Does the cruise staff get breaks?

[pbnjrockette]

Was just thinking about the ships that were delayed getting into the Galveston Texas port and how the crew must have had to work 24/7 to accommodate everyone. They needed to clean the ship, prepare extra meals because the passengers didn't disembark as scheduled and then turn around and bring new passengers on in the wee hours of the morning and then have all their regular daytime duties.

 

Just wondered if they get any "break" time at all...

[leaveitallbehind]

Was just thinking about the ships that were delayed getting into the Galveston Texas port and how the crew must have had to work 24/7 to accommodate everyone. They needed to clean the ship, prepare extra meals because the passengers didn't disembark as scheduled and then turn around and bring new passengers on in the wee hours of the morning and then have all their regular daytime duties.

 

Just wondered if they get any "break" time at all...

 

Generally speaking, while turnaround day is extremely hectic and the workload high, they certainly do get breaks during the cruise week. For example, the room steward typically comes on duty early in the morning for AM room cleaning. They usually are off in the afternoon for a few hours returning to duty around 5:00 for evening turn down, which typically ends by the end of late dinner seating. Then it starts all over again.

 

The crew all work extremely hard, but do have off hours, including rotating times off the ship in ports of call.

 

Specific to the Galveston situation, maybe not. That going to impact everyone! Probably the crew will see little rest as a result.

Edited March 24, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[okgirl]

Was just thinking about the ships that were delayed getting into the Galveston Texas port and how the crew must have had to work 24/7 to accommodate everyone. They needed to clean the ship, prepare extra meals because the passengers didn't disembark as scheduled and then turn around and bring new passengers on in the wee hours of the morning and then have all their regular daytime duties.

 

Just wondered if they get any "break" time at all...

 

John Heald just indicated that the crew will not be able to get off the ships in Galveston today because of the new schedule.

 

The crew from the Magic probably had to work a longer evening shift to clean the ship and turn it around for the embarking passengers this morning.

 

Embarkation began at 8am. There were no passengers on the ship overnight. I'm not sure what they did about meals. The Lido buffet would have been open for lunch yesterday. So I'm not sure that many "extra" meals were prepared. I haven't heard yet if any kind of other meals served to the debarking guests. Debarkation started around 6pm yesterday evening.

 

The Triumph is docked at the pier down by the turning basin. I'm not sure if they are debarking passengers down there or waiting for the Magic or Navigator to leave pier 23 which should happen around noon.

[chengkp75]

The Maritime Labor Convention (MLC 2006) from the IMO requires that hours of work/rest be limited as below:

 

5. The limits on hours of work or rest shall be as follows: (a) maximum hours of work shall not exceed: (i) 14 hours in any 24-hour period; and

(ii) 72 hours in any seven-day period; or

 

(b) minimum hours of rest shall not be less than: (i) ten hours in any 24-hour period; and

(ii) 77 hours in any seven-day period.

 

You'll note that in (a), the maximum hours of work is limited to 72 hours in a 7 day period, but if you use (b), the minimum rest hours allows 91 hours of work in a 7 day period. The cruise lines tend to define the work week by (b) or minimum rest, so that they can maximize the hours of work. 91 hours per week is 13 hours/day. The company can be liable for class action suits from crew if they violate the tenets of the MLC 2006.

[JimAOk1945]

We appreciate the hard work the crew does to make our cruises enjoyable.

 

We have often been delighted to see some of the crew at different ports. They always seem to remember us and wave or say hello.

[Sue Do-Over]

While there are minimum/max numbers, i.e. work no more than 14 hours per day, there is no rule that they all be in one shift.

 

Our room stewards have said that they work two short shifts, and rest in between.

[chengkp75]

While there are minimum/max numbers, i.e. work no more than 14 hours per day, there is no rule that they all be in one shift.

 

Our room stewards have said that they work two short shifts, and rest in between.

 

You are correct. The required 10 hours per day of rest must be divided into no more than 2 segments, and one must be at least 6 hours.

[BruceMuzz]

The majority of Hotel service staff on ships do work the 13 hours per day (in split shifts), 7 days a week.

[pbnjrockette]

Thanks...interesting to know. They all do such a fantastic job but sometimes look weary (usually hurriedly smiling to erase the tired look).

[fishywood]

Nice to know things have improved a little recently. Back in 2000 on the long-gone Sky Princess there were only two cocktail waitresses to cover both the poolside breakfast and lunch buffets and the adjacent Promenade Lounge. They confided in me that on all sea days they worked from 6:30 am to 12:30 am with only one one-hour break. Their boss would promise them a morning off and then renege at the last minute, and would ask them to report in early to set up in violation of the now-mandated six-hour rest period. Yet they were two of the nicest crew members I have ever met. I certainly left them both an extra tip the last night.

[Taxguy77]

On one cruise many years ago, our waiter saw us as we debarked at a port in Chile. He was standing in a line of crew members waiting to use a phone, but told us there was a less expensive place in town. That cruise he had some time to make the call home, but not enough time to go to town.

Today's extra tables for the waiter's to work has spoiled one of the highlights of cruising; Being treated like a king and queen and still being able to talk to the crew. On Azamara I didn't see a crumb cleaner or even a wine steward!

[AKman2495]

BTW, a ship runs 24/7 unless in dry dock. that means the crew prepare means just like they are at sea on turnaround days.

 

The only difference this incident has caused has been in baggage handling and room turnover.

[ehfl]

LOL. This is pretty funny. I'm sure this was a joke, but obviously, they have to prepare the same number of meals every day. In this case, they just prepared them for the same passengers, instead of the new passengers, but it's no more difficult to prepare meals for group A as for group B.