Schools out for Summer! (and typhoons, rainstorms, earthquakes, elections etc.)

[Possum]

1 hour ago, Joey G said:

Unless someone has positive proof this is a Princess Cruise requirement... I think it's more likely the "middleman" company in the Philippines (that helped them get their contract) required that, and possibly so they could also get their cut more easily.  

Unless something has changed most cruise ships are crewed via agencies. The agent's first priority is to the agency. Philippines agencies don't have the best reputation in the world. The mariners have no rights other than those imposed by the IMO and those are rarely enforced. Marcos signed a mariners bill of rights recently but as in most things I don't expect it to be enforced. Filipino mariners are loath to make legal complaints as they can be blackballed in the industry. When I worked on ships the easiest troublesome crew members to have removed were the Filipinos. One phone call or email and poof, replaced at the next port. They very rarely needed replacing though. Good workers and well trained.

Cruise ships have their own below deck mafia. The hotel manager outranks everyone, even the captain in practice. Some cruise lines wouldn't allow Filipino mariners to be promoted above a certain position as those were reserved for Eastern Europeans. The cruise industry is another world.

[JJReyes]

8 hours ago, Possum said:

Cruise ships have their own below deck mafia. The hotel manager outranks everyone, even the captain in practice. Some cruise lines wouldn't allow Filipino mariners to be promoted above a certain position as those were reserved for Eastern Europeans. The cruise industry is another world.

We used to meet a lot of Ukrainians (mostly blonds) in mid-level positions.  I guess this would balance the predominantly Asian and East Asian.  Their disappearance is probably due to the war.  They now have an increased number from Zimbabwe and South Africa.  The Executive Chef during our last voyage was from the Philippines.  He has been with the company 24 years.  The head of housekeeping was also from the Philippines.  There are staff members who look like Filipinos but are from India, according to their name tags.  The below deck mafia is interesting.  I was told that certain services like haircuts are Filipino dominated.  The charge is $10 for crew, 50% discount if you are Filipino.  For beer and liquor, crew members go to the Indians.  The security team at one time were from India.  Filipinos seem to have replaced them.  

 

[hk blues]

18 hours ago, craftbeerlover said:

That does not sound legal to me. 

My BIL worked on a cruise ship and had to open an account in his mother's name and part of his salary was deposited in that.  Now, whether this was a requitement or a convenience I have no idea but I suspect he would have preferred to manage 100% of his own salary.  

[Mike J]

We went from 'Schools out', to 'Cruise Ship Mafia'.  Pretty sure that is a new forum record for drifting off topic.