Again, not sure if RCL is the same, but it's probably similar. "symbolic that most security are Ghurkas". The number of strips also dictates the type ofon board accommodations the crew member gets. However, this is not the norm. Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. Passenger missing after going overboard from Quant AIDA Cruises Launches New Employer Branding Campai How to effectively reduce the stress levels on cru Norwegian Sun Crew Member Goes Overboard in Chile, Aircraft fly dangerously close to Norwegian Breakaway, Four Norwegian Breakaway Crew Members Injured in Rescue Boat Accident, Deceased NCL Breakaway Crew Member identified. Keep in mind not all crew are officers/hold stripes. Helpful. On some cruise lines: Staff Chief Engineer, Hotel Director (also known as Hotel Manager). When I was working onboard I never had a uniform with epaulettes. The last way a half stripe appears is in between two full sized stripes. Half stripes can appear in three ways. The Ups and Downs of an Around the World Life. You can also read the, Passenger missing after going overboard from Quantum of the Seas, AIDA Cruises Launches New Employer Branding Campaign #PlaceToWe. Oakman58, November 18, 2015 in Norwegian Cruise Line. And thats not all; the question arises as to why Norwegian Cruise Line is limiting the people who have stayed with the company over the most challenging period in its history. Cruise Ship Jobs - Deck Officers / Ratings and Security Positions At that time, only 2-stripe, and 2-stripe equivalent officers and above will maintain full access to public areas and outlets. As you may have guessed, with greater stripes comes greater responsibility. After a brief overview of the different uniforms you will have enough to get started onboard. Hotel Department: This is very dependent on cruise line, what positions they have (and need, bigger ship = more) onboard! Well dive into all of that more in the next post. However on cruise ships, you may see variations to differentiate from Staff Captain. Engine Details: . Can it? However, it fits into the significant number of recent cutbacks weve seen on multiple cruise lines lately. I wasn't going to respond to your post since it was from 2015, but since you rejoined the thread, I will. Thanks for the chart @CGTLH. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com. There are only 2 officers on NCL ships that wear the 3 1/2 stripes, the Staff Chief Engineer and the Chief Electrical Engineer. Work and Life at Sea | Medical Careers at Carnival Cruise Lines Without any further a-do, lets talk about stripes. Interestingly, hotel operations don't have an icon at all. You see pictures of crew members partying, exploring the world, hanging out on a beach, and helicoptering onto glaciers. On 11/18/2015 at 5:20 PM, chengkp75 said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Working on a cruise ship can seem like a dream traveling the world and then getting months off for vacation in between contracts. Am I correct in assuming from the epaulets on his uniform that this is the ships captain or am I wrong? Ads are placed on the site through Google AdSense. There is a tricky category that exists in the cruise ship world known as stripe equivalents. of Hotel Department The largest department onboard, led by the Hotel Manager, the Hotel Department is responsible for Culinary Operations, Beverage Department, Guest Relations, Onboard Revenue/Concessionaires, the Purser, Shore Excursions, Housekeeping, Medical, and the Entertainment Department to name a few. We lead the industry in this area, so dont let HAL down. Heres a quick outline of what those mean: As you may have guessed, with greater stripes comes greater responsibility. Ask anyone who has worked onboard a cruise ship in a higher management function, and theyll tell you that some of the most valuable people on board, and those that keep the ship running together with the crew, are the junior supervisors, officers, and staff. This is a privilege most often reserved for officers or a category known as "staff" or "officer status/privilege" depending on the cruise line. These are hotel positions and are things like: Cruise Director, Cruise Staff, Shore Excursions, Youth Programs, Production Managers, Cast Members, etc. I did see a diagram of the ranks on Norwegian (I think) pop up on CruiseCritic via Google, but I don't know if RCL is the same. With the position come the privileges you are able to enjoy. Note: For nearly everything below, aside from the top four or so positions and especially within the hotel department there are differences between cruise lines. As a previous crew member and also a staff member when it came down to making the decision between the tip ability to make double as a crew member and staff to make