u/Overall-Ad3512

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Will be joining my last ship as a deck cadet onboard a 5 year old Aframax crude oil tanker for 6 months. As it's my last trip as a cadet and I see myself staying on tankers as an officer (transition to gas seems really difficult), I am more focused on learning cargo operations as well as operations like inerting, ballasting, mooring and anchoring, etc. but I am also really nervous as this is my last ship as a cadet, it has been 1.5 years since I signed off my last tanker vessel ( a product tanker) and have forgotten most of the tanker-specific procedures, and most likely there will be expectations from me, and I want to end my cadetship on a high note, papering over all the gaps in my knowledge and being confident in all the crucial ops I will be responsible for as 3rd Mate.

So, officers on crude oil tankers, what would you expect a 3rd trip cadet to know reasonably well (except paperwork)? What did you yourself handle and know well when you were in the same position as me? How's life like on these vessels?

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Hi, had a Singapore Airlines flight today from Mumbai to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore. Due to technical issues of the aircraft (problem in exit slide), on the Mumbai-Singapore leg, I, alongwith other passengers travelling to Kuala Lumpur were deboarded and have been offered a hotel stay and rebooking onto alternate flights as per availability. Problem is, there's just 2-3 daily flights from Mumbai to Singapore, and even in the best case scenario, I would end up losing an entire day of my KL stay, with money lost in non-refundable tickets. What can I do in this situation?

Hi, had a Singapore Airlines flight today from Mumbai to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore. Due to technical issues of the aircraft (problem in exit slide), on the Mumbai-Singapore leg, I, alongwith other passengers travelling to Kuala Lumpur were deboarded and have been offered a hotel stay and rebooking onto alternate flights as per availability. Problem is, even in the best case scenario, I would end up losing an entire day of my KL stay, with money lost in non-refundable tickets. What can I do in this situation?

I know this isn't a visa, but nonetheless, my arrival flight into Malaysia has a layover in Singapore, and I'm confused whether to enter Singapore as my last port of embarkation or not, as even though I do have a layover in Singapore, I will not be passing through immigration there and will be transiting airside the whole time, and instead should fill in my port of origin where I passed immigration through, which would be India. Online opinions are mixed, so would like some advice on what to do here.

Will be travelling to Malaysia, and had to fill the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) prior arrival, which has a column asking for last port of embarkation. As I have a layover in Singapore during my journey, I'm confused whether to write last port of embarkation as India or Singapore. My tickets are booked on the same PNR, and information online is pretty unclear, some say that you should be filling the city you are flying from into Malaysia, some say as the ticket is on the same PNR, I should fill in the origin. Would like some help on this.

Hi, I'm currently a Deck Cadet with 14.5 months of seatime, needed 3.5 months more, and wanted to quit this profession as I'm realising that I'm not a good fit for this profession (don't have an issue with the loneliness, or the sea, just that I feel I haven't learned much compared to my peers which will haunt me as an officer and I feel scared of the immense responsibility that awaits once I'm a 3rd Mate and the consequences for fuck-ups) and wanted to shift out of this career into something that is less hands-on.

As I have done a Diploma in Nautical Science, I won't be getting a degree till I get my 2nd Mates License, but post that, wanted to prepare for CAT and try getting into an IIM (have great marks in 10th and 12th, will aim to score as much as I can in my BSc exams asw) for an MBA in a field not related to shipping or other govt exams, like UPSC. I don't care if I start from zero.

Is there anyone here who has transitioned from a career at sea to one ashore via this route, or even appeared for exams like those mentioned in the post? How did you go about it? How did you get your BSc degree (have heard that one has to appear for BSc NS exams prior to 2nd mate written exams, and BSc in Applied Nautical Science is not that well recognized)? Does 18 months of cadetship count as work ex or should I do 1-2 contracts as Junior Officer/3rd Officer prior exiting? Would love reading some experiences.

Hi, 22M and I'm going on my first solo trip to Malaysia (3 nights in Kuala Lumpur, 2 nights in Penang) and have been planning things since almost 2 months, since I booked my flight tickets. I have planned it so much, read up so much on the internet that I am more confused now than I was at the beginning, and am genuinely having FOMO thinking I booked a boring destination and should have opted for Bangkok+Pattaya instead, but chose to skip that time due to unclear visa rules and the bad reputation of Indian tourists at that time. Would love any tips from people who have done this trip as to how I can make it better within a budget, my itinerary is as follows:

Day 1- Arrive in KL in the morning. Take a bus to KL Sentral, then LRT+walk to hotel and reach around 2-3 pm. Visit KLCC Aquaria. Am in doubt as to whether spend on a City of Lights Hop On Hop Off bus tour, would love inputs on this.

Day 2- Free in the morning and afternoon. Have booked KL Tower all access tickets in the evening, and round it off with a couple drinks in a rooftop bar overlooking the Petronas Towers at night.

Day 3- Absolutely free. Wondering whether to take public transport and go to Batu Caves in the morning, or opt for a private join-in tour covering the same as well as 23 more attractions from 9 am to 7 pm. Round KL stay off with moving around Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor, but have heard Jalan Alor is overrated.

Day 4- Early morning bus to Penang. Reach hotel in Georgetown sometime in the afternoon. Explore local streets and the food scene (would love tips on what to do here), try to visit the clan jetties if possible.

Day 5- Take an early morning cab to Penang Hill and take the funicular up. Spend an hour or so, hike back down (unsure on whether to go to the Habitat) and visit Kek Lok Si temple. Take a cab to Batu Ferringhi beach and return to Georgetown at night and explore the streets a bit more.

Day 6- Early morning flight back home with a 5.5 hour layover in Singapore. There's close to zero chance of having my flight delayed by Singapore Airlines and availing VFTF to go on one of the bus tours they provide, so need tips on what to do inside the airport or how to avail VFTF to just visit Jewel Changi.

Sorry for the long post, but I have vastly underestimated how taxing planning a trip on your own can be.

Will be travelling to Malaysia in the first week of September, and came across a "City of Lights" Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour as well as a tour covering 23 attractions including Batu Caves on Klook. Upon further research, I saw that most of these attractions are close to each other, and the bus tour at night spends quite some time in traffic, which makes me wonder if paying close to 2k INR for a 2 hour bus ride would be worth it and if I would be better off exploring these places on foot and using public transport to commute to Batu Caves instead.

Would love inputs from people who have been to KL, along with advice on what to do during a 3 day stay (have already booked KLCC Aquaria and KL Tower All Access tickets, not planning to do Petronas towers).

Hi, I will be going on a trip to Malaysia 1st week of September (3 nights Kuala Lumpur + 2 nights Penang).I have posted earlier, and have readied my itinerary about 90%. However, I came across a few things which have prompted me to revise my itinerary, and would love to know if these new ideas would be feasible. Here's my revised itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in KL. Hope to reach my hotel in Chinatown by the afternoon (will be taking a bus from KLIA 1 in the morning). Have booked tickets to KLCC Aquaria, will explore Jalan Alor and Bukit Bintang in the night.

Day 2: Batu Caves in the morning. Now here's my doubt: Should I use public transport and figure stuff on my own or should I just take a half-day KL Tour covering Batu Caves for 1 hour among other attractions? After returning in the afternoon, was hoping to visit KL Tower in the evening, but am in doubt whether to buy observation deck or sky terrace tickets. Round off the night going on a City of Lights Hop On-Hop Off bus tour, or take a private tour including KL Tower observation deck and couple other places in the evening.

Day 3: Initially, had planned to visit Petronas Tower. However, noticed that tickets are a bit expensive (every attraction is 3x expensive for non-Malaysian citizens). And feel it would be redundant along with KL Tower. Instead, hoped to book a night tour of Malacca on Klook, leave in the afternoon (1400), return by night (2300) and then round off my KL stay with a rooftop bar at KLCC at midnight.

Day 4: Leave for Penang by bus in the morning. Hopefully reach Georgetown by the afternoon and explore the city and food scene.

Day 5: Leave early morning for Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si temple. Take the funicular train on the way up and hike the trail down, or vice versa. If time and funds permit, will go to Batu Ferringhi or spend time in Georgetown itself.

