British Workers Aboard Cruise Ships.

[Jim Brady]

We were talking the other day on here about the number of British Seamen and it was mentioned that many British crew are employed on cruise ships in the entertainment,hairdressing and other jobs of this nature aboard these cruise ships.None of these people need a Discharge Book so they cannot be classed or included in the figures of British Seamen.
Regards.
Jim.B.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news...world-14274839

[Keith Tindell]

Jim, the people i have spoken to, who do these cruises, all say that the lifeboat drills are normally done in the theatre, by those same entertainment crew, so that is really reassuring eh !!!, kt

[Red Lead Ted]

Jimbo, Kieth, I am totally disillusioned by what i see as in seaman aboard modern day cruise ships i have been watching the t.v. program following the goings on as regards to crewing these passenger ships, No maintenance carried out on deck, Not allowed to go above 2 meters from the deck, I have been higher to repair a heel block on a lowered derrick, And it seems to me unless your fully dressed with your smile creased trousers and polished buttons, You are not employable, They should have been with some of us aboard our ships some of the strokes we pulled which where all B.O.T. Regulated. These passenger ships arn,t ships there floating hotels. Terry

[Keith Tindell]

I see them all the time in the Solent, floating pigeon lofts was the description someone on this site called them, perfect description, kt

[Captain Kong]

Entertainers , bands, hairdressers, beauty parlours etc are always employed by agencies, and not by the ship owner. and so are not in the Merchant Navy as we know it, so no discharge books are required.

But what I did not like about Cunard on Boat drills was ......
I was in a cabin on Deck 6, the Theatre was on Deck 1, the boat muster point was on Deck 3.
So the alarm goes for boat drill, I have to walk down six decks to the theatre, then a Shop Girl with a stick with a lifeboat number on it says . "Follow me", so we then have to walk up two Decks to Deck 3 for the Lifeboat assembly.
When I questioned the young lady, who looked about 18 years old, as to why we have to go down six decks and then up 2 Decks just to arrive at where we are now, she told me not to interfere, "I am in charge of this boat and you do what I tell you,"
So I just told her that I had done several hundred boat drills and many Real Lifeboat emergencies and had never seen anything as daft as this set up.
So she says , "If you do not like it you are at liberty to pack your bag and leave the ship before we sail."
So I had to accept it. What happens if the Theatre and stairways are full of smoke ?? no one would say.
I do not sail Cunard anymore.
In Holland America ships. there is a Lifeboat Number in your cabin on the door, near to where the Life Jacket is stored, and when the alarm goes you go straight to the lifeboat station on the deck underneath your lifeboat., simple., then your name is checked on the list. If anyone fails to turn up for the boat drill they are then escorted down the gangway with their bags and left behind. That is a good system and the system we have always had.
Brian

[Captain Kong]

Default Re: British Workers Abourd Cruise Ships.

Jimbo, Kieth, I am totally disillusioned by what i see as in seaman aboard modern day cruise ships i have been watching the t.v. program following the goings on as regards to crewing these passenger ships, No maintenance carried out on deck, Not allowed to go above 2 meters from the deck, I have been higher to repair a heel block on a lowered derrick, And it seems to me unless your fully dressed with your smile creased trousers and polished buttons, You are not employable, They should have been with some of us aboard our ships some of the strokes we pulled which where all B.O.T. Regulated. These passenger ships arn,t ships there floating hotels. Terry

Hi Terry on the Holland America ships I always see the Seamen doing deck maintenance
Sometimes I JOIN IN AND HELP THEM,....

[vic mcclymont]

I wrote many years ago to Thomson Cruises as to why when an emergency is sounded you have to go your cabin and then up to a passenger lounge. I asked why no lifebelt lockers on deck, no requirement was the reply.
Yet with UCL, lifejackets were carried in lockers on deck.
Vic

[Keith Tindell]

Can you just imagine with a real emergency, and in the middle of a meal time ?, half trying to get down to their cabins, and half trying to get back up ???, one day it will happen. I remember the scene on the Costa Concordia where a young girl from the crew , don't know what her rank was, but she was trying to control the passengers, and we all know what happened there, kt

[Lewis McColl]

A wee bit of the Titanic syndrome perhaps, this ship is unsinkable?? Well they are just as long as they do not hit anything . Always dodge the bad weather. But the biggest threat has to be FIRE and the thought of ??? what 3 , 4 or 5000 passengers ? suddenly smelling Acrid smoke being pumped into the AC ducting just before the ventilation system shuts down !!!! Pandemonium will no doubt breakout. If I was a passenger I would want to get to a lifeboat station sharpish, I certainly would want to know which boat the master of the vessel was in. Well you never know he may decide he can handle the situation better ashore while asking for assistance, Costa Concordia!!!! or was that all fake news??

When I was doing my survival at sea refresher I did it at Fleetwood. Along with a lot of lads in the offshore industry. I think I may have been the only seaman on the course. The off shore lads were handy enough, but I was still the only one who could right the lift raft and board it unassisted.
The pool at Fleetwood is excellent, wave making machine ,fog , and thunder & lightening as best a facility can do to create possible rough conditions at sea(Tame yes but?).
There were a few girls on the course as well who were joining a cruise ship, hair dressers, Croupiers etc. One of the instructors pulled me aside and asked me to go buddy,buddy with this girl. He said it was her 3rd course and if she failed this time she would lose her job. She had funded her last two courses herself, so the kid was out a few quid. Her problem was she could not bring herself to jump from the balcony into the storm enraged pool, she always chickened out.
So we were introduced and did everything together, she was very good. Even the helicopter inversion she was not so bad. We made sure she was first one out. She was gaining in confidence. It came to the Balcony leap and we were the last two to jump. Attire was boiler suit & boots? and life jacket. She froze. I got her to place her hands so she gripped the life jacket under her chin. I checked below was all clear, as we stood on the edge of the balcony, poor kid was crying. Being the gent I am I spoke to her calmly while placing the palm of my hand just behind her back. Then I gave her push , she called me a barsteward when we got into the life raft together, but she passed. I got a few postcards from her, from for a couple of years as she had a job on Disney cruise ships. Even got an invitation to her wedding, but alas I was away at sea. Not sure if she is still sailing, but hopefully she did enjoy her spell at sea.

[Captain Kong]

The Holland America ships do have Life Jacket Lockers all along the prom deck both sides , see them on my photo above. which is also the lifeboat embarkation deck, they are built into the seats and well marked.
they also have British and Dutch Officers, Captains and engineers
No Greeks or Ities,