Interesting UK article about a Carnival Cruise crew member

[Velvetwater]

One of my friends on facebook sent me this article from a few days ago and its an interesting read. I suppose some folks will know bits already and some will be a little surprised:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2969989/100-hour-working-weeks-sex-deck-REALLY-think-passengers-Confessions-cruise-ship-worker.html

 

The timing is this in a UK newspaper and Carnival Europe itineraries is an interesting coincidence and as they say- any publicity it good publicity.

 

To be honest the comments at the bottom are an eye opening read.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Velvetwater

[ready2cruzagain]

To me it just looks like Brian David Bruns trying to promote his books again. I read the first one and it was quite interesting but not sure it is all factual. It makes an interesting NOVEL IMHO.

[whitecap]

One of my friends on facebook sent me this article from a few days ago and its an interesting read. I suppose some folks will know bits already and some will be a little surprised:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2969989/100-hour-working-weeks-sex-deck-REALLY-think-passengers-Confessions-cruise-ship-worker.html

 

The timing is this in a UK newspaper and Carnival Europe itineraries is an interesting coincidence and as they say- any publicity it good publicity.

 

To be honest the comments at the bottom are an eye opening read.

 

Stopped reading when I hit the "wrote a tell all book". Says it all for me.

[pe4all]

l read both his books. Good beach or cruise reading. lt did open my eyes to certain things to look out for with crew on any given ship. There was truth to some of the stuff he wrote - but l am sure a lot of it was "his perspective" - but even that was interesting to read.

[Velvetwater]

Until that article I had never heard of him.

 

Then again the UK cruise market is growing so there may be more of these types of things.

[whitecap]

l read both his books. Good beach or cruise reading. lt did open my eyes to certain things to look out for with crew on any given ship. There was truth to some of the stuff he wrote - but l am sure a lot of it was "his perspective" - but even that was interesting to read.

 

Whatever sells his book. It appears that one of his eye catching statements was that crew work 100 hour work weeks with no time off; well, I have spent a lot of time over the years talking to crew members and one of the first things I ask about is where they spend their off time at the different ports. I have then gone to those areas at the ports and had great meals and drinks while watching crew members playing on the beach and hanging out. So again, whatever sells his books.

[Spaniel Lover]

l read both his books.

 

You might be surprised to learn that there are actually FOUR books in the Cruise Confidential series: Cruise Confidential, Ship For Brains, Unsinkable Mister Brown, and High Seas Drifter. Plus, Brian has written four other books on other subjects besides cruising.

 

I've read all four books in the Cruise Confidential series. I find them very believable. However, you do have to keep in mind that it's been a LONG time since Brian worked on cruise ships, and a lot has changed since then. I have little doubt that the things Brian describes did actually happen to him... but that doesn't mean that everything is still exactly that way today.

 

I think I'm a better, more considerate cruise ship passenger because of the things I've learned from Brian's books. I definitely recommend them. If you only read one, read the original... Cruise Confidential. But if you get hooked by the story and want to find out how things end up with Brian... read them in order until you've read all four.

 

One interesting trivia fact about the four-book series is that Brian envisioned all along that there would be multiple books in the series. If you actually buy the hard copies of the books rather than the eBooks, you'll see that the first two books are the exact same size and share a similar design. On the spine of the second one, is a large number 2. The design makes it obvious that the plan was for there to be multiple books standing next to each other on a shelf, with numbers on the spines so you could arrange them in order.

 

However, due to the realities of the publishing world, Brian had to switch publishers after the second book. For some reason, to make the third and fourth books in the series the same size and design as the first two books was going to be prohibitively expensive... so Brian abandoned the idea of making the whole series the same physical size to sit neatly next to each other on a shelf. The third and fourth books are not the same size as the first two, and neither one of them has a number on the spine.

[chengkp75]

I've read a couple of Bruns' books, and while I worked on the cruise ships after he left, I believe his stories are composites of many crewmembers' experiences, and much compressed to fit it all into his relatively short career.

 

IMO regulations have tightened up the drinking of the crew, most lines do not allow crew to have alcohol in their cabins, and they are subject to random breathalyzer testing.

 

As for the 100 hour work week, that is correct. The IMO's Manila Convention of 2009, which mandates minimum wages, living standards, and incorporates the IMO's earlier STCW rules (which amongst other things regulates the amount of work and rest hours for seafarers), requires that seafarers either are limited to 14 hours of work a day, or 70 hours of rest a week. Nearly every seafarer on any ship in the world, even US flag ships subject to US labor laws, works a minimum of 84 hours per week.

 

Virtually everything that CLIA states in their comments is mandated by the IMO.

[pe4all]

Just downloaded the other 2 books from the series onto my kindle. Didn't even know there were 4 books written. Will save them for June cruise!

[sjn911]

Thanks for posting..it was interesting and lead to reading other articles on there.

 

The overwork, wages and all is distressing..I hope with tips they get a leg up...definitely not a glamorous job and worse than what I was allowed to see in work quarters on a ship 35 years ago...,,the old Greek Apollon II...Epirotiki,,I think most had their own "closet room" and if shared room for a pushup..just that on the floor inbetween...bunks and only 2 per cabin if that so they had like nets above bed for storage of belongings..

 

Must read the books..

Edited March 1, 2015 by sjn911

[jeanarch]

I've read 2. Did not know there were more. Thanks. Will download the others to my Kindle. Took many of the stories with a grain of salt. Enjoyable reading. Now I know when I am on I-95.

[IndyDenise]

I've read 2. Did not know there were more. Thanks. Will download the others to my Kindle. Took many of the stories with a grain of salt. Enjoyable reading. Now I know when I am on I-95.

 

 

Be careful about the last book downloading, it was in unreadable format on my Nook. I ended up buying a hard copy from Amazon.

I HAD to find out what happened to Bianca and Brian.