Majesty Crew member overboard

[princevaliantus]

Is this the "in thing" now?!?!

https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/01/24/coast-guard-searching-for-overboard-majesty-of-the-seas-crew-member/

[marti314]

Might want to reconsider the topic title, seems completely disrespectful and not in good taste.

[Al Horner]

Sometimes we just have to lighten up. These posts come and go. Let's not kill a good thing with an overdose of political correctness.

[princevaliantus]

Just now, kontraxed said:

Sometimes we just have to lighten up. These posts come and go. Let's not kill a good thing with an overdose of political correctness.

I concur.

[twangster]

There is a not so fine line between PC and being crude.  That's someone's kid/family/friend.

[marti314]

This is a human being not some deck chair that went overboard.

[Matt]

I changed the title. Bottom line, the old title was quite unhelpful to people browsing the forum because it's not very descriptive of what this thread is about.

Not to mention it's crass and frankly unnecessary.

[monctonguy]

Seems like this is a fairly regular occurrence with Royal crew members. I don't follow other cruise lines as closely but doesn't seem to be many making the news or am I just missing something.

[princevaliantus]

So much for freedom of speech and violation to the First Amendment of the Constitution. Sacrébleu !!

[FlowBro Ty]

Hope They Find This Person.

[coneyraven]

Just now, princevaliantus said:

So much for freedom of speech and violation to the First Amendment of the Constitution. Sacrébleu !!

Really?  What violation?  Perhaps you don't understand the Constitution ---- it prohibits the GOVERNMENT from telling you what you can, or can not say.  Last time I checked, this blog is NOT the government, therefore, Matt has every right to do things as he sees fit. 

That's the problem these days, people don't understand that the Constitution was designed to RESTRICT THE GOVERNMENT -- NOT THE PEOPLE!

[monctonguy]

37 minutes ago, kontraxed said:

Believe it or not, I do understand what human death is. I've seen more than my fair share of it. Different people react in different ways. I, for one, will not go around moping over folks that I do not know. These "man overboard" deaths have been more frequent lately. Are they suicides, accidents or murder? I don't know and don't really care. If anything, I'm more concerned with New York State passing a law that allows the murder of full-term unborn children. I will bow my head for that.

This person got to chose how and when they went out....most of us don't......to each their own.

[princevaliantus]

Just now, coneyraven said:

Really?  What violation?  Perhaps you don't understand the Constitution ---- it prohibits the GOVERNMENT from telling you what you can, or can not say.  Last time I checked, this blog is NOT the government, therefore, Matt has every right to do things as he sees fit. 

That's the problem these days, people don't understand that the Constitution was designed to RESTRICT THE GOVERNMENT -- NOT THE PEOPLE!

I was speaking metaphorically. Take a deep breath and relax.

 

[MrMarc]

This is about Royal Caribbean cruises, right?

 

[princevaliantus]

Just now, MrMarc said:

This is about Royal Caribbean cruises, right?

 

Yes.

[Gears]

13 minutes ago, princevaliantus said:

So much for freedom of speech and violation to the First Amendment of the Constitution. Sacrébleu !!

On your own front door step, your own publication or in a place considered public property, yes. Anywhere and anytime...like a privately run comment board...not applicable.

[MrMarc]

10 minutes ago, princevaliantus said:

Yes.

Ok.  Just making sure.  It looks like it was heading to an unscheduled port, so to speak.

 

[princevaliantus]

Just now, Gears said:

On your own front door step, your own publication or in a place considered public property, yes. Anywhere and anytime...like a privately run comment board...not applicable.

I was speaking metaphorically.

[Andrew72681]

@Matt any idea what resources are available to crew members that are having a rough time? Seems like it may be time for RCCL to invest in onboard therapists. It may be that back in the days before connectivity crew didn’t know what they were missing at home. In our connected age, imagine seeing pictures of a new baby of yours on Instagram walking and knowing that you won’t be there for at least six months. 

[SpeedNoodles]

16 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

@Matt any idea what resources are available to crew members that are having a rough time? Seems like it may be time for RCCL to invest in onboard therapists. It may be that back in the days before connectivity crew didn’t know what they were missing at home. In our connected age, imagine seeing pictures of a new baby of yours on Instagram walking and knowing that you won’t be there for at least six months. 

