My advice is if you're going to do this, go to a maritime academy. If you already have a degree, you can get your masters from SUNY Maritime in 2 years and come out with that plus a license to sail as an officer.
If you go the SIU apprentice program route, it'll take you about a 1.5-2 years all said and done. It's shitty, bottom of the totem pole work until you have the sea time to get your license. For deck or engine department, that's 3 years of sea time - which usually at best is 6 years of real time if you sail 6 months a year. Add classes and other unexpected events, and you're looking at about 8+ years actual time before you become an officer.
The last thing you want to do is pay for classes out of pocket, such as the STCW courses or the AB (Able Seafarer) courses. First, virtually all the companies operating the large, sea going ships are unionized whether that's SIU or SUP. Both these unions are seniority based. Good luck getting a job with SIU if you didn't go through their program. Second, let's say you want to sail deck department. To become an AB-Special (minimum required limitation to sail on the ships as an AB) you need 360 sea days as an Ordinary Seaman (OS) in addition to courses and passing a test. Where are you going to get an OS job that's not already unionized? Brings us back to point 1, you're not.
That is unless you want to work offshore Gulf of Mexico supply boats or non-union harbor tugs. By all means, get your MMC, TWIC, take your STCW/Basic Safety Training, and start applying to companies such as Edison Chouest, Harvey Gulf, or Moran Towing. First two rely on the oil industry, as they mostly supply the rigs and do that sort of work. You're at the mercy of oil prices whether or not you have a job. Be aware, these are limited tonnage boats - so your sea time won't count if you're looking to go deep sea one day.
tldr; go to one of the 6 maritime academies. Get a degree while also getting your license to sail deck or engine officer. Part of the program is going on 'cruises.' Many of the university training ships go to cool, exotic places anyways. It's not 4 years stuck in a classroom. You'll make the money back you spent on school in no time.
Will be around to answer questions, don't want to say too much at risk of uncovering identity - small world out here.
If you go the SIU apprentice program route, it'll take you about a 1.5-2 years all said and done. It's shitty, bottom of the totem pole work until you have the sea time to get your license. For deck or engine department, that's 3 years of sea time - which usually at best is 6 years of real time if you sail 6 months a year. Add classes and other unexpected events, and you're looking at about 8+ years actual time before you become an officer.
The last thing you want to do is pay for classes out of pocket, such as the STCW courses or the AB (Able Seafarer) courses. First, virtually all the companies operating the large, sea going ships are unionized whether that's SIU or SUP. Both these unions are seniority based. Good luck getting a job with SIU if you didn't go through their program. Second, let's say you want to sail deck department. To become an AB-Special (minimum required limitation to sail on the ships as an AB) you need 360 sea days as an Ordinary Seaman (OS) in addition to courses and passing a test. Where are you going to get an OS job that's not already unionized? Brings us back to point 1, you're not.
That is unless you want to work offshore Gulf of Mexico supply boats or non-union harbor tugs. By all means, get your MMC, TWIC, take your STCW/Basic Safety Training, and start applying to companies such as Edison Chouest, Harvey Gulf, or Moran Towing. First two rely on the oil industry, as they mostly supply the rigs and do that sort of work. You're at the mercy of oil prices whether or not you have a job. Be aware, these are limited tonnage boats - so your sea time won't count if you're looking to go deep sea one day.
tldr; go to one of the 6 maritime academies. Get a degree while also getting your license to sail deck or engine officer. Part of the program is going on 'cruises.' Many of the university training ships go to cool, exotic places anyways. It's not 4 years stuck in a classroom. You'll make the money back you spent on school in no time.
Will be around to answer questions, don't want to say too much at risk of uncovering identity - small world out here.