Hello, Readers, and thank you for tuning in to trumptettravels - the true accounts of my 11 year career on cruise ships as a crew member aboard Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises, Premier Cruises and the Holland America Line.
A Reader asks if I could elaborate on Greek Officers. Sorry, Anonymous, I think I said enough in my disparagement below (DEC 14th WHAT ARE THE OFFICERS LIKE?). Although I do actually have a few more choice stories about Greek and Italian officers you'll have to wait until the time is right.
I don't want to lose my new readers with excessive negativity (wasn't I negative enough below!??!) haha -
thanks for your comments.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Some reminiscing from the cruise career...
Hello, Readers, and thank you for tuning in to trumptettravels - the true accounts of my 11 year career on cruise ships as a crew member aboard Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises, Premier Cruises and the Holland America Line.
Thanks everyone for the great responses and comments. Personally I find the information of what day-to-day life was like on the ship more interesting than my little casino information, but I had such a flood of visitors checking that out and emailing friends - my first post that a deluge of email pings came in!
I started this blog as an experiment to learn how to blog so I could teach my wife. She wants to blog about her confusion in being an American Mom (she's from another country). Well, I must say the support and comments I've received have convinced me I should keep going. I think we'll have to fight over the computer when she starts her blog!
I want to share with you something you don't think about when you take a cruise. You all have jobs and work 40-50 weeks a year so once every 5 years you can do a cruise or something special. You all have social and family networks at home.
I did, too, and my first time I joined a ship I did it for six months. I have a big family and we are very close. It was so hard to be away from everyone for such an extended period of time. BUT, I met so many amazing people, passengers and crew, and was exposed to new travel and new friends.
I had a girlfriend on my first ship after not being too much of a ladies man in college. Halfway through my contract it was time for her to leave. Of course we meant to stay together, but we went to different ships and there other distractions on the ship for both of us. I was so confused why she was so amazing and why it couldn't work. It didn't seem to gel with my notion of romantic love when I was told I was looking for that 'one' special connection.
Later, I came out of my heart-broken stupor and realized not only was I lucky it didn't work out, I was REALLY confused why we were together at all! It is funny how circumstances can change so much.
I met so many amazing people after that and pursued some more romantic relationships. The friendships that seemed so important now have faded as everyone who works out there on a ship goes for the experience, the travel, and the money only. Logistically it would be impossible for you to keep in touch with the literally thousands of amazing people you meet.
I came to a conclusion, or maybe a realization. When you are on land, you have the same friends, the same job, the same bar, the same ole same ole. Nothing changes much and you could miss a year and everything will be the same. When I was twenty years old I thought that was a curse.
When you are on a ship you get to meet thousands of people and make friends and travel. Everything changes. You avoid the boredom and stagnation of land, but it comes at a price. Your friends fade, you lose touch, you move far away from everyone eventually. Amazing people you once couldn't imagine yourself without are now in South Africa, the Phillipines, the UK and other countries all over the world. You have facebook and other networking and try to stay in touch, but now in a 9 to 5 job on land and with a family here's the scary realization -
Just as I thought it would be depressing to have the same ole same ole of a land job when I first started cruise ships, now when I get in touch with my cruise ship friends I see they have the Same Ole, too! The same ports, restaurants, bars, etc... The life there is exciting but no more rewarding than somewhere else. The one thing I'd recommend to anyone wanting to go work on a cruise ship - make a plan. Get in and get out. If you spend your whole life on a ship and then go to retire - who will you know? Where will you go?
Well, that is my reminisce about my years at sea. I used to give a little talk to the newbies who were depressed about losing friends to travel plans on the ship. I would tell them, "You are priviledged to meet so many amazing people because of these ships and your job. You have to enjoy every moment with all of your friends becasue they'll leave and you'll leave and the memories are all you're going to have at the end. Saying goodbye to all of them is the price you pay for not having a boring job with boring friends." In retrospect with the times I had, the benefit far outweighed the price.
Looking back now that I'm "out" - is it better to lead a less exciting life but have life-long friends who've watched you grow and mature? Or is it better to meet scores of the most interesting people in the world with the realization you'll not stay in touch after your time together?
Readers, tonight it isn't for me to decide. I'll just pose the question and hope it makes you think about your life. What new people do you meet? Are you 'stuck' in the same crowd and bars or restaurants at home? How could you bring the excitement and loss of inhabition of a vacation into your everyday life? If you could do that, you could have the best of both worlds.
Thanks, readers, for staying in touch. Why don't you check out my other entries? There is no rhyme or reason yet to any of them. I thought this would be a chronilogical story when I started but as I've received encouragement and comments from readers I have altered course a little bit. Comments are always welcome and although it is becoming more difficult, I do my best to answer all questions. Rememer clicking an ad here is free for you and encourages me to keep going, much to the chagrin of my wife.
Thanks everyone for the great responses and comments. Personally I find the information of what day-to-day life was like on the ship more interesting than my little casino information, but I had such a flood of visitors checking that out and emailing friends - my first post that a deluge of email pings came in!
I started this blog as an experiment to learn how to blog so I could teach my wife. She wants to blog about her confusion in being an American Mom (she's from another country). Well, I must say the support and comments I've received have convinced me I should keep going. I think we'll have to fight over the computer when she starts her blog!
I want to share with you something you don't think about when you take a cruise. You all have jobs and work 40-50 weeks a year so once every 5 years you can do a cruise or something special. You all have social and family networks at home.
I did, too, and my first time I joined a ship I did it for six months. I have a big family and we are very close. It was so hard to be away from everyone for such an extended period of time. BUT, I met so many amazing people, passengers and crew, and was exposed to new travel and new friends.
I had a girlfriend on my first ship after not being too much of a ladies man in college. Halfway through my contract it was time for her to leave. Of course we meant to stay together, but we went to different ships and there other distractions on the ship for both of us. I was so confused why she was so amazing and why it couldn't work. It didn't seem to gel with my notion of romantic love when I was told I was looking for that 'one' special connection.