Resources are necessary everywhere, no less in this industry, I'm sure.  20 years ago, it was very rare to get a crisis call on 911.  Like, maybe once a week.  Now we get about 20 a day.   I don't know what's changed, I just know things have changed, and the system is ill equipped to deal with it.  I feel for the family and friends. So sad.

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

@Matt any idea what resources are available to crew members that are having a rough time? Seems like it may be time for RCCL to invest in onboard therapists. It may be that back in the days before connectivity crew didn’t know what they were missing at home. In our connected age, imagine seeing pictures of a new baby of yours on Instagram walking and knowing that you won’t be there for at least six months. 

Each ship has HR personnel on board.  They aren't therapists but they are a resource that can provide access to additional programs and resources.

A therapist is an interesting idea but thinking about it for a moment, there are many, more high stress careers in the world compared to cruise ship worker. 

The vast majority of cruise ships workers love the environment and some enjoy a party life we don't get to see them living while traveling the world at the same time.  At a young age it's easy for some to trade the 11+ hour days for the opportunity to travel with free room and board.   

The downside of course is months away from family and friends at home.  That can lead to companions at home straying into someone else's arms and when that news reaches the worker on the ship that can be devastating.    Not saying that is what happened here but it's an example of many things that can happen at home that can hit someone working away very hard.

Across America we see examples every week of someone who snaps and does something unfortunate.  There are many places of employment that are terrible work environments.  My son's girlfriend used to work for the TSA but quit months before the shutdown.  She hated it,  they treat their employees like garbage where getting legitimately sick will see your pay docked and your file being noted.  It's a terrible work environment.   Should employers be responsible for therapists to be on hand in every industry?  

Why does someone take their own life?  That's a question so many have had to struggle with all over the world and not just in the cruise industry.  

[tiny260]

25 minutes ago, twangster said:

Should employers be responsible for therapists to be on hand in every industry?  

Most medium sized corporations on up to the large and very large corporations have an EAP (Employee assistance program) that are staffed and supported by external companies.

I would assume Royal has something similar.

I agree with @twangster , being away from home can be fun, but when bad news hits from home or even from onboard, it can be difficult.

[Al Horner]

 

I fully understand that freedom of speech does not apply to a private blog like this but I am still surprised that my comment on this post made at 12:41 p.m. on 1/24/2019 was deleted out of hand with no notice or opportunity to change the "offending" section. Pretty disappointing.

[mworkman]

Free speech, is free speech....It doesn't matter where it's at! However, the venue has right to remove it if it's private property. That is in the constitution whether you like it on or not!  It doesn't only apply to the government! That's what I swore to defend and uphold against for 25 years. Along with a free republic.

[Al Horner]

I spent nine years on top of an M60A1 - all of which is irrelevant to having a post removed with no warning or explanation. Again, I understand they have the right to do that but I do find it disappointing, particularly when I don't know what was so offending about my comments.

[Matt]

On 1/25/2019 at 1:53 PM, Andrew72681 said:

@Matt any idea what resources are available to crew members that are having a rough time? Seems like it may be time for RCCL to invest in onboard therapists. It may be that back in the days before connectivity crew didn’t know what they were missing at home. In our connected age, imagine seeing pictures of a new baby of yours on Instagram walking and knowing that you won’t be there for at least six months. 

Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley just spoke about this topic. Here's an excerpt from TTG:

Quote

“It is terribly tragic when something like this occurs. There is an entry medical examination that all crew go through when they join the ships. But there are also things that we are already trialling onboard such as more mental health support.”

This includes a new confidential freephone helpline that crew can call “if they’re feeling vulnerable”. It’s currently undergoing a three-month trial on two of the line’s ships but Bayley says his “hope is that if the trial is successful we will implement it throughout the fleet”, with the aim of it being available to all crew by the end of 2019.

“We’re also looking at putting someone onboard the four biggest ships,” he adds. “We have 50-60,000 people working for us, some of whom are young and without their families for the first time, and you can feel vulnerable. I hope this trial will be successful.”