Ocean Training and a Tour of a Maritime Giant: Dar Młodzieży in Nassau
11.06.2026 | 3 min. czytania
Following a successful transatlantic crossing under sail, Gdynia Maritime University’s sail training ship Dar Młodzieży has arrived in the Bahamas. After a brief technical stopover in Martinique, the vessel set course for Nassau, dropping anchor in the port's roadstead on 7 June 2026. The very next day, trainees began exploring the capital of the Bahamas, gaining first-hand experience of the culture and daily life of the island nation.
The passage from Martinique to Nassau combined navigation and sail training with intensive maintenance work, including the successful repair of the air conditioning system. The Bahamas visit also created a rare opportunity to bring together representatives of traditional sail training and modern cruise shipping. En route to Nassau, the Dar Młodzieży crossed paths with Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas, one of the world's largest cruise ships. Serving as Staff Captain aboard the vessel is Captain Jarosław Michalski, who invited the Polish frigate's trainees and crew to visit the ship.
On 8 June, Captain Jarosław Michalski, accompanied by Ship's Electrician Angelika, came aboard the Dar Młodzieży. Angelika is a graduate of Gdynia Maritime University who completed her own sea training aboard Dar Młodzieży during her studies and is today the only female electrician employed across the entire Royal Caribbean fleet.
That same day, a 15-member delegation from the Dar Młodzieży visited Allure of the Seas. Thanks to the hospitality of their hosts, the group was granted access to areas normally off limits to passengers, including the engine control room, the ship's hospital, the waste management centre, and the internal crew corridor known as the 'I-95 highway'. They also toured the ship's theatre, ice rink, and numerous recreational and dining venues.
The students were particularly fascinated by the bridge, the nerve centre of any vessel. Equally impressive was Central Park, a distinctive onboard space featuring real trees and lush greenery, widely regarded as one of the ship’s most iconic features. For many participants, it was their first opportunity to gain an insider's view of the operations of a modern mega-cruise ship capable of carrying several thousand passengers.
The visit concluded with a joint lunch prepared for the Dar Młodzieży delegation. The gathering served as an excellent platform for exchanging professional experiences and provided an inspiring lesson for students just embarking on their maritime careers.
The Captain of the Dar Młodzieży, Michał Sadowski, emphasised the broader significance of the Nassau visit for the Gdynia Maritime University students currently undergoing training aboard the vessel:
The stay in Nassau was a unique experience for the trainees for another reason as well. For many of them, this is their first voyage to the Caribbean, their first encounter with an exotic culture, and an opportunity to see how the people of the Bahamas live. Dressed in their ceremonial uniforms, the Gdynia Maritime University students attracted considerable interest from both locals and tourists visiting the island.
On the evening of 10 June 2026, Dar Młodzieży weighed anchor and departed Nassau to begin the next leg of her voyage, setting course for Norfolk, Virginia. Here, on 19 June, the crew and trainees will take part in the Grande Parade of Sail – one of the highlights of this year's voyage, organised as part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States.
