These cruise companies are serious c***suckers. They all have rules slightly different from one another BUT all of them are feudal and worse(???).
Some allow them to take all their tips, others attach it to performance. These companies are bastards. For the hours they put in and for the expectation of tips that is the true salary, WHY would they SLACK. It gets so weird, that there are older waiters from certain countries who can barely walk, but interestingly the customers take pity on them and hand them tips while often avoiding tips to the strapping lads. This has also got to do with the idea that they are phasing out tips, and shit like that. There are cases in some companies where even if via courtesy of a boss from a western country — that one of ours is allowed to sit for the Bartenders Exam, our shitheads, and yes usually a South India gets ballistic as how said person was allowed to sit for the exam and that the person now has a certificate. (NOTE: Do not question this SIndian bit, much in the way all that crap about Goa is a part of India and everyone has a free STAKE in it). They constantly have to deal with reverse questions like: You would not have a matchbox would you, and worse, instead of May I have a matchbox, etc. Constant confusion between a demand and a request, and so forth. And we love to say we speak the Queens English. Wake up. A few new ones. I learnt recently that we would not be allowed to visit a relative on board the ship because we were not family. We were only his cousins. Imagine our Goans having first family as in wives, children living in New York and at those salaries. They talk out of their arses, BUT we Indians are getting there too. Now their salaries will be deposited directly in a bank here. To do wire transfer it will cost them. Earlier they did their own thing through Transfast, etc. They will not be allowed to cut each others hair. But pay about $20 to have it cut at the saloon. Yes on those salaries. As usual, to do with sanitation. If caught then straight passage home. For all we know that too may be deducted. and so on and so forth. +++++++++++++ venantius j pinto