Minimum wage, Gratuities and Oasis of the Seas fined.

We all know that crew members on a Cruise ship aren’t paid that great. They work long hours, 7 days a week. And often away from family for months on end. They ask us to pay gratuities towards their salary. I can understand this and they probably rely on it. I think the whole thing needs re looking at. I’m not sure we should have to pay gratuities towards their salaries. I think these big Ocean liners should pay a fair and decent minimum wage so that the crew don’t have to rely on passengers to tip them.

I think our gratuities should be an extra reward for outstanding service. I go to a restaurant and I’m sure the waiter and waitresses are paid and if I decide to leave a tip that’s extra in their back pocket for going that extra mille and providing good service. I appreciate the American’s work in a tipping environment and a lot of people in the states rely on it in food and beverage places.

But at sea, most of the cruise ships hire people from all over the world and not all countries like the USA work this way. I think these Ocean liners earn enough money to treat staff fairly.

I see the Oasis of the seas was fined recently for violating labour rules and over working crew members. $750,000 fine?!

That’s a lot of money to shelve out in a fine. Couldn’t it have been better in their crew members pockets instead of the office who imposed the fine? What a waste of money. I was disappointed to read this as I don’t like to think of a cruise ship not treating their staff fairly when let’s face it most of the time all the staff on board are excellent in how they look after us.

I’m not sure how the rules work with minimum wage and maybe as they’re on international waters it’s different than say here in the UK etc, but I think a law should be in place to provide a minimum wage and a new structure to how the gratuities are paid and distributed. As not everyone likes to pre-pay and some like to tip on board, meaning possibly extra for a waiter and a stateroom attendant but then less for those behind the scenes. What do you thinkon the policy of gratuities and any thoughts on The Oasis of the Seas recent fine?

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2014/10/articles/worst-cruise-line-in-the-world/netherlands-fines-royal-caribbean-over-750000-for-overworking-crewmembers/