What the cabin stweard told me...

[asalligo]

[quote name='nickiefriend']I don't think it is just the cruise industry or travel, I work in healthcare and since I started, we have less people, which in turn means that those of us that are left are doing more work.

Companies in general cannot continue to keep the doors open if they don't make changes to what they "pay out" to employees and benefits.

And just like me, if you don't like it, you can always look for something else.[/quote]


Exactly, my company is doing the same thing in the last couple of years, workload has increased three fold and bodies to do the work have decreased. At the same time, they have cut almost all benefits. No more retirement program, increased insurance costs and just recently they completely cut after hours pager pay and increased the hours we are all required to work on the weekends. I think this is a trend in American companies recently. Do more with less and for less and get that stock price up.

[jackparts]

Don't really know what the truth is on wages, but a web site, Cruise International, purports to be a cruise workers job site. Shows what jobs pay on the ships. I do know firsthand what the workers rooms look like and they are small. They do know how to party! I was invited to a party which I am told was a no no after doing a big favor. Forget the prices but drinks were REAL CHEAP. Food was plentiful and there was no complaints on the daily meals. So I do agree that they earn every penny, but the pay is better than home and the conditions are much better.

[asalligo]

[quote name='Havingfun2010']I was reading this thread in amusement.

First: it talks about low wages and long hard hours. Has anyone ever looked around the USA and really looked? How is this different than so many people in other jobs? jungling low pay, long hours, and never making ends meet. Why is it the poor cruise ship worker is discussed? They actually make a ton more money on the ship, than in their country.

Second: When they talk to you, why is it they always tell you how hard it is? Away from home, long hours, low pay and always never fails to throw in they need tips. The oldest trick in the book. Sad story, and ask for tip. They work for tips, and nothing wrong with it, and we give them tips, and that is the way it works. They pick the job, not us.

Third: If on a Carnival Board this conversation always happen, then why do so many people chose Carnival? Why, its the cheapest! Go to Kmart, and they get low wages and you buy cheap products. Go elsewhere and spend more money, and the workers get better pay. So simple solution, if anyone feels sorry, than don't cruise Carnival and spend more money elsewhere. That's what it is all about!!!

Does anyone really believe a boycott of Carnival on behalf of the workers would ever succeed?[/quote]


This is a solid argument, we keep lining up to take Carnival cruises because they are cheap and at the same time complain of their low pay.

I guess when I really think about it I just want the room steward to make more and Micky Arison to make less than his last years earnings of $7,201,110, which included a base salary of $880,000, a cash bonus of $2,206,116, stocks granted of $3,618,481, and other compensation totaling $496,513.

We fix the world if his salary was capped at 300% of his lowest paid worker. Hell we could even go 1000%.

[Doug910]

[quote name='wework2play']I always try to get to know our room steward a little bit, as well as wait staff and bartenders. One thing I have noticed and really really wonder about: There have been several staff members tell me that they have left their children and pregnant wife at home while they are making money to support the family. Hmm, I totally believed this the first 2 times I heard it. Then I started wondering. Does anyone else think that some of them give you a story they think will make them more tips? I'm really not a negative or skeptical person. I just picked up on this and it seemed quite strange to me.[/QUOTE]

...No, this story is extremely common. Two young children and a pregnant wife at home. Like you said, I do believe that there are some who are in this situation, but I hear it way too often.

...I've met a lot of ship's crew over the years of cruising. I can honestly say that I can count the employees with a bad attitude on one hand. They all work hard and deserve every dollar they receive, both the small pay (including room, board and medical) that Carnival pays them and the gratuities that cruisers give them.

...In regards to pay/compensation, they make a fair wage. If they didn't, just like us, they would leave and move on. Here in the US, I feel I make a fair wage and have a fair standard of living, compared to other workers in the US. On board workers make a fair to good living compared to others in their same county. It's all about standard of living.

[Hose A De RR]

[COLOR="Blue"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="4"]As long as people are willing to work under appalling conditions for pitiful wages and the cabins are full of paying passengers at sail away, the cruise experience will continue to degrade.:mad:[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

[Perfect Stranger]

[quote name='Doug910']...No, this story is extremely common. Two young children and a pregnant wife at home. Like you said, I do believe that there are some who are in this situation, but I hear it way too often.

[/quote]

If it's true, they need to quit 'making more babies' when they return home if they're sad being away from them. :rolleyes:

[NCTribeFan]

I've done the Behind the Fun tour and the staff dining area is NOT horrible and the food is NOT horrible. They even vary the menu to try to include home-country dishes for as many of the crew as possible. I was very impressed with the dining facilities.

