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The Cruise Ship Sector
 Cruise shipping is one of the fastest
expanding of all shipping sectors. Due to the cruise sector,
many more women now earn their living at sea.
Between 1995 and 2005 the number of berths available in
the world’s cruise fleet increased from 160,000 to 310,000. The
duration of a cruise may be anything from two days to
several months.
In addition to those employed to handle the ship, cruise
ships also employ waiters and bar staff, chambermaids, entertainers,
hairdressers etc.. These so called hotel staff are not
recognised as seafarers by many governments, companies or trade unions. The growth of
this area of shipping means that many more women are now at
sea.
For passengers, a cruise may mean a tour of the world’s
cultural high spots; enjoying onboard pampering and
entertainment; or trying their luck on a gambling cruise.
For the crew, it is work which separates them from their
families, perhaps for months at a time.
Globalisation and the race to the bottom in terms of
salaries and working conditions have also affected the
cruise sector. In 2002 the ITF and War on Want, a UK-based
NGO, issued a report called “Sweatships – what it’s really
like to work onboard cruise ships”. The report alleges that
certain cruise lines subject crew to atrocious working
conditions including long hours, slave wages, sexual
harassment and a culture of fear.
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Then Jesus got into the boat
followed by his disciples. Suddenly a storm broke over the
lake, so violent that the boat was being swamped by the
waves. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him
saying,
“Save us, Lord, we are lost!”
And he said to them,
“Why are you so frightened, you
who have so little faith?”
And then he stood up and rebuked
the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. They were
astounded and said,
“Whatever kind of man is this,
that even the winds and the sea obey him?”
Matthew 8, 23-27 |
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