Employees on cruise ships

[pablo222]

There are another couple of points. Regarding the hours worked - On Princess all staff fill out a time sheet and are not permitted to work more than 70 hours in a 7 day period with a maximum of 14 hours in any 24 hours.

 

Unless ordered by the head-waiter / maitre d' to not record

time for a specific duty...

 

Comply, or go home.

[shootingstar07]

I was thinking about the workers on cruise ships and started coming up with a million questions. I would love to know more about the people that work so hard to make our experiences so great. If anyone can answer any of these questions, I would love to know the answers.

 

1. How hard is it to get a job on a cruise ship?

2. How do the cruise lines pick their employees?(My experience on NCL, all employees had their name on their name tags and the country they are from(Not sure if all cruise lines do this)) So are there only certain countrys they hire from?

3. How long do employees work on the ships before they get a day off?

4. Is it a full time position or do they only work on the ship for say 6 months then have to find another job?

5. Are they required to speak a certain language.(I assume English is the language of choice on cruise ships, which leads to my next question)

6. Not employee related specifically, but on ALL cruises do they primary speak English? Say if a cruise is departing out of Italy, is Italian the primary language spoken aboard the ship?

7. How much do they generally make? Are they paid by the hour? By the day? By the certain length of the cruise?

8. I have heard some of these guys work 12-15 hour days. How long generally are their shifts aboard ship?

 

Any other information would be FANTASTIC or if anyone else has any questions they want to post that maybe someone can answer, jump on board.

 

Again, for these people that dedicate a large portion of their lives to please us(the passengers) I would love to know more about them.

 

Vent

Next cruise I suggest you engage your cabin steward or waiter. You might get an earful. One of the major enjoyments I get from cruising is talking to crew about their home country, how long on this ship, when is next home leave, and why do they keep coming back.

 

It is very hard work. Most depend on the extra cash they get as tips. They can keep that as long as you don't deduct the tips from your bill. If you do, then they are to put that cash tip into the pool.

 

Port days they may or may not get some time off. From talking to them, they opt to sleep.

 

Many have told me they can't find jobs in their home countries. Their sacrifice gives them the ability to send money home to wife and children, or if not married, to their parents.

 

Tough life. But for the most part, I see they put on a happy face, trying to keep a demanding public happy.

 

 

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[PescadoAmarillo]

Unless ordered by the head-waiter / maitre d' to not record

time for a specific duty...

 

Comply, or go home.

I think you might be right. 70 hours a week seems low for what some of the crew (especially wait staff) works.

[Tarpeian Rock]

I read the Book "Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties... One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships" (Travelers' Tales)

It is very interesting. The writer is an American who fell in love with a Romanian cruise ship worker while she was on vacation in Vegas.

Very interesting. Reading this book should answer most all of your questions.

I really enjoyed reading the book.

 

 

 

I read that book also. It certainly was interesting. Based on some of the comments about shipboard "romances," however, it left me with the impression that whenever I spotted a tired-looking crew member, the cause might not entirely be from overwork........:D

[pablo222]

I think you might be right. 70 hours a week seems low for what some of the crew (especially wait staff) works.

 

My recollection -- the waitstaff contract I read says 330 hours per month.

 

However, there are other things that may or may not be counted

towards those hours, including training and drills.

 

Additionally, hours go way up (at least in dining) during code

red, when everything in the lido has to be served.

[pablo222]

My recollection -- the waitstaff contract I read says 330 hours per month.

 

Sorry, I looked it up.

 

The contract I have a copy of...

 

Base Montly Wage: USD 50

390 hours per 30 day month.

 

This may vary by nationality of the employee.

[Kentchikan]

5. Are they required to speak a certain language.(I assume English is the language of choice on cruise ships, which leads to my next question)

 

I once had to go back behind the passenger services desk to meet with an officer. As I was leaving to go back to the passenger area I noticed a sign by the door that said, "English Only". I'm assuming it meant from that point on.

Also I've heard from employees that the better one's English the easier it is to get promoted. All this on Princess so not sure of other lines.

[Kentchikan]

6. Not employee related specifically, but on ALL cruises do they primary speak English? Say if a cruise is departing out of Italy, is Italian the primary language spoken aboard the ship?

 

It depends on many factors. On ships catering to Americans, British, and Australians it would be but there are cruise lines which cater to German, Spanish, and other passengers and their language is the main language.

