First-rate staff
The MS Piłsudski crew was composed of the best professionals in the Polish fleet. Working on the flagship liner of the Polish commercial fleet was a source of great pride and satisfaction for the officers and sailors employed on MS Piłsudski. It attested to their highest skills. It gave them an opportunity to visit exotic places, including New York, the world’s most famous metropolis at the time.
an exhibit from the collections of the National
Maritime Museum in Gdańsk.
The Captain
The Captain was in command of the ship and her crew. Every person onboard was to comply with the directions of the Captain, who was responsible for the safe passage of the liner and the safety of the crew and passengers.
Captain Mamert Stankiewicz was the permanent commander of MS Piłsudski. It was said that during a storm, the liner obeyed only him. MS Piłsudski was also commanded by cpt. Eustazy Borkowski, cpt. Zdenko Knoetgen, and cpt. Jan Stankiewicz.
delivered to the cabins and, per archives, it exuded
the scent of a pine forest; an exhibit from the collections
of the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk
Members of the crew
MS Piłsudski could accommodate 773 passengers: 355 in the tourist class cabins and 418 in the third class. 300 members of the crew watched for their safety and comfort, always ready to help.
Deck B was the nucleus of the crew’s activities. It spread along the entire ship, with the business corridor as its main axis, known as Port Street, the location of the crew kitchen, the officers’ dining room, bakery, pastry shop, the ambulatory with the hospital, printer’s office, laundry room, crew’s office, and the fire service.
from the collections of the National
Maritime Museum in Gdańsk
The transatlantic menu
The owner organization, GAL, was eager to make our flagship liner known around the world for the Polish cuisine. MS Piłsudski always left the port of Gdynia fully stocked with Polish food, even when departing for a months-long American cruising engagement. This goal was successfully reached—Polish liners were famous for good cuisine, and their menus carefully selected.
the collections of the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk
The onboard
hospital
The onboard medical staff was of the highest expertise, capable to provide medical care to passengers and crew members around the clock. It included a doctor, two nurses, and a medical steward.
of the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk
The onboard
print shop
MS Piłsudski was even equipped with an onboard print shop. During the voyages of the ship, passengers could read the first onboard published newspaper Kurjer Morski (The Marine Courier) which was a world phenomenon, as other ocean lines offered their passengers newspapers published on land.
the collections of the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk
Special services
Special services were given to nationals of the countries who traveled on MS Piłsudski most frequently. To serve them better, GAL wanted to make sure they were served in their language and that their religious and cultural needs were fulfilled. With all that, Polish culture and cuisine were promoted to attract tourists to Poland.
Presenting the crew; the film Okręt Piłsudski
(The Ship Piłsudski) from the collections of the National
Film Archive — Audiovisual Institute of Poland
- Skilled crew
|
Cpt. Mamert Stankiewicz |
Cpt. Eustazy Borkowski |
Cpt. Zdenko Knoetgen |
Cpt. Jan Stankiewicz |
The portraits of the captains of MS Piłsudski;
photos from the collections of the National Digital
Archive, Wikimedia, and Grzegorz Rogowski
- The MS Piłsudski’s commanders
41
the deck department
officers, sailors,
radio officers,
hospital staff
200-230
the hotel administration department
pursers, stewards, stewardesses, bar tenders, the kitchen
staff, the laundry staff, hairdressers, photographers
30
engine department
Sailors at work; from the film Fiesta Cruise to
the Caribbean from the collections of the National
Film Archive — Audiovisual Institute of Poland
The officers; from the private collections
of the Wójcikiewicz family
The workers of the engine department; from
the private collections of the Wójcikiewicz family
The workers of the Hotel Administration
Department with the entire crew during
the flag consecration ceremony, 1935; from
the private collections of the Wójcikiewicz family
Stewards during a roll-call; from the private
collections of the Wójcikiewicz family
A steward serving coffee to the passengers
resting on the passenger deck; from the private
collections of the Wójcikiewicz family
Derived from: Jerzy Drzemczewski, M/s Piłsudski,
the Pride of the Polish Republic, Porta Mare, Gdynia, 2015
- The Deck Department
- The Engine Department
- The Hotel Administration Department
- The crew in numbers
While the passengers continued their care-free passage, the sailors were busy with daily maintenance on and under the deck, standing watch, mending the lines, etc.