Later, I came out of my heart-broken stupor and realized not only was I lucky it didn't work out, I was REALLY confused why we were together at all! It is funny how circumstances can change so much.
I met so many amazing people after that and pursued some more romantic relationships. The friendships that seemed so important now have faded as everyone who works out there on a ship goes for the experience, the travel, and the money only. Logistically it would be impossible for you to keep in touch with the literally thousands of amazing people you meet.
I came to a conclusion, or maybe a realization. When you are on land, you have the same friends, the same job, the same bar, the same ole same ole. Nothing changes much and you could miss a year and everything will be the same. When I was twenty years old I thought that was a curse.
When you are on a ship you get to meet thousands of people and make friends and travel. Everything changes. You avoid the boredom and stagnation of land, but it comes at a price. Your friends fade, you lose touch, you move far away from everyone eventually. Amazing people you once couldn't imagine yourself without are now in South Africa, the Phillipines, the UK and other countries all over the world. You have facebook and other networking and try to stay in touch, but now in a 9 to 5 job on land and with a family here's the scary realization -
Just as I thought it would be depressing to have the same ole same ole of a land job when I first started cruise ships, now when I get in touch with my cruise ship friends I see they have the Same Ole, too! The same ports, restaurants, bars, etc... The life there is exciting but no more rewarding than somewhere else. The one thing I'd recommend to anyone wanting to go work on a cruise ship - make a plan. Get in and get out. If you spend your whole life on a ship and then go to retire - who will you know? Where will you go?
Well, that is my reminisce about my years at sea. I used to give a little talk to the newbies who were depressed about losing friends to travel plans on the ship. I would tell them, "You are priviledged to meet so many amazing people because of these ships and your job. You have to enjoy every moment with all of your friends becasue they'll leave and you'll leave and the memories are all you're going to have at the end. Saying goodbye to all of them is the price you pay for not having a boring job with boring friends." In retrospect with the times I had, the benefit far outweighed the price.
Looking back now that I'm "out" - is it better to lead a less exciting life but have life-long friends who've watched you grow and mature? Or is it better to meet scores of the most interesting people in the world with the realization you'll not stay in touch after your time together?
Readers, tonight it isn't for me to decide. I'll just pose the question and hope it makes you think about your life. What new people do you meet? Are you 'stuck' in the same crowd and bars or restaurants at home? How could you bring the excitement and loss of inhabition of a vacation into your everyday life? If you could do that, you could have the best of both worlds.
Thanks, readers, for staying in touch. Why don't you check out my other entries? There is no rhyme or reason yet to any of them. I thought this would be a chronilogical story when I started but as I've received encouragement and comments from readers I have altered course a little bit. Comments are always welcome and although it is becoming more difficult, I do my best to answer all questions. Rememer clicking an ad here is free for you and encourages me to keep going, much to the chagrin of my wife.
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Secret of Cruise Ship Slot Machines and How You Can Get the Edge!
Have you recently heard of any funny business (cheating) going on in Las Vegas? No? That's because the Nevada gaming commission knows that any profits cheated would be far less than profits lost if the cheating becomes public. Slots are regulated and the %wins can be calibrated by a machine. It has to be locked into a certain percentage regulated by the gov't. (Technically some can be higher than others as long as they all average the given "take.")
Have you ever heard of cheating in the lottery (outside a bad John Travolta movie?) No? That is because there is regulation in government lotteries.
Who regulates and inspects the cruise ship casino? Anyone? Did you know the company that runs the casinos on Carnival also runs the Princess, Cunard and other CCL ships? They are all connected.
Here is the secret that not even most industry insiders know:
First, please read my other entries. They won't make you rich but you might like them. Okay - you'll only hear this from an almost comatose drunk slot technician at 6am and as far as I know this information doesn't exist ANYWHERE on the internet!
SO - the percentage of a slot machine can be changed, RIGHT? (crowd: YES, TRUMPETDAD)
SO - if you were a cruise line, would you take everyone's money on the first night of the cruise? NO! The people would never come back during their cruise and they would tell all the passengers the slots are rigged or tight and no one would play.
SO - if you were a cruise line, would you give all your money away on the last night? Those people might never come back! Why would you do that? If you could change the % payout of a slot machine to maximize profit from a crowd of people over seven days, how would you do it?
Here's how it works, and how it can work for you. On the first night alot of people "try their luck" and win. It is so easy to win that even non-gamblers are so tempted to put their winnings back to see if they win more. Throughout the cruise they ADVERTISE to other passengers how much money they won! You can can win and on the last night everyone wants to try one last time where they lose it all and then some.Quite simply, anyone caught feeding the slots on the last night might as well buy Carnival stock so you can profit from their extra revenue! The way you do it is think of a gambling budget for the cruise and play it the first and second nights ONLY. For the other nights use your winnings for entertainment and stay out of the casino!
If you enjoyed this post, email it to a friend who loves to cruise!
I have more secrets from the ship and although I don't blog for profit, if you click on an ad to the right it won't cost you a dime and will encourage me to post more.
More secrets to come from the inside world of a crewmember...
PS - one more tip. If you buy this item
you are GUARANTEED to win in any casino in the world (just kidding.)Sunday, December 26, 2010
Reader's Questions Answered About Cruises
Thanks for tuning in to trumpettravels. This is an experiment I started in reminiscing about my 11 year career working on cruise ships. Previously I've explained how I got my first job on a ship and what some of the positions are like on the ship. I've always had a lot to say about the industry, mostly good, but felt while I was employed by the cruise line it would be unethical to say something bad and without credit if I said something good. Now, I work in an unrelated industry. I know how passengers can drive the crew crazy. I know how the crew can lose touch with the passengers. But, overall, I've seen how millions of people in the world BOTH passengers and crew have delighted in the chance to eat, drink, travel, and meet new people and experience new things. Some do it for a week, and some for 8 months.
"Dobie" asked me about tipping on the ship and if cash tips were supposed to be split. Well, I think technically all tips are supposed to be reported (officially) but much like a waiter making tips in the states very little gets "declared." Once you have the cash in your hands you'd have to be pretty thick to turn it in to have it split 200 times and then returned. It is accepted not in policy but in practice that all cash tips are property of the recipient.
