Book About Cruise Industy

[Earthworm Jim]

I just read a book review in today's New York Times about a book titled "Devils on the Deep Blue Sea - The Dreams, Schemes and Showdowns that Built America's Cruise Ship Empires" by Kristoffer A. Garin. As you can guess by the title, he tries to make it out to be that he's revealing the evil cruise industry for all to see. Or at least that's what I picked up by reading the review.

 

Most of the stuff doesn't seem at all shocking. That is, that Carnival's profit margins are much higher than Wal-Marts. (So what? I'd guess that Wal-Mart has some of the lowest profit margins of any company. They make their money on sheer volume, not profit per item.) That Carnival and RCCL together control 90% of the market. (Yawn) That the cruise industry realized small cabins are more profitable that large becuase it both puts more people on the ship and forces them to get out of their cabins where they presumably are more likely to spend money. (I'm O.K. with that) That the ships are foreign registered so they don't pay U.S. taxes. (We knew that too)

 

But there were a few interesting things the review mentioned. For example, RCCL's Voyager of the Seas carries 300 tons worth of passengers and they gain a collective 15 tons (!!!) during the cruise. Also it says on "many ships" (without specifying what lines) cabin attendants must bribe laundry workers if they want clean sheets, and waiters must bribe chefs if they want to serve hot food, etc. That one sounds a little hard to believe, but what do I know?

[Always Cruising]

Jim, I read the review also and wondered if the "bribing" was really splitting tips and giving something to the laundry workers and cooks - since they're not tipped directly. Exposees always exagerate a bit; otherwise noone would buy the book. It did seem interesting, though, and I wondered if I'd get questions if I was reading it on a deckchair while cruising. (I'm not sure if ex-pose-zay could have to "e"s at the end, but didn't know how to do an accent on the word above)

[derf5585]

Cruise Ship Blues

from

http://www.newsociety.com/bookid/3808

 

The Underside of the Cruise Ship Industry

from

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0865714622/ref=pd_sxp_f/104-6356426-1974315?v=glance&s=books