FLL Pier Agents losing their jobs?

[iipa]

Is this true? If so, what can be done about it? I don't post much but the FLL pier agents I've met have been awesome. Wish we had someone like Host Andy on the Royal Caribbean Boards.

 

Anyway this is from Host Andy on the Celebrity Boards.

 

I must sadly report, that most, if not all of the pier agents will be losing their jobs on May 31st. In another savings effort, Royal Caribbean has poorly chosen to hire outside agents who will be making much less, and not receiving any of the benefits that the current employees receive. It's decisions like this, that deeply sadden me, as it's a lousy corparate cutback, especially as so many of these wonderful folks have been in the Royal Caribbean family for years. I'm hearing they can re-apply, at the lower salary and no benefits. I wonder if the executive (who's probably making six figures) is proud of their "accomplishment", while hurting many lives. Personally, I think it sucks.

[Cruisin'Kim]

That's terrible if true - and the price of everything on the ship goes up....

[A&L_Ont]

Yes I had heard that mid-March from one of the suite guest greeters. It does suck, as we got to know some great people who worked there. We can only hope that the future staff are as friendly, helpful and thorough as the previous ones.

 

Sadly, this is a move that many corporations have done and will continue to do.

[Trainman-2]

Royal Caribbean is trying to find the right balance between raising prices and cutting costs.

 

It is hard to do but they have to try their best.

[legaljen1969]

I'm hearing they can re-apply, at the lower salary and no benefits. I wonder if the executive (who's probably making six figures) is proud of their "accomplishment", while hurting many lives. Personally, I think it sucks.

 

Have any of you seen "The Company Men"? It was a great movie about corporate downsizing. Even those at the top started feeling the crunch. It really shows the essence of corporate greed. I recall one scene in the movie that dealt with advertisement for a cruise ship.

 

Let me tell you something, NO ONE and I mean NO ONE is irreplaceable. That means, even those at the top. There will always be someone willing to do more for less. Yet, all that does is drive wages down. On the other side of that coin is folks who get so entrenched in their jobs and their benefits that they forget what it is like to have to want a job so bad you will take almost anything to feed your family. It is bad all the way around.

 

So unfortunate that there is no such thing as corporate loyalty any more from either side of the fence. Employers and corporate officers are always looking for a cheaper way to get the job done. Yet working folks jump from job to job like they change their clothes. What the world seems to have forgotten is the value of being a person of honor and a person whose word in his bond.

 

Shame on these folks at the top of the food chain. Until they are faced with having to make it on little to nothing- they will never understand.

Edited April 23, 2015 by legaljen1969
Clarification.

[MADflyer]

I do not have details, but think that the company Intercruises will handle RCL lines RCI, Celebrity and Azamara at Port Everglades. Barcelona based Intercruises is a subsidiary of RCL partner TUI and also handle Southampton and Barcelona and Sydney for RCL among many others.

 

This is similar to what the airlines have all done and the resulting current service situation. Globally Swissport, Menzies and Servisair are among the major players.

 

DAL Global Serivices is now running ground operations for many other US carriers, even though they are owned by Delta they handle United at many airports among others.

[Setting sail for fun]

Sorry to hear this!

[wayne_trisha]

Our last RCCL cruise from Port Canaveral I asked about getting a job there and what the benefits are. The agent said they are not RCCL employees and get no cruise benefits. I am not sure who they actually work for as i did not ask.

[DAllenTCY]

The same thing happened a few years ago. The HAL subsidiary "Worldwide Shore Services" was replaced by Intercruises, first in Florida and then in California a year or so later.

More than 50% of the staff returned here in San Diego for the new operator. Little changed other than the tie or scarf. name badge, and loss of some nice perks..... and $ per hr.

Intercruises is a fine company, and I'm glad to be an employee. What is lost in the transition is many years of experience by individuals who chose not to return. You will hardly notice any difference in FLL with the change.

David

[cb at sea]

I don't think the "pier" agents are actually employees of RCI...they are employees of the port.

[cx7owner]

Shame on these folks at the top of the food chain. Until they are faced with having to make it on little to nothing- they will never understand.

 

It's all part of the free-market economy. Companies need to and should strive to operate as efficiently as possible (within the law/rules) if they want to survive. Otherwise the next guy will be more efficient and everyone, including those at the top, will be out of a job. You take that ability to innovate away, and the whole system fails. The drive for efficiency and profit is what makes this country great and the world leader in innovations. Yes, some people get temporarily displaced, but when the system is working, there will be new and better opportunities.

 

Unfortunately, our current leaders don't appreciate the greatness of America, which is disappointing on many levels. The harm being done may take decades to fix. /rant off/

[Barnaby100]

I dont know what a pier agent is. However we recently boarded at FLL, previously taken cruises from Singapore, Malaga and Southampton.

 

Overall FLL was by far the best experience. The porters were a little surly (Southampton were the best by far as you drive in and drop) but everyone else was truly delightful. Big smiles and very helpful.

[The_Big_M]

"Innovation" isn't searching for a cheaper option, achieved by outsourcing.