Someone asked me what I like to bring on a cruise. Well, I can't pack for you, but my advice: Pack your suitcase half full. Crazy? NOPE. You'll buy "cruisewear" and tee shirts in ports. Why not wear them once while your there? Most people STUFF their luggange and then they don't know what to do withb all their extra souvenirs on the way home. Another thing that I really believe in is a pair of high quality sunglasses like Maui Jim or Revo. They actually brighten up your days while relaxing your eyes and it is nice to distinguish yourself from the dollar store glasses most cruisers bring.
Bonnie wants to know about the different cruise lines and mentioned it was difficult to post a comment. I've attempted a correction by allowing anyone to comment even anonymous comments. I thought by having registered bloggers only it would discourage alot of garbage but all comments so far have been really "+." Bonnie every line is different and I have some words on the lines I personally worked with. I would do what you're doing - ask around, but also
Royal Caribbean is great an caters to families, plus the young and old. Know if you're going there for a romantic couples getaway when you get in elevator a kid probably has pushed all the buttons and the hot tub might be filled with pee. That being said, those ships are really fun and they have great gimics on all the ships. The older ships have great discounts and the newer ships might blow you away with entertainment. They do cater to a large Latin American crowd so practice your salsa dancing and brush up on your Spanish.
Carnival is the cruise line where I went the elevator and on the way stepped in a piece of pizza in the hallway. When I got to the elevator the doors opened and a teenager wearing a bikini fell out on her back and rested a can of Bud Light on her stomach laughing uncontrollably. It's a party ship. Everyone will be quite drunk and it is pretty much a "WALMART" hang. That being said, the "supper club" specialty restaurant on the SPIRIT and I imagine all the new Carnival ships was seriously the best food I've eaten on any ship. I made some huge sales to very successful people on Carnival so it isn't 100% WALMART, but for sure it is at least 80%. It had a $30 charge pp. Better than QM2, better than Princess. Crazy, huh? Another thing, the company is so terrible to their employees on the ship it filters down through the crew. I worked on the Spirit and one lunch in the staff mess they served us TRIPE SOUP. I'm not kidding. They took a big box of cow stomach that you wouldn't feed your pig and boiled it and served it to us.
Princess Cruise Lines is my favorite cruise line. I worked for them for about 6 years and they treated all the crew so well. In turn, you will always get a smile and great service from crew members how are genuinely happy to serve you. Princess does see a lot of familes with 5-18 yr olds and the kids program is great. I took my son there and he was only 2. The rule was I had to be there because he had to be three to be left there. After watching the youth staff for hours and hours on three different cruises I can say they are amazing. Some kids cried when it was time to leave - EVERY DAY. Towards the end of the cruise the parents would have no problem going to dinner and a show and leaving the kids there for 2-3 hours. I think Princess gets a B+ or higher for everything they do, instead of other lines who are good at some things but not good in others.
Cunard, QM2 - I only mention the QM2 because I feel Victoria and QE are unremarkable. They are basically P&O cruise ships run by the P&O cruise division borrowing some Cunard officers and of course that valuable Cunard brand, purchased by the Carnival corporation. If you like to wear a tux and love fine dining and a traditional British experience, you HAVE to try Cunard. They have long voyages and small cruises. If you go do yourself a favor and bring LOTS of formal clothes. The point of sailing Cunard is to dress up and hob-nob with the elite. Dress code is strict and you have a lot of Brits so prepare to have lots of conversations about the "currency exchange" and why the "World" Series is silly because it is American and why American Football players are wimps because they wear pads. Sorry, Brits, I've heard it all before.
Costa - don't do it. I know you are looking at expedia and it is cheaper then the next option, but don't do it. I've worked for that company and it is run by the most incompetant officers and shoreside department I've ever worked for. I don't hold a grudge, but I can tell you they were utterly useless.
Celebrity - never worked on one. I heard the food was good and a lot of people who sail Celebrity love it. I've never heard a complaint about one. Alot of older people. Celebrity is bad to the crew because they use Greek officers who are the worst. They work everyone to the bone with no over time and Greeks are usually borderline abusive to the crew. I never worked for Celebrity but I did work for the Premier Oceanbreeze which was Greek. Also, the stories I heard from other crew about Greeks were ridiculous. (See my post below about officers.)
Norwegian - never been on one, either. Everyone I've met have either LOVED or HATED Norwegian cruises so I can't tell you one way or the other to take one. I guess you could say it is a gamble where Princess is a sure thing. But people who love Norwegian like it better than Princess so who knows.
Holland America - if you lost a fortune in the Great Depression or are a member of Brokaw's "Greatest Generation"
then Holland America is for you. FREE fresh squeezed orange juice every day on the + side. Many free activities. The cruisers are a little bit wacko, though. Like SERIOUS cruisers who took Holland America tote bags and made matching his-and-hers vests. If you like a battalion or geriatric ice-cream eaters, God bless ya. Go on a cruise with Holland America. They do interesting activities there, though, such as a Culinary Arts Center
where you can taste recipes from Executive Chef Rudi Sodamin
and, of course, buy his cookbooks for a fee. Overall, a professional line for older folks who like such hobbies as Mah Jong or crocheting.
Well, that is it for my synopsis. I didn't work on any other lines so I couldn't comment on others. I did Ocean Village, but I don't think they are around any more, are they? Who knows.
Floridarob - you want to be a FCC? Why not try Captains Circle host? They use the same computer program and while they are full of FCCs sometimes they have openings of the other job. You can switch jobs on Princess by using a "career path transfer." Personally, I would go for the Port and Shopping job or Art Auctioneer. You have to be very outgoing, but you can do better in those jobs than the FCC job.
Well, bloggets and bloggudes, that is it for now. Thank you for your encouraging comments, please keep them coming. It is my first Blog and I've found it is kind of addicting. I hope you have enjoyed my entries. If you want more, why not leave me a comment or question and then click on an ad on this page? It will encourage me to keep going.
