Recently went on a cruise - working conditions for the Phillipino waiters...?

Question

I went on the Thomson cruises and all the waiters (who are Phillipino) are so kind and everything. I recently found out that the waiters have to work solidly for 9 months with only a 3 hour break in the afternoon - about 7 hours sleep. And the pay's not amazing either even though it probably goes further in the Phillipine's. But don't you think that's awful, they don't get one day off work for 9 months?

Lorna

Answer 1

Im filipino and I've been 2 the philippines. It's a poor country and people there dont really get much education, especially if there poor and they cant get good jobs because they work to hard to take care of there parents, which is exactly what happened with my mom. So it is true that its unfair, but what can you do if you have no education, look for another job? do u know how hard that is and my mom is STILL unemployed and my parents are divorced so my mom doesnt do well, luckily she saved up money though. but enough about me. It is true, thats not fair. I agree to how awful it is. there is nothing good about it anyway

Answer 2

9 months is actually a short trip - alot if not most phillipino/indonesian crews on cruise ships are on there for 12 months...yep a whole year without a day off.

They work 10 hours a day, 7 days a week - with paid overtime sometimes on top

Yes, to us westerners that sounds a complete outrage, however they - the barstaff/waiters/cabin stewards can be on around $2000 a month, which in indonesia goes a long way to having a very comfortable life - alot of the guys on my ship also ran 2 or 3 buisinesses at home started from the money they make on board

If you want to talk about awful, next time you go on a cruise ship and see how well maintained the exterior is, and how the ship is always on time, spare a thought for the indonesian or philipino sailors and wipers (engine room workers) they work about 12 hours a day, hardly ever any over time and are paid about $600 a month - yes - the people who will put their lives in great danger to save your life if there is a fire or if you ever have to abandon ship are the lowest paid people onboard, yet are amongst the hardest working people i have ever met.

why so little? because you never see them, and they dont contribute directly to increasing the companies profits (unlike barstaff for example)

So as a Deck Officer incharge of these hard working guys, ill hope next time you see some sailors work, stop and spend 10 seconds of your day to tell them what a good job they are doing - itll be 10 seconds for you, but will make their day

Thanks :)