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- Mohamed Ahmed Samy Mahmoud
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- Dominic Oxales
Seamen Mohamed Ahmed Samy Mahmoud and Dominic Oxales, who were sailing on a Saudi Arabia flag and Liberia flag respectively, shared their crew change experience and stay at The Seacare Hotel.
How was your crew change experience in Singapore?
Mohamed: There is excellent management of crew change, no complications at all. It was really easy and faster than expected actually. It took about two hours to get us from the ship to The Seacare Hotel. There was no congestion or traffic jam. It’s a good opportunity to see Singapore. It’s a beautiful country.
Dominic: It’s definitely easier to do crew change in Singapore as it’s an open country. My crew thinks that Singapore has done an excellent job. But for other countries it may be difficult. After staying onboard for so many months, one of my happiest moment in seafaring is to be able to step onshore.
How long have you been staying onboard before undergoing crew change in Singapore?
Mohamed: I have been sailing for almost eight months. For sure, the morale is high now as I am excited to be able to reach home safely and see my loved ones again. I miss my family.
Dominic: I have been sailing nonstop for eight and half months. It was tiring but normal and I’m used to it. I kept my spirits up by playing basketball, ping pong and workout in the gym onboard.
Would you continue sailing despite the pandemic?
Mohamed: Sure. We must be resilient and we should keep going no matter what happens. We should not stop the development and production cycle. Its important to always be grateful for what I have and make the best of any opportunity no matter how small it presents. I hope after the pandemic ends, I have the chance to visit Singapore again.
Dominic: Yes, I will continue sailing. Everyone is afraid, not just seamen. But we have all the precautions in place. I will keep going.
What do you like about The Seacare Hotel?
Mohamed: It’s close to the port. Checking-in is easy. The staff are very organised. They follow strict rules and guidelines and there is clear communication about what to do, what not to do and where to go when we arrived.
Dominic: I like the experience so far. The room is nice and has a nice view. Now I can use the WiFi to chat with my family back in the Philippines. I last called them in August 2020.
Visit e-Samudra or Issue 6 (20/21) for more stories.