"Dobie" asked me about tipping on the ship and if cash tips were supposed to be split. Well, I think technically all tips are supposed to be reported (officially) but much like a waiter making tips in the states very little gets "declared." Once you have the cash in your hands you'd have to be pretty thick to turn it in to have it split 200 times and then returned. It is accepted not in policy but in practice that all cash tips are property of the recipient.
Someone asked me what I like to bring on a cruise. Well, I can't pack for you, but my advice: Pack your suitcase half full. Crazy? NOPE. You'll buy "cruisewear" and tee shirts in ports. Why not wear them once while your there? Most people STUFF their luggange and then they don't know what to do withb all their extra souvenirs on the way home. Another thing that I really believe in is a pair of high quality sunglasses like Maui Jim or Revo. They actually brighten up your days while relaxing your eyes and it is nice to distinguish yourself from the dollar store glasses most cruisers bring.
Bonnie wants to know about the different cruise lines and mentioned it was difficult to post a comment. I've attempted a correction by allowing anyone to comment even anonymous comments. I thought by having registered bloggers only it would discourage alot of garbage but all comments so far have been really "+." Bonnie every line is different and I have some words on the lines I personally worked with. I would do what you're doing - ask around, but also
Royal Caribbean is great an caters to families, plus the young and old. Know if you're going there for a romantic couples getaway when you get in elevator a kid probably has pushed all the buttons and the hot tub might be filled with pee. That being said, those ships are really fun and they have great gimics on all the ships. The older ships have great discounts and the newer ships might blow you away with entertainment. They do cater to a large Latin American crowd so practice your salsa dancing and brush up on your Spanish.
Carnival is the cruise line where I went the elevator and on the way stepped in a piece of pizza in the hallway. When I got to the elevator the doors opened and a teenager wearing a bikini fell out on her back and rested a can of Bud Light on her stomach laughing uncontrollably. It's a party ship. Everyone will be quite drunk and it is pretty much a "WALMART" hang. That being said, the "supper club" specialty restaurant on the SPIRIT and I imagine all the new Carnival ships was seriously the best food I've eaten on any ship. I made some huge sales to very successful people on Carnival so it isn't 100% WALMART, but for sure it is at least 80%. It had a $30 charge pp. Better than QM2, better than Princess. Crazy, huh? Another thing, the company is so terrible to their employees on the ship it filters down through the crew. I worked on the Spirit and one lunch in the staff mess they served us TRIPE SOUP. I'm not kidding. They took a big box of cow stomach that you wouldn't feed your pig and boiled it and served it to us.
Princess Cruise Lines is my favorite cruise line. I worked for them for about 6 years and they treated all the crew so well. In turn, you will always get a smile and great service from crew members how are genuinely happy to serve you. Princess does see a lot of familes with 5-18 yr olds and the kids program is great. I took my son there and he was only 2. The rule was I had to be there because he had to be three to be left there. After watching the youth staff for hours and hours on three different cruises I can say they are amazing. Some kids cried when it was time to leave - EVERY DAY. Towards the end of the cruise the parents would have no problem going to dinner and a show and leaving the kids there for 2-3 hours. I think Princess gets a B+ or higher for everything they do, instead of other lines who are good at some things but not good in others.
Cunard, QM2 - I only mention the QM2 because I feel Victoria and QE are unremarkable. They are basically P&O cruise ships run by the P&O cruise division borrowing some Cunard officers and of course that valuable Cunard brand, purchased by the Carnival corporation. If you like to wear a tux and love fine dining and a traditional British experience, you HAVE to try Cunard. They have long voyages and small cruises. If you go do yourself a favor and bring LOTS of formal clothes. The point of sailing Cunard is to dress up and hob-nob with the elite. Dress code is strict and you have a lot of Brits so prepare to have lots of conversations about the "currency exchange" and why the "World" Series is silly because it is American and why American Football players are wimps because they wear pads. Sorry, Brits, I've heard it all before.
Costa - don't do it. I know you are looking at expedia and it is cheaper then the next option, but don't do it. I've worked for that company and it is run by the most incompetant officers and shoreside department I've ever worked for. I don't hold a grudge, but I can tell you they were utterly useless.
Celebrity - never worked on one. I heard the food was good and a lot of people who sail Celebrity love it. I've never heard a complaint about one. Alot of older people. Celebrity is bad to the crew because they use Greek officers who are the worst. They work everyone to the bone with no over time and Greeks are usually borderline abusive to the crew. I never worked for Celebrity but I did work for the Premier Oceanbreeze which was Greek. Also, the stories I heard from other crew about Greeks were ridiculous. (See my post below about officers.)
Norwegian - never been on one, either. Everyone I've met have either LOVED or HATED Norwegian cruises so I can't tell you one way or the other to take one. I guess you could say it is a gamble where Princess is a sure thing. But people who love Norwegian like it better than Princess so who knows.
Holland America - if you lost a fortune in the Great Depression or are a member of Brokaw's "Greatest Generation"
then Holland America is for you. FREE fresh squeezed orange juice every day on the + side. Many free activities. The cruisers are a little bit wacko, though. Like SERIOUS cruisers who took Holland America tote bags and made matching his-and-hers vests. If you like a battalion or geriatric ice-cream eaters, God bless ya. Go on a cruise with Holland America. They do interesting activities there, though, such as a Culinary Arts Center where you can taste recipes from Executive Chef Rudi Sodamin and, of course, buy his cookbooks for a fee. Overall, a professional line for older folks who like such hobbies as Mah Jong or crocheting.Well, that is it for my synopsis. I didn't work on any other lines so I couldn't comment on others. I did Ocean Village, but I don't think they are around any more, are they? Who knows.
Floridarob - you want to be a FCC? Why not try Captains Circle host? They use the same computer program and while they are full of FCCs sometimes they have openings of the other job. You can switch jobs on Princess by using a "career path transfer." Personally, I would go for the Port and Shopping job or Art Auctioneer. You have to be very outgoing, but you can do better in those jobs than the FCC job.
