“We go to the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas and we are in Mobile for three days. It is a four your program and we will get a degree in science and marine transportation. At the end we take seven exams administered by the Coast Guard and if we pass we get our third mate’s license and can work on any size ship anywhere around the world. This is our last cruise. We are seniors and graduate in August and then get jobs.”

“This is a great job for those who love the water. The jobs also have good schedules and good money, but it is harder to find jobs in this field right now because it has been hurt by the economy and the drop in oil prices. I went to Rhodes and majored in accounting, this is my graduate degree. I went out on the water for two weeks my junior year and loved it. All of my dad’s family is in the maritime field.”

“After Mobile, we will have six days at sea and then New Orleans. We are learning celestial navigation. If we had the right books, perfect weather conditions, and a sextant, we could navigate by the stars.”