How Was The Crew Paid?

[rmeneses]

My wife posed a question that I have wondered about too.  How was the crew paid?  Were the officers and crew all Cunard employees?  Were you freelance contracted employees (per trip/monthly/every couple of months) and what about taxation (especially when considering the later, multi-national crew).

Lets say one waiter was British national, and another waiter from Bermuda, would they get paid the same wages and taxed in the same manner? (we aren't asking for salary amounts) Or was everyone paid the prevailing wage in their country and taxed as such?  What about "fringe benefits"? (health insurance etc.)

Thank you for any insight to any of these questions.

[Bruce Nicholls]

My brothers next door neighbours son is 1st officer on a cruise ship and I seem to remember him telling my brother that his sons earnings were tax free, as they were earned abroad. As the neighbour was an accountant I have always assumed he was correct. However there are loads of people here who I am sure are going to put me right.

[Louis De Sousa]

I was employed onboard by a shore side company called CSM Columbia located in Cyprus

Read more here https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,714.0.html#top

In the Bar Department after every cruise you get a slip of the money you made.Every 2 weeks the wages are paid out in US Dollars.Here i had the option of withdrawing how much i need and not all the money.My wages was tax free.The same to the rest of the Hotel Crew.As a Crewmember you have a health insurance onboard plus every 2 years a check up has to be made ashoreside.A shoreside dentist comes onboard a few times a year too.

[rmeneses]

Thank you for the replies, so the crew never paid income taxes?  Interesting about the Cunard-CSM Columbia set up, that's how most of the automotive model makers are set up (unless they are the now rare staff modeler) through an agency that handles everything, from finding people for auto design studios to drawing up the contract and handling the salary, benefits etc.

[Rod]

But, and here is the big but,,,the crew members would be responsible for obeying whatever tax rules existed in their home country. I know some that did fall foul of them.

[peter ward]

when I was aboard QE2 (1974-82) we were paid when we disembarked either in southampton or wherever we flew home from . As we were british merchant seamen and our port of origin was southampton we paid full tax ..even if we flew out to rejoin the ship .If we needed money whilst we were away we could go to the chief stewards office (the writers office) and get a sub . 

[Louis De Sousa]

A example of a wage slip given after every cruise

[cunardqueen]

Perhaps you can explain in more detail the breakdown, and what on earth is party pay !!!
It seems to be all made up of incentives..

[Louis De Sousa]

Ok Myles ill give it a try its a bit complicated and let see if my memory is still right.The Bartenders money goes all into one pot and then divided between all.The cash tips that the Bartenders get over the counter stays with those Batenders.

At any time you have 23 Cocktail Bartenders(CB) plus 4 Restaurant Bartenders(RB) (theses 4 have no contact to passengers i was one of theses 4)

The normal Monthly wages of the RB was superior this to compensate those cash tips.

Service Tip thats the 15% service add to the bill.This money was made mosty by the CB and thats when a passengers order a drink over the counter and the bill goes through the Bartenders pen.

Additional Tip thats the tip that was added by passengers on the bill.

Incentive that is 2% that the Bartenders gets when the staff come to the counter and place a order for passengers

Bar Bonus every cruise a figure is set.For a crossing i think the figure was around 17 dollars per passenger.That means that every passenger per day has to spend at least 17 dollars.If they drink less than 17 we get no bonus if they drink over we get the bonus.
That is why crossings was were the money was made mostly.The cruises with port days was no good money wise.

Party Tip you get 10 dollars for every cocktail party you do (this money was not divided by all)

[Pat Curry]

Wow.  No wonder cruises cost so much.  There must have been (still are?) an army of accounts staff working in purser's office to work all that lot out. 
Bet there were plenty of pax who spent less than $17. 

[cunardqueen]

Bet there were plenty of pax who spent less than $17.   
 
 
 
   

And a heck of a lot more who spend way more than that rate.
Its used to amuse me especially at the photo shop, everyone had paid a lot for cruise, but passengers would choke to spend  money on a profesional portrait photo, properly taken , nice and clear showing passengers enjoying themselves on the greatest ship in the world. 

[riskygizmo]

Poorly and grudgingly if you believe my Old Dad