Do you think the Captain may be embarrassed??

[Danno]

When all the captains get together for a cold one...the freighter captains, the tanker capatains, the aircraft carrier captains, the cruise ship captains...etc...what status amoung their peers would the cruise captains hold.

 

IMHO...some lines like Cunard, Hal and X would be respected...being in charge of these floating circus shows, like Carnival, RCL, and NCL (some ships) I think could make you the butt of a few jokes....some of these ships just look embarrassing :D .

 

Understand these people are serious mariners in charge of floating side shows...

[Blazerboy]

Gee, Danno, my brother was a tug boat captain in the Gulf of Mexico for years, and still keeps up his captain's license. When he said he might look into small cruise ship opportunities, everyone in MY family cheered. What's to be embarrassed about when your relatives get the friends and family discount???:D

 

I think there is a little blue collar/white collar type tension, but often times the rank and file sailors focus only on the cruise captain's social duties, so they make fun of cruise captains the same way office workers make fun of pampered expense-account-using CEO. But would they trade places with him/her? You betcha'!:rolleyes:

 

Andrew

[Danno]

I think the captains on cruise ships are highly skilled...but some of the newer ships are, well, a bit gaudy :eek: ....I think would lie and say I was captain of a Cunard or X ship. At least they look like ships and not floating ice cream trucks.

[ocngypz]

I think kudos should be given for tanker masters and other merchant vessel masters who are command Haz-Mat vessels.

[TEXASMUNK]

I would think the Captain of an aircraft carrier, (USS Ronald Reagan for example) would be a cut above all the rest. Would think that beer might not be "shared"

 

Would have to agree about various "class" levels since you do not get to command the QMII or the Freedom of the Seas without being the top dog.

 

The gentlemen commanding a monster oil tanker or massive container ship would propably look down at the inter-island freighter.

 

As for commanding a "clown show." In 9 weeks, I sail on my 51st cruise and have to give kudos to the Captain's. The neon and glitz or the mahogony have no impact on them, professionally. I would have to agree, having had the opportunity over the eyars of sharing an adult beverage with a few senior officers, there is some level of embarrassment with some of the corny stunts and shlock product some cruise lines offer.

 

And now I have to ask: Is there a secret handshake or initiation some folks take which requires them to defend a particular cruise line? Some folks just go bonkers when a differing opinion is expressed.

[cruising with marti]

Hmm. Your profile shows no cruises on any of the lines you so frequently slam. How is that?

 

I think the captains of the "floating ice cream trucks" who are responsible for the lives and safety of thousands of passengers are more than happy to tell folks what they do. I really think the problem is with perception, not reality. Sorry.

 

I agree, those other side shows, as you call them, Dan, are just as elegant as x Cunard and the others you mention, and I am sure no one makes fun of the Captains of these ships.

 

Ya know, you really should get out more.

 

Phil

[ala-kat]

Cunard, Hal and X would be respected...being in charge of these floating circus shows, like Carnival, RCL, and NCL (some ships) I think could make you the butt of a few jokes....some of these ships just look embarrassing :D .

 

What exactly. makes the captains of these cruise lines better/better qualified than the others?

 

Didn't know that the respect that is earned depended on the 'quality' (if you will - subjective as it may be) of the cargo.

[TEXASMUNK]

Unfortunately!

 

We may see it much in the US, but the prestige of earning one's Master's Certificate and the honor of being named Captain of a line's newest and/or most advanced ship puts an individual at the top of their profession.

 

And back to Danno's original theme, I would bet there is a "pecking order" in the career field.

[Cachecara]

Interesting topic: status and pecking order. Many variables--knowledge, experience, duties and responsibilities.

 

I guess this topic could be used to measure most other service fields too--doctors, nurses, teachers etc.

Being in a service field, I personally judge my own with respect first and how their attitude is toward the people they serve. Sometimes people choose what may appear to be the more lowly job vs the job that receives all the kudos for specific reasons--and that may bring them them all the status that "they" desire and generally their peers tend to recognize that.

Just my thoughts-- :rolleyes:

[bob278]

.........

And back to Danno's original theme, I would bet there is a "pecking order" in the career field.

 

I've been a good boy for a long time, but I can't resist this.

 

There won't be a pecking order unless they're peckers. And if they are in charge, I guess that makes them pecker heads. :D

[Sky Sweet]

Interesting topic: status and pecking order. Many variables--knowledge, experience, duties and responsibilities.

 

I guess this topic could be used to measure most other service fields too--doctors, nurses, teachers etc.

Being in a service field, I personally judge my own with respect first and how their attitude is toward the people they serve. Sometimes people choose what may appear to be the more lowly job vs the job that receives all the kudos for specific reasons--and that may bring them them all the status that "they" desire and generally their peers tend to recognize that.

