Life on board the RMS St Helena
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 Pursers and their staff. Sometimes there is even cricket!
There is plenty of time to do just what you wish. Lounge on the sun deck by the 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 conducts visits to the Bridge and these are organised by the bureau.
For the more energetic, the deck games; for the really dedicated or over indulgent, there is an 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
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. It also acts as a
post office and information point as well as publishing the Ship's
daily newspaper.
There
is a shop 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.
Limited steward service is available 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. Each has a bar with waiting staff to attend to passengers' needs
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.
