Would your cruise have less problems with an American crew?

[navybankerteacher]

When you say Americans, do you really mean US citizens. I have a fee friends from Peru. They call themselves Americans because they were born and live in South America.

 

Technically correct, but shouldn't they call themselves South Americans - just as US citizens might call themselves North Americans? Of course, since they are from Peru, it is simplest to call them Peruvians. I suppose you could respond that US citizens should refer to themselves as United Statesians - a bit of pettifoggery. Fair or not, common usage in much of the world is for US citizens to be called Americans -- and perhaps since we were the first organized nation state in the American hemisphere we are entitled to appropriate that term for ourselves.

[Algebralovr]

I disagree that US Citizens will not work the 70-80 hour shifts on board the ships, however, most US Citizens who do work those hours are in business for themselves and don't want to put in those kinds of hours for other people.

 

As someone who has a full time 8 - 5 job, and has for years, I have often worked 70 - 80 hours a week. In fact, many teachers do work that many hours a week, for probably less pay than what service people on ships make! And don't start the summer/Christmas/spring break thing, because very few teachers actually take summers off.

 

At one point, I taught from 7:30 - 4, went home and by 6pm was at a second job until 10pm or later every night. Then, on the weekends, I had a small business doing lawn work for other people. All the while, I was raising two kids. Don't you think I worked 70-80 hours a week?

 

There are plenty of people who own their own business and work 80hours in a week. My grandparents did. Many physicians work long and crazy hours. The difference is that they are working for themselves, not someone else. Most of the time, family businesses require the older children to work as well, or at least they used to.

 

One difference is that there are recruiters in many other countries, people who recruit for the cruise ships. Those people understand that sometimes, in order to seek your fortune, you have to leave home for a while and undergo difficulty and work hard. Instead, we have young people who are experiencing NCLB in their schools, told that every child should go to college, and if you can't work, we have all these programs.

 

We have become an entitled society, yes, but so have many other places in the world.

 

As people run out of unemployment, have no skills, and can't find a job, some of them are going to have to learn that they will have to work hard and sometimes do things they don't want to, in order to survive.

 

Besides, many cruise ship employees earn more than minimum wage employees - and I know plenty of food service workers who work 2 - 3 jobs.

[jamessemaj]

As a few people have already pointed out, the article is not about the service or hotel staff, but the officers operating the ship. It is based on an opinion of competence and safety by a US Merchant Marine officer. Only one cruise ship is registered under the US flag and is operated by US officers, the Pride of America in Hawaii.

 

A lesser known US service academy is the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, and there are other training programs operated by universities, like ROTC. Those officers work on US flagged ships, none of which are cruise liners.

 

Again, this isn't about the service staff or Americans taking low wage cruise ship jobs.

[travlnblueberries]

You have to be kidding. An American crew would be a disater. How many Americans do you know that think giving good service is a priority. Americans are spoiled and feel they are above doing the type of work on a crusie. They would expect you to wait on them

 

Exactly what I was thinking...you said it all!

[sparks1093]

in a five star restaurant where the staff is properly trained and has education beyond that of a High school diploma? yes.

 

WDW notwithstanding, the rest of the country? not so much.. at best you may find an individual who has a little personal pride and who may go above or beyond, but nowhere will you find the level of attention to detail that you find on even the most inexpensive mass market cruise lines.

 

I never thought that someone serving me dinner needed an education beyond High School.

[Scrapnana]

It offends me as an American for someone to say that American officers would be better than those from other countries. I am sure there are excellent American officers but know there are equally excellent officers from other countries. There are many countries whose maritime history far exceeds ours.

[sail7seas]

When you say Americans, do you really mean US citizens. I have a fee friends from Peru. They call themselves Americans because they were born and live in South America.

 

 

By Americans, I mean Americans. U.S. citizens. Some are Green Card holders. That does not necessarily make them American born.

 

 

 

 

It offends me as an American for someone to say that American officers would be better than those from other countries. I am sure there are excellent American officers but know there are equally excellent officers from other countries. There are many countries whose maritime history far exceeds ours.

 

 

If someone said American Officers are better than from any other country I missed it. That would be a ridiculous and incorrect statement.

There most assuredly are very competent, well trained, admirable Officers from a great many nations on the cruise ships. I think most of us who have cruised at least once are aware of that.

 

[Darcy15]

The one personal quality of an officer that would be of any interest whatsoever to me is competence, not nationality :)

[Jasalth]

“The problem with Carnival Triumph wasn’t a crew problem; it was because they didn’t have back-up generators,” he said.

 

I love this quote in the article. So..... if it wasn't a crew problem, why would an American officer have made the difference? Maybe it is me, but I just don't get it!

 

Other than the Concordia (not an American ship even sailing from North America so it is moot) none of the incidents have been caused by a person, they were mechanical.

 

So, you want me to believe that that an American UNION worker is going work 24 hours a day to make sure the machinery is working at 100% all the time without any issues. A Union worker, working 24 hours a day. Could you imagine? Not the point they couldn't work 24 hours a day and are required to have days off by the union. So you would need 4 Mechanic's Union Officers per ship..... that is just insane!

[beachbum53]

I love this quote in the article. So..... if it wasn't a crew problem, why would an American officer have made the difference? Maybe it is me, but I just don't get it!

 

Other than the Concordia (not an American ship even sailing from North America so it is moot) none of the incidents have been caused by a person, they were mechanical.

 

So, you want me to believe that that an American UNION worker is going work 24 hours a day to make sure the machinery is working at 100% all the time without any issues. A Union worker, working 24 hours a day. Could you imagine? Not the point they couldn't work 24 hours a day and are required to have days off by the union. So you would need 4 Mechanic's Union Officers per ship..... that is just insane!

