<p>Assignment to a ship for summer is great if the ship is operating. Too many times the ship is in port and not underway. At these times, I feel that Mids can be seen as a burder rather than someone trying to expereince the Fleet. Each ship is different and I am sure there are good and bad experiences. I am not sure what can be gained if the ship does not get underway. At least with the sailing program you are experiencing “Life at sea”, albeit on a different platform. Unless they go back to a NATRON type cruise, where all the youngsters embark together and are led by First Class Mids, I am not sure how successful and beneficial summer cruises can be.</p>