlantic. She is British registered, 6,767 gross tonnes and has berths for a maximum of 128 passengers plus 56 officers and crew.
She has all the most modern facilities; stabilisers, air conditioning and for those who worry about being too remote from their normal humdrum existence, fax, telephone, email and satellite communications.

She also carries a doctor and has well equipped medical facilities. Classified as A1+ at Lloyds and sailing under the British flag means that RMS St Helena is subject to some of the most rigorous safety regulations in the world. Her repeatedly high classification in the Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships is a sure indication of the high quality of her facilities, crew and standards.



Traditional values, service with a smile
Compared with today’s giant cruise liners, RMS St Helena is a small ship. There are no theatres, no casinos, no golf ranges.
On the other hand the emphasis is on relaxation. Life on board is far from frenetic. You can bask in an atmosphere of sun, sea and relaxed, friendly efficiency. Almost nothing is too much trouble for the officers and staff who believe that one of their responsibilities is to ensure you have an enjoyable voyage.

There are all the traditional ocean-going pastimes of beef tea, the sun deck and swimming pool, deck games, films, discos, bingo, race nights, quizzes and many other ideas from the fertile minds of the Purser and his staff. Sometimes there is even cricket!
There is plenty of time to do just what you wish. Lounge on the sun deck by the heated swimming pool with a cool drink and a book (the ship has a well-stocked library of books, videos and audio tapes. For the interested, RMS St Helena is an open vessel; you are welcome to visit the bridge or the engine room. You have only to ask.

For the more energetic, the deck games; for the really dedicated or over indulgent, there is the exercise room.

Perhaps, most significant of all, the chance and time to meet new people, converse and make good friends.

Crossing the line
Of course, the Ship also has the compulsory visit of King Neptune to collect his dues whenever she crosses the line but, to make up for that there is the Captain’s cocktail party, one of the great pleasures of shipboard life.

The pleasures of the table
For the gourmet, the galley is one of the Ship’s greatest assets and would grace many of the world’s best restaurants. The chef and his galley staff pride themselves on the quality of the meals they serve. One of the great pleasures of the ship’s day is the six-course dinner served in the attractively appointed dining saloon, with every senior officer hosting a table.

Both breakfast and lunch may be taken in the dining saloon or, for the more abstemious, continental breakfast and a buffet lunch are served in the sun lounge.

Any type of special diet can be provided for with pleasure: you simply need to make your requirements known in ample time before the ship sails to ensure that arrangements may be made to have the ingredients available.

Beef tea is served every day in the sun lounge while the bars in the main and sun lounges are open at lunchtime and in the evening.

Afternoon tea, with cakes and sandwiches, is served in the main lounge in the afternoon.

Home or hotel – the choice is yours
RMS St Helena has all the facilities of a first class hotel. The Purser’s office provides limited banking facilities, changing travellers’ cheques and foreign currency. It also acts as a post office and information point as well as publishing the Ship’s daily newspaper.

There is a shop. Not a supermarket but selling both souvenirs and essentials for the voyage. There is a highly efficient laundry service to do all your washing and ironing but, should you wish to use it, there is also a personal laundrette fully equipped with washing, drying and ironing facilities.

Every cabin also has 24-hour steward service but, should you wish to make a cup of tea in the middle of the night, you are welcome to make use of the facilities in the steward’s pantry.
The ship has two very comfortable lounges, both with fine views Each has a bar with waiting staff to attend to passengers’ needs The Hotel Services Officer is also happy to make arrangements for private cocktail parties in passengers’ cabins.

Each Sunday while at sea, divine service is held in the main lounge. Holy Communion, Mass and other religious services are also held if the relevant priests or ministers are aboard.

Informality amongst the efficiency
This is your holiday, so relax. While swimwear is not allowed in the dining saloon or other public rooms, dress during the day is very informal as it is during the evening. As a guide to what to wear at dinner, the ship’s newspaper publishes the recommended ‘rig of the day’ for ship’s officers and passengers may choose, if they wish, to follow suit.


Cabins

T2

For two people. A deck

Twin bedded cabins, with a large window, two wardrobe units, chest of drawers/bedside table, one armchair, dressing table with over-lighted mirror. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins A2, A3, A18, A20, A21

T3

For three people. A deck

Similar in size and layout to T2 cabins but with one bed replaced by a lower and fold-away upper berth combination. Large window, triple wardrobe unit, chest of drawers/bedside table, one armchair, dressing table with over-lighted mirror. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins A4, A5

T2H

For two people. A deck

With lower and fold-away upper berth, large window, one or two wardrobe units, one armchair and a dressing table with over-lighted mirror. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins A8, A10, A12, A14, A16, A22, A23, A24, A25, A26, A27, A28

T4

For four people. A deck

With two lower and fold-away upper berths, large window, four single wardrobes, two chests of drawers, two armchairs and a dressing table with over-lighted mirror. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins A6, A7, A9, A11, A15, A17, A19, A29, A31

T2S

For two people. B deck

Larger cabin with porthole, twin beds, two wardrobe units, two chests of drawers, one armchair, large dressing table with over-lighted mirror, twin settee and coffee table. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins B36, B37

T2HS

For two people. B deck

Slightly smaller than T2S cabins, with lower and fold-away upper berth unit, porthole, two wardrobe units, two chests of drawers, one armchair, dressing table with over-lighted mirror, and small table. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins B32, B33, B34, B35