double less was the quality of life that the above mentioned benefits provided on a ship work/living lifestyle. He proceeded to talk briefly about rank and the epaulets/insignia, and it made me want to know more details so that I can more easily know someone's position if I'm talking to them or see them walk by. You are away from friends and family for many months and work 10 hours per day, seven days per week. Sad that they don't, as I know you know where the use of the maroon/purple comes from, and has been used for decades. Some cruise lines pay close to 160000$ for their captains. https://www.reviewcruises.net/cruise-pics/v/norwegian-gem/Legend+of+stripes+for+ranks+of+officers+aboard+cruise+ship+Norwegian+Gem.jpg.html, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features. Free emails with tips and advice on how to get a job on-board a cruise ship. This means that is the highest that your position can go, that youve been in the job for a set number of years typically three or five, and normally that there isnt a direct next step in advancement. Rank: Safety Officer. Full Ranking List, These are the Top 10 Job Portals and Job Websites in Germany, Financial Aid & Scholarships for Computer Science Students | ComputerScience.org, 25 Top HBCU Nursing Colleges - Nursing School Hub, Can Australians Work In the UK? Your email address will not be published. Purser Schedules paydays and pays all crew onboard. Workers closer to the bottom of the hierarchy have . Type of Vessel: Passenger Ship. **, Medical: Gold stripes, red cloth in between, no loop or propeller. Your email address will not be published. It basically proceeds up by half stripes from 1 stripe to 4.5 stripes, where a "half stripe" is when the lowest stripe (furthest from the neck) is thicker than the others. Hotel Manager (HM) Head of the Hotel Department. The most notable (other than responsibility and salary) is cabin. We need to acknowledge that when cruise companies make what may appear to us land folk small and insignificant changes, to the crew members and staff can be life and world-altering, and as such cruise companies should consider as mental health providers are still not readily available on cruise ships for crew and staff to process changes in their worlds. If the half stripe is at the top of the epaulette it means that it is a ranked position. While this does not sound like benefits that are worthy to be fussed about, many of the staff members chose these positions due to quality of life and ability to access these areas. I had goals and dreams to grow with them but now, this is ground for reconsideration. Affirmative, P&O had a dispensation from many years ago that they used the wider stripe, without the diamond. Holland America Opens Alaska Season With Special 150th Events, Viking Vessel Launches Toronto 2023 Cruise Season, MSC Cruises Announces First-Ever Winter Season in Japan, Norwegian Posts Strong Update on Bookings and Earnings. The Staff Captain all 4 stripes are the same width. Lets talk about stripes, baby. What are all the Officer ranks on HAL? - Cruise Critic Community Display as a link instead, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Required fields are marked *. The second is at the top of the epaulette. If you click on links from Amazon and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. No, no kukris, but I've seen a 90 lb Ghurka drop a 200 lb unruly drunk to his knees using only his thumb and forefinger in a pressure hold. Here's a quick summary of what Captain Marek said. Three stripe and up might even have a regular sized window. The Captain Master of the shipthe stripe that is first off the shoulder will be broader in width. Deck Department: Gold stripes, no cloth in between stripes, with a loop, diamond, or anchor at the top. This post will help you understand what cruise ship officer ranks correspond to what cruise ship officer stripes. ), Good thing the army doesn't run the ships talk about odd ranking ranks -, Gilbert & Sullivan Pirates of the Penzance - a Modern Major General of a ship ? One of the biggest benefits of being a cruise ship officer is that you get your own cabin and bathroom, while other crew members have to share bunk rooms with a roommate. Why are crew drills important? It might seem like officer positions are the same on every cruise ship and with every cruise line, but thats not the case! A once a week email with the latest posts and exclusive updates. Officers and crew with less than 2-stripes will follow the availability-based sign-up process when requesting access to public areas.. You will be working closely with the Hotel Department more than any other. Understanding Cruise Ship Officer Stripes - Life of Iris (2023) Cruise was great and we would do this itinerary again. would love to