To be checked

SHIPBOARD FAMILIARIZATION TOUR

Joan Mangampo

Hospitality industry is a vast field that offers varieties of job opportunities to HRM and HM alike. So early exposure to this industry would be a great help to enhance and develop the skills learned from textbooks and theories chipped in by the instructors. A sea-based job is just one of the booming and in-demand fields in hospitality industry nowadays, so with the help of the school management and our instructors, shipboard familiarization tour was realized after a 3-year delayed in the process. The Shipboard Familiarization Tour aims to let the students experience a life onboard a ship as a preparation for their future jobs and for them to apply the theories instilled in them for the past years.

On March 5 and 8 2011, a pre-departure orientation seminar for shipboard familiarization tour was held to orient the students and give a background on what to expect, to prepare and to bring with them as they take the journey. A total of 87 students from HRM and HM joined the Shipboard Familiarization tour which was monitored by three HRM Instructors. Generally, the courses of the tour were; a brief visit to Resort World Hotel, seminar at Mariners’ Polytechnic Training Centre, ApEx training onboard the Superferry 20 and 21 and a hectic one-day tour in Cebu. On March 10, 2011, at 6:00pm, the two busses filled with ecstatic and excited students left Mariners’ Legazpi to start the journey of a lifetime.

DAY 1 (March 11, 2011)

• 0505H- We arrived and checked in at Park Bed and Breakfast Hotel in Pasay. We just freshen up, had our breakfast and prepared ourselves for the day’s activity.
• 0815H- Bus 1 arrived at the Resort World Hotel (RWH) to have their hotel tour, while Bus 2 went directly to Mariners’ Polytechnic Training Centre to have their seminar. Resort World Hotel in Newport City, Pasay is one of the large scale integrated tourism-oriented projects created by Genting Highland Hongkong Corporation along with the Bagong Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City Manila in Bayshore City. The RWH project includes three (3) hotels namely; Remington Hotel (3 star), Marriott (5 star) and Maxims (the only 6 star hotel in the Philippines). We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to tour and explore the facilities of Maxims. We were astounded by the luxurious Maxims Rooms and Signature Rooms with Jacuzzis inside and their Villa’s with infinite pools which costs around P100, 000 per night. We have learned that guests at Maxims needs to be invited in order to check in at the hotel and a butler is assigned for every guest to assist him/her for whatever he/she needs. Manny Pacquiao and Charice Pempengco have stayed in this hotel. After a brief tour at the Maxim, we were tour around the mall where lots of signature and unfamiliar Boutique brands amazed us. We’ve had a glimpse of the performing centre where the KAOS perform their international carnival stunts and tricks.
• 0933H- after a splendid tour inside Maxim, we were transported to Genting Star Tourism Academy (GSTA) at the Star Cruises Building. GSTA is a training school that helps and trains interested students who want to pursue a career in hotels, restaurants, onboard jobs, casinos and other hospitality related fields. Here, we were oriented about the function of Front Office Department in an Establishment and the equipments used. After the lecture, we were able to explore the academy’s facilities and learned about the program certificate that they are offering. The academy uses the replica of the facilities used in the 3 hotels like the Maxims Room, Remington Rooms, Maxims and Marriott’s dining area and the fully equipped kitchen and housekeeping area. Finally, we had our lunch at the academy.
• 1325H- As Bus 2 arrived at the RWH, Bus 1 left Newport city to visit the Mariners’ Polytechnic Training Centre and have our seminar there. Captain Domingo Villanueva discussed about the Ship Safety Awareness onboard a ship and other precautionary measures that seafarers must know before boarding a ship.
• 2000H- Dinner inside our rooms delivered by Maxx’s while we are watching news and waiting for further announcement on whether we are to pursue the Shipboard Familiarization Tour the next day or not, after what had happened to Japan and the Tsunami Alert in the Philippines.

Day 2 (March 12, 2011)

• 0300H- Wake-up Call! We freshen up, had our breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant and checked out. We took the ride going to Pier 15 where the Superferry (SF) 21 was docked. We were given the SF I.D. and T-shirts before we boarded SF 21. Though, most of us were nervous and anxious about the Shipboard Familiarization Tour, we were happy at the same time for the tour wasn’t cancelled.
• 0900H- Sir Allan Quilantang and Patrick Sangalang, our Apprenticeship Experience (ApEx) Facilitators conduct an orientation about the shipboard rules and regulations, the duties and responsibilities we need to complete and the safety and precautionary measures we need to know.
• 1330H- we had our tour inside the vessel from aft to stern. After the tour and lectures, some of us had our duty along with other students from different schools around 1530H in Housekeeping, Food and Beverage and Front Office Department and ends at 2300H.

Day 3 (March 13, 2011)

• 0330H- Wake-up Call!
• 0600H- Finally, we arrived at oldest city in the Philippines, Cebu City after 22 hours of sailing in the endless sea. We were fetched at the port by our tour guides. Our first destination was the famous Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica Church at the heart of Cebu City. The next stop was the Tubuan, the market where you can buy the famous danggit and dried pusit in cheaper price. We were able to visit the Parian where the Magellan’s ship boarded. We stopped by a dried mango store to buy some pasalubong. And finally, the morning tour destination ended in the Taoist temple in Beverly Hills Cebu, where Chinese people pray and do some rituals. It is the center of Feng shui and Chinese rituals for Chinese and Filipino alike living in Cebu.
• 1145H- We had our lunch at Tambuli Resort, the very first resort built in Mactan, Cebu. We stayed here for 2 hours, so we were able to enjoy the scenery and took some pictures even with some Korean nationalities.
• 1420H- we visit the Allegro Guitar factory where the world class and high quality guitars were made. Then, we went to Liberty Shrine where Lapu- Lapu’s Statue was proudly standing. This is also, where we bought some souvenir items before we left Mactan and went to Mandaue City, the Industrial part of Cebu to have our early Dinner before we board the ship again
• 1905H- We reached pier 4 of Cebu City and boarded the Superferry 20. The moment we boarded the ship, some us were readying to report on their assigned duty for the night.

Day 4 (March 14, 2011)

• 0530H- Some of the students were on duty already. At around 0830H, a Fire Drill was conducted, or so we thought but the truth is, a small fire has erupted in the Engine Department. We had our duty until 1400H and finally evaluated the ApEx program and our stay in the ship.
• 1500H- the Apprenticeship Experience Graduation rites was held at the multi-purpose room to recognize and award the certificate of completion to the MPCF- Legazpi students. According to our facilitators (Sir Allan and Sir Patrick) and their other co-ApEx facilitators, MPCF-Legazpi was the most disciplined and responsible ApEx students they had.
• 1800H- We left Pier 15 and had our dinner at Mang Inasal, Mall of Asia (MOA). After our dinner, we were given an hour to roam around MOA.
• 2045H- Journey back home...

March 15, 2011- 0730H HOME SWEET HOME...