Well, the mail twists the story somewhat. The tax payer did not pay for this cruise, it was a complimentary cruise provided by the cruise line to naval personnel involved in the Maritime Trade Operations Centre in Dubai (where piracy monitoring occurs). The centre also uses RNR commercial seafarers to assist in bridging the gap, because commercial and navy operations are vastly different. Although perhaps might have been better to send him on a BP tanker or Maersk Container ship. He covered all his own costs and flights.