Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: Lunch with the staff captain.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10126
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45653

    Default Lunch with the staff captain.

    On our cruise to NZ over the Christmas/New Year period I spent some time talking, as I often do, with members of the crew.
    Most now are from the Phillipines but are very friendly and good workers.
    I was informed that now under international agreement no crew member is allowed to work a contract any longer than 10 months and must be given a minimum of 2 months leave at the end of that time. Most companies comply but I am sure there will be one or two who do not.

    We were invited to lunch, along with some others, hosted by the Staff Captain a very nice man from Genoa.


    He was to tell us that there was on board a barman wo had been on the 'Concordia' on THAT day.

    He went on to tell me at the end of lunch a bit more about the incident.

    He has spoken with the barman about it as he was also from the same region of Italy.

    At the time many of the crew thought that being so close to the land the pilot must have been onboard, why else would they be so close?
    But as we know that was not the case.

    He went on to talk about the legal system in Italy and how it works, or as he put it attempts at time to work.

    There was an attempt to blame the helmsman, an Indonesian, for the disaster saying he was responsible.

    But as the Staff Captain said the officer of the watch is in control of the bridge and would give all instructions as to helm settings.

    The delay in brining the captain to court, and he is by all accounts the youngest captain in the fleet, was because the legal ones could not decide on the charge, manslaughter, dereliction of duty, or as a few wanted, murder.

    He is still banged up but according to the Staff Captain the officer of the watch that day has never set foot on board any ship since.
    Last edited by Mike Hall; 5th January 2019 at 11:24 AM.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Waterlooville Hampshire UK
    Posts
    7,068
    Thanks (Given)
    1693
    Thanks (Received)
    3689
    Likes (Given)
    3684
    Likes (Received)
    13348

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    Thank you for that John , I just wondered if you had a waiter who could handle a table of 8 and still carry 8 plates up his arm or is that something of the past that is now long gone
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

  3. Thanks Mike Hall thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,641
    Thanks (Given)
    12850
    Thanks (Received)
    13719
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76764

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    Think you have a slight error there John re 10 months trips and 20 months leave at end of, don’t you mean 20 days?. Everyone here will be clamouring for a job. And I’ll be at the head of the pack , even though may have to serve Brian sitting back there in luxury. Welcome back after your hazarduous travels anyway. Hope you didn’t make any bad year’s resolutions. Cheers JS

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    2,128
    Thanks (Given)
    8436
    Thanks (Received)
    5385
    Likes (Given)
    28206
    Likes (Received)
    32060

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    Quote Originally Posted by robpage View Post
    Thank you for that John , I just wondered if you had a waiter who could handle a table of 8 and still carry 8 plates up his arm or is that something of the past that is now long gone
    ##wonder how he did in the short arm inspection.......cappy

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,641
    Thanks (Given)
    12850
    Thanks (Received)
    13719
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76764

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    #4.. Is that in the short arms and long pockets category Cappy ? Otherwise he may be in trouble. John has an old fountain pen charged with invisible ink from way back. His cheque book is on a bank in outer Mongolia. He thinks tipping is spoiling the staff. John you don’t say on the long holidays they get if they get paid or not. Cheers JS

  7. Thanks Des Taff Jenkins thanked for this post
  8. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Bolton UK
    Posts
    15,004
    Thanks (Given)
    20832
    Thanks (Received)
    11089
    Likes (Given)
    30414
    Likes (Received)
    37116

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    The ones I have spoken to tell me that they do not get paid while on leave,

  9. Thanks Mike Hall, Doc Vernon thanked for this post
  10. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,641
    Thanks (Given)
    12850
    Thanks (Received)
    13719
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76764

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    #6... so in that case Brian the 20 months leave is quite likely correct. Very generous of the owners. Cheers JS

  11. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Seaforth L'Pool Merseyside
    Posts
    0
    Thanks (Given)
    635
    Thanks (Received)
    4648
    Likes (Given)
    8886
    Likes (Received)
    10743

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    I think that it is 10 months on and 2 months off.
    Regards.
    Jim.B.
    CLARITATE DEXTRA

  12. Thanks Mike Hall thanked for this post
  13. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Cooma NSW
    Posts
    8,967
    Thanks (Given)
    10195
    Thanks (Received)
    5220
    Likes (Given)
    44136
    Likes (Received)
    26883

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    Hi John.
    If it's paid leave sign me on Jacob, if not another ship after a weeks leave.
    Cheers Des

  14. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10126
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45653

    Default Re: Lunch with the staff captain.

    It is indeed ten month on and two months off with no leave pay.

    But with Princess the crew get a paid flight home, know if they are returning to the company for next contract on which ship it will be and their return air fair is paid.
    Princess is the only company to pay air fair both ways, all the others just one way.

    No Rob, no one carries plates now, all done with a tray and plate rings, and using two hands, we had to do it using one.
    We had to carry as many as ten on a tray with UCL, now the most any carry is 8.

    No one is allowed to carry any without the use of a tray now so not sure if any can carry on the arm.
    Last edited by happy daze john in oz; 5th January 2019 at 05:38 AM.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  15. Thanks Doc Vernon, j.sabourn, robpage thanked for this post
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •