17 hours a day, 7 days a week: Cruise-ship workers describe the grueling conditions they face on the job (NCLH, CCL, RCL) https://news.yahoo.com/17-hours-day-7-days-134700429.html

If a waiter on a cruise ship can earn $1500 - 2000/mth + free meals, free medical, free travel to/from the ship and no cost for accommodation while working, he/she is probably better off than a waiter in a restaurant in the US on min. wages no paid holidays and no medical benefits.
Of course, if they have a family at home they have expenses there, but probably lower living expenses than in the US.

What is more interesting is comparing wages and conditions for Officers and Engineers, incl. job security and benefits, since none on this forum is likely to be interested in low level jobs on cruise ships.

Since there are still a number of Scandinavians and other NW Europeans working in such positions it cannot be all hat bad.

I know that many quite as well, but mainly because of the exchange rate back in the days when NCL and RCL changed flag on their ships and other ships got sold. (1980-2000)

The loss of social and non-company dependent benefits also had something to do with it.
Especially for those who valued security over immediate gains.

Yep. 1% of Americans own 40% of the wealth.

wealth
A 2014 study by researchers at Princeton and Northwestern concludes that government policies reflect the desires of the wealthy, and that the vast majority of American citizens have "minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy …

I gotta go, the Kardashians are dissing Trump on their Facebook page.

And a new book argues that Europe is doing a better job of maintaining free markets:

Europe Overtook the US in Free Markets

Earl

now thats funny…
Europe was designed to support their own cartels and thats all.

Hands up who can trade with the USA versus who can trade with the the EU without tariffs and quotas

New Zealand has a quota of 5,000 tonnes of lamb per year in exports to the USA, most of which is consumed at Easter on the East Coast. I’m pretty sure that both Australia and New Zealand have quotas for wine exports to the US. I noticed the poorly maintained infrastructure in my last visit to the USA last month. The metro systems in both Chicago and New York had noise levels that were outside health guidelines without hearing protection. I suspect that over time flats had been formed on the wheels during braking. In Europe the wheel assemblies are put on a special milling machine every 250,000km .

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you should try the the London underground its 100 years old with new paint…
Paris metro rides on tyres, smooth and quiet

I’m looking forward to get on the MRT in Singapore again in a couple of weeks.
Clean, quiet, with air-conditioned trains and stations. Efficient and convenient, with very few delays and stoppages. That is at least how I remember it.

I believe they have experienced some problem on the oldest lines, but that upgrading is well under way.

only city I know where you can beat the subway with a car.
I would be interested to know if there are any other in the world?
Coming from 10 yrs in the London, I worked out its very slow for same distance and number of stops forced me back to driving or cabs, wouldnt dream of that in London.

I can see why as it always goes the same speed to allow for the old people to be seated and get on and off, peak hour in London if you are not standing at the door you wont be getting off.

PS you could have a new thread on the issues and reasons for them of the breakdowns and the recoverys…
you mean we bought the best quality and we still have to maintain it!!!

I’ve used “the tube” in London many times and an Oyster card makes it very convenient. The metro in Paris makes it easy to move around as it was better that I kept my mouth shut rather than trying to resurrect my schoolboy French. The beauty of subway systems is you can work out where you are and where you want to go. Shanghai, Dubai, HongKong, Singapore,Washington DC, and Buenos Aires are among the cities where the colour coding makes it easy and I would use a cab before I would attempt to figure out the bus system.

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That really is a nothing of an article.

A few points:

The girl who had her cabin searched by CBP? A condition of travel is that you open yourself up to being searched by CBP / Customs / Border Force (depending where in the world you are). Every time you fly it is the same. She had a headache? Really?!

They seem surprised that the deck officers entrusted with the safety of thousands of passengers and crew, not to mention a multi million dollar asset, earn more than those with menial jobs. Wow, who knew that with greater responsibility came greater reward. What a revelation.

Across our industry there are people working long hours. How many container ship crew have berthed early in the morning after some complicated night pilotage and then got on supervising discharging cargo? Or the guys fishing chasing the prize, or the military / customs / coast guards who put in mega hours when on a tasking.

And as to the living conditions where she had to share a cabin and both of them couldn’t get ready simultaneously? Tell that to the submariner hot bunking.

All in all utter nonsense.

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Cruise-ship workers are subject to a strict hierarchy that determines their pay, living conditions, and contracts. At the top of the hierarchy are officers — managers and those responsible for navigation.

Of course they leave out the most important group of officers…

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Of course. :grin: Although to be fair, the hotel crew barely knows that there is a downstairs, much less who’s in charge. So long as the lights are on, that is…

Nothing new. Conditions for cruiseship workers has been like this for ages in order to maintain healthy margins for the operating companies.

Most people do not even know the engineers are “officers” on cruise ships, and have no idea the cheif makes the same as the captain (usually). Part if this is because the mates have “3rd officer, 2nd officer” etc on their name tags and “officer” is in the title of their position. If engineers demanded their full title be “Engineering Officer”, people would not be as ignorant…but then again, engineers often want to hide in the shadows lol

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I found out recently that the Oyster Card is either gone, or outdated. . . it’s all in the App now. . .

Years ago, I rode an old Mormac liner turned cruise ship for its annual survey/statutory inspections. My only passenger ship experience. . . . typically, the old Greek CE took all of his meals in the officers’ dining room and NOT at his table in the passenger area. . . . frankly, after the second day, I did the same. . . .

So I ditch the Oyster card but buy a local SIM card to excape the crippling roaming charges that all phone companies charge here. The subway in Chicago had it on an app and I believe New York is introducing it shortly with Apple Pay and android.

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