Cruise & TSGB FAQs

Q: I'm a family member and I heard my son/daughter talk about "Follow the Voyage." What is it?

A: "Follow the Voyage" (or FTV) is a blog-like website that allows family and friends of the crew aboard Training Ship Golden Bear to keep updated on the cruise. The IT Department provides technical support whereas a faculty or staff member aboard the ship updates the site daily. To visit the FTV site, click here.

Q: What email address do students and faculty/staff use during Cruise?

A: Thanks to the satellite system aboard the ship, which provides a live connection to the Internet, your email address during cruise will be the exact same one you use on campus.

Q: Will I have access to the email messages and folders I saved to my email account during the semester on campus?

A: Yes. Just prior to cruise, your email account will be migrated from the campus Exchange server to the one that is on the ship. Then, at the end of cruise, the email you have aboard the ship's Exchange server will be migrated back to the campus email server.

Before you depart on cruise and again at the end of cruise, please delete all unneeded email from your account and then empty your email's trash. That will help with the migration process. The steps to take and the specific order for doing them is here.

Q: What IT Policies Pertain to Cruise?

A: All CSU and Cal Maritime IT policies and guidelines that pertain to the campus pertain to the ship. However, there are specific policies and agreements that specifically pertain to Cruise. There are:

• Training Ship Golden Bear's Email Usage Agreement for 2009

• Side Letter For IT Staff Serving Aboard Training Ship Golden Bear

Q: Are there computers aboard that I can use to send and read email messages?

A: Yes. There is a small computer lab available for student use aboard TSGB.

Q: Can I send and receive email attachments while on Cruise?

A: Yes. However, because email attachments take up additional bandwidth (thus slowing down the Internet connection for everyone), please limit the size of attachments to 300KB or less.

Q: Will I have access to the Internet during Cruise?

A: No. Because of the limited bandwidth of the ship's satellite connection, Internet access is restricted. The satellite is used to communicate network traffic, email messages and phone calls. Faculty urgently needing access should consult the Captain.

Q: How do I replace my ID card if it is lost or stolen during Cruise?

A: The IT staff aboard the ship can replace lost cards. There may be a fee associated with the replacement of ID cards. It is important that you notify the IT staff aboard the ship to deactivate your lost or stolen card.

Q: When is assistance available from the IT staff while on Cruise?

A: The hours that IT staff members are available during cruise is posted on the IT Office door (located in the computer lab). Assistance outside of these hours requires authorization of the ship's Captain.

Q: What is the purpose of the ship's satellite system?

A: The ship is a site on Cal Maritime's campus network regardless of where it is in the world. A C-Band Vizada (Norway) satellite system aboard Training Ship Golden Bear has provided a 192 kilobit connection consisting of 128 KB data and 64 KB voice since the 2008 cruises. more...

Q: Can I make telephone calls while I am at sea?

A: Yes. Eight telephone lines provide for outgoing calls for faculty, students and ship's business. Students and faculty are able to place calls from their state rooms. Phone calling cards are available for purchase from the Pirate's Cove aboard the ship.

Q: Is the satellite active when the ship is docked at campus during the semester?

A: Due to the high cost of the satellite system, the link is only active for six months out of the year. A couple of months prior to cruise, it is activated for testing purposes. Until the actual departure of the Golden Bear from campus, however, all email, data and voice traffic continues to be transmitted through ship-to-campus cables.