 

When you outsource, the employee (or resource in the jargon some prefer to use) no longer has any loyalty to the company, but is just "a resource." As a result you often find issues, which companies try to compensate by the use of SLAs and KPIs. Of course, this can only be achieved after the fact, which is why you have larger call centres to deal with issue resolution.

 

Of course, some laud this as progress and innovation. Not really. It's just purely cost saving, at the trade off of quality and commitment.

[berylde]

I totally agree with you about the Hosts for the cruise lines on this web site.

Host Andy for Celebrity is very "hands on" and very helpful

 

You very rarely see a response from the Hosts on RCCL site

[A&L_Ont]

I don't think the "pier" agents are actually employees of RCI...they are employees of the port.

 

They are not employees of the port. If they were port employees why would they get discounts on RCI cruises as part of their work perks? As I posted earlier one of the suite guest greeters informed us in March that she was losing her job with RC when they outsourced her and her coworkers jobs.

 

For example at Port Everglades, the people being displaced are the ones that check you in to the cruise, the people who show you to the waiting areas prior to embarkation, put the muster tags on your children's wrist, and folks that snap your photo prior to getting onboard.

 

This thread is not about the luggage arrangers on disembarkation day, luggage stackers on embarkation day, porters, security agents etc who are not employees of RC.

[Hotel CA]

Unfortunately, our current leaders don't appreciate the greatness of America, which is disappointing on many levels. The harm being done may take decades to fix. /rant off/

 

Sadly it seems there are some who just cant help turning every discussion into politics. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Give it a rest will ya

[TEXASMUNK]

I agree with you and disagree with you. We are in the middle of cultural change in the USA. But the point of not focusing on the little guy is also valid by many of the posters.

My question: With the dramatic drop in the cost of oil, the cruise lines are all experiencing a windfall of savings. So why target a relatively small employee group?

[Ourusualbeach]

I agree with you and disagree with you. We are in the middle of cultural change in the USA. But the point of not focusing on the little guy is also valid by many of the posters.

My question: With the dramatic drop in the cost of oil, the cruise lines are all experiencing a windfall of savings. So why target a relatively small employee group?

 

While oil has dropped they do not reap the benefits immediately as they are purchasing future contracts for oil. Also according to the financial reports any savings from lower prices have been offset by an increasingly stronger US$.

 

Unfortunately Royal has been significantly cutting costs in many areas and this is just one of them.

[jules815]

I sailed from FLL in March, and the pier agent that helped me had a trainee working with him.

 

I never thought those people were employed by RC. Especially at a port like PC. Using PC as an example because I've sailed from there the most, on different lines, same terminals. I always assumed one day they were boarding people for RC, and then next day they changed out the floor signage and were boarding people for Carnival.

 

Shame to see anyone get outsourced though.

[Homosassa]

The pier personnel work for an outside contractor. If the contractor loses the bid for a new contract, the dock personnel will either be replaced or need to work for the new contractor under the terms of the contract.

 

My sister was the pier supervisor for years in San Francisco. She has cruise line badges from HAL, NCL, Celebrity and RCCL as she was sometimes flown down to San Diego and LA to handle those piers.

 

When her company lost the contract, she lost her position.

[Ourusualbeach]

The pier personnel work for an outside contractor. If the contractor loses the bid for a new contract, the dock personnel will either be replaced or need to work for the new contractor under the terms of the contract.

 

My sister was the pier supervisor for years in San Francisco. She has cruise line badges from HAL, NCL, Celebrity and RCCL as she was sometimes flown down to San Diego and LA to handle those piers.

 

When her company lost the contract, she lost her position.

 

That's applicable to some ports but not FLL which is what this thread is talking about.

[Big_G]

While oil has dropped they do not reap the benefits immediately as they are purchasing future contracts for oil. Also according to the financial reports any savings from lower prices have been offset by an increasingly stronger US$.

 

Unfortunately Royal has been significantly cutting costs in many areas and this is just one of them.

 

Wouldn't any savings also be a wash because of the price of low sulfur fuel oil?

[mattpro]

Outsourcing is all about the numbers and what column they fit under on the company ledger.

 

By outsourcing RCL does not have to pay benefits (especially healthcare) for employees working for another company, while at the same time creating a tax write off of expenses paid to that other company.

 

If another company is not used, the individuals will receive tax form 1999, which means the individual is responsible for their own taxes on money received, while RCL can still deduct monies paid to the individual as an expense.

 

The result is that the company loses "control" of an individual that interfaces with customers of the company, which the customer most likely believes actually does work for the company.

 

Like any other game, you have to understand the rules to play the game.

[Justmekaren918]

Just about all of the people you deal with are contractors for Royal! Royal doesn't want to pay for those pesky benefits mainly healthcare; except for the senior administrative and executive staff; I would guess the same for the very upper few on their ships! Wouldn't want those 1bil. or less ships on the rock's! Yet with this structure there is no loyalty or much knowledge! Sad state of affairs 2015! People are now working same job for alot less! Just like United fired and hired all contrators at the airport! Let's hope they don't start contracting out the pilots!

[sailor05]

I must sadly report, that most, if not all of the pier agents will be losing their jobs on May 31st.

 

So will this have an effect on the efficiency of boarding ships in the short term following this transition? We're sailing 3 weeks after this so hopefully the effects will be minimal by then.