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Thread: crew salaries on cruise ships

  1. #21
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    Default wages

    I do not think that any cruise ship operating out of the UK would be allowed to pay their staff such low wages, I am sure one or another of the UNIONs would have done something about it.
    In my days of working on the cruise liners out of the UK or on any mail boat there were set down wage figures for all catering members, as a bellboy (NZSCo called them Stewards boy) in NZSCo. in 1955 my wages were under 10 pounds a moth, in 1956 it went up to eleven pounds seven and sixpence. we did a full days of work by looking after the cleaning of the interior of the ship and the childrens resturaunt for 3 meals a day, then in the evening being the commis for the stewards, if we hadn`t received any tips for this, and worked in the telephone yards, the lumber yards and unloading and loading other ships, life would have been really restricted whilst on the coast in NZ.
    On the P&O line, wages for a bellboy in 1956 were twelve pounds two and six. and a steward was getting thirty pounds ten a month.
    when i left the sea my last trip was on the Canberra maiden voyage and my wage was forty ond per month.
    these were almost starvation wages when you have a familey to support, so the Tips that people gave you allowed you to give a first class service in the hope that a big tip was in the offing. most stewards enjoyed their jobs and could sort out those passengers that would tip good and those who wouldn`t, watch out for the one who says at the beginning of a cruise " look after me and I will look after you at the end" usually they don`t come in for the last meal!!! the show-offs were the ones who were new to money, whilst the people who were bought up with money just took it for granted and didn`t have to show-off that they had money.
    an interesting fact.... Canberra. from the 30may 1961 until 12 june 1961 i did 236 hours overtime. keith moody R635978

  2. Thanks John (Jack) Scott thanked for this post
  3. #22
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    Those were the days Keith but, you have forgotten one thing.
    In your day the Red Ensign was the country's National Maritime Flag.
    These days it is just a common or garden FOC. Unfortunately, the MCA et al like to pretend it is somewhat better. But it isn't.

    Brgds

    Bill

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    Since Cunard registered their three Queens in Hamilton, my cabin Steward on QE told me that when he returns on his next contract his wages will be cut.
    Cheers
    Brian.

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    Default crew salaries on cruis ships,

    that is digraceful, my brother said the Philippine crew did not like to discuss there wages, all they would say is they did well for tips, now they look like disappearing,

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    I am not , and have never been a great fan of the ITF , they , in my opinion screwed up the Zulu crews carried on the Clan R boats in the late 1960s , It stuffed the Zulu crews , but gave jobs to British seafarers , I think it was badly handled . The ITF website is something that I have never read till today , so I started on this International Transport Workers' Federation: News online they have given £1,000,000 to seafarers charities in Malawi . I thought that the great famous maritime nation of Malawi used to be land locked , I must have missed something somewhere .

    When Union .Federation , associations start doing what I regard as strange charitable acts , I wonder what is going on , I know it is the International Transport Federation , but what part of International transportation i covered by Malawi fishermen on a fresh water lake .

    I have become suspicious of charities in general , when you look deep some are there to be there and support some well paid officials , Where did the Million come from , grants I suspect , leaves me with more questions than answers like so many things these days
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

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    What would happen if everyone stopped tipping would this result in self service (I think not) or stamp out slave labour as they would never get anyone to sail on them unless they paid a decent wage. Maybe it is the passengers that are to blame for this. Just looking at these modern blocks of flats seems like you are enclosed with no views of the oceans like the old ships but contained in a steel cage full of ways of extracting the most out of you. I think that they still promote the old idea of a leisurly stroll around the deck and laying back in a deck chair watching the ocean go by while being served a cool drink. Doubt that happens now.
    That's the way the mop flops.

    My thanks to Brian for this site.

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    Exactly my thoughts, they remind me of an up market holiday camp, Butlins, more like a fairground, they are certainly not ships,some are even painted to look like fairground rides, every opportunity to extract more cash is used, even if i won the lottery i would never sail on one, why they are so popular i do not know, every year bigger ones appear, makes the Titanic look like a small ship. YUK

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    Default wages

    Ref. ITF. Rob I worked in Singapore for a short time (3 months) Babysitting a British ship straight out from the UK with British crew who were repatriated back to UK. This was a small survey vessel bought by Malaysian Owners to add to their fleet. We lay at the Eastern Anchorage most of the time, going alongside at various times for fuel and water as necessary. Crew consisted of Myself, an Indonesian mate and 2nd.mate. A Russian Ch. Engineer Indo. 2nd engineer, rest of crew were Indonesians. We were all paid in different currencies. The 2nd.Engineer off another similar companys vessel who was Polish was being paid substantially more than the Chief engineer I had. When enquiring about this I was told personnel were paid according to their nationality. So where the ITF comes into this I dont see. Seamen to me all have the same outlay of money when abroad and fail to see how some of them managed. By the same token I was master on a Russian ship employed on the Aussie coast, with the approval of government departments the Russian crew were allowed to stay onboard, their wages were the worse I have ever seen, but they were a very happy and very National minded and proud of their ship and country. Also by the same means of employment was working on an American ship flying the Stars and stripes, and by special dispensation of the US Coastguard was allowed to sail as Master as long as there was an american presence on board, so the US master was signed on as 2nd. Mate. This is how I know the salary scales. An Australian seaman A.B. at that time was earning more than the US skipper. As I always say seafarers are different than the normal people ashore and have always been treated differently. Regards John Sabourn

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    Got very friendly with the sous chef, Canadian, on one Royal Caribbean cruise ship and he told me quite a lot about crew wages, mainly catering. Many of the crew in this department are from countries such as the Philipines where wages are low, but unemployment is high. He told me many would do maybe only one or two six month contracst before giving it away. But the money earned in that time would be more than enough to buy a house on one of the Philipino islands. Some he told me could earn as much as $1200 to $1500 per month when the ship was full. There are some crew who have been with the company for as long as 10 years, so there must be something in it for them.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    So working on that scenario John means that they are getting tips plus wages to purchase a house in about twelve months from people that could possibly still be trying to pay of a mortgage. Seems a bit screwed up to me that. How must some feel to find out about this after they have scrimped and saved for a cruise.
    That's the way the mop flops.

    My thanks to Brian for this site.

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