Well, bloggets and bloggudes, that is it for now. Thank you for your encouraging comments, please keep them coming. It is my first Blog and I've found it is kind of addicting. I hope you have enjoyed my entries. If you want more, why not leave me a comment or question and then click on an ad on this page? It will encourage me to keep going.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Life of the Crew and a Request for Reader Comments
WOW! What an explosion of interest in the last day! Thank you for checking in to trumpettravels to the hear the real life story of an American trumpet player who joined the cruise ships on a whim and ended up sailing into the sunset for over ten years.
I want to talk more about the crew on the ship, but first I have a favor. I have so much information about ports of call all over the world, different lines and different ships, crew members, jobs, and the ambiance of the major cruise lines. I would love to write about what you, the reader, would be most interested in to hear. I have no agenda for writing this blog and because I recently got a job on land I can now express how I feel about the entire industry without reservation. Before, I could not show my feelings about everything because I was a representative of my company and it was unethical. I certainly have no grudge against anyone, I cherish my years at sea, but if you want to know the dirt, I'm happy to layer it on.
So, READERS, what do YOU want to know about the ships? The crew life? You know when you ask that crew member how he likes the job and every single one say they love it? If you could get a 100% honest answer, WHAT WOULD YOU ASK someone who has done it all and seen everything? All comments welcome and depending on volume I will try to address as much as possible as we go from week to week.
OK, let me write a few words about the crew and we'll see where that takes us.
What is the "CREW" on a ship? The crew are the ones who basically do everything. EVERYTHING. Officers look good in stripes and give orders, staff members have fun and have certain skills that award them privileges, but if you banged on the door of a cruise line today completely void of any skills, you would probably start at the bottom of the pecking order. I don't want to sound condescending but most crew who are hired on the ship are completely unskilled. Through years of service and dedication they become the witty, joking, smiling, English-speaking crew member you remember from your last cruise. How do they do it? Let's take an example.
Eddy has just been hired out of trade school from the Phillipines. His father and uncles have worked on cruises, so he knew someone at the agency. His cousins have either gone to Hong Kong as house servants or off to the oil fields of Saudi Arabia, but Eddy wants to be like his Dad, a retired head waiter.
Joining the ship he starts in the crew mess. He helps run the crew dining room buffet. After a six month contract he goes home, saving half his pay. Next contract he starts in the crew mess. His smile and attitude grant him promotion to staff mess. This is a sit down dinner and he starts fetching plates from the main galley for staff members. He's now receiving tips from the staff members supplementing his income. He's sending alot more money home now to a 30+ group of extended family members who can now start a small taxi business and a take out lunch hut near Manilla. During his contract a new build enters the company and there is a big movement to bring the most experienced crew members to that ship. Eddy isn't one, but the promotion vacuum sucks him up to officers mess. Eddy is confident and his English is very good now. The officers give him a tough time. He smiles and is professional. The officers are tipping less strangely because they make more, but that is the way it is. By the end of his second contract, Eddy is up at the passenger buffet helping out and bringing drinks.
After one year of service a crew member like "Eddy" can move to the dining room and eventually work his way up the food chain to F&B manager if he is talented enough. Can you imagine having no opportunities a home and having the world at your feet on a ship? The chances are really great on the ship.
Now with the tipping on a ship. NOBODY likes to hear this and EVERYBODY thinks they know better. I'm sorry, but I have been in this industry for over ten years.
I used to wait tables in college. It was at a Tony Romas BBQ Rib joint. BBQ Rib joints in America attract a certain slice of society and that certain slice does not like to tip. I may be prejudiced here, but it is an informed prejudice. I worked and got stiffed there for a whole year. NOW when I go to a restaurant if a waitress drops her gum in my soup or ignores us I would seriously still tip 10%. Because I've been there and I know the pain of working a BUSY Sunday all day and walking home with $10.
Now, for the tipping. Your luggage may have been late, the ship may have iron your shirts wrong, and it is the policy of EVERY cruise line that gratuities are OPTIONAL (with the exception of lines where tipping is forbidden) - BUT it isn't right to cancel your gratuities onboard. I know. Suddenly I'm unpopular and I've totally lost your interest. It just isn't right to cancel those tips.
Did you know the average salary of a worker on the ship who works for gratuities? FIFTY DOLLARS A MONTH. Seriously. $50/month. Does anyone have any idea what it would be like to do cruise where you have 14 cabins to take care of where the passengers are very demanding and at the end make next to ZERO? It happens. ALOT. Especially on ships with a lot of British passengers. The Brits will spend $100 on some beers at lunch (IN ONE DAY!), but take off all the gratuities at the end of their cruise.
Everyone's heard, "Yeah, but I like to hand out the cash." You know who says that? People that cancel the tips and walk off the ship. Don't think I'm a pessimist. I talked to waiters and cabin stewards for ten years and especially when we were sailing from England they were all crying to come back to the states where people recognize service.
The crew on the ship are incredibly hard working. Are they perfect? Of course not. Training is a constant uphill struggle! Some, especially the Romanian or Eastern European, can come across as rude. Most are sweet and trying to do a good job.
Hey, if someone's service isn't up to par, let him know! Tell him, but don't stiff him. If it is really bad and you do take the grats off, remember the grats cover your waiter and all the dining staff and you cabin steward. Don't punish one for the other's wrong doing. And have the balls to explain WHY you stiffed them so they don't think you're a jerk and they can improve.
Well, that's the last you'll hear of that! If you comment on the tips, take it easy on me. I'm simply trying to inform everyone of the crew members perspective and I hope you've got a taste of that now.
What to come next? I think I'm going to start to talk about actually getting on a ship for the first time and finding my wat around. Thanks for tuning in! Why not "follow me." Have you used GOOGLE READER? Add me! Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
I want to talk more about the crew on the ship, but first I have a favor. I have so much information about ports of call all over the world, different lines and different ships, crew members, jobs, and the ambiance of the major cruise lines. I would love to write about what you, the reader, would be most interested in to hear. I have no agenda for writing this blog and because I recently got a job on land I can now express how I feel about the entire industry without reservation. Before, I could not show my feelings about everything because I was a representative of my company and it was unethical. I certainly have no grudge against anyone, I cherish my years at sea, but if you want to know the dirt, I'm happy to layer it on.
