Yachts or Ships? Cruise Ships, Superyachts & New Zealand Ferries | Ashley Ogborne | The Crew Car

Is the grass really greener in yachting, or does commercial shipping offer the balance maritime professionals are actually looking for?

In this episode of The Crew Car, Captain James Battey is joined by his former First Officer and good friend, Chief Officer Ashley Ogborne, for an honest and frequently hilarious comparison of life aboard yachts and commercial ships.

Ashley shares how philanthropy work in Greece led him towards a Merchant Navy cadetship sponsored by Carnival UK, followed by five years aboard cruise ships. Looking for greater experience, better money and a different way of life, he resigned and moved into yachting in January 2020, just as COVID began shutting the world down.

Already a qualified officer, Ashley mistakenly believed he needed to dock walk for work, creating a memorable introduction to an industry whose language, hierarchy and expectations were very different from the commercial world he knew.

After five and a half years in yachting, Ashley has now returned to commercial shipping and is working aboard ferries in New Zealand. He and James compare the realities of both sectors, including money, rotation, career progression, crew culture and the challenge of building a family life around long periods at sea.

They also discuss the close family atmosphere often found aboard smaller yachts, the compromises that can accompany rotational positions, and the constant temptation to compare your job with somebody else’s supposedly perfect “unicorn gig.”

Ashley explains why he moved to New Zealand, how a chance bridge tour helped open the door to his current position, and why gaining residency is central to his plans to buy land and eventually establish a wellness retreat.

But has he left yachting permanently?

Not necessarily.

⚓ In this episode:

• Ashley Ogborne’s route from Greece into the Merchant Navy
• His Carnival UK cadetship and five years aboard cruise ships
• Moving into yachting at the beginning of COVID
• Dock walking as an already qualified officer
• The difference between a commercial “deckie” and a yacht deckhand
• Money, lifestyle and opportunity within yachting
• Why smaller yachts can create a genuine family atmosphere
• Rotation, relationships and maintaining a life ashore
• The endless search for the “unicorn gig”
• Why the grass is not always greener on somebody else’s vessel
• Returning to commercial shipping in New Zealand
• Creating opportunities through contacts, timing and persistence
• Ashley’s plans for residency, land and a wellness retreat
• Why he may still return to yachting

🔗 Connect & Learn More:

🌐 Yacht Workers Council
https://yachtworkerscouncil.com

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https://www.yachtinginternationalradio.com/yachting-news

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🎙️ The Crew Car | Yachting International Radio