The officers and sailors under the Captain’s command watched for safety and the correct route of the passage.
The senior mechanic was in charge of the Engine Department. His crew took care of the maintenance and service of the drive unit.
The Steward was in charge of the Hotel Administration Department. The actual number of its crew depended on the number of passengers, but in any case it was the most labor intensive department which employed about two-thirds of the total crew number.
The MS Piłsudski passengers enjoyed the service and care of 90-110 stewards and 20 stewardesses and numerous other service members caring for their comfort and entertainment.
The travelers could order a cup of coffee from a steward while resting on the deck. It may have been Pluton coffee, advertised in the Piłsudski Kurjer Morski (The Piłsudski Marine Courier) published onboard.
Preparation of meals during a cruise;
the film Fiesta Cruise to the Caribbean fromthe collections of The National Film
Archive—Audiovisual Institute of Poland
Meals getting ready for serving in the third class dining
room; from the private collection of the Wójcikiewicz family
The kitchen; from the private
collection of Janusz Ćwikliński
Dinner on the ocean liner; the film Fiesta Cruise to
the Caribbean from the collections of the National
Film Archive — Audiovisual Institute of Poland
A menu card from the collections of
the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk
- Piłsudski seen from the kitchen
- The onboard specials
Thirty highly skilled cooks worked in the Piłsudski kitchen to achieve the highest quality of meals served to passengers. During vacation cruises, the kitchen prepared special exotic menus.
The meals prepared by cooks were served by deck stewards.
The kitchen spaces were ergonomically designed and furnished with the state-of-the-art equipment.
The menu of any meal on the ship was so diversified as to satisfy the most demanding tastes of the travelers. The rich selection of dishes was described in menu cards designed by Polish graphic artists.
During the voyage on May 3, 1938, the travelers could enjoy a Polish style boiled zander, sautéed rump steak with onion, potatoes in five styles, and a variety of salads.
The little patients; from the private
collection of Jerzy Drzemczewski
A nurse with her little patient; from
the private collection of Jerzy Drzemczewski
- The onboard hospital
The hospital was located on Deck B, and it consisted of an ambulatory, an internal medicine hospital with separate rooms for men and women, and an isolation ward for patients with infectious diseases. It was equipped with a full set of surgical, gynecological, and dental instruments. A well stocked pharmacy was at hand, too.
A nurse taking care of Anna Kolasińska, a 4-year old traveling alone to the USA to meet her foster family.
The print shop; the film Okręt Piłsudski from the collections
of National Film Archive—Audiovisual Institute of Poland
The onboard newspaper Kurjer Morski;
from the private collection of Grzegorz Rogowski
- The onboard print shop
Mateusz Opaliński, an experienced printer from Ekspres, a Gdynia printing house, was in charge of producing the Kurjer Morski.
Kurjer Morski offered the news from Poland and the world, received on MS Piłsudski by radio link, as well as the latest word of life on the ship: programs of the day, concerts, bridge tournaments, sporting competitions, answers to passengers’ questions.
A list of staff members including those
from Denmark; from the private
collections of Jerzy Drzemczewski
Kosher master; a photo from the private
collections of Jerzy Drzemczewski
The welcoming of MS Piłsudski in the USA; from
the private collections of Grzegorz Rogowski
A GAL document discussing an increase in staff
to serve the needs of American cruises; a photo
from the private collections of Jerzy Drzemczewski
- Danish service
- Kosher masters
- American standards
Danes were frequent travelers on Piłsudski and they eagerly used GAL’s services, and always warmly greeted the ship to the port of .Copenhagen. To better serve the Danish passengers, GAL employed Danish stewards, stewardesses, a cook, and other support staff.
A significant portion of passengers were Polish and American Jews. MS Piłsudski offered a special menu to these passengers. GAL employed 'kosher masters’ who made sure that the rules of kosher cuisine were adhered to.
GAL also made special arrangements to accommodate the needs of American passengers embarking on vacation cruises to the Caribbean.
To provide sufficient service to the American tourists, GAL needed to increase the hotel staff by more than 20 persons, adding extra parlor stewards, cabin stewards, deck, hospital, pool, and wine stewards, as well as hairdressers, manicurists, and bartenders. In addition, a six-person American music band was employed.