have the same group of cruise critic members with us :). A diagram with epaulets would be great. Cruise Ship Ranks and Hierarchy - CruiseShipJobs.com There are slight differences in privileges amongst the officer ranks. You can be a 1/2 stripe officer, this could be as a cadet, or certain positions in hotel. I saw a 2.5 stripe deck officer last night where the epaulet was two big bars with a smaller one between, so the thick bottom stripe "half stripe" may just be the Captain. "In order to ensure that our guests consistently experience the very best our ships and crew have to offer, the privilege of full public access has been redefined and will be effective with your next sailing. When presenting information I do my best to remain unbiased and base it on my personal experience or the recommendations and experience of others. Their reasoning was that a cruise ship job where the actual onboard ship time was only six months a year couldn't compare to a land based job because on a ship these officers and Captains have access to 24 hour medical care, free family travel, as well as meals and accommodations. A Major General is subordinate to a Lieutenant General but a Major out ranks a Lieutenant in lower ranks. I just got back from a Q&A with Captain Marek on Radiance, and someone asked him about his epaulets. how interesting @CGTLH!! Each department on the ship is distinguished by its own stripe pattern. I seem to have gotten to a complacent level of that though as at this point I dont really, Read More Where Are We Going? Technical Department: Gold stripes, no cloth in between stripes, no loop at the top; they do sometimes have propellers at the top. Half stripes can appear in three ways. Yes, the more stripes you have the higher up you are. Security Officer - Security Jobs - Norwegian Cruise Line - Current Each cruise line varies slightly with how many stripes a particular cruise job may have. This blog is in not affiliated with any particular cruise line. (See below with Staff Chief Engineer being a half stripe below Chief Engineer). management of the ship Chief Officer - 4 stripes. : May 2020 EditionContinue, While it might be a little while still before cruising on a large scale resumes, (although, with the vaccine(s) and CDC Conditional-Sail-Order, who knows! However, while your actual salary depends on your position, there are . I assume you meant only 2 DECK officers Actually, those are Engine Officers, and I forgot that they promoted the F&B Director to 3.5 stripes. Although you will not be working with navigation often, if at all, you will be working with Security Officers as you embark and disembark the ship. Hotel Department: Gold stripes, white cloth in between stripes, no loop or propeller. As there are a lot of people in this category, this is by no way an exhaustive list. Want to know more about cruise ship crew life? The changes also include the removal of a room steward for staff and officer cabins. ;). Hotel Department: This is very dependent on cruise line, what positions they have (and need, bigger ship = more) onboard! Environmental: Gold stripes, blue cloth in between. 2nd in command - Head of deck department - Responsible for navigation, safety and security(=ship security officer. It is not the same amongst every cruise line but the base concepts are the same. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Green - Used to be Radio Officers, but now tends to include electronics types, Traditional Merchant Navy will have a diamond incorporated into the stripes for those with Certificates of Competency (Deck & Engineering), however others just have straight stripes, Master - on commercial ships must come from the Deck Dept and traditionally has 4 stripes. Most people and new hires are curious to know how our crew cabins look like. These are crew that's uniforms do not feature stripes but they get privileges and benefits as if they had that equivalent amount of stripes. Take a look at this post about Understanding Cruise Ship Ranks. Crew Life on Cruise Ships: Ship Life & Crew Areas | Ultimate Guide In that spirit, I am starting a new series about what someone might expect and experience on their first cruise ship contract. The 3.5 stripe officers always confuse ex-Navy types, as this is not a recognized rank in any Navy I'm aware of. Instead their bars are on a white background (i.e. At the top (closest to the neck) is a small icon, so to speak, indicating the department. to to What really are the perks of working on a, Read More Five Perks of Working on a Cruise ShipContinue, Ive written a bit about how the ability to be flexible in this situation is what keeps you sane and functioning. On the other hand, Navy insignia has always made perfect sense to me! NOTE: For all ISPS/MTSA and Ship Security Plan (SSP) related issues, the security officer is designated as the Deputy Ship Security Officer (DSSO). There are some subtle other differences. Cruise vessel SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. It is sort of confusing since most Americans are familiar with US Navy Ranks, 3 stripes (the middle being a mere line) - Lt Commander, 2 stripes (one beinga mere line) - Lt Junior Grade. IT: Gold stripes, green cloth in between. 