Man overboard

[ChristieNJ]

Hi Christy,

 

Were you on this sailing? We know another couple that was on it too. I know what you mean about a punch in the stomach. Same thing happened to us when we were on the Brilliance........a young kid, Miquel, from Portugul jumped around 5:30 in the morning! He was also a waiter in the dining room and the crew was so upset. Such a sad situation.

 

I'll answer for Cris......actually she's sailing on Thursday and so are we!!!!!

 

Besides the sadness on the cruise I hope you enjoyed the cruise and had a good time before that happened.

 

Patty

 

Hi Patty! Yes I was on this sailing. :( I hope you & Cris have a wonderful cruise on Thursday! :)

 

Sorry to hear about the crew member. Its a real downer for the end of your cruise. How are you Christy and Patty? Havent talked to either of you in awhile. Patty the baby in my sigy is Kristin and Jays!

 

Doing great, Dawn, glad to hear from you. :)

 

There have been too many of these crew overboard incidents lately. Sounds like the cruiseships should have a resident psychiatrist on hand at all times so that upset crew members can talk about what is bothering them.

 

So funny you say this because I was thinking the SAME EXACT THING! I was thinking about what could've been doing on in his mind right beforehand, and what I came up with was this: He seemed to have a big problem with his supervisor. Obviously he has a signed contract with RCI, and now he is stuck on a ship in a bad situation (in his eyes, obviously) with nowhere to escape to and no outlet for his feelings. The ship and his job is his life, and there's nowhere else to turn for him. I was wondering if he had someone to talk to. I know he was having a cigarette with a female coworker right before he did it, and he said something to her about his bad night and that she may not see him again. She went in to get another cigarette and he was gone. :( Horrible. Perhaps if he had a professional outlet for his problems it could have been avoided.

[PattyG12]

The captain did announce in his "meeting" yesterday morning that grief counselling was available to the staff right away. I was impressed at how they got the information out to everyone. The captain made up lots of time. We were off the ship this afternoon by about 3:30. Customs people were lined up and getting us out as quickly as possible. We made it to Newark airport by 4. It was a very somber finish to a nice cruise. We heard alot of rumors but not much was substantiated. I do know that the sailing tonight will be at midnight. We had to be out of our room at 2pm and the room stewards were working quickly getting the rooms ready for the next group.

[QuickieGlenn]

I just got home from this cruise and checked in here to see the stories of the man overboard. It is true that they did not announce the OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR around 10 pm. But before that they first called out for him to report in and then they anounced to all crew who knew him if they had seen him. Then after confirming he could not be found they checked the video to see exactly when he went over, to determine the position of the ship at that time. Then the ship was turned around and proceeded at full speed back. Then they searched until about 7 am when the coast guard arrived to search. We lost approx 8 hrs that was impossible to make up even at full speed approx 27mph. The ship was noticably somber the next day. Many rumors around the ship. Many people seemed to be making crap up. Many people pissed about the late arrival (changing flights) All in all we had a great cruise considering.

[newbiecruiser09]

There have been too many of these crew overboard incidents lately. Sounds like the cruiseships should have a resident psychiatrist on hand at all times so that upset crew members can talk about what is bothering them.

 

Hopefully the medical staff have been given additional training to cope with mental health issues that may arise (with crew or guests) but I don't know if they have (or how good they are). It takes a lot of training to really get the knack of counseling others (which is why they make us take so many internships, get supervision when you first start out, take continuing education, etc). There are also a lot of different cultural issues to contend with-some cultures historically do not believe in/take advantage of MH professionals and prefer to confide in friends/family so even if there are professionals available they may not be utilized. (and yes, I am a licensed mental health counselor and have a great deal of experience with grief and crisis situations).

 

My prayers go out to all affected by this tragic situation. Hopefully everyone has someone to help them through it.

[05mak05]

There have been too many of these crew overboard incidents lately. Sounds like the cruiseships should have a resident psychiatrist on hand at all times so that upset crew members can talk about what is bothering them.

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales) by Brian David Bruns. I don't know if the suicide rate is any higher on cruise ships than on land. What we do know that many of the employees are from 3rd world countries supporting their families by working

long hard hours and that they are homesick and sometimes lonely. We have the cruise ship industry to thank for making jobs available for folks that aren't quite as lucky as we are. However, as passengers we can strive to keep our petty complains to a minimum, refrain from demanding perfection, tip generously and take time to listen when you sense someone needs to talk. Be nice.

