Oh wow - I really am jealous. I suspect their justification for wooden ladders is not just a small savings in cost, but it might be the weight saved shipwide.

But the rust...yeah, the budget restraints almost certainly caused them to cut corners on paint, though they could have at least put the junior sailors to work with wire brushes.

But I'm still jealous. I know you were seeing every little detail...and they knew you were seeing those details. Did they keep you on prearranged routes, or allow you to choose where you wanted to go?

And what R&R did they have, and what was their reaction?