crew wages?

[fenix]

For so many die-hard cruisers, 90% of you seem to know very little about the people that make your vacations so enjoyable.

 

A cabin steward is paid $60 per month by Carnival. The rest of their salary is made up from tips. Most stewards are from Indonesia and the Philippines, with a few Eastern Europeans being the exception. Having worked for Carnival for 3 years, I know for a fact that almost every last cent is sent home to help their family. The cabin stewards reside in 'crew' cabins which are different to staff 'cabins'. They are below the waterline and therefore usually very noisy. They are tiny, with no natural light, and comprise 2 bunk beds. The cabin stewards, waiting staff and bar staff have to pay for their own flights to and from their home countries, normally taking up the first month's salary, sometimes the first two month's.

 

Basic galley staff earn $600 US per month.

1st rank Guest service staff earn $1400 US per month.

Photographers are paid depending from which country they were hired. Some Indian photographers may earn $900 per month, whereas European and South Africans can earn $1200 per month.

AV (audio visual staff) the guys in black and tan, have a starting wage of $2400 US per month, but have a very specialist role keeping television and audio systems running.

Entertainment staff earn IRO $1200 US per month. The assistant cruise director earns $50 per week extra, and the CD takes a percentage of onboard revenue profits (along with the Hotel Director) but only if every department exceeds their financial target.

 

Legally, Carnival employees are only allowed to work 10 hours per day (legally) The touch screen registers you see at the bars are also the clock-in machines. They work 10 hours per day, seven days per week, for a contract lasting between 6 & 8 months. Although the longest contract I have seen was 12 months.

 

US employees are taxed, but this amount is added to their basic wage, which is why Carnival prefer not to employ them.

A large proportion of the Captain's earnings come from the bonus he is paid by the company for saving on fuel. Ever left port early when all guests were on board an hour early? Then you can sail at one knot less, saving $$$.

 

Sorry for the long post. I shall conclude by telling you that life as a cruise ship worker is extremely tough. Not just hard work but an extremely hard life. The boys and girls who serve you with a smile throughout your cruise do little but work and sleep for months of their lives. When you step off that ship to go home, they have to keep on smiling for another few months. Then they pay for their own flight home, see their family for seven or eight weeks and it starts all over again.

[MrPete]

For so many die-hard cruisers, 90% of you seem to know very little about the people that make your vacations so enjoyable.

 

again.

 

Which is good, because probably 90% of us don't go through life wondering what everyone we interact with makes.

 

And when I am assigned a service personnel on land or at sea, it's between me and them. I don't try to peer into their background or personal lives, and they don't peer into mine. I would find that intrusive.

[fenix]

Which is good, because probably 90% of us don't go through life wondering what everyone we interact with makes.

 

And when I am assigned a service personnel on land or at sea, it's between me and them. I don't try to peer into their background or personal lives, and they don't peer into mine. I would find that intrusive.

 

The percentage value was relevant to contributors to this thread, not life in general.

[MrPete]

The percentage value was relevant to contributors to this thread, not life in general.

 

Then I will change my figure to 98%.

[swedish weave]

For so many die-hard cruisers, 90% of you seem to know very little about the people that make your vacations so enjoyable.

 

A cabin steward is paid $60 per month by Carnival. The rest of their salary is made up from tips. Most stewards are from Indonesia and the Philippines, with a few Eastern Europeans being the exception. Having worked for Carnival for 3 years, I know for a fact that almost every last cent is sent home to help their family. The cabin stewards reside in 'crew' cabins which are different to staff 'cabins'. They are below the waterline and therefore usually very noisy. They are tiny, with no natural light, and comprise 2 bunk beds. The cabin stewards, waiting staff and bar staff have to pay for their own flights to and from their home countries, normally taking up the first month's salary, sometimes the first two month's.

 

Basic galley staff earn $600 US per month.

1st rank Guest service staff earn $1400 US per month.

Photographers are paid depending from which country they were hired. Some Indian photographers may earn $900 per month, whereas European and South Africans can earn $1200 per month.

AV (audio visual staff) the guys in black and tan, have a starting wage of $2400 US per month, but have a very specialist role keeping television and audio systems running.

Entertainment staff earn IRO $1200 US per month. The assistant cruise director earns $50 per week extra, and the CD takes a percentage of onboard revenue profits (along with the Hotel Director) but only if every department exceeds their financial target.

 

Legally, Carnival employees are only allowed to work 10 hours per day (legally) The touch screen registers you see at the bars are also the clock-in machines. They work 10 hours per day, seven days per week, for a contract lasting between 6 & 8 months. Although the longest contract I have seen was 12 months.

 

US employees are taxed, but this amount is added to their basic wage, which is why Carnival prefer not to employ them.

