Any cruise aficionados here?

[The Spanish]

Where the dispatches went wrong was not comparing eggs with eggs....did they compare the hotel industry worldwide? Did they compare hotels in the countries the people come from? This is the main issue. Everyone knows the leisure industry pay is crap...although meals and acom is provided, so to pick on one area is disingenuous.

ironically in the cruise manning business, we call these staff 'hotel' staff rather than 'deck and engine' for qualified seagoing.

this trueblue fella is hilarious. feels sorry for brown people becase he thinks nasty whitey rips them off. shipping is the least racist industry in the world, but pay scales represent domestic living costs. no one is exploited. i hate the fact i have been sucked into an argument with such a clueless person.

 

[trueblue]

ironically in the cruise manning business, we call these staff 'hotel' staff rather than 'deck and engine' for qualified seagoing.

this trueblue fella is hilarious. feels sorry for brown people becase he thinks nasty whitey rips them off. shipping is the least racist industry in the world, but pay scales represent domestic living costs. no one is exploited. i hate the fact i have been sucked into an argument with such a clueless person.

Interesting that you bring colour into it as that hadn't even crossed my mind. What a charming chap you are - obviously the perfect fit for an industry that, as you say, deems 'domestic living costs' to be the yardstick to work by, rather than paying all people regardless of their country of origin a fair wage for the same job. Presumably the European fares they charge the passengers reflect the cost of living in Europe, so it should be possible to pay staff accordingly.

As for Granny Weatherwax's rather more reasoned point, yes, to an extent I agree. It's obviously not only cruise companies that exploit the labour markets. I'm not sure that a half hour documentary could attempt to cover the entire subject though so it doesn't seem unreasonable to highlight this one area. Just because the inequalities are more widespread than it could acknowledge, does that mean it should ignore the topic entirely? The particular problem it picked out with this arm of the industry seemed valid enough i.e. that once people are on board, it's nigh on impossible to get away. Telling someone with no money to their name that's working for £1.25 an hour (most of which will be taken away in 'costs') that they can leave by paying for their flight home doesn't really represent a choice.
I fully understand it's the way of the world - I've seen enough of it to know that - but that doesn't make it any more 'right'. Hard to change but I don't see anything wrong in the media making it known so that holidaymaker can make their own decisions.

 

[The Spanish]

Interesting that you bring colour into it as that hadn't even crossed my mind. What a charming chap you are - obviously the perfect fit for an industry that, as you say, deems 'domestic living costs' to be the yardstick to work by, rather than paying all people regardless of their country of origin a fair wage for the same job. Presumably the European fares they charge the passengers reflect the cost of living in Europe, so it should be possible to pay staff accordingly.

As for Granny Weatherwax's rather more reasoned point, yes, to an extent I agree. It's obviously not only cruise companies that exploit the labour markets. I'm not sure that a half hour documentary could attempt to cover the entire subject though so it doesn't seem unreasonable to highlight this one area. Just because the inequalities are more widespread than it could acknowledge, does that mean it should ignore the topic entirely? The particular problem it picked out with this arm of the industry seemed valid enough i.e. that once people are on board, it's nigh on impossible to get away. Telling someone with no money to their name that's working for £1.25 an hour (most of which will be taken away in 'costs') that they can leave by paying for their flight home doesn't really represent a choice.
I fully understand it's the way of the world - I've seen enough of it to know that - but that doesn't make it any more 'right'. Hard to change but I don't see anything wrong in the media making it known so that holidaymaker can make their own decisions.

they paid the skipper of the concordia a f***ing fortune and look what happened.

honestly mate you think i am a nasty man for talking about a globalised world where people get paid differently hahahaha. ok you run a manning agency and insist burmese crew get paid the same as norweigians. lets meet again in a year and see whos still in business. bringing in much needed hard currency to these supposedly hard done by countries.

you equate the cruise market with exploitation. i equate it with bringing a spectacular amount of hard currency into the philippines a country i have spent 20 years working in, and vastly improving the lot of a people i love dearly.

 

[trueblue]

they paid the skipper of the concordia a f***ing fortune and look what happened.

honestly mate you think i am a nasty man for talking about a globalised world where people get paid differently hahahaha. ok you run a manning agency and insist burmese crew get paid the same as norweigians. lets meet again in a year and see whos still in business. bringing in much needed hard currency to these supposedly hard done by countries.

you equate the cruise market with exploitation. i equate it with bringing a spectacular amount of hard currency into the philippines a country i have spent 20 years working in, and vastly improving the lot of a people i love dearly.

Obviously they could have made a whole lot more if they'd been lucky enough to be be born elsewhere but sounds like they're very appreciative, so well done you. We can add you to the list of great colonialists.

 

[The Spanish]

Obviously they could have made a whole lot more if they'd been lucky enough to be be born elsewhere but sounds like they're very appreciative, so well done you. We can add you to the list of great colonialists.

you are struggling now. everyone is lucky for a break i was lucky i am from the south of england rather than the north. millions of people around the world aspire to the standard of living of people in the north of england. you have no idea of a globalised market where no one is being ripped off, except in your view where rich westerners exploit people on cruise ships. i really dunno why i am slugging this out with you mate you are spectacularly clueless. i would add, "with the greatest respect", but i wouldnt mean it.