So, READERS, what do YOU want to know about the ships? The crew life? You know when you ask that crew member how he likes the job and every single one say they love it? If you could get a 100% honest answer, WHAT WOULD YOU ASK someone who has done it all and seen everything? All comments welcome and depending on volume I will try to address as much as possible as we go from week to week.
OK, let me write a few words about the crew and we'll see where that takes us.
What is the "CREW" on a ship? The crew are the ones who basically do everything. EVERYTHING. Officers look good in stripes and give orders, staff members have fun and have certain skills that award them privileges, but if you banged on the door of a cruise line today completely void of any skills, you would probably start at the bottom of the pecking order. I don't want to sound condescending but most crew who are hired on the ship are completely unskilled. Through years of service and dedication they become the witty, joking, smiling, English-speaking crew member you remember from your last cruise. How do they do it? Let's take an example.
Eddy has just been hired out of trade school from the Phillipines. His father and uncles have worked on cruises, so he knew someone at the agency. His cousins have either gone to Hong Kong as house servants or off to the oil fields of Saudi Arabia, but Eddy wants to be like his Dad, a retired head waiter.
Joining the ship he starts in the crew mess. He helps run the crew dining room buffet. After a six month contract he goes home, saving half his pay. Next contract he starts in the crew mess. His smile and attitude grant him promotion to staff mess. This is a sit down dinner and he starts fetching plates from the main galley for staff members. He's now receiving tips from the staff members supplementing his income. He's sending alot more money home now to a 30+ group of extended family members who can now start a small taxi business and a take out lunch hut near Manilla. During his contract a new build enters the company and there is a big movement to bring the most experienced crew members to that ship. Eddy isn't one, but the promotion vacuum sucks him up to officers mess. Eddy is confident and his English is very good now. The officers give him a tough time. He smiles and is professional. The officers are tipping less strangely because they make more, but that is the way it is. By the end of his second contract, Eddy is up at the passenger buffet helping out and bringing drinks.
After one year of service a crew member like "Eddy" can move to the dining room and eventually work his way up the food chain to F&B manager if he is talented enough. Can you imagine having no opportunities a home and having the world at your feet on a ship? The chances are really great on the ship.
Now with the tipping on a ship. NOBODY likes to hear this and EVERYBODY thinks they know better. I'm sorry, but I have been in this industry for over ten years.
I used to wait tables in college. It was at a Tony Romas BBQ Rib joint. BBQ Rib joints in America attract a certain slice of society and that certain slice does not like to tip. I may be prejudiced here, but it is an informed prejudice. I worked and got stiffed there for a whole year. NOW when I go to a restaurant if a waitress drops her gum in my soup or ignores us I would seriously still tip 10%. Because I've been there and I know the pain of working a BUSY Sunday all day and walking home with $10.
Now, for the tipping. Your luggage may have been late, the ship may have iron your shirts wrong, and it is the policy of EVERY cruise line that gratuities are OPTIONAL (with the exception of lines where tipping is forbidden) - BUT it isn't right to cancel your gratuities onboard. I know. Suddenly I'm unpopular and I've totally lost your interest. It just isn't right to cancel those tips.
Did you know the average salary of a worker on the ship who works for gratuities? FIFTY DOLLARS A MONTH. Seriously. $50/month. Does anyone have any idea what it would be like to do cruise where you have 14 cabins to take care of where the passengers are very demanding and at the end make next to ZERO? It happens. ALOT. Especially on ships with a lot of British passengers. The Brits will spend $100 on some beers at lunch (IN ONE DAY!), but take off all the gratuities at the end of their cruise.
Everyone's heard, "Yeah, but I like to hand out the cash." You know who says that? People that cancel the tips and walk off the ship. Don't think I'm a pessimist. I talked to waiters and cabin stewards for ten years and especially when we were sailing from England they were all crying to come back to the states where people recognize service.
The crew on the ship are incredibly hard working. Are they perfect? Of course not. Training is a constant uphill struggle! Some, especially the Romanian or Eastern European, can come across as rude. Most are sweet and trying to do a good job.
Hey, if someone's service isn't up to par, let him know! Tell him, but don't stiff him. If it is really bad and you do take the grats off, remember the grats cover your waiter and all the dining staff and you cabin steward. Don't punish one for the other's wrong doing. And have the balls to explain WHY you stiffed them so they don't think you're a jerk and they can improve.
Well, that's the last you'll hear of that! If you comment on the tips, take it easy on me. I'm simply trying to inform everyone of the crew members perspective and I hope you've got a taste of that now.
What to come next? I think I'm going to start to talk about actually getting on a ship for the first time and finding my wat around. Thanks for tuning in! Why not "follow me." Have you used GOOGLE READER? Add me! Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Actual Jobs on a Cruise Ship - Staff
Hello, Readers, and thank you for tuning in to trumptettravels - the true accounts of my 11 year career on cruise ships as a crew member aboard Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises, Premier Cruises and the Holland America Line.
On inspection of my last post: Jobs on a Ship: Staff, I realized I did not really write much about staff but merely droned on about the environment on a ship. If you are a potential crew member all that stuff is important, but here's a few of the jobs you can do as a staff member on the ship.
Musician: You usually need to be pretty good to be a musician on a ship. Jokes aside, you are required to read and improvise at a fairly high level. Most everyone I met out there as a musician myself was either a recent college grad paying off bills or a forty-something divorced musician trying to pay spousal support and escaping the small community they worked in. If your life's goal is to be a musician I don't think there is a better way to travel with a lot of practice time and pay off some loans than working on a cruise. I would recommend it only if you are not happy living where you went to school. Once you step on the ship you lose ALL contacts with your land based work. I know it sounds dramatic, but it IS TRUE. If you went to school in Manhattan working on the ship will do you more harm than good. In my case, I went to school in Rochester, NY, a place I knew 100% I did NOT want to live! The best candidates for musos: recent college grads, or those who have fallen on hard times and don't have a place to live.
