Salaries and benefits for ship crew?

[plumeria]

I was just wondering if anyone knows what the crew makes before tips. Also the captain, his officers and entertainment crew, what’s their salary? Is room and board free? How many days off does crew get? How many hours do they work per shift? Do they have health benefits? I have also read, if you don't tip manager of each department the workers below them, have their tips docked is that true? What if I give a great tip and the room next door, does not tip at all, will the employee, have to share my extra tips with the manager to make up loss? Can you beat the system and give a secret tip?

 

Just curious

 

PS does anyone heard of woman sea captain or women officers?

I have never seen one

 

Thanks

 

Plumeria

[CaptData]

CD's can be male or female, same with Hotel Director and both are officers. I have seen female doctor's. The kids club has females who are classified as officers.The Cabin Stewards/waiters/Bar Tenders make very little from the cruiselines. They do get free room and board and anything they need shampoo ect is very cheap for them. They make most of their money from tips (yours, mine and the next door person).

 

 

If you do the auto tip it will cover everyone that needs to be covered, including those you do not see. Then if you really liked the service you got from your Room Steward and tipped him/her extra they will get to keep the extra. If, however, you tip with money, they must turn it in so that it can be divided by all except any amount over the recommended would still go back to him/her after all the calulations are done.

[mikiew]

I did not think the pooling of tips was ever decided that is what happens. I frankly dislike that idea. Guess if that is the case, there is not incentive to give someone, i.e., the butler a bigger tip.

 

 

I would really like some clarification on this. Are they pooled, or not.

[Druke I]

Plumeria

 

I think it rude to ask what someone earns, be it a ship's crewmember, neighbor, or acquaintance.

[flagger]

In the case of:

JOSE ANTONIO CABRERA ESPINAL,

 

Plaintiff-Appellee,

versus

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD.,

 

CELEBRITY CRUISES, INC.,

 

It came out that there is a guaranteed amount paid to employees. They are also "paid" in the form of room and board.

Cabrera Espinal worked on Royal Caribbean Cruises' ("RCC") ships as a tip-earning employee under a contract that commenced on December 23, 1997 and expired on November 23, 1998. The contract provided for at-will employment to be terminated with two weeks notice. A collective bargaining agreement ("CBA") governed the contract.

 

The contract provided for a guaranteed minimum monthly income of $766.00 ($50 in contract wages and $716 in tips). If an employee did not receive the calculated monthly minimum in tips, RCC would provide the difference.

 

In February of 1998, Cabrera Espinal herniated a lumbar disc and was unable to finish his employment contract due to his work related injury. Pursuant to the CBA, RCC paid him sick wages from the time he became injured for 112 days in the amount of $766 per month. Cabrera Espinal brought suit against RCC contending that he is entitled to his average or actual monthly salary ($1500 which includes $1450 in tips) as sick wages instead of the guaranteed minimum.

Cabrera Espinal was a tip-earning employee under a contract for Celebrity Cruises, Inc.,1 which commenced on November 4, 1996 and expired on October 3, 1997. His contract guaranteed him income of $743 per month ($50 in wages with the rest in tips). He could be terminated at-will and without notice.

Remember these salary figures are from five years ago.

[DeltaOne]

How many days off does crew get? How many hours do they work per shift?

 

We had a bridge tour on a Princess ship in January. There are two officers and a seaman on duty. They told us they work four hour shifts. For example, the crew we met worked from noon to 4 pm and midnight to 4 am, each day.

 

I'm pretty sure many of the other positions (waiter, cook, those kinds of positions) are working at least 12 hours per day, with very little time off during their time on the ship (maybe a few hours off, once or twice a week). Each contract can last anywhere from six to nine months, then they typically take around two months off. Then back to the ship.

[plumeria]

Plumeria

 

I think it rude to ask what someone earns, be it a ship's crewmember, neighbor, or acquaintance.

 

 

I don't think it is rude to make sure people know if you don't tip, many people that make so little hourly they will suffer, the staff takes such great care of us, when we are cruising, I want to understand their life better and make sure they get the tips they deserve.

 

You can go on job information web sites and get ballpark figures of what a certain jobs pay, that is not rude, rude is asking someone to their face how much they make,

 

Plumeria

[hermang]

I believe the Master of the Vessel ( Captain ) works 16 weeks on and some period off then back again. Partly because there are more captains than ships.