 

"Tom Bethel, president of American Maritime Officers (AMO), the union that represents U.S. merchant marine officers" The key to all of this is right in that sentence. Although I am a union employee, I don't necessarily think that unions can do a better job than people who don't belong to a union. Hondas are built by non-union workers, and are every bit as good (and sometimes better) as most cars built by union workers. Having the cruise lines staffed and run by Americans, most likely unionized, wouldn't make them any better, only far more expensive. And what happens if there should be a union strike? How many cruises would be cancelled? There would be thousands of angry passengers. You can just imagine what the boards on here would be like. Have Americans run the cruise lines? No thank-you.

[jcl410]

My first cruise was in 1995 aboard the SS Constitution. She, and her sister - the SS Independence - successfully operated for around 20 years with all American crewing. So it is possible... I took 6 cruises on them, and saw quite a number of the same hotel staff year after year

 

Obviously, American Hwaii Cruises figured out how to keep the crew happy, and working. Based on the first reports, it took a while for NCL-A to figure out how to do it.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[CruiseScrooge]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10023741/Shortage-of-pizza-makers-as-Italians-are-too-proud.html

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I don't think so ...

[grand isle joe]

You have to be kidding. An American crew would be a disater. How many Americans do you know that think giving good service is a priority. Americans are spoiled and feel they are above doing the type of work on a crusie. They would expect you to wait on them

Sailing on the NCL spirit of America proves that fact...one word....."DISASTER".....:eek:

[grand isle joe]

I never thought that someone serving me dinner needed an education beyond High School.

 

 

 

...don't come to Burlington because there are alot of college alumnii serving tables with huge student loans to boot.....sad really but how many Art History majors are needed in the world? :confused:

[spookwife]

I disagree that US Citizens will not work the 70-80 hour shifts on board the ships, however, most US Citizens who do work those hours are in business for themselves and don't want to put in those kinds of hours for other people.

 

 

oh there are a lot of Americans that work for other people that put in those kind of hours.

 

they are called Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. and when you break down their salaries, they aren't making much more than what cruise ship employees do. but they get compensated in other ways ( like free medical insurance, low cost dental, free life insurance and a bunch of other benefits)

 

and sometimes, they get shot at for their troubles.....

[spookwife]

I never thought that someone serving me dinner needed an education beyond High School.

 

you'd be surprised. true gourmet restaurants the servers are well schooled in many things.. they are the extension of the chef..

[navybankerteacher]

you'd be surprised. true gourmet restaurants the servers are well schooled in many things.. they are the extension of the chef..

 

Absolutely so - waiters at top line restaurants are expected to be able to explain the menu, offer suggestions as to pairings, and to interact generally with the patrons who are paying $$$ for knowledgeable and" proactive service -- it isn'just a matter of asking if they "want fries with that"and throwing down a burger in front of a diner who wants to get fed and get out in ten minutes.

[sail7seas]

A finely prepared meal from quality ingredients served impeccably is one of life's great pleasures, IMO

 

That is about our favorite 'entertainment' and most enjoyable thing to do with dear ones.

 

A nice bottle of wine, good friends or family, and a superb dinner served as that quality meal is intended to be presented is a delight.

 

And, yes, there most assuredly are American restaurants, chefs and servers who do this night after night, in just about every major city in this country.

 

[boogs]

Technically correct, but shouldn't they call themselves South Americans - just as US citizens might call themselves North Americans? Of course, since they are from Peru, it is simplest to call them Peruvians. I suppose you could respond that US citizens should refer to themselves as United Statesians - a bit of pettifoggery. Fair or not, common usage in much of the world is for US citizens to be called Americans -- and perhaps since we were the first organized nation state in the American hemisphere we are entitled to appropriate that term for ourselves.

 

Actually, we live in the 'United States of America', so calling us "Americans" is not incorrect, since it is part of our country's name. I can't think of any other country in the Americas that has "America" as part of their name.

[Karysa]

It offends me as an American for someone to say that American officers would be better than those from other countries. I am sure there are excellent American officers but know there are equally excellent officers from other countries. There are many countries whose maritime history far exceeds ours.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking!

[boogs]

If someone said American Officers are better than from any other country I missed it. That would be a ridiculous and incorrect statement.

 

See post #28. It hints that it is suggested in the article.

[Starlaker]

Sailing on the NCL spirit of America proves that fact...one word....."DISASTER".....:eek:

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise on the Pride of America. The service was great and the crew was young, friendly and fun.

[mikedw]

As a few people have already pointed out, the article is not about the service or hotel staff, but the officers operating the ship. It is based on an opinion of competence and safety by a US Merchant Marine officer. Only one cruise ship is registered under the US flag and is operated by US officers, the Pride of America in Hawaii.

 

A lesser known US service academy is the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, and there are other training programs operated by universities, like ROTC. Those officers work on US flagged ships, none of which are cruise liners.

 

Again, this isn't about the service staff or Americans taking low wage cruise ship jobs.

 

Unless you're in the industry or it's an area of interest, most people don't realize the true extent of the US Merchant Marine. Besides the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY which is considered one of the most prestigious service academies, you have the Maine Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, New York State Maritime Academy, Texas State Maritime Academy, California Maritime Academy and the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. All of these are four year colleges and have for years have had pretty close to 100% employment upon graduation. You also have several career type schools that offer this training. It's a big industry.

[mikedw]

I never thought that someone serving me dinner needed an education beyond High School.

 

 

Look into how one becomes a wine sommelier. It requires a lot of training