A large proportion of the Captain's earnings come from the bonus he is paid by the company for saving on fuel. Ever left port early when all guests were on board an hour early? Then you can sail at one knot less, saving $$$.

 

Sorry for the long post. I shall conclude by telling you that life as a cruise ship worker is extremely tough. Not just hard work but an extremely hard life. The boys and girls who serve you with a smile throughout your cruise do little but work and sleep for months of their lives. When you step off that ship to go home, they have to keep on smiling for another few months. Then they pay for their own flight home, see their family for seven or eight weeks and it starts all over again.

 

I notice a lot of difference between your figures and those posted on Paul Motter's blog titled What cruise lines don't want you to know.

 

I have also several friends who work for NCL, and they have told me that if they complete their contract, NCL pays their airfare to return home.

 

Are the cruise lines all that much different. I thought the ILO set standards for the cruise lines to follow in regards to treatment of crew.

[maggie cruises]

here is just a funny little side story...and sort of touches on the fact that while we think those in a service industry are low paid and poor...btw..we know now that cabin workers are actually considerd wealthy in their hometowns....I just want to share what I did the other day...has nothing to do with a cruise ship...but has everything to do with extra tipping...

 

So, I bought 6 tickets to a small private museum that can only do small group tours...total cost $122...

 

Excellent tour of this fabulous museum....

 

GREAT Tour Guide...very informative....knowledgable....personable....

 

The tour group was definitely high end...educated..saavy individuals...we fall into the educated saavy part...not the high end though..LOL

 

I decided to give the guide a $10 bill...even though I did not see anyone giving him a tip...I was going to do it anyway...

 

So just as I was going to give hime the money another tour participant asked him what he did for a full time job...his answer? He was just doing this because he was really interested in the museum and had a passion for the museum's topic....AND...now get this...his full time job was as a Marketing Director for a Wall Street firm.....!!!!!

 

My hand went directly back into my pocket with the 10 firmly inside it.....

 

 

We thanked him as well and that was it....

 

No way am I giving someone who makes 3X my salary a tip!!!

 

Just sayin....those cabin stewards are not as poor as they like us to think and the auto tips will suffice...and a little more if you feel you want to...or feel guilty because you do not understand the situation.

[LHP]

For so many die-hard cruisers, 90% of you seem to know very little about the people that make your vacations so enjoyable.

 

A cabin steward is paid $60 per month by Carnival. The rest of their salary is made up from tips. Most stewards are from Indonesia and the Philippines, with a few Eastern Europeans being the exception. Having worked for Carnival for 3 years, I know for a fact that almost every last cent is sent home to help their family. The cabin stewards reside in 'crew' cabins which are different to staff 'cabins'. They are below the waterline and therefore usually very noisy. They are tiny, with no natural light, and comprise 2 bunk beds. The cabin stewards, waiting staff and bar staff have to pay for their own flights to and from their home countries, normally taking up the first month's salary, sometimes the first two month's.

 

Basic galley staff earn $600 US per month.

1st rank Guest service staff earn $1400 US per month.

Photographers are paid depending from which country they were hired. Some Indian photographers may earn $900 per month, whereas European and South Africans can earn $1200 per month.

AV (audio visual staff) the guys in black and tan, have a starting wage of $2400 US per month, but have a very specialist role keeping television and audio systems running.

Entertainment staff earn IRO $1200 US per month. The assistant cruise director earns $50 per week extra, and the CD takes a percentage of onboard revenue profits (along with the Hotel Director) but only if every department exceeds their financial target.

 

Legally, Carnival employees are only allowed to work 10 hours per day (legally) The touch screen registers you see at the bars are also the clock-in machines. They work 10 hours per day, seven days per week, for a contract lasting between 6 & 8 months. Although the longest contract I have seen was 12 months.

 

US employees are taxed, but this amount is added to their basic wage, which is why Carnival prefer not to employ them.

A large proportion of the Captain's earnings come from the bonus he is paid by the company for saving on fuel. Ever left port early when all guests were on board an hour early? Then you can sail at one knot less, saving $$$.

 

Sorry for the long post. I shall conclude by telling you that life as a cruise ship worker is extremely tough. Not just hard work but an extremely hard life. The boys and girls who serve you with a smile throughout your cruise do little but work and sleep for months of their lives. When you step off that ship to go home, they have to keep on smiling for another few months. Then they pay for their own flight home, see their family for seven or eight weeks and it starts all over again.

 

 

 

I agree that this is a world that even seasoned cruisers only get a glimpse into.

 

Personally, I can not imagine having to choose between properly providing for my family or watching my children grow up. I am just so thankful that I did not have to make that choice.