 

Many years ago I worked for a freight line - and ther captains worked 6 months at sea and 6 months in the offfice - less vacations for the same reason - Maritime unions required everyone to get sea pay. I can't say what the Master of the Vessel got back in 1976 but the captains all drove very large Caddys and Smoked Expensive Cigars.

[kitty9]

Not sure if this is for all Captains, but a friend of mine is a Captain and they make in the neighborhood of $150,000 a year for someone with the maximum number of year's experience. They generally work 3 months on and three off, but on those off months, they are required to attend school to remain up to date on everything.

 

The entertainers are members of the entertainment union and make at least union minimum wage. The headliners, of course, make more than someone who's just a line dancer or chorus singer.

[plumeria]

thanks I just don't know about that line of work, so interesting

 

plumeria

[Degas]

Flagger

Please tell me what was the outcome of Cabrera's court case:)

[brigittetom]

Hi Flagger, The cruiselines haven't upped their recommended tipping very much since the 90's. I know our waiter earned the amount in tips listed in that contract just for our table for one cruise. Sounds like a very poor contract for the staff.

[AFT_LOVER]

We had a conversation with our waiter & female asst on Infinity. They work 6 month contract hired out of an agency in Switzerland tho he was Greek & she was Romanian. They may change ships to see new locations since they are allowed off the ships at new ports. Each new contract states their position & ship they work at. They can be off for 2 months with a 2 week vacation pay. They worked breakfast in the buffet for 4 hours then early dinner. The 2nd dinner shift works lunch in the buffet & late dinner. A seperate group works breakfast & lunch daily in the dining room (7 days a week) and may fill in for sick or injured waiters. The asst waiter stated that she makes $20,000 tax free a year to send home. The head waiter he will make double that. Yes, they pool tips from cash tips received from guests, as do stewards and including Matre D.

But if they are smart, they have kept a portion to send home immediately.

[plumeria]

We had a conversation with our waiter & female asst on Infinity. They work 6 month contract hired out of an agency in Switzerland tho he was Greek & she was Romanian. They may change ships to see new locations since they are allowed off the ships at new ports. Each new contract states their position & ship they work at. They can be off for 2 months with a 2 week vacation pay. They worked breakfast in the buffet for 4 hours then early dinner. The 2nd dinner shift works lunch in the buffet & late dinner. A seperate group works breakfast & lunch daily in the dining room (7 days a week) and may fill in for sick or injured waiters. The asst waiter stated that she makes $20,000 tax free a year to send home. The head waiter he will make double that. Yes, they pool tips from cash tips received from guests, as do stewards and including Matre D.

But if they are smart, they have kept a portion to send home immediately.

 

What would you suggest you do, if you want your waiter or room steward to get a tip without having to share it, write a check? Or something likes that?

 

Thanks

 

Plumeria

[nu2sea]

I don't understand the concern over pooling tips.

 

If you tip your server in a fine restaurant, the odds are that server will split those tips with a bus boy or asst or whoever helps the server serve the table. Why do so many find it difficult to accept that service personnel onboard a ship might do the same?

 

In any case, does it really matter? The fact is, you should be tipping based on the quality of the service, NOT on where the tip goes once it leaves your pocket. You have no control over that. Nor should you be concerned about it. Your concern should be rewarding good service. If the tipee retains 100% of the tip, fine, if he shares it with his family, his government or his shipmates, that is his business, not ours.

 

(Although, from the sound of the lawsuit that Flagger quoted, employees are guarenteed a minimum income by the Corporation, not by other employees.)

[JORAY]

this web site will answer some of your questions on what some staff/crew make. :rolleyes:

 

You can apply for a job here if you want. ;)

 

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/deck.htm

[Desertbelle]

I don't understand the concern over pooling tips.

 

If you tip your server in a fine restaurant, the odds are that server will split those tips with a bus boy or asst or whoever helps the server serve the table. Why do so many find it difficult to accept that service personnel onboard a ship might do the same?