DD's maid-of-honor has been working on a cruise ship (not Carnival) for a few years now and has no complaints at all about the food or the working conditions (non-tipped position in the entertainment department) and she's an American who is probably used to a considerably-higher standard of living at home than the majority of her fellow crew members.

Just saying, it may not be as horrible as people here are implying.

And, yes, this has been happening in all industries since the recession. We're doing the work of multiple people yet being paid for one; if we get a raise it isn't keeping up with inflation; and we're continually told we should be grateful to have a job! Basically, just suck it up or you'll be replaced.

And just because crew leaves doesn't mean the replacements are terrible and incompetent. They may actually be better than the people they're replacing. That is a possibility, you know. :rolleyes:

Oh, and "my" waiters on Fantasy have been on the ship for years, working together. They love the ship and neither has any intention of leaving. I'll ask when I see them again in May. Edited January 30, 2014 by NCTribeFan

[richstowe]

These threads always amuse me. The same folks who tsk tsk Carnival for being so heartless,
would leave Carnival for a $10 saving's. (None of you of course).
As others have said Aplmac, few admit to their heartlessness. Those pole results are meaningless.

OP, not doubting you but there have always been 2 assistant stewards on my recent cruises.
I was told that they used to be teams of 2 but that was changed to teams of 3 with a corresponding increase in cabins.
I wonder if they are even allowed to only have teams of 2 and if they are is it about making more money ?
(That isn't a slam against the very hardworking and wonderful stewards. They deserve all they can get.)

BTW, if anyone has trouble with $2 bills, I would be glad to exchange them for a shiny single, one for one.:rolleyes:

[gone_cruisin]

[quote name='Tutankhamen']This past week on the Breeze we bumped into our assistant waiter from last year on the Dream. He remember our names, the tea my wife would get with dinner and that I got the cheese plate every night. Amazing.[/QUOTE]

We ran into a previous room steward on a cruise two years later. He remembered our names specifically.

[okgirl]

On my last cruise a bartender that I've sailed with several times told me that Carnival recently reduced her wages but started paying for her airfare to and from the ship.

The problem with that was the reduction in wages far exceeded what she had been able to book her own airfare for.

[Georgiagolfer]

I agree that the staff on cruise ships work very hard and long hours to earn a living. However, I also worked very hard and long hours to support my family until my retirement 3 years ago. I also saw many reductions in my benefits, # of employees in relation to the work load, and increased hours. To single out cruise staff as having a hard time is kinda comical in a way. I chose to work where I did, just like the cruise line employees choose to work for their respective line. They, just like me, have(had) a choice and they chose CCL, RCI, NCL, or whichever line.

I am thankful for the job they perform, but in no way can I say they are being screwed over by CCL or any line. They may be told what I was before I retired, "be thankful you have a job", and "Your job is your raise."

[tpiper55]

[quote name='NCTribeFan']I've done the Behind the Fun tour and the staff dining area is NOT horrible and the food is NOT horrible. They even vary the menu to try to include home-country dishes for as many of the crew as possible. I was very impressed with the dining facilities.

[/QUOTE]
^^^THIS!!!

I did Chef's Table last week on the Elation and the chef talked a quite a bit about the staff dining area and menus. He said that the staff menus are on a 28day rotation (vs. 5-7 day rotation for passengers) to provide variety and include a taste of home like NCTribeFan mentioned.

[crusinpsychRN]

[quote name='winddawn']I empathize with the steward like every else; however, the upside is that with responsibility for more cabins, he would be making more tip money. And with 2 person teams instead of 3 person teams, the tips would split 2 ways instead of 3.

If I had to be away from home for 8 months at a time, I would want to make as much as possible to make it worth my while.

It stinks that the retirement benefit changed though. That alone would be enough for me to try another cruise line.

Thanks for sharing the information.[/quote]

Good point!

The steward I spoke to had nothing negative to say. A few trips back I did have a steward who said that was his last cruise--said he didn't like working so hard and for such long hours. Didn't see much of him either. I did see his assistant all the time.

On the Behind the Fun tour, we saw the crew dining area where a lot of staff were eating. Food didn't look bad at all. I know I've had some MDR food that looked great but wasn't though...

[Jldevlin]

At the dollar store I work at we used to have 3 cashiers at once and slowly it went to 2 and then just me quite often .... and I could yell for help from floor staff if needed.. I had 3 times the work and the same pay .. happens everywhere.

[Chmie]

I don't tip based on how many kids the server has or how much they are paid. I tip based on service.

And those that commented on the Carnival employees that go home just to get their wives pregnant because it's their culture - shame on you. I've seen lots of "families" in North America that live in or near poverty but continue to have kids. :confused: