ShipSpotting.com Forum
Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: JMB on August 28, 2007, 11:19:20 PM
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Perhaps slightly off-topic but might be of interest to people here. There was an programme on BBC Radio 4 on Monday evening about the poor labour conditions and high crime rate on cruise ships - available online (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/thepriceoffun/).
The answers from the cruise companies were very unconvincing.
Just glad that I am not planning on going on a cruise!
DOCUMENTARY: The Price of Fun
On: BBC Radio Four
Date: Monday 27th August 2007 (12 minutes left)
Time: 20:00 to 20:30 (30 minutes long)
First of two programmes in which Jolyon Jenkins investigates the seamy side of the cruise business, a rapidly expanding industry bound by few national laws. He examines allegations of the exploitation of crews and sexual crimes against passengers that go unpunished or are even covered up. Are cruise ships in effect floating cities with no police force?
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Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=7346
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
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Oh don't worry about it! Take a cruise and have fun! Typical of the media to blow things out of proportion. Sure sometimes there's a problem, but it's seldom and doesn't affect many at all. We just got back on the NORWEGIAN DAWN and all was well! We've cruised lots of times... no big problems.
Book a Boat! :-D
Finn
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I agree Finn. I have been on a dozen cruises and never had a problem. The fact is crime is everywhere and you need to just use common sense when traveling.
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A few years ago there were reports in several news sources from the US about the high number of passengers who go missing during cruises. These were written off at the time as suicides, drunk passengers etc but listening to that programme made me wonder.
The worrying thing is that the cruise companies tend to cover up any incidents and I found their spokesman on the programme to be completely unconvincing.
I think there was a case of a female crew member who was raped on board by another more senior member of the crew. All the evidence was destroyed. This was confirmed by an ex Metropolitan Police detective who spent some time working as security on a cruise ship but he resigned because of the tendency to cover up crimes. He was involved in a rape on board but before he could take forensic samples all the bedding etc from the cabin was thrown overboard. He understood this was routine. There was also a 12 year old girl who was raped by a crew member, again evidence was destroyed. The parents took the company to court and only settled because they told her that they would interview every member of the girl's class at school in an attempt to get something to use against her. She settled out of court for an undisclosed sum but unlike most cases she refused to sign a "gagging order".
MB
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I'm from the Philippines where most of the crew on cruise ships are sourced, I can confirm that exploitation does occur, the basic salary of a waiter written on most contracts is USD 50 per month(equal to 1hour pay on developed countries) which can be considered slave labor as they have to work 12hrs or more per day, they would be happy if they receive tips as this can add to their income,
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georgeone wrote:
I'm from the Philippines where most of the crew on cruise ships are sourced, I can confirm that exploitation does occur, the basic salary of a waiter written on most contracts is USD 50 per month(equal to 1hour pay on developed countries) which can be considered slave labor as they have to work 12hrs or more per day, they would be happy if they receive tips as this can add to their income,
The programme was saying that it was quite common for crew to work over 6 months with no days off.
MB