1 person found this review helpful. Staff Captain - some have 3.5, others have 4 stripes. Human Resources Department: Gold stripes, grey cloth in between. 2023 Life of Iris - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP. Dining Operations has a pot of burnt beans. Beyond having a unique career, and great compensation, there are many benefits to working within our fleet of ships: Officers have many "deck privileges" that allow them to enjoy the ship's amenities - such as access to guest areas, including SPA, restaurants, bars, shows and boutiques (shops) on board. These stripes, more formally known as epaulettes, denote not only what rank an officer is, but can also offer insight into which department they work in as well as in some cases what they do on onboard. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. Captain The only five stripe officer, the Captain wears a wide gold bar, two regular gold stripes, plus a loop. Thanks for the responses everyone, my question has been answered. Norwegian Cruise Line takes away a popular privilege for crew members by limiting onboard public area access. Royal Caribbean Group: Employee Benefits and Perks | Glassdoor Pasted as rich text. Other Hotel Department Officers wear different numbers of gold stripes sandwiched with white stripes, but, although a part of the hotel department, the medical team, has straight gold stripes with red filling. *Note: Below I have only noted 1/2 stripe cruise ship officer ranked positions versus writing out possible positions. They used to be, back about 10 years ago, not sure now. Understanding what the epaulettes mean is just part of understanding the complex system that keeps a cruise ship running. I cruise on Celebrity, and I have often wondered about the rank, color and insignia on officers'epaulettes and the various neckerchiefs worn by chefs . What do cruise ship officer epaulettes mean? Typically from two stripe up the cabin will have a porthole. This is to act as a general guide and not a definitive guide. FrankT Like what you read and want to support this blog? NCLs memo sent to the shipboard management reads in parts. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Worldtvlr, November 12, 2021 in Ask a Cruise Question. Did you know that you can have a half stripe? The Misconceptions of Cruise Ship Officer Perks. At that time, only 2-stripe, and 2-stripe equivalent officers and above will maintain full access to public areas and outlets. Some cruise lines will also have the Staff Chief Engineer as four stripes. Crew Center received several messages from staff members who strongly disagree with this decision. Even a former Soldier will attest to that statement. Now, not every crew member onboard a ship that has officer privileges wears a uniform with stripes. When I was working onboard I never had a uniform with epaulettes. Environmental Officer Dons four gold stripes lined with blue. These are crew that's uniforms do not feature stripes but they get privileges and benefits as if they had that equivalent amount of stripes. However on cruise ships, you may see variations to differentiate from Staff Captain, Staff Captain - some have 3.5, others have 4 stripes. It is sort of confusing since most Americans are familiar with US Navy Ranks. As a former USAF member, trust me when I say that nothing about navy insignia makes any sense! How to effectively reduce the stress levels on cruise ship? 4 Stripes with a Heavy Bottom Stripe and a Loop (or diamond/ anchor): Want to make sure you never miss out on an adventure? but they were given some kind of permission due their war efforts? This means that most of the crew will be restricted to only using amenities in crew member areas while off shift. You may have noticed while onboard that some of the stripes have colors between them. The ECO (or just EO) is a three-stripe, non-watch standing officer responsible for oversight and verification of the cruise line environmental policies, the training, implementation, and verification of regulatory compliance as it relates to applicable environmental laws. Employment Type: Temp - to - Perm. Finally, we need to also consider the ones who may feel trapped in their current positions without the option of land-based or alternative fleet solution should this change greatly affect their work/live lifestyle on board they initially did