There is more than $2 an hour to go around. The tips are not just for the crew members that you see. There are "tip outs" from one member to another. Servers "tip out" the bus and dish crew, Bartenders "tip out" the bar backs etc.. etc... etc...
On top of salary and tip, crew members recieve free room and board, laundry, utilities etc....
__________________
TSS Mardi Gras
Virgin Islands
USS Elmer Montgomery FF1082
Mediterranean
Persian Gulf
Indian Ocean
Nobody forced the crew aboard at gunpoint. I'm not a lawyer but I think the way it works is that if you sign a contract for X dollars (2, 20, 200, whatever) per hour, then you agreed to the contract terms and have nobody to blame but yourself.
As for the head being down the corridor - well, that sounds just like things are for the crew on Navy ships too. Except I did that for about 75 cents an hour. And let's see.....who is responsible for cleaning the head? Oh that's right...the crew! Sounds like you either need to pick up a mop or give whoever is responsible for crew compartment cleaning a kick in the pants.
Originally posted by Dave Beers:
Nobody forced the crew aboard at gunpoint. I'm not a lawyer but I think the way it works is that if you sign a contract for X dollars (2, 20, 200, whatever) per hour, then you agreed to the contract terms and have nobody to blame but yourself.
As for the head being down the corridor - well, that sounds just like things are for the crew on Navy ships too. Except I did that for about 75 cents an hour. And let's see.....who is responsible for cleaning the head? Oh that's right...the crew! Sounds like you either need to pick up a mop or give whoever is responsible for crew compartment cleaning a kick in the pants.
Amen shipmate! I bet ya his head has doors on the toliet. And I guarantee you he's not doing port and starboard duty, six hours on six hours off. He thinks it's bad now try eating, bathroom, shower, and sleeping in six hours then going back on duty for another six for six to eight months straight!
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TSS Mardi Gras
Virgin Islands
USS Elmer Montgomery FF1082
Mediterranean
Persian Gulf
Indian Ocean
The fun part of port and starboard watches was when you had the midwatch and then got to stay up all day too - doing ship's work till noon and then going back on watch until 1800 hours.
I worked on Princess as both guest entertainer with a passenger cabin, dining room and deck privileges, and as a crew member with crew cabin, crew mess, etc.
So yeah, the head is down the hall, and there are four bunks to a cabin, and the mess isn't so fancy--so what!
I signed a contract, knew what I was getting into, and went and did it.
And even when I had passenger privileges I probably spent more time in the crew areas than on deck because it was more casual and fun.
I don't suppose all lines are the same but my experience was quite positive.
Everyone has to start some where. Get your experience and move on if you are that unhappy. You can always go to another cruise line or work for a resort.
My husband worked for CCL scrubbing pots and pan in the kitchen making $360 a month. He moved out of the kitchen into the dining room to become a waiter..... and is now doing better than ever.
I miss the midrats dave. I worked in CIC and the MS would bring us a tray of fresh donuts every night on the mid watch. That's why I started cruising was for the "midrats".
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TSS Mardi Gras
Virgin Islands
USS Elmer Montgomery FF1082
Mediterranean
Persian Gulf
Indian Ocean
Originally posted by Carnival:
I miss the midrats dave. I worked in CIC and the MS would bring us a tray of fresh donuts every night on the mid watch. That's why I started cruising was for the "midrats".
If there was one thing the Navy cooks did well on a consistent basis, it was their bread and pastries. I loved it when they ran out of store bought bread and had to start baking their own. The smell would waft down into the engine room and drive us all crazy. Same with those great donuts too. My division office on the Nimitz was about 5 feet away from the aft mess decks, and we always made sure we maintained a great relationship with the Mess Specialists (they call them Culinary Specialists now). We also had to supply someone to be a Mess Decks Master-At-Arms, which meant we also had regular deliveries of bread, pie, donuts, the odd lobster tail or two.
We had to do radiation surveys in some of the food lockers and it was there that I discovered why the bread was so good. The Navy buys top of the line hard winter wheat bread flour.
And I guarantee you he's not doing port and starboard duty, six hours on six hours off. He thinks it's bad now try eating, bathroom, shower, and sleeping in six hours then going back on duty for another six for six to eight months straight!
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