Day 6: Leave for home with a 5 hour layover in Singapore. Will try to secure VFTF to just spend my time in Jewel, but have no idea how to do it, what to say to immigration officers.

Is this plan feasible? I can switch some activities of day 3 with day 2, maybe even include the rooftop bar in day 2. Also, if someone has experience, please share how did you avail VFTF in Singapore. Does Jewel have additional entry fees? Also, should I purchase a local SIM or buy an eSIM off Klook?

Hi, will be flying Mumbai -> Singapore -> Kuala Lumpur via Singapore Airlines (both tickets are on the same PNR). BOM -> SIN flight lands at 7:40 AM (do not know which terminal, says Terminal 0 on the ticket) and SIN -> KUL flight takes off at 09:10 AM from Terminal 2 exactly 1.5 hours later. Assuming boarding closes around 20 mins prior departure and delays if any, is this time enough to transit?

Hi, have planned my first solo trip to Malaysia (3 nights in KL + 2 nights in Penang) from Sep 2 to Sep 8. Have booked flights, accomodation as well as a bus ticket from KL to Penang. I had some questions and doubts about a few things I would love to get resolved:

1. How much currency should I carry with me before entering Malaysia and how much would be sufficient for my stay? I have already exchanged about 80 Ringgit and plan to carry about 300-500 USD in cash to show at immigration as well as exchange some later on, plus will use a Niyo Forex debit card and a HDFC Millennia debit card. Where should I exchange money at in KL and Georgetown?

2. I have read about Touch n Go card used for transit in KL, but it requires a Malaysian number. What's the process for making one, and can I do it at the airport?

3. This is an itinerary question. As I'm arriving in Georgetown by the afternoon, I'll be spending the evening exploring the Armenian street and other areas close by. The next day, I am confused whether to go on to Kek Lok Si Temple + Penang Hill or do a hiking trail to Batu Ferringhi or Pantai Keracut. Is it possible to do both in a day? If not, which one should I skip?

4. Also an itinerary question. As I'll be arriving in KL in the afternoon (plan to take a bus from airport to KL Sentral), is it feasible to cover Aquaria and KL Tower in the same evening? My plan is covering Aquaria and KL tower on day 1, Batu Caves+Genting Highlands+ Petronas Towers on day 2 (may skip Genting), and taking a hop on/ hop off tour on day 3. Is the hop on/hop off worth?

Hi, I'm a Deck Cadet, and wanted to complete my Oil and Chemical Tanker specific Activity Workbook as well as learn and revise concepts related to cargo operations on tankers (Been almost a year since I signed off a tanker, and wanted to go back to tankers for my last contract as a cadet).

I do have soft copies of ISGOTT and my company's Tanker Cargo Operations manual, but would love to get recommendations for other books.

Hi, Got a 5.5 hour layover in Singapore (SG Arrival flight lands at 13:30, SG departure flight departs at 18:50, both flights on same PNR).

I fulfil all the criteria to be eligible for VFTF, but am not eligible for the free tour due to timing issues, so how should I spend the 5.5 hours? Should I use the VFTF, go out for a couple hours or stay inside the airport? What are the things I can do inside the airport, as I am reading that some sections are actually landside and some attractions are closed.

Itinerary review for Malaysia solo trip- 5N/6D

Hi, 22M, going on my first solo trip to Malaysia in September, and would love to get some suggestions on my itinerary. I will be travelling on a budget of 50k- 60k, with flights alone being 25-26k and after lots of deliberation, here's what I have planned:

Day 1: Arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 10-11 AM. Stay near KLCC/Bukit Bintang. Cover Bukit Bintang, Petronas towers, KLCC Aquaria, Jalan Alor street.

Day 2: Batu Caves, Suria KLCC and KL Tower.

Day 3: Genting Highlands + leisure. Not planning to do the theme park as I have already been to Sunworld Ba Na Hills last year, and I do not think this theme park will offer something different.

Day 4: Bus to Penang and explore Georgetown.

Day 5: Penang Hill and Batu Ferringhi beach.