[CruisinManiac]

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales) by Brian David Bruns. I don't know if the suicide rate is any higher on cruise ships than on land. What we do know that many of the employees are from 3rd world countries supporting their families by working

long hard hours and that they are homesick and sometimes lonely. We have the cruise ship industry to thank for making jobs available for folks that aren't quite as lucky as we are. However, as passengers we can strive to keep our petty complains to a minimum, refrain from demanding perfection, tip generously and take time to listen when you sense someone needs to talk. Be nice.

 

Great advice! :)

[Maybaybie10]

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales) by Brian David Bruns.

 

How did you like the book?

[octagonmike]

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales) by Brian David Bruns. I don't know if the suicide rate is any higher on cruise ships than on land. What we do know that many of the employees are from 3rd world countries supporting their families by working

long hard hours and that they are homesick and sometimes lonely. We have the cruise ship industry to thank for making jobs available for folks that aren't quite as lucky as we are. However, as passengers we can strive to keep our petty complains to a minimum, refrain from demanding perfection, tip generously and take time to listen when you sense someone needs to talk. Be nice.

 

 

Mauritius is NOT a third world country

[05mak05]

Did anyone say it was a 3rd world country?

[octagonmike]

Did anyone say it was a 3rd world country?

 

 

It could be seen that you implied......

 

Calm down just making sure you knew ;)

[05mak05]

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales) by Brian David Bruns.

 

How did you like the book?

The book has mixed reviews. I'll cheerfully admit that I couldn't put it down. I had no idea that the waiters were responsible for their gear - utensils, creamer, etc. Had no idea what ordering 2 entrees meant for the waiter (we've never once done that), didn't realize the powerful role politics played ... etc etc etc. Dealing with the public and multiple personalities is never easy but seems to be magnified in the closed cruise ship atmosphere. What was clear to me is that it's survival of the fittest and not for sissies. (Please, no flames for that comment ... just a figure of speech.)

[TPKeller]

It could be seen that you implied......

 

Calm down just making sure you knew ;)

Actually, according to the classic definition, it probably is.

 

I'm not an expert, but I don't suppose it was either a member of NATO or the Soviet Bloc, so that leave it in the third world, at least according to the Wiki article.

 

Granted, there are other ideas of what "third world" means these days...

 

Theron

[05mak05]

It could be seen that you implied......

 

Calm down just making sure you knew ;)

Actually, I continue to be amazed by the folks that find the need to use caps ... in a calm manner, of course. :)

[MSG6567]

I was on this cruise working with the Motorcycle tour organizer. I would be remiss if I did't say I thought the Capt. and RCCL did a great job trying to locate the missing crew member. I was at second seating when all the activity started. The entire ship was made aware of the event and they kept everyone notified as to the progress. It was really sad to think a young person ended his hife this way.

I think RCCL went to great limits in trying to help passengers rebook transportation. They allowed free internet time, free phone calls etc.

They allowed everyone to keep their cabin until 2PM. True there were a few people very vocal about being late, flights, etc. but whenever I heard someone complain I also heard others put them in their place.

In reading through these post about the incident I get the feeling that some people just have to have the grusesome details and ask why?, how? or to try to diagnose the situation. It is human nature to try to get the gossip. So here is what happened. A young man went overboard, a young man died and has not been found. Nothing else really needs to be said. Say a prayer for him.

[octagonmike]

Actually, I continue to be amazed by the folks that find the need to use caps ... in a calm manner, of course. :)

 

 

:):p:)

[heynow]

A young man went overboard, a young man died and has not been found. Nothing else really needs to be said. Say a prayer for him.

 

Well said.

[Cruzin-K]

The book has mixed reviews. I'll cheerfully admit that I couldn't put it down. I had no idea that the waiters were responsible for their gear - utensils, creamer, etc. Had no idea what ordering 2 entrees meant for the waiter (we've never once done that), didn't realize the powerful role politics played ... etc etc etc. Dealing with the public and multiple personalities is never easy but seems to be magnified in the closed cruise ship atmosphere. What was clear to me is that it's survival of the fittest and not for sissies. (Please, no flames for that comment ... just a figure of speech.)

 

:confused: What does it mean? Should people not do this?

