You see pictures of crew members partying, exploring the world, hanging out on a beach, and helicoptering onto glaciers. (See below with Staff Chief Engineer being a half stripe below Chief Engineer). 2nd Officer - 2 stripes. Other Officers in the Deck Department wear different numbers of gold stripes with top stripes looped. 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. I put this together (based on various sources) to give me a better idea of who is who and who does what. When I was working onboard I never had a uniform with epaulettes. Dining Operations has a pot of burnt beans. At the top (closest to the neck) is a small icon, so to speak, indicating the department. Everyone working falls into one of four departments: Deck Department Overseen by the Captain and led by the Chief Officer, this department is comprised of navigation and security. - He/She acts as the main investigator concerning any accident/incident that may occur amongst the Guests and Crew and requires detailed investigation. 1 person found this review helpful. He/she may have four stripes. These are all considered staff officer positions. 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. The most notable (other than responsibility and salary) is cabin. As you may have guessed, with greater stripes comes greater responsibility. Heres a quick outline of what those mean: Note: 1) This outline is based on what it is on many cruise lines. 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. When I was working onboard I never had a uniform with epaulettes. The recent changes will affect most staff members and officers who carry less than 2 stripes on their uniform, while some reduction of benefits will affect all staff across the board. Your email address will not be published. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. How to effectively reduce the stress levels on cruise ship? Through these means I may earn a commission based either on clicks or purchases. The sheets had been changed, our bed was made, we had fresh towels, the floor was vacuumed, there were fresh hand towels, wash clothes, and a new role of toilet paper. to Each department on the ship is distinguished by its own stripe pattern. You can also read the, Passenger missing after going overboard from Quantum of the Seas, AIDA Cruises Launches New Employer Branding Campaign #PlaceToWe. Because I have a. Thanks to the previous post for the illustrations ! Working on a cruise ship can seem like a dream traveling the world and then getting months off for vacation in between contracts. As there are a lot of people in this category, this is by no way an exhaustive list. Cruise Director (CD) Head of the Entertainment Department. Crew Center is website run by ex-crew members sharing their experience and Insights about life and work on cruise ships. The above are affiliate links, if you click these & make a purchase I will receive compensation at no expense to you. Without any further a-do, lets talk about stripes. This is to act as a general guide and not a definitive bet your life on it guide. Great question and topic. Working onboard a cruise ship is one of the most challenging careers there is. - He/She is a three (3) stripe officer. Heres a quick outline of what those mean: As you may have guessed, with greater stripes comes greater responsibility. Those in the latter category are usually entertainers, part of the Entertainment Department, or other front-of-house positions. On 11/18/2015 at 5:20 PM, chengkp75 said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Specifically within the Hotel Department which positions are officers can be different by different cruise lines. There are lots of subtle ways that how many stripes and the corresponding rank affect life onboard a cruise ship. I urge NCL to reconsider these changes as crew/staff members are gathering fleetwide to protest about those changes. 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. Norwegian Cruise Line is now taking those benefits away from crew members that have a rank of fewer than two stripes. Hotel Department: Gold stripes, white cloth in between stripes, no loop or propeller. What do cruise ship officer epaulettes mean? Colonel, whatever!! 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 you click on links from Amazon and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. **Reliable sources have told me that some cruise lines hotel departments have silver stripes instead of gold. Some cruise lines will also have the Staff Chief Engineer as four stripes. I dont recall all the details but if someone has that info it would be great. 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. Nope, were not talking about zebras, we are talking about the stripes on the shoulders and sleeves of so many uniforms onboard a cruise ship. Master - on commercial ships must come from the Deck Dept and traditionally has 4 stripes. A brief summary of important people you need be familiar with is below. 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. 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. Free emails with tips and advice on how to get a job on-board a cruise ship. Sorry, I have no clue about ranks and epaulettes and the various neckerchiefs worn by chefs. These can for instance be seen on some TV shows showing yacht-life. Yes, in the last few hours that I've been paying attention / finding more, engineering have a propeller. 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. (Note: on some cruise lines some of the above positions will be uniformed striped positions). The Misconceptions of Cruise Ship Officer Perks. ), I am optimistically looking towards the future. 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Now, not every crew member onboard a ship that has officer privileges wears a uniform with stripes. They stayed at home without being paid and waited patiently until the call came to come back. Please visit the following section, Crew Center is website run by ex-crew members sharing their experience and Insights about life and work on cruise ships. Interestingly, hotel operations don't have an icon at all. La Nazionale sfiora i 7 milioni (31.4%), GF Vip si ferma a 2,4 mln (17.8%), STEP riparte dall'8.1%. Rank: Safety Officer. IT: Gold stripes, green cloth in between. Officers and crew with less than 2-stripes will follow the availability-based sign-up process when requesting access to public areas.. Cruise ships on average have 40+ nationalities represented onboard within its crew. Senior 2nd Officer - 2.5 stripes. On the other hand, Navy insignia has always made perfect sense to me! As there are a lot of people in this category, this is by no way an exhaustive list. Continue reading. Human Resources Department: Gold stripes, grey cloth in between. 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. On some cruise lines: Staff Chief Engineer, Hotel Director (also known as Hotel Manager). Staff Captain - some have 3.5, others have 4 stripes. By Purser Schedules paydays and pays all crew onboard. Nope, were not talking about zebras, we are talking about the stripes on the shoulders and sleeves of so many uniforms onboard a cruise ship. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. So I assume the same for all nautical uniforms! 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. There are slight differences in privileges amongst the cruise ship officer ranks. The next time youre onboard you can play a little bit of I-Spy and whos who and impress your friends! ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The EM will be your source of direction and mentoring as well as communication with the Seattle Office if necessary. From dating onboard to how crew get their mailheres a guide to cruise ship crew life. 3 stripes Commander. Powered by Invision Community. 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. It is not the same amongst every cruise line but the base concepts are the same. 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. The 3.5 stripe officers always confuse ex-Navy types, as this is not a recognized rank in any Navy I'm aware of. The Ups and Downs of an Around the World Life. 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. You are away from friends and family for many months and work 10 hours per day, seven days per week. Why work for Saga Cruises? results. Instead their bars are on a white background (i.e. Chief Engineer Bears four gold stripes. The stripes (epaulettes) worn on their shoulders denotes their rank on the ship. Most people and new hires are curious to know how our crew cabins look like. (See below with Staff Chief Engineer being a half stripe below Chief Engineer). 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. Affirmative, P&O had a dispensation from many years ago that they used the wider stripe, without the diamond. Everyone onboard is the Captains responsibility; guest and crew alike! NOTE: For all ISPS/MTSA and Ship Security Plan (SSP) related issues, the security officer is designated as the Deputy Ship Security Officer (DSSO). 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. 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. 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. Now, not every crew member onboard a ship that has officer privileges wears a uniform with stripes. white between the bars). 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. Staff on board a cruise ship are identifiable by uniform and name tags. Required fields are marked *. Many crew members work years or spend many years studying to get the position and the benefits that come with it. Colours - shipping companies that use colours to differentiate departments, normally use: When I started out I worked for BP they had RN style curls, but 3/8 inch as opposed to the RN 1/2 inch. This is sometimes referred to as a frustration stripe, as in, you are frustrated that you cant move up or you if there is an advancement opportunity you havent moved up. First officer - 3 stripes. Thanks for the responses everyone, my question has been answered. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! different jobs that exist on a cruise ship. Hotel Manager Owns four straight gold stripes that are sandwiched by white stripes. Now, the next time youre onboard youll have a better idea of what the cruise ship officer stripes mean and how to tell the different cruise ship officer ranks based on their epaulettes!