Beauty Salon: The Salon is run by Steiner normally. It is a good job if you are South African and want ot escape your country and make some money. More and more there are less people from England and North America and more from developing nations. This is a sign of increased education in these areas as well as the parent company less willing to pay a fair working wage for anyone who doesn't live in a rice paddie. Most people who get into hair, massage, or whatever salon people do, do it to help people. You will learn to lose that attitude on the ship fast. The spa has a regimen of drilling their "sales people" (therapists) to create retail, retail, retail. Mark-ups on their retail are huge with enough to give a cut to the cruise line, pay wages, and feed up to STEINER which is a public company. If you work in the salon you cannot thrive without puching people to buy stuff they don't want in the middle of a relaxing treatment.
Youth Staff: The youth staff position on the ship is nice. Not high paying, but the staff members are always nice. The job isn't too bad.
Photog (see my last blog entry)
Cruise Director's Staff: If you want to be a cruise director (a very good job) you have to slave away for years as a "cruise staff." The glory days of making the big bucks are now gone. I know someone who was making $500/week in BINGO commissions, but the company got smart and realized it is better to funnel all the money up to corporate instead of giving alot back to staff members and the winne rof BINGO. My friends jackpots were 10k/week. Now the big jackpot on Princess is 1K-2K tops a week. I wonder - who is in charge of regulating this anyway? A gaming commission? Anyway, WAY back in the day, a few of the crew members I met on a different ship went ashore to a party store and bought boxes of BINGO cards. They sold those BINGO cards for cash and pocketed the cash. No cards or money were missing from inventory! For horse racing, the cruise director would have a friend cruise and buy a bunch of tickets for one number. Then as he was shaking the dice and calling the numbers, at the last moment his friend's horse would have a tremendous lucky streak and beat all the other horses! Who checks the dice in that horse racing? Only one guy on every ship in the world? SUCKERS!
Dancers: For those of you too short to dance in Vegas or on Broadway the cruises are a great way to do what you love and travel. Also, it is perfect for those who do not like to work very much. My advice: Set a time limit when you start so you're not 32 years old and unmarried and dancing on a cruise ship (and ready to get injured).
Did I forget a job? Why not leave me a question if you have one? Many more posts about the crew and travels to come...
On inspection of my last post: Jobs on a Ship: Staff, I realized I did not really write much about staff but merely droned on about the environment on a ship. If you are a potential crew member all that stuff is important, but here's a few of the jobs you can do as a staff member on the ship.
Musician: You usually need to be pretty good to be a musician on a ship. Jokes aside, you are required to read and improvise at a fairly high level. Most everyone I met out there as a musician myself was either a recent college grad paying off bills or a forty-something divorced musician trying to pay spousal support and escaping the small community they worked in. If your life's goal is to be a musician I don't think there is a better way to travel with a lot of practice time and pay off some loans than working on a cruise. I would recommend it only if you are not happy living where you went to school. Once you step on the ship you lose ALL contacts with your land based work. I know it sounds dramatic, but it IS TRUE. If you went to school in Manhattan working on the ship will do you more harm than good. In my case, I went to school in Rochester, NY, a place I knew 100% I did NOT want to live! The best candidates for musos: recent college grads, or those who have fallen on hard times and don't have a place to live.
Beauty Salon: The Salon is run by Steiner normally. It is a good job if you are South African and want ot escape your country and make some money. More and more there are less people from England and North America and more from developing nations. This is a sign of increased education in these areas as well as the parent company less willing to pay a fair working wage for anyone who doesn't live in a rice paddie. Most people who get into hair, massage, or whatever salon people do, do it to help people. You will learn to lose that attitude on the ship fast. The spa has a regimen of drilling their "sales people" (therapists) to create retail, retail, retail. Mark-ups on their retail are huge with enough to give a cut to the cruise line, pay wages, and feed up to STEINER which is a public company. If you work in the salon you cannot thrive without puching people to buy stuff they don't want in the middle of a relaxing treatment.
Youth Staff: The youth staff position on the ship is nice. Not high paying, but the staff members are always nice. The job isn't too bad.
Photog (see my last blog entry)
Cruise Director's Staff: If you want to be a cruise director (a very good job) you have to slave away for years as a "cruise staff." The glory days of making the big bucks are now gone. I know someone who was making $500/week in BINGO commissions, but the company got smart and realized it is better to funnel all the money up to corporate instead of giving alot back to staff members and the winne rof BINGO. My friends jackpots were 10k/week. Now the big jackpot on Princess is 1K-2K tops a week. I wonder - who is in charge of regulating this anyway? A gaming commission? Anyway, WAY back in the day, a few of the crew members I met on a different ship went ashore to a party store and bought boxes of BINGO cards. They sold those BINGO cards for cash and pocketed the cash. No cards or money were missing from inventory! For horse racing, the cruise director would have a friend cruise and buy a bunch of tickets for one number. Then as he was shaking the dice and calling the numbers, at the last moment his friend's horse would have a tremendous lucky streak and beat all the other horses! Who checks the dice in that horse racing? Only one guy on every ship in the world? SUCKERS!
Dancers: For those of you too short to dance in Vegas or on Broadway the cruises are a great way to do what you love and travel. Also, it is perfect for those who do not like to work very much. My advice: Set a time limit when you start so you're not 32 years old and unmarried and dancing on a cruise ship (and ready to get injured).
Did I forget a job? Why not leave me a question if you have one? Many more posts about the crew and travels to come...
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Jobs on the Ship - What is the Staff like? (Photog, Salon, Musos, Dancers)
Here we are again, my loyal fan club of 2 viewers so far. I noticed a lot of pings from Croatia. I LOVE it there! We went to Dubrovnik and Split. Really amazing places. Oh, and when I say alot of pings, I mean two. I've never blogged before so I don't know what is good and what is bad for pings or readers, but I think common sense would dictate that 2 people out of 6 billion is less than I imagined. I guess there is alot of info out there. Also, I tried googling my own blog and couldn't find it. Hey, if you are a blogger and you enjoy reading this, why don't you link to it so more people can find me?
