[Simon Gerrard]

Matt,

We're always there. The cleaning schedules work throughout the year on each ship.
You can't stop cleaning things that big, so it's all done on a annual plan worked out in advance.

Simon

[Buster Ingram]

Its been a while since I worked with Simon a good 3 years ago back in the Arcadia days and then it was a night mare. So to clean ships the size of the QE 2 must be double trouble.
What a lot of you guy's have to get your heads around is the kit you have to have just in case like 3 RX20's at close on 3 grand a piece not to mention the miles of vac and solution line needed to stretch the distances needed on the ships today. And if that's not enough you have to try and board these boats with said equipment when 3,000 passengers are trying to get off with hand luggage.
Oh yes I remember it well, in fact I still wake in the night with cold sweats thinking I'll be out to sea before this room is finished.
Then the wife calms me down saying don't be silly we live in the south now you old softy.

[Karl Wildey]

love that photo, it sums it all up. How many of us could handle the pressure of a job like that, compare to doing a nice lounge/quick chat/cuppa tea type job? I know what I perfer,

[derek west]

like i said,just the badge and the money please.
derek

[Buster Ingram]

Karl your too right mate, give me the 15 x 12 lounge and a cuppa any day

Derek I'll dig out an odd badge and send it on 

These picture were taken in the days before cool cuffs Frigin nightmare

[Simon Gerrard]

Dave,

I remember those days well. That was lines to deck 14 on Oceana, this one is even higher. Twin lines going to deck 18 on P&O Ventura. Because we are at the aft end of the ship there is an awful lot of windage which puts about 25 feet of drift into the lines, some of it is taken up by the suction that tightens the lines when you start cleaning, but still a bit scary.

[Simon Gerrard]

Looking down. This ship is 115,000 tons, over a 1,000 feet long and 18 decks high. Although she's only two thirds the size of Queen Mary 2  (155,00 tons), somehow she looks bigger, probably because she's slimmer and taller than QM2.
QM2's the girl though, she's the real deal. Big and beautiful.

Simon

[Simon Gerrard]

Derek,

It's not about badges, or money. Yes, I get to wear the badge as you call it and I wear it with a great deal of pride, but it reminds me that it's not something you get to keep for nothing, it's something you keep through hard work and the endless pursuit of excellence.
And the money, I can't say I'm motivated by money, not really.

Simon

[JandS]

Must be a 100ft just vertically.

[derek west]

course its the badge or you wouldn't be putting it on here, if i was cleaning the thing, i'd make sure everyone knew, "the badge" so to speak, is not a put down simon, its an honour that i'm sure everyone on here would love. guess your just reading my posts wrong again, or maybe not.
derek

[Matt Lindus]

Derek,

 
And the money, I can't say I'm motivated by money, not really.

Simon

What a load of tosh Simon, its all for the money. If I was told to clean that just for the pride of doing it I would tell them dock it sideways up Mr P&Os arse.

Matt

[derek west]

 

[alan lewis]

Fantastic work I still prefer my thru lounge hsl with a cuppa handed to me and payment at the end of the job and home in time for tea, but that's me and everyone is different.


Amen to that !!

Alan

[daysdeepclean]

Some really good photo's there, if you  ever after a labourer I'd be up for it, just for the experience... Do you ever do anything down Falmouth Docks?

[Glynn]

Iv'e been on a few ship jobs with Simon, it's hard work.
I much prefer the local work myself and being home at a reasonable time, some people like these jobs and being away a lot but it's not everyone's taste. Although we carry out some very large jobs I still don't like being away all the time.

[Dave_Lee]

Me too, had enough of that in the Army. The only time Im away from home now is when spent doing the things I enjoy. Dont get me wrong I am happy in the business that I am in, but theres definately time for better things.
Dave.

[Simon Gerrard]

Derek,
I have a very unique job in carpet cleaning and yes, I get to say what I do, a badge of honour as you call it, but I share what I do with others because I know other people find it interesting and that is why I put it on the boards and why shouldn't I? But it's not done merely to brag about what I do, although many may take that view, but I assure you it is not done for that reason.

Matt,

I am not motivated by money. It's not what gets me out of bed in a morning. Do I get well paid for what I do? You bet you're life I do. Am I proud of what I do? You bet you're life I am. You can't do a job like mine simply for the money, you have to want to be there doing what you do best, because if you don't this job will find you out, real quick.


Jobs like mine find people like me, who don't mind being away from home. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I'll bet a fair few of you stay at homers would jump at the chance of it.

Simon

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I like that saying Simon, 'jobs like this find people like me' I find that's true when we talk about pricing, Phil Mitchell get's some really good prices as does Coiln Bright and Dave Lihona, you tend to attract the customers you want.

Shaun

[PaulKing]

Fantastic work I still prefer my thru lounge hsl with a cuppa handed to me and payment at the end of the job and home in time for tea, but that's me and everyone is different.

Shaun

totally agree. I'd rather be the chicken picking up the scraps as there always scraps.

[PaulKing]

Yes but my point was a carpet is a carpet. You can clean a carpet on one of Jupiter's moons...Europa for instance and it will be the same as cleaning a carpet on a cruise liner (apart from the gravitational problems ofcourse)!!

Looks a good money spinner though! Not sure Id like the pressure of having to do it in a  certain time. I like to go at my own pace. Rushing is not what I got in to this business for. It is hard enough work without having time limitations.

what about a plug and tap might be hard to find as well on Europa, or are you going to take a europa- ean travel plug ?