 

[smudge]

Obviously they could have made a whole lot more if they'd been lucky enough to be be born elsewhere but sounds like they're very appreciative, so well done you. We can add you to the list of great colonialists.

No need to keep on with the wind up. I get your point that you think the Cruise Lines are exploiting people, but in my experience, every crew member wants to be here & comes back again & again. I was on the bridge today for a little get together rewarding some of our guys who've been with the company 20 years. I'm sure their families back home are gateful for the money they earn, even if it is less than someone like me, a westerner.
However, on my last trip to the Philippines when I visited friends from the ship, their places were indeed much grander than my 2 bed flat on Shoreham Beach! They are simply not being exploited. All flights to & from contract are paid for by the company. Travel expenses for visa's etc are covered to a certain extent, (mine aren't). Uniforms are provided by the company & of course food & board is free at work. Cabin conditions improve with every new build as do crew facilities such as the crew bar & crew gym. Cabin inspections are carried out weekly where defects are reported & fixed.
Your main gripe about different pay for different nationalities, well I agree it doesn't seem fair, but like I say, it's economics.
Some of the guys & girls doing jobs like Hotel Utility work very hard every day & I have nothing but admiration for them. There is of course a ladder of promotion for them to aspire to, and most do improve their position & pay.
This is getting a bit of a novel, but one more point about the Philippines. Do you know their biggest export? Their people; who go abroad & work on ships, in Dubai or Doha, all over the world in fact, & send money home. It keeps the whole economy going. It might not be right, but that's how it is, and I don't hear any Filipinos complaining. (Even the one I've been with for 4 years & am engaged to & who works with me here on the ship).

 

[trueblue]

you are struggling now. everyone is lucky for a break i was lucky i am from the south of england rather than the north. millions of people around the world aspire to the standard of living of people in the north of england. you have no idea of a globalised market where no one is being ripped off, except in your view where rich westerners exploit people on cruise ships. i really dunno why i am slugging this out with you mate you are spectacularly clueless. i would add, "with the greatest respect", but i wouldnt mean it.

Interesting definition of "struggling". Seems like you've spent a bit too much time at sea listening to people who have a profit orientated view on this to

 

[Westdene Wonder]

1. For your first cruise choose the Med, not more than 10/12 days
2. Inside cabins are the cheapest for a good reason,if you can afford it choose outside.
3. Tuxedos are only required on a few evenings,however you can eat at an alternative location if you dont wish to dress up
4. You have a choice of various sized tables
5. I have dined at top restaurants in various parts of the world and found Cunard & P&O well up to their standards in the main Dining rooms, one problem you will put on weight.
6. Start from Southampton,thereby cutting out all the delays etc associated with air travel.
7. Many staff have been working on cruises for years and there are waiting lists to join,conditions are very poor in some countries so they appreciate working on these ships.
8.If you do decide on the West Indies etc check the weather conditions before you book, certain times it can be very rough.

 

[pasty]

1. For your first cruise choose the Med, not more than 10/12 days
2. Inside cabins are the cheapest for a good reason,if you can afford it choose outside.
3. Tuxedos are only required on a few evenings,however you can eat at an alternative location if you dont wish to dress up
4. You have a choice of various sized tables
5. I have dined at top restaurants in various parts of the world and found Cunard & P&O well up to their standards in the main Dining rooms, one problem you will put on weight.
6. Start from Southampton,thereby cutting out all the delays etc associated with air travel.
7. Many staff have been working on cruises for years and there are waiting lists to join,conditions are very poor in some countries so they appreciate working on these ships.
8.If you do decide on the West Indies etc check the weather conditions before you book, certain times it can be very rough.

Ah, a non-argumentative post. Thank you.

1. For your first cruise choose the Med, not more than 10/12 days
oops, 1st cruise and going 14 days to Carribean

2. Inside cabins are the cheapest for a good reason,if you can afford it choose outside.
Good - got a fantastic late deal on superior deluxe outside cabin with balcony

3. Tuxedos are only required on a few evenings,however you can eat at an alternative location if you dont wish to dress up
Dinner suit hired on board. 4 formal nights scheduled and really looking forward to doning the DJ

4. You have a choice of various sized tables
Gone for 8 as we don't want to be sat on table for 2 for a fortnight

5. I have dined at top restaurants in various parts of the world and found Cunard & P&O well up to their standards in the main Dining rooms, one problem you will put on weight.
Going P&O and main restaurant is Marco Pierre White - I'm already a fat git!

6. Start from Southampton,thereby cutting out all the delays etc associated with air travel.
Done.

 

[pasty]

Made port today in Funchal, Madeira. One of the first things I see? A chap wandering around wearing an Albion top! Not off our ship either.

If you're reading this chap, I'm the bloke that stopped you and said hello!