Curious Questions

[dljones]

I have been pondering a few things lately, really important stuff (NOT) but just curious if someone else has worked this out?

 

1. Since we live in Galveston. we primary cruise out of that port. I have noticed that sometimes ships pull in front ways and have to turn around while others pull in backways and don't have to turn around to leave the port. It dawned on me today (after 20 years of cruising) perhaps why that may be. The answer that I realized was because the refueling area is open to the water. I honestly don't know the answer but I figure that is a pretty good guess. Or perhaps it is a matter of speed and/or convenience. Anyone have a clue why this is?

 

2. How much money does Carnival make in gross sales per let's say, a 7 day cruise? I know there are a lot of variables, but I still wonder about that.

 

3. How much money do the various crew members earn per week or maybe contract? We always prepay our gratuities so does all that money go directly to the employee personally (like our room stewart) or is it split somehow among the crew? For example, who receives the 15% gratuity on say bar drinks? Does the individual get that money or not?

 

Just a few things I have pondered from time to time.

[marshhawk]

Read the book Cruise Confidential, it will tell you more than you ever wanted to know.

 

I heard yesterday that on a 7 day cruise, the ship makes over 150,000 in booze sales. That's with regular folks.

 

On a LGBT cruise they make over 250,000 a week. I heard that on NPR yesterday.

 

I learn so much when I listen to the radio.:rolleyes:

[firegal2539]

I have heard the main money made by cruise lines is alcohol. Gambling is another. The cost of cabin is considered minor money. The crew, lowest ranking, cabin stewards, waiters, etc. don't make much but room and board is included and more then they make from the country they are from.

 

 

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[nsullivan]

Our Behind the Fun for guide is from England. She didn't tell us exactly what she makes but she did say what she makes is less than the normal salary in England. But she takes home more because she doesn't pay for food or room and board. She works in the HR department.

[pollux]

I would like to know how much the passengers make?

Or can't you tell because of the tax man?

[iluvit!]

Our bar waiter on Inspiration said they usually work for a year then go home and buy a house. Then they work for another year and buy a house for their Mom. Oh, and he also asked my sister to send him a check for $600 because his sister needed an operation. I think when they take their money home it goes a lot further.

 

 

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[cruzelover55]

This is not current info, but, an example. '90's I lost my mind and sold time share for a second, part time job. I lived in Miami. "Prizes" offered to the mark for a sale varied. We were always told to try to get them to take the 3 day cruise. At that time it was in writing (for our viewing) that it only cost $9. per day per person to feed them. So, this was the least expensive "gift" to offer them. And they would usually buy enough other things to offset that cost. And of course they rarely read the fine print that their "free" cruise, did not cover taxes and port fees.:o

[GUT2407]

This is not current info, but, an example. '90's I lost my mind and sold time share for a second, part time job. I lived in Miami. "Prizes" offered to the mark for a sale varied. We were always told to try to get them to take the 3 day cruise. At that time it was in writing (for our viewing) that it only cost $9. per day per person to feed them. So, this was the least expensive "gift" to offer them. And they would usually buy enough other things to offset that cost. And of course they rarely read the fine print that their "free" cruise, did not cover taxes and port fees.:o

 

Costs more than $9 a day.

 

Most lines spend about that on food ($10 seems to be pretty close) per person. But then they pay staff o prepare it and serve it and clean up etc.

 

As an aside do you spend more than $10 a day on food. I know Mrs Gut doesn't, there are three of us and the weekly shop isn't much over $200 and that includes the non food products, toilet paper, cleaning Goid, laundry detergent etc.

 

The $10 per passenger per day comes from the various lines financial reports.

[cruzelover55]

Costs more than $9 a day.

 

Most lines spend about that on food ($10 seems to be pretty close) per person. But then they pay staff o prepare it and serve it and clean up etc.

 

As an aside do you spend more than $10 a day on food. I know Mrs Gut doesn't, there are three of us and the weekly shop isn't much over $200 and that includes the non food products, toilet paper, cleaning Goid, laundry detergent etc.

 

The $10 per passenger per day comes from the various lines financial reports.

 

Your response makes it hard to believe you really read my post.

[GUT2407]

Your response makes it hard to believe you really read my post.

 

I read your post fine.

 

You said it costs $9 a day to feed them.

 

It doesn't.

 

The food itself may cost $9 a day, but the preparation, service clean up to costs more.

[chengkp75]

I have been pondering a few things lately, really important stuff (NOT) but just curious if someone else has worked this out?

 

1. Since we live in Galveston. we primary cruise out of that port. I have noticed that sometimes ships pull in front ways and have to turn around while others pull in backways and don't have to turn around to leave the port. It dawned on me today (after 20 years of cruising) perhaps why that may be. The answer that I realized was because the refueling area is open to the water. I honestly don't know the answer but I figure that is a pretty good guess. Or perhaps it is a matter of speed and/or convenience. Anyone have a clue why this is?

 

2. How much money does Carnival make in gross sales per let's say, a 7 day cruise? I know there are a lot of variables, but I still wonder about that.

 

3. How much money do the various crew members earn per week or maybe contract? We always prepay our gratuities so does all that money go directly to the employee personally (like our room stewart) or is it split somehow among the crew? For example, who receives the 15% gratuity on say bar drinks? Does the individual get that money or not?

 

Just a few things I have pondered from time to time.

 

Sorry, wrong about the ship's facing. There are bunkering ports on both sides of the ship, just like there are baggage and food loading ports and tender ports on both sides of the ship. It would have more to do with the length and positioning of the ships and the position of the embarkation port and the land bridge, the position of available bollards on the dock to allow mooring two ships without interfering with each other's lines, whether maintenance is being done to one side of the ship (like painting balconies), etc.

 

I can't say what the gross sales are, but an industry standard is that the cabin fares just about cover the overhead, and the profit is in onboard sales: casino, liquor, art, shops, spas, etc.

 

Without getting into a whole tipping/DSC debate minefield, I'll try to answer some of your thoughts about pay and "tips" in general terms. Wages vary wildly from the galley utilities to the Captain, so I won't bother trying to say how much various folks make. There is a minimum wage for seafarers, currently $618/month, based on a 40 hour work week, and overtime is added for all hours above 40. The way that the DSC (I refuse to call them "gratuities") is used is that the folks in the DSC pool (cabin and wait staff, some "behind the scenes" depending on line) are paid with a combination of wage from the company and shared DSC. If this combination reaches the legal minimum, that's it. If someone removes DSC, then everyone in the group gets marginally less that week. Only if the amount of DSC removed causes the compensation to fall below the minimum, will the company have to step in and make up the difference. DSC is used to create peer pressure to perform as a service team, so that all benefit, and also removes the company from the onus of removing wages for poor performance (it was the passengers who removed the DSC, not us). Bar staff are paid the same way, using the drink gratuity in place of the DSC.

 

As for Bruns' books, I find that not only are they seriously outdated in their depictions of crew life, but they are compilations of many experiences condensed to create a story. Entertaining, but not really accurate.

 

Food costs recently (last couple of years) have been reported as $10-15/person/day.

Edited April 12, 2016 by chengkp75

[Computer Nerd]

Sorry, wrong about the ship's facing. There are bunkering ports on both sides of the ship, just like there are baggage and food loading ports and tender ports on both sides of the ship. It would have more to do with the length and positioning of the ships and the position of the embarkation port and the land bridge, the position of available bollards on the dock to allow mooring two ships without interfering with each other's lines, whether maintenance is being done to one side of the ship (like painting balconies), etc.

 

I can't say what the gross sales are, but an industry standard is that the cabin fares just about cover the overhead, and the profit is in onboard sales: casino, liquor, art, shops, spas, etc.

 

Without getting into a whole tipping/DSC debate minefield, I'll try to answer some of your thoughts about pay and "tips" in general terms. Wages vary wildly from the galley utilities to the Captain, so I won't bother trying to say how much various folks make. There is a minimum wage for seafarers, currently $618/month, based on a 40 hour work week, and overtime is added for all hours above 40. The way that the DSC (I refuse to call them "gratuities") is used is that the folks in the DSC pool (cabin and wait staff, some "behind the scenes" depending on line) are paid with a combination of wage from the company and shared DSC. If this combination reaches the legal minimum, that's it. If someone removes DSC, then everyone in the group gets marginally less that week. Only if the amount of DSC removed causes the compensation to fall below the minimum, will the company have to step in and make up the difference. DSC is used to create peer pressure to perform as a service team, so that all benefit, and also removes the company from the onus of removing wages for poor performance (it was the passengers who removed the DSC, not us). Bar staff are paid the same way, using the drink gratuity in place of the DSC.

 

As for Bruns' books, I find that not only are they seriously outdated in their depictions of crew life, but they are compilations of many experiences condensed to create a story. Entertaining, but not really accurate.

 

Food costs recently (last couple of years) have been reported as $10-15/person/day.

 

fyi, carnival does not call them the dsc. ncl does.

[chengkp75]

fyi, carnival does not call them the dsc. ncl does.

 

Quite aware of that, various lines call them what they want, but as I stated, I personally refuse to call them gratuities, as they are not. But that is all I will say on that, as I don't want this to degenerate into another tipping debate.

[cruzelover55]

I read your post fine.

 

You said it costs $9 a day to feed them.

 

It doesn't.

 

The food itself may cost $9 a day, but the preparation, service clean up to costs more.

 

As I stated, the scenario I was speaking of, was 26 years ago! Also, I was quoting the daily "pep talk" our managers gave us. I haven't any idea how "accurate" it was. Just, at the time, was surprised that a cruise was considered the least expensive "gift".

[dljones]

Thanks for the info chengkp75. I suppose your answer is probably right and ship direction just depends upon various port and maintenance factors.