[Frenchsnowhite]

We were on that sailing.............:(

 

And the men that jumped over board was our assistant-waiter........:(

 

No need to say that we were VERY VERY SADDEN by this. We liked it very much, my daughters and my husband only speaks french and the hole 6 days before this thing he made sure to speak french with them, making all of us very comfortable in the dining room.

 

To do such a desperate act, he must have had many problems that ANYONE did not know about.......

 

Life on a cruise is good for passengers but not always for crew members:(

[marielco]

Actually, according to the classic definition, it probably is.

 

I'm not an expert, but I don't suppose it was either a member of NATO or the Soviet Bloc, so that leave it in the third world, at least according to the Wiki article.

 

Granted, there are other ideas of what "third world" means these days...

 

Theron

 

Never realised I lived in a "third world country"!!! I'm in Ireland and we are not members of either NATO or the Soviet Bloc.

 

This cannot be a correct way of classifying a "third world" as we know it today. Surely the definition should be based on living standards, development etc.. not political grouping.

[Host Kewlguy]

We were on that sailing.............:(

 

And the men that jumped over board was our assistant-waiter........:(

 

No need to say that we were VERY VERY SADDEN by this. We liked it very much, my daughters and my husband only speaks french and the hole 6 days before this thing he made sure to speak french with them, making all of us very comfortable in the dining room.

 

To do such a desperate act, he must have had many problems that ANYONE did not know about.......

 

Life on a cruise is good for passengers but not always for crew members:(

 

I'm curious to know his first name since our assistant waiter on Explorer back in January was from Mauritius also.

[Dolly Rocker]

God such a horribe horrible thing to happen to anyone thoughts & prayers with his family, friends & crewmembers.

 

Working on a cruise ship is very hard & can sometimes be very lonely trust me I've been there.

 

I worked on a cruise ship in Australia in 2007 I'm from the UK.

I was supposed to be working a 6 month contract but decided I wanted to go home after 4 months. They wanted to drop me off at a Port in New Zealand with no money & no ticket home!!!!!!! I was beside myself with worry a million miles from home with no credit card or any idea how to get to the airport or get myself a flight.

Eventually I kicked up enough of a fuss & went directly to the PSD who is in charge of the hotel & duty free shops etc & within an hour I had a flight booked to get me home.

I was there as a working holiday so was spending my money everymonth most people who work on cruise ships are there to work to support their families they do not spend any money live in cramped & crowded crew quarters & eat food that is way below average so this may give you an idea as to why he felt he had no other choice.

The truth is it is not an easy job

 

Sorry to ramble on but this just hit a nerve with me

 

L

xxx

[gulfgirl]

So sad! Hoping for the best. Some of the crew members are very young, so far from home, and some without meaningful social support, so I can easily see this happening. Please do let us know how things turn out.:(

[sbhdmh]

We were on that sailing.............:(

 

And the men that jumped over board was our assistant-waiter........:(

 

No need to say that we were VERY VERY SADDEN by this. We liked it very much, my daughters and my husband only speaks french and the hole 6 days before this thing he made sure to speak french with them, making all of us very comfortable in the dining room.

 

To do such a desperate act, he must have had many problems that ANYONE did not know about.......

 

Life on a cruise is good for passengers but not always for crew members:(

 

May I ask how old your daughters are and if they are doing okay? This would be hard enough for an adult but a child or teen - wow! I know it is only a few days but I always feel like I've gotten to know my waitstaff when I cruise. We always enjoy talking to them and finding out about them. I can't imagine developing this sort of relationship and then having a tragedy like this occur. It is not just his family and co-workers but as we can see from your post, and the posts from previous passengers trying to find out if they knew the young man, passengers who got to know him are also affected.

 

So, so sad...

[CruiseLover15]

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships (Travelers' Tales) by Brian David Bruns.

 

How did you like the book?

 

I read it a few years ago and can't remember a lot except that I could barely put it down.

[TPKeller]

Never realised I lived in a "third world country"!!! I'm in Ireland and we are not members of either NATO or the Soviet Bloc.

 

This cannot be a correct way of classifying a "third world" as we know it today. Surely the definition should be based on living standards, development etc.. not political grouping.

No, I probably shouldn't have posted this, especially on this thread. I just thought it was amusing, since the apparent origin, or at least one of them, was so far away from what "we" (most people, me and you included) typically think of "third world". The article even mentions farther down that the term is misleading. The commonly held definition has to do with the stage of development.

 

Theron