Just my thoughts-- :rolleyes:

 

I agree that a pecking order of peers exist in any field, and would like to make an analogy to illustrate a point. When I was growing up on the North Shore of Long Island (Kings Point/Great Neck), William Levitt, lived near us.. BTW, the house he built for himself in KIngs Point was very different than the ones he built in Levittown, Even though there were other builders in the area who built much better homes, Bill Levitt was well respected for building tract homes, a new idea at the time, that made home ownership affordable to the average American, and ran his business well. Similarly, Carnival Cruise Line, may not appeal to people who want an upscale cruise experience, but it has made cruising possible to a segment of the population who couldn't have afforded to cruise during previous generations. William Levitt and Carnival both defined their target market, developed a product with that in mind, and ran their companies well. Even though I have no desire to take a Carnival Cruise or live in an original Levitt house, that doesn't negate their amazing accomplishments which are worthy of respect.

[negc]

And you think that the squared off (or sheared off) aft section of X ships such as Summit give it that classic sailing ship look? To me some of their ships remind me of Lego models.;)

[missm]

As the wife of a retired Navy Captain, I will just add that the size of the ship does matter, especially in the pecking order of Captains. The responsibility and more importantly, the liability, increases incrementally with the size of the ship and number of passengers/crew onboard.

 

Mary

[Danno]

Thank you...that's what I wanted to know...I'm sure finding a good cruise ship captain must be tough. You need someone who is very qualifed, as the ships are huge, the windage tough, the scheduals unforgiving and the scutiny intense, handle a huge crew AND they must do the social thing with pax well.

 

I expect the field is quite narrow....(especially for the ugly ships ;)) .

[bob278]

If I am following this logic, the captains of some of those huge ferries should be near the top of the profession if raw counts of passengers and liability are the criteria. Yet I for one, think of them as somewhat down the chain of "quality" vessels.

 

Given all the problems with ferries, you have to admit, it would take a heck of a captain to keep his passengers safe.

[Barry ATL]

Recently, I watched a show on the Atlanta. It is one of the largest container ships in the world. After watching the show, I had a lot more respect for the crew of those ships. I am not sure where they are on the food chain, but in my estimation, they would need more skill than a cruise ship captain. Also, the schedule is relentless. If the Atlanta is late, they measure the thousands of dollars per minute.

[templed]

So... given the logic of # of Pax per vessel...

 

That would make the Staten Island Ferry captain a GOD!

 

They regularly run 3000+ passengers back and forth from Staten Island to Manhattan every 15 minutes...

[i guide the sky]

if i were a cruise ship Capt, i wouldn't care what the tankers, freighters, aircraft cariers are saying. i'm eating steak every night, with classy attractive people and anytime the saling gets tough, oh here comes the harbor pilot!!!! seems like a cushy job to me. . . but then again tell that to Edward John Smith.

[Ericknow32]

Danno, The future captain of Freedom of the Seas (William S. Wright) was the senior vice president of Marine Operations for RCI/X. Do you think he would give up that job if it was not an honor to command the worlds largest cruise ship. I really don't appreciate the snide remarks towards RCI. Their ships are classy and in no way resemble a circus.

[Danno]

Their ships are classy and in no way resemble a circus.

 

My reference to "circus" was the paint work on some of the NCL ships...RCI, from the photos I've seen, have too much chrome and glass for my tastes. I prefer a traditional cruise liner look. The climbing walls I find ugly and grotesque...in my opinion.

[more mangos please]

Do you ever wonder, Danno, if others speculate about if you are embarrassed by how your boat looks compared to some nicer ones?

[Danno]

Do you ever wonder, Danno, if others speculate about if you are embarrassed by how your boat looks compared to some nicer ones?

 

Nicer ones?? What makes you think there are nicer ones ;) ??

 

No...she's a proper looking, well maintained, sloop...she's not sloop smeared with graphics and advertising...she looks as she should look.

[Ericknow32]

My reference to "circus" was the paint work on some of the NCL ships...RCI, from the photos I've seen, have too much chrome and glass for my tastes. I prefer a traditional cruise liner look. The climbing walls I find ugly and grotesque...in my opinion.

I assume you are talking about the climbing walls that were added post production because the ones on Voyager/Radiance class ships blend in. The ones that stick up out of the deck are kind of awkward. I will give you that but the inside the ships are classy. No neon, no loud colors, it's nice. Plus there is nothing like this. (Summit)

[negc]

Ohmigod, Joe Farcus is alive and well and designing on Celebrity!!! :eek:

[more mangos please]

Nicer ones?? What makes you think there are nicer ones ;) ??

 

No...she's a proper looking, well maintained, sloop...she's not sloop smeared with graphics and advertising...she looks as she should look.

 

Not everyone agrees on exact what a proper looking sloop should look like.