Those who make this vacation wonderful

Thursday, November 03, 2016
Open seas, International
We are very curious about all this staff that is serving us: cabin our steward Santiago, wait staff, spa employees, reception desk, barmen—and these are only the ones we see. There are cooks, laundry personnel running machines that hold 250lbs, plumbers, mechanics, stock and supply room personnel—one employee for every two passengers. How can the company afford to run a ship at this price? One waiter told us that NCL has a school in the Philippines where wait staff learn to serve food. And they are good, efficient, attentive waiters and waitresses; I'd love to take to my hometown. The waiter thought there were more schools in more countries. Sixty different nationalities are working on the ship. Interesting that all security people are from Nepal.


One young man told us that his father had been a teacher in the Philippines, but the pay was so low that his father went to sea . The young waiter had studied ship engineering but was now a waiter at sea, hoping to move up in the hospitality field.

Our steward had been at sea for fourteen years, putting three children through college, with one more to go. He was hoping he could make it through this contract, which lasts eight months, but he had developed heel pain, which couldn’t heal as long as he had to stand and walk to tend cabins. I hope the gel inserts he bought in Miami allow him to finish his contract, so he can support his family: real problems.

International standards for contracts:

Captain gets 10 weeks on ship and then 10 weeks at home.

Staff is 6 months on and 6 weeks off.

Crew gets 8 months on and 8 weeks off.
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