 

And I can assure you that they are indeed paying for housing, food, transportation costs somewhere....just because it is not on the ship does not mean it does not exist. These expenses absolutely exist for their families.

 

The women who have their children being raised by the grandparents.

 

The men who do not see their wives or children for 8 months at a time.

 

We (as cruisers) should not trivialize what they deal with and how hard they work .... especially now that we have a growing number of cheap tourist scum stiffing them at the end of the cruise.

[swedish weave]

If you really want to see the crew at their best, ask them to show you a picture of their family.

 

I don't dispute the fact that they like to receive money, and to some. that is primary. However, many also like to know that you are happy with what they do. If you are as nice to them as they are to you, it is appreciated.

[janetz]

If you really want to see the crew at their best, ask them to show you a picture of their family.

 

I don't dispute the fact that they like to receive money, and to some. that is primary. However, many also like to know that you are happy with what they do. If you are as nice to them as they are to you, it is appreciated.

 

 

 

This is very true. :)

[Name Of The Game]

What do you mean by "at their best"? The waterworks start?

[Kenito]

Here is what I know:

 

1. They make more than what they would back home.

2. They make less than they deserve.

3. Most are happy they are getting what they earn.

4. We can all help and give them a raise with a bigger tip!

 

I like this response! :)

I assume the OP was asking out of curiosity, and I think that goes along with our general curiosity about life on a cruise ship, and our desire to befriend these hardworking crew and staff members who serve us.

What I don't think we can do is make judgements for and about other people, what motivates them, if they are happy or gratified by their jobs. There are a lot of people doing a lot of jobs around the world, and I don't think it is our job to judge them or their employers.

Happy sailing y'all!

[Kenito]

For so many die-hard cruisers, 90% of you seem to know very little about the people that make your vacations so enjoyable.

 

A cabin steward is paid $60 per month by Carnival. The rest of their salary is made up from tips. Most stewards are from Indonesia and the Philippines, with a few Eastern Europeans being the exception. Having worked for Carnival for 3 years, I know for a fact that almost every last cent is sent home to help their family. The cabin stewards reside in 'crew' cabins which are different to staff 'cabins'. They are below the waterline and therefore usually very noisy. They are tiny, with no natural light, and comprise 2 bunk beds. The cabin stewards, waiting staff and bar staff have to pay for their own flights to and from their home countries, normally taking up the first month's salary, sometimes the first two month's.

 

Basic galley staff earn $600 US per month.

1st rank Guest service staff earn $1400 US per month.

Photographers are paid depending from which country they were hired. Some Indian photographers may earn $900 per month, whereas European and South Africans can earn $1200 per month.

AV (audio visual staff) the guys in black and tan, have a starting wage of $2400 US per month, but have a very specialist role keeping television and audio systems running.

Entertainment staff earn IRO $1200 US per month. The assistant cruise director earns $50 per week extra, and the CD takes a percentage of onboard revenue profits (along with the Hotel Director) but only if every department exceeds their financial target.

 

Legally, Carnival employees are only allowed to work 10 hours per day (legally) The touch screen registers you see at the bars are also the clock-in machines. They work 10 hours per day, seven days per week, for a contract lasting between 6 & 8 months. Although the longest contract I have seen was 12 months.

 

US employees are taxed, but this amount is added to their basic wage, which is why Carnival prefer not to employ them.

A large proportion of the Captain's earnings come from the bonus he is paid by the company for saving on fuel. Ever left port early when all guests were on board an hour early? Then you can sail at one knot less, saving $$$.

 

Sorry for the long post. I shall conclude by telling you that life as a cruise ship worker is extremely tough. Not just hard work but an extremely hard life. The boys and girls who serve you with a smile throughout your cruise do little but work and sleep for months of their lives. When you step off that ship to go home, they have to keep on smiling for another few months. Then they pay for their own flight home, see their family for seven or eight weeks and it starts all over again.

 

I'm not judging the "how" or "how much" cruise ship employees are made. That is a much larger conversation, probably suited for a different audience.

 

However, I am comforted in my conversations with many of the staff and crew who work a relatively short time on a cruise ship, and with their earnings (hard-earned no doubt) are able to return to thier homeland, buy a house and start a business. They do this kind of work because for them it is an opportunity to provide for their families, and for most, improve the quality of their life and their children's lives for generations to come.

 

I'm not saying right or wrong... that's left to sociologists and economists, not cruise passengers... but it is part of our world economy that seems to work well for many.

[DelRio]

Come on these people get what they are paid for.

 

They are happy, I'm happy and unless you are some kind of union rep you should be happy.

 

Get over the nose in the air and enjoy.

[swedish weave]

what do you mean by "at their best"? The waterworks start?

 

no !!