Anyway the staff are the face of the ship. Well, not entirely true. The waiters and housekeepers probably have more face time and they are crew. You know it is a funny thing. What exactly determines staff from crew on a ship? Officers have to go to nautical school and they are highly skilled. Both staff and crew interact with passengers but staff have higher priveleges than crew. I guess staff have more education? Well, that's not entirely true. I've known sommeliers who've had a much better education than some dancers or salon workers. It is weird, but in general, 90% of the staff are white (with of course many different ethnicities from developed countries) whereas 90% of crew are Asian or Eastern European. Let's call them "ex-Communists" - Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, etc... Most of these people insist they are European like they were born on the Champs Elysees or something! Anyway, the asians are all from Indonesia (Holland America) or Phillipines (Princess) or India (most lines). The funny thing on Carnival was that there was a great amount of sophisticated Indian low-stripe officers. They were always the nicest people on Carnival. Other lines I've found alot of Indian dishwashers and the lowest paid jobs.
So 90% of the staff lets say are from developed countries. Those countries would be USA, Canada, real Europe and the UK, and now South Africa (from rich families only). If you are from a poor family in South Africa you work in the dining room. I'm not trying to burst anyone's bubble or anything, but I've never been proven wrong in 10 years. Don't worry, once you get on the ship the chances for advancement are great.
Staff members have higher paying jobs than most crewmembers. There are exceptions. Some housekeeprs or cabin stewards work on $50 a month salary, yet they can earn big money on tips. Of course when the ship goes to the UK everybody is in tears because Brits suck at tipping. They will spend $100 at lunch on beers but can't tip the guy that cleans up their vomited-on bathroom three nights in a row! Your typical staff member is probably making $1000 - $3000 a month. Specialists like singers could make more.
Photographers have a tough life on the ship, I think. They have to herd all of these cows (passengers or 'pax' as they are called.) Nobobdy wants their picture taken because everyone wants to relax and be on vacation. The photographers job is to force people to smile and pose and then when they are coming out of dinner (with a few drinks in them ) the photos are on display and you can buy them. Or buy two and get a free chotsky. They typically buy their own equipment and work hard hours. They are on the gangway at port, then might take a tour, then they do formal night set ups, shoot all night, then they are selling photos and printing photos and somehow they are always in the crew bar drinking, too. The funny thing is they work really hard but they have a lot of fun. I personally couldn't do the job but I think many of them appreciate the travel opportunities and some are really passionate about photography. Those ones don't last long since you are mostly making snapshots of fat people.
When I started ships I was a single guy with no worries. I wanted to write much more about different staff jobs, but I think that is going to have to wait. You see, I am in the 1 in a billion category of crewmembers who met someone on the ship, got together, and we actually stayed together. I started ships when I was 21. Now I am 33 and my son, who is 27months just woke us up with a cough. It's 11pm and the day starts early. Stay tuned about more stories from the ships and if you know a crew member, why not email them a link? Crew members will tell you all the stories I'm telling you are true!
Anyway the staff are the face of the ship. Well, not entirely true. The waiters and housekeepers probably have more face time and they are crew. You know it is a funny thing. What exactly determines staff from crew on a ship? Officers have to go to nautical school and they are highly skilled. Both staff and crew interact with passengers but staff have higher priveleges than crew. I guess staff have more education? Well, that's not entirely true. I've known sommeliers who've had a much better education than some dancers or salon workers. It is weird, but in general, 90% of the staff are white (with of course many different ethnicities from developed countries) whereas 90% of crew are Asian or Eastern European. Let's call them "ex-Communists" - Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, etc... Most of these people insist they are European like they were born on the Champs Elysees or something! Anyway, the asians are all from Indonesia (Holland America) or Phillipines (Princess) or India (most lines). The funny thing on Carnival was that there was a great amount of sophisticated Indian low-stripe officers. They were always the nicest people on Carnival. Other lines I've found alot of Indian dishwashers and the lowest paid jobs.
So 90% of the staff lets say are from developed countries. Those countries would be USA, Canada, real Europe and the UK, and now South Africa (from rich families only). If you are from a poor family in South Africa you work in the dining room. I'm not trying to burst anyone's bubble or anything, but I've never been proven wrong in 10 years. Don't worry, once you get on the ship the chances for advancement are great.
Staff members have higher paying jobs than most crewmembers. There are exceptions. Some housekeeprs or cabin stewards work on $50 a month salary, yet they can earn big money on tips. Of course when the ship goes to the UK everybody is in tears because Brits suck at tipping. They will spend $100 at lunch on beers but can't tip the guy that cleans up their vomited-on bathroom three nights in a row! Your typical staff member is probably making $1000 - $3000 a month. Specialists like singers could make more.
Photographers have a tough life on the ship, I think. They have to herd all of these cows (passengers or 'pax' as they are called.) Nobobdy wants their picture taken because everyone wants to relax and be on vacation. The photographers job is to force people to smile and pose and then when they are coming out of dinner (with a few drinks in them ) the photos are on display and you can buy them. Or buy two and get a free chotsky. They typically buy their own equipment and work hard hours. They are on the gangway at port, then might take a tour, then they do formal night set ups, shoot all night, then they are selling photos and printing photos and somehow they are always in the crew bar drinking, too. The funny thing is they work really hard but they have a lot of fun. I personally couldn't do the job but I think many of them appreciate the travel opportunities and some are really passionate about photography. Those ones don't last long since you are mostly making snapshots of fat people.
When I started ships I was a single guy with no worries. I wanted to write much more about different staff jobs, but I think that is going to have to wait. You see, I am in the 1 in a billion category of crewmembers who met someone on the ship, got together, and we actually stayed together. I started ships when I was 21. Now I am 33 and my son, who is 27months just woke us up with a cough. It's 11pm and the day starts early. Stay tuned about more stories from the ships and if you know a crew member, why not email them a link? Crew members will tell you all the stories I'm telling you are true!
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