I've sailed on German ships and was the only native English speaker aboard. I had a great time and everyone was nice. I was on a Greek ship and all announcements etc. were in Greek. I was on one ship where all of the announcements were made in four languages. English was the last one so it was an interesting wait to see what they said.

[Loonbeam]

So if that's the case, you are looking at:

 

about $.14 per hour (quick head math, I may be off by a cent or two)

and an AVERAGE of 13 hours per day in any given month (if you get downtime it will be higher on other days. Assuming 8 hours of sleep, that leaves 3 hours to eat and for fun and family chat per day.

 

I am sure this can also vary by position, and there may be other incentives...

 

 

Sorry, I looked it up.

 

The contract I have a copy of...

 

Base Montly Wage: USD 50

390 hours per 30 day month.

 

This may vary by nationality of the employee.

[caribill]

I've sailed on German ships and was the only native English speaker aboard. I had a great time and everyone was nice. I was on a Greek ship and all announcements etc. were in Greek. I was on one ship where all of the announcements were made in four languages. English was the last one so it was an interesting wait to see what they said.

 

On one recent cruise, announcements were made in five or six languages. So even a one minute announcement took five or six minutes.

[Kentchikan]

I talked to someone on Princess whose father had also worked for Princess. I asked him if it was hard having his father gone a lot of the time. He said it wasn't as that was the life he knew. An interesting perspective.

[pablo222]

I am sure this can also vary by position, and there may be other incentives...

 

Those numbers were for a full waiter contract.

 

I assume the 'other incentives' are:

"Participation in the Fleet Gratuity Pool"

[PescadoAmarillo]

I talked to someone on Princess whose father had also worked for Princess. I asked him if it was hard having his father gone a lot of the time. He said it wasn't as that was the life he knew. An interesting perspective.

It would be the same for many military kids. Some of them are being raised by grandparent while parents are overseas, just as for the kids of many crew members. It's all they know.

[Kentchikan]

Many employees I've talked with are doing it so they can save money to start their own business in their country. I admire people who leave their families behind and work so they can have a better life. I read an article about people in the U.S. doing the same thing, leaving their families behind and going to North Dakota to work in oil to make more money for their families.

[cruznliz]

Our daughter (American) started out in the Princess office headquarters and then worked onboard for over 6 years. She was fortunate to work with the children in the Youth Center. She often said it was the best job onboard. Her salary was liveable only because she received free room & board. She was able to save a little bit. :rolleyes: She worked 6 months on and 2 months off. It worked out that she was home for the Christmas holidays every other year. At the maximum her hours could be 9 to noon, 2 to 5:00 and 7:00 to 1:00 AM, 7 days a week. The youth staff were able to take turns going ashore and working the late night babysitting. When she became a "Youth Activities Coordinator" she had "officer" status and a cabin to herself. :D She left the ships after 6 years because the 7 days a week was just too much after awhile. She just wanted Saturday and Sunday to herself!

 

As to the OP's questions and discussion, not all cruiselines pay for the flights for the crew. If you live in the Philippines and have to fly to FLL, that's probably a hefty sum. Princess does pay for all crew flights.

 

DH and I were fortunate to be able to follow her on many of her contracts. Occasionally we would get good deals, sometimes very good deals, sometimes not so good. Mostly inside cabins. We would try and join her towards the end of her contract so that we could take some of her luggage home with us.;) We still cruise fairly often and she loves coming onboard for a BVE. She always finds someone she knows among the crew and she's been off ships for about 7 years. :D

[Kentchikan]

 

As to the OP's questions and discussion, not all cruiselines pay for the flights for the crew. If you live in the Philippines and have to fly to FLL, that's probably a hefty sum. Princess does pay for all crew flights.

 

DH and I were fortunate to be able to follow her on many of her contracts. Occasionally we would get good deals, sometimes very good deals, sometimes not so good. Mostly inside cabins. We would try and join her towards the end of her contract so that we could take some of her luggage home with us.;) We still cruise fairly often and she loves coming onboard for a BVE. She always finds someone she knows among the crew and she's been off ships for about 7 years. :D

 

Sounds good. I had a friend who use to accompany groups on ships and she thought it would be fun to work on them. She got a job with Princess in shore excursions and quit after one cruise. She said it was too hard.

[Pam in CA]

It depends on many factors. On ships catering to Americans, British, and Australians it would be but there are cruise lines which cater to German, Spanish, and other passengers and their language is the main language.

On Princess, and other US-based cruise lines with ships marketed in the US, it's a requirement for all crew to be able to speak and understand English. They must speak English in public spaces while on duty although you might hear staff in the buffet or even the dining room giving or taking instructions in their native language.

[SadieN]

One reason for there not being many Americans onboard is our tax code.

 

Many countries do not impose income tax on cruise employee salaries.

 

(Sorry for any typo and grammatical errors. Learning how to use the CC iPhone app.)

[Kentchikan]

One reason for there not being many Americans onboard is our tax code.

 

Many countries do not impose income tax on cruise employee salaries.

 

(Sorry for any typo and grammatical errors. Learning how to use the CC iPhone app.)

 

In the book recommended by Culvercitycruiser the author has some interesting things to say about why there aren't many Americans in the dining room etc. In fact the author left working in the dining room and became and started doing the art auctions on board.

[Jules59]

I just cut and pasted the FB name in the above post and FB found it without a problem

 

Well, I'll be darned. I did the exact thing yesterday and it wouldn't work. Today, no problem. Thanks!

[floridarob]

It's kind of funny reading the different opinions....

 

I use to manage big hotels in Florida, loved to cruise (am Elite with Princess) and I did 1 contract 2 years ago.... 1 was enough..... whenever I hear someone complain here or elsewhere, I challenge them to go try and do any job on the ship....just for a week,lol

 

There is so much that I don't want to go into details.... but the passengers are normally the nice people, it is the different personalities/nationalities of the crew that is the problem.... so much back stabbing so they can get ahead... quite tiring.

 

The people I feel sad for are the ones you never see (or maybe at a port getting on or off the ship) that work in the laundry, galley, kitchen, something like that.

They make $550 per month and many try to do side work, cleaning the dining room, appearing in the international crew show, doing haircuts or massage for other crewmembers, selling "things" etc....and the crew mess is a joke. There are 3 areas for the crew to eat, depending on position. Officers eat the same daily menu as passengers, "staff" (cruise directors staff, shoppies, spa, etc, eat a little better and then the crew mess.... mounds and mounds of rice and chicken or beef I wouldn't give to my dog. The chef has a certain budget to feed all crew AND passengers... the Captain even has a fuel budget... just like any Corp job, if you continually miss budget, you don't keep your job.

 

 

Someone mentioned the art director.... potentially the highest paying job on the ship if their sales are good.

[Loonbeam]

I was thinking things like bonuses for most positive comment cards, or sales incentives, etc, in addition to tips (gratuities cannot be written into the contract because then the agency gets a cut on both ends)

 

Those numbers were for a full waiter contract.

 

I assume the 'other incentives' are:

"Participation in the Fleet Gratuity Pool"

[Thrak]

5 years ago I applied for, tested for, and received a fairly major promotion. I work for the state of California so that means I still don't make fat bucks. (Yes, compared to cruise workers I do but.. .) For the first two years I had to commute 2, 000 miles a month (round trip) to and from the office. This was my time and my dime. Cruise workers don't have this waste of time or the expense of the gas, tires, oil changes, etc. I also saw a very interesting listing that showed what engineers, doctors, pilots, etc. earn in places such as the Phillipines and it made cruise ship wages look pretty good for what the job is.

 

I think cruise staff in general are wonderful. I would never consider removing the auto tips. I had a hard time getting staff to accept additional tips. Not sure why but apparently they felt adequately compensated without extra tips.

 

I treat all cruise staff as my equal and see no reason why I shouldn't/wouldn't. They treat me fantastic and do an amazing job. However, I don't think anybody is forcing them to do the job they do and I believe that, if they hate their job they would likely leave it. The folks I spoke with seemed to think it was a darn good job to have.

[Mulege]

My daughter is currently on a Celebrity ship and this will be her 5th six month contract.

 

I will be on the 10/11 Reflection sailing so I will say hello.

[shootingstar07]

I was thinking things like bonuses for most positive comment cards, or sales incentives, etc, in addition to tips (gratuities cannot be written into the contract because then the agency gets a cut on both ends)

 

On my July cruise, my waiter told me those positive comment cards go toward promotion!! He aspired to being head waiter and then who knows what???--maitre'd??? With promotion it means more pay, less at sea days before a vacation etc.

 

 

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