not sign up for, as well as their mental, emotional and psychological well-being. Powered by Invision Community. I also work with individual businesses to offer affiliate marketing opportunities. Entertainment staff isa bit different. I believe this is Captain Teo Grbic, captain of the Dawn for our October 30, 2015 repo from Boston to New Orleans, Special Event: Q&A with Rudi Schreiner, President, Co-Founder & Co-Owner - AmaWaterways River Cruises, Q&A with Avoya Travel: Learn How to Turn Your Passion into Success by Becoming an Independent Travel Advisor. I love your posts because you are very knowledgeable an spot on in your assessments, however, as an "ex-Navy type" I'll have to politely disagree with your last sentence in your 2015 post. Check back in for our next post where we will dissect all the areas of your onboard life that is impacted by your rank onboard. Captain Tony Draper is at the helm of Princess Cruises newest vessel, leading a senior officer team with more than 100 years of seagoing experience among them. You can be a 1/2 stripe officer, this could be as a cadet, or certain positions in the Hotel Department. There are slight differences in privileges amongst the cruise ship officer ranks. As an officer you get; your own cabin, a person who cleans your cabin and does your laundry for you, a dedicated officer mess and bar and use of guest facilities like pools, hot tubs, theatre and cinema, restaurants etc. This is sometimes referred to as a frustration stripe, as in, you are frustrated that you cant move up or if there is an advancement opportunity you havent moved up (yet). 24 Crew Center is not associated with any Cruise Line, and we are not recruiting agency for crew or hiring partner. Strict Hierarchy on Cruise Ships Creates Gap in Pay, Living Conditions Great question and topic. Experienced crew and officers often have additional benefits onboard to make those months a little easier, including access to guest areas and having a cabin steward for certain staff cabins. Master - on commercial ships must come from the Deck Dept and traditionally has 4 stripes. Cruises are sailing from Greece, England, the Caribbean, and the United States. Environmental officer has a recycle symbol for insignia. Event Manager (EM) Runs the Entertainment Department behind the scenes. Communications Officer Is clad with two gold stripes which are lined with green. Paramedic in the UK are band 5 or above, the same as the nurses. senior navigation officer Second Officer - 2 stripes . Nope, we're not talking about zebras, we are talking about the stripes on the shoulders and sleeves of so many uniforms onboard a cruise ship. All views are my own and do not represent those of my employer. Crew members will be able to request access to enjoy the guest areas, but how often this can be done is not known. While most people know there are 3 departments onboard a cruise ship technical, deck, and hotel when it comes to stripes though there are a few extra categories to know about, namely: medical, environmental, IT, and human resources. These are hotel positions and are things like: Cruise Director, Cruise Staff, Shore Excursions, Youth Programs, Production Managers, Cast Members, etc. Understanding what the epaulettes mean is just part of understanding the complex system that keeps a cruise ship running. John over on CC posted this chart showing privileges to guest areas based on rank/stripes. These stripes, more formally known as epaulettes denote not only what rank an officer is, but can also offer insight into which department they work in as well as in some cases what they do on onboard. There are lots of subtle ways that how many stripes and the corresponding rank affect life onboard a cruise ship. August 2, 2019 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. This means getting cruise ship crew to their ships takes a lot of logistical effort and inevitably involves crew traveling by air to join their ship. Reframing Some of the Misconceptions of Cruise Ship Officer Perks You will see to draw pay if needed. Having stripes on board is great as it makes life easier, you get a ton of benefits and lots of guest privileges too. A generalized assumption that staff and officers who are under 2 stripes at least will place much thought on potential transitions to another cruise line. To take the benefits away from those people is hard to take. Does anyone have detailed info about their rank structure or a link to a good source? (That particular title might differ between cruise lines but theyre the highest ranking that likely have additional privileges). Event Manager for some lines this is 1 stripe, and Entertainment Director role would often be 3 stripes. Lastly, the last way a half stripe appears is in between two full sized stripes.