T4S

For four people. B deck

Porthole, twin beds, two lower and fold-away upper berth units, four wardrobe units, two chests of drawers, one armchair, dressing table with over-lighted mirror, twin settee and coffee table. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins B38, B39

T4S or T5S Promenade deck

Larger cabin with window. This cabin has now been modified to be a family room ( up to 5 people) with two upper fold away berths, one fixed lower berth and a double bed which can be modified and folded away to make a single berth allowing the cabin to be a four or five berth cabin or a double bedded cabin for occupancy by two people, two wardrobe units, two chests of drawers, two armchairs, good sized dressing table with over-lighted mirror and small table. Large en suite facilities with toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabin P1


BUDGET ACCOMMODATION

2Bo

For two people. C deck

Porthole, lower and fold-away upper berth, two half-height wardrobes, stool and chest of drawers. Washbasin.

Cabin C49

2Biw

For two people. C deck

No natural light, lower and fold-away upper berth, two half-height wardrobes, stool and chest of drawers. En suite toilet, shower and wash basin.

Cabins C40, C42, C47

2Bi

For two people. C deck

No natural light, lower and fold-away upper berth, two half-height wardrobes, stool and chest of drawers. Wash basin.

Cabins C43, C44, C45, C46, C50, C51

4Bo

For four people. C deck

Porthole, two lower and fold-away upper berths, four half-height wardrobes, two stools and two chests of drawers. Wash basin.

Cabins C41, C48

A Working Ship

RMS St Helena is a passenger cargo liner, one of very few in the world today. In addition to carrying passengers in well-fed comfort, she is almost the sole source of supply of all goods for her isand namesake. From wind turbines to automotive parts; sheep, goats, and Christmas turkeys to furniture, food and paint, everything has to be carried by ship t the island. This is part of the fascination. RMS ST Helena is not just a passenger vessel; it’s a working ship, plying the Atlantic Ocean, carrying goods and people nearly halfway around the world. When you sail on the RMS, you are following in the wake of the generations of travellers and explorers who crossed the world’s oceans in the leisured days before air travel.


Useful to know

Travelling on RMS ST Helena is a very pleasant experience – that is our constant aim – but it is always useful to have information about the minor things that make the difference between a good holday and an excellent one. Our reservations department is always available to give help and information to make that difference but here are just a few points which we hope you find useful.

Passports and Visas
It is the responsibility of the traveller to ensure that passports are valid and that any necessary visas are obtained prior to departure.

Travelling to Ascension Island Visitors should be aware that there is a new entry permit form as of 7.10.2005. Visitors must complete one form each and prior to arrival send to this office for processing, an approved form will be returned to the visitor. Also it is essential for visitors to have medical insurance which include medivac. You can download the form here

Vaccinations and Medicines
There are no mandatory vaccinations for regular sectors of the voyage but we recommend your tetanus immunisation is up to date.
Although the ship has good medical facilities, if you are on medication make quite sure you have an adequate supply of any prescribed drugs. It is also important that the ship’s doctor should be made aware of any medical conditions that may affect the passenger’s health during the voyage.

Insurance
All passengers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate travel, repatriation and cancellation insurance and may be asked to provide proof by agents or representatives of Andrew Weir. Passengers over the age of 70 are requested to provide Fit to Travel Certification from their doctor within the month of travelling.

Electricity/voltage
Electricity supply to all cabins is 220/240 volt AC, with standard UK 3-square-pin sockets suitable for appliances such as hairdryers and hot roll curlers. Sockets for electric shavers are fitted in all cabins.

Currency and cards
Currencies accepted on board are UK’s pound sterling, the St Helena pound, USA dollar and South African rand. Travellers’ cheques, MasterCard and Visa are also accepted. Exchange facilities against the UK pound are available at a commission rate.

On the islands there are no international banks and only St Helenian currency and Sterling is accepted. Personal cheques cannot be used and credit cards are not widely accepted. Travellers’ cheques can be exchanged at the Post Office in Jamestown.

Dress sense
Dress during the day is informal. Swimwear is not suitable for the dining saloon or the lounges. For dinner and in the lounges during the evening it is recommended that a guide is taken from the ship’s officers’ evening rig announced each day in the ship’s newspaper:
Red Sea Rig – informal, open neck shirt for gentlemen – tie not required;
Sundown Rig – semi-formal, long sleeved shirt with tie – jacket not required;
Mess Dress – formal evening wear or lounge suit.

What’s included in the price
While all accommodation, meals and most activities on board are free, a charge is made for bingo, laundry, medical facilities, some sporting activities, organised shore excursions, souvenirs from the shop on board and drinks.

Gratuities
Gratuities are not solicited on board. However, should passengers wish to reward certain crew for exceptional service at the end of the cruise, this is entirely at the passenger’s discretion. Guidance may be sought from the purser and would be at the rate of about £1 per person per day.

Smoking policy
The vessel has a No Smoking policy throughout the accommodate block. Smoking is only permitted on the starboard side of the Sun Lounge except during meals times and during the sgowing of any film or video in the Sun Lounge. No smoking may take place on the foredeck or in cargo stowage areas. It is prefered that any smoking takes place in the open air.