Day 6: Fly back to Mumbai via Singapore, where I am expecting an 8 hour layover (confused whether to tour Changi airport alone or use the VFTF and go outside as layover is only 8 hours)

I know Malaysia has a dull nightlife, but on a budget trip for a first-time solo traveller, it is pretty good (I skipped Thailand because I was spending 32k on flights alone between Mumbai, Bangkok and Chiang Mai). Is this itinerary doable or do I need to revise it? Am I missing out some underrated spots and instead travelling to tourist traps? Would love some inputs from people who have already been to Malaysia.

Hi, 22M, going on my first solo trip to Malaysia in September, and would love to get some suggestions on my itinerary. I will be travelling on a budget of 50k- 60k, with flights alone being 25-26k and after lots of deliberation, here's what I have planned:

Day 1: Arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 10-11 AM. Stay near KLCC/Bukit Bintang. Cover Bukit Bintang, Petronas towers, KLCC Aquaria, Jalan Alor street.

Day 2: Batu Caves, Suria KLCC and KL Tower.

Day 3: Genting Highlands + leisure. Not planning to do the theme park as I have already been to Sunworld Ba Na Hills last year, and I do not think this theme park will offer something greater.

Day 4: Bus to Penang and explore Georgetown streets.

Day 5: Penang Hill and Batu Ferringhi beach.

Day 6: Fly back to Mumbai via Singapore, where I am expecting an 8 hour layover (confused whether to tour Changi airport alone or use the VFTF and venture outside)

I know Malaysia has a dull nightlife, but on a budget trip for a first-time solo traveller, it is pretty good (I skipped Thailand because I was spending 32k on flights alone between Mumbai, Bangkok and Chiang Mai). Is this itinerary doable or do I need to revise it? Am I missing out some underrated spots and instead travelling to tourist traps? Would love some inputs from people who have already been to Malaysia.

Hi, I'm planning to go on a 5 nights solo trip to Malaysia (2N Kuala Lumpur + 3 nights Penang) with a budget of 50-60k including flights (about 26k). As my planned return flight has a 19 hour layover in Singapore and I hold a valid US C1/D visa, I was thinking of using the visa-free transit facility and going on a day tour (wouldn't mind blowing off a couple thousand rupees more) of Singapore.

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On paper, I fulfil all the criteria. Return tickets from 3rd country (Malaysia), Valid long-term US visa (C1/D has a validity of 5 years) and an ordinary Indian passport (duh) but I am a bit skeptic about whether a C1/D visa would be recognized or only visas such as H1/B, F1 or B1/B2.

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If there's anyone who has used Singapore's VFTF facility with a C1/D visa or has knowledge about Singapore's visa system, please share your input.

Hi, planning a solo trip (departure city: Mumbai) in the month of August 2026. I had posted multiple times earlier asw(apologies for that), but due to the war and changing visa rules of certain low cost destinations, I'm open to a wide variety of options. What destinations can I tour on a 5-8 day trip on a budget of 60-75k including return flights? How should I go about planning and visas, if required? How to book accommodation and search for it? What should I keep in mind?

If there's anyone who has undertaken a recent solo trip within this budget, please share your experience and itinerary so that I can take notes on what to do and what not to do.

Hi, according to recent news, Thailand has rolled back its 60 day visa free policy of Indians. In some articles, it's saying Indians can visit visa-free for 30 days and in others, it says Indians have to apply for a visa on arrival and be subject to being asked for things like hotel invoices, return tickets and proof of funds irrespective of stay.

When does this new policy kick in and which one of the above is true? Really need to know this as it will raise costs and I might have to plan on alternative visa-free destinations.

Hi, 22M, am planning a solo trip to one out of the 3 SEA countries mentioned above. As this is my first solo trip (do have prior intl travel history), was really curious about the entry requirements in these nations. I know Thailand and Malaysia do not require visas prior arrival, but am reading about young, male Indians getting deported from those nations due to "insufficient funds", and would like to know what are the requirements for entry.

Would be really helpful if someone from the same demographic has taken such travel recently and shares his/her experience. I tried looking up on the internet, but this is something that varies from time to time and depends on nationality.