 

In any case, does it really matter? The fact is, you should be tipping based on the quality of the service, NOT on where the tip goes once it leaves your pocket. You have no control over that. Nor should you be concerned about it. Your concern should be rewarding good service. If the tipee retains 100% of the tip, fine, if he shares it with his family, his government or his shipmates, that is his business, not ours.

 

(Although, from the sound of the lawsuit that Flagger quoted, employees are guarenteed a minimum income by the Corporation, not by other employees.)

 

I agree completely.

 

1. It's none of our business

2. These are adults, if they enter into a contract or agreement in order to be hired, then they know, going in, what is in store for them.

3. I have worked for tips before, and it was standard policy that the waitress would give the hostess and bus boys a percentage each shift. This isn't a bad thing, those support people make my job easier, and when my job was made easier I could take care of my customers better. Everyone wins!

 

I'm not quite sure why some people concern themselves so over this issue.

[flagger]

Sounds like a very poor contract for the staff.

I don't think what someone earns is EVER a reason for tipping. Based on those above figures, some of those folks made as much as I brought home in a month many moons ago when working 14 hour days 7 days a week. I also had to pay room and board out of that. For some of the employees those figures in USD are worth far more in their home country. Considering the average factory worker in China gets around USD 2 a day for 12 hours of work, the average working in Vietnam gets pennies per day and a police officer in Iraq earns the equivalent of USD $24 a month.

 

The basic pay rates of a military private is $1,142.70 per month for less than four months of service and goes to $1235.10 after four months to two years. http://www.dod.mil/dfas/money/milpay/pay/

 

We would only tip someone who went above and beyond what was expected of them in the course of their duties. To date, no one has ever gone above and beyond enough to have earned a tip from us.

[mikiew]

I am not sure what you meant by posting military pay charts. However, I hope you were not trying to give the impression that they are overpaid.

 

 

As a military family, I would appreciate your clarification on that point. Thanks.

[Leela]

It gave me the impression that they are underpaid!!!

[nu2sea]

It gave me the impression that they are underpaid!!!

And keep in mind that no one ever tips us!:eek:

 

Another military family,

Susan

[stutay]

When I was a Guest Relations Officer 2 years ago, we got paid $1600/month but worked 10 hours/day, 7 days a week.

[Reese1717]

Flagger-

 

Have you seriously never tipped? Wow. That is the only word I can think of.

[K&RCurt]

I am not sure what you meant by posting military pay charts. However, I hope you were not trying to give the impression that they are overpaid.

 

I took Flagger's referance to suggest that the workers we tip on board make more that our entry level Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and, therefore, tipping should not be based on 'how little' the cruise employees make. We don't tip our Military people, and many citizens and legislators are unwilling to pay or raise taxes in order to pay them more, so why should one feel obligated to tip based on the earnings of the cruise employees?

 

 

Flagger-

 

Have you seriously never tipped? Wow. That is the only word I can think of.

 

Flagger never said he didn't tip. He said he didn't tip because of how much (or little) the particulare employee made. He was saying that tipping should be based on service NOT on a percieved need to make sure the cruise employees make an adequate salary.

[bob278]

..........

We would only tip someone who went above and beyond what was expected of them in the course of their duties. To date, no one has ever gone above and beyond enough to have earned a tip from us.

I interpret that to mean he has never found any service to be worth a tip. Considering how many people rave about wonderful and over-the-top service, I can only feel sorry for him that he has always run into only average people. (A little sarcasm there).

 

Also, it should be noted that those salaries on the site JORAY listed INCLUDE TIPS. They are not all that well compensated. This subject always gets a lot of response and I just don't understand it. It is not a surprise to anyone who has cruised at least once and can read at the 5th grade level that some positions rely on tips to make their basic wages. How hard is that to understand If a cabin steward is expecting to make $1,800 per month, the vast majority of that will come from tips. When I book a cruise, I have an expectation is that I will have a certain amount of my expense come from tips. I am fine with that.

 

People complain that we are "subsidizing" the cruiseline by paying part of the salry of some positions. I would bet a large portion of my pay check that the same people that complain about tipping would bitch and moan endlessly if the cruiseline started paying those people a salary that included the suggested tips and raised the price of the cruise accordingly.

 

But as to the original question, beyond understanding that tipping is a basic part of the compensation for those folks, their salary is no more my business than my salary is theirs.