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.
Those who make this vacation wonderful
Thursday, November 03, 2016
Open seas, International
Other Entries
-
1We're off!
Oct 304 days priorBarcelona Port, Spain and Canary Islandsphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 0 -
2Day 2 And then there was land: Cartagena
Oct 313 days priorCartagena, Spain and Canary Islandsphoto_camera9videocam 0comment 0 -
3Malaga on Foot
Nov 012 days priorMálaga, Spain and Canary Islandsphoto_camera19videocam 0comment 0 -
4At sea Day 4
Nov 021 day priorAt sea beyond Gibraltar, Moroccophoto_camera6videocam 0comment 0 -
5Up into Paradise
Nov 03earlier that dayFunchal, Portugalphoto_camera27videocam 0comment 0 -
6Those who make this vacation wonderful
Nov 03Open seas, Internationalphoto_camera3videocam 0comment 0 -
7Fellow Passengers
Nov 03later that dayOpen sea, Internationalphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
8First of four sea days between Madeira and Bermuda
Nov 041 day laterOpen Sea, Internationalphoto_camera5videocam 0comment 0 -
9Out in the middle, 2nd day between continents
Nov 052 days laterOpen sea, Internationalphoto_camera2videocam 0comment 0 -
10Day 8 Smooth sailing, 3rd day between continents
Nov 063 days laterOpen sea, Internationalphoto_camera1videocam 0comment 0 -
11Day 9 Shudder, shudder
Nov 074 days laterOpen sea, Internationalphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 0 -
12Day 10 Surprise end of the day
Nov 085 days laterOpen sea, Internationalphoto_camera1videocam 0comment 0 -
13Day 11 Forty-eight hours to Miami, but quarantined
Nov 096 days laterOpen sea, Internationalphoto_camera11videocam 0comment 0 -
14Day 12 Pit stop in Nassau
Nov 107 days laterNaussau, Bahamasphoto_camera8videocam 0comment 0 -
15Day 13 Miami and Little Havana
Nov 118 days laterMiami, United Statesphoto_camera15videocam 0comment 0 -
16Day 13 Early to Tampa
Nov 129 days laterOpen sea and Tampa Bay, United Statesphoto_camera4videocam 0comment 0 -
17Destination Reached
Nov 1310 days laterTampa, United Statesphoto_camera4videocam 0comment 0
2025-02-18