Here’s an example of benefits of being long time employee of a cruise line, humble servant of the cruel master. Of course, in reality, those benefits stretch proportionally to your relation with the higher powers onboard. If it says you can bring your “relative” for two cruises, it can easily stretch to two-three months.
It is common case that officer use this benefit to travel with his wife, and after she had enough and goes home, he will bring another “relative” onboard who may or may not be his mistress. Hence the saying: What happens on a ship, stays on the ship. The Captain is the ultimate authority on high seas. Always have been, always will be.
The following text is more or less applicable to all major cruise line companies:
The Employee Space Available Cruise Program offers Shipboard staff the opportunity to sail as passengers on the Company’s vessels at reduced rates, on a space-available basis. The Company reserves the right to capacity-control this program and may restrict the number of employees on any sailing.
ELIGIBILITY
Officers who have been employed or contracted by the company for more than (12) twelve months.
All other crew who have been employed or contracted by the company for more than (5) five years.
Seasonal staff that have been employed or contracted by the company for more than (5) five years and have worked a minimum of 300 days.
The legal spouse or registered domestic partner of an eligible Officer may travel either with or without the Officer, but (except as specifically provided below in this paragraph or when using two cruise concessions on the same cruise as described in Policies and Procedures) the Officer and spouse/partner may only occupy one cabin per cruise. Eligible employees and/or their spouses/partners may be accompanied in the same cabin by unrelated guests, up to the number of available berths in the cabin. If the employee, employee’s spouse/partner, and their dependent children who will not have turned 21 as of the date of the sailing (including foster children) traveling with them total more than four individuals, they will be eligible (subject to availability) for a second cabin, which will also be fared at the applicable employee rate. The second cabin will not necessarily be in the same category as the first.
The company reserves the right to request proof of legal relationship. Any misrepresentation may result in disciplinary action.
FREQUENCY
Officers with less than four (4) years of continuous service may take one (1) cruise per calendar year.
Officers with more than four (4) years of continuous service may take a maximum of two (2) cruises per calendar year.
NOTE: A cruise taken by a spouse or partner traveling without the Officer will be counted as one (1) of the Officer’s cruises. The spouse or partner of a non-Officer cannot travel without the staff member.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
To apply, all eligible shipboard staff must submit a completed Employee Space Available Request form including a personal email address that will be active for the 40 days leading up to the requested sailing dates.
Priority for cruises will be given based on seniority as outlined below. Employees taking their first cruise of the calendar year will receive priority over an employee taking a second cruise, regardless of seniority.
All regular employees, whether requesting their first or second cruise of the year, will be prioritized before seasonal employees. Within the seasonal employee category, consecutive seasons of service will be considered for prioritization purposes.
As this is a space-available program, confirmations may occur at varying times based on trade, seasonality, and projected availability. Requests are reviewed regularly, and confirmations typically begin around the time final payment for the cruise is due. Once you are confirmed on and pay for a cruise, you will not be affected by later employee requests, even from individuals at higher seniority levels.
Third and fourth passengers in a stateroom will be charged $0/day regardless of category or age.
You are required to prepay standard gratuities of $12 per person (including children) per day when sailing in a mini-suite, or $11.50 per person (including children) per day for all other staterooms, at the time you book your cruise. These will appear on your passenger folio as onboard credit. If, during your cruise, you (or any of your traveling companions) experience any service issues that would lead you to want to cancel or adjust the standard gratuities, you should immediately notify the Customer Relations Manager via the Front Desk so we can properly document the service breakdown and take appropriate corrective action. Unless you report a problem in this manner, you will be expected to respect our team by leaving the prepaid standard gratuities in place at the end of your cruise.
You are required to pay applicable government fees and taxes (GFT) at the time you book your cruise.
You can find the GFT for your selected cruise by looking up the cruise on intranet, but be aware that GFT can change up to the sailing date.
You may also submit a request for a suite at 50% off brochure rates.
If your eligible category (based on seniority) is not available at the time you are confirmed for a cruise, you will automatically be wait-listed for your eligible category and will be advised if it becomes available. If you are cleared for your eligible category but wish to purchase a higher category, you may ask to be wait-listed for the higher category at the time you accept and pay for the cruise. Once you are on board the ship, no further upgrades are available, and you should not make any requests or inquiries of shipboard personnel in that regard. Standby cruises are not available under this program.
If you are eligible for two cruises a year and wish to use both concessions on the same cruise for yourself, your spouse or registered domestic partner, and/or your dependent children who will not have turned 21 as of the date of sailing traveling with you (including foster children), you may indicate that request in the Comments section of the request form. Please note that this privilege is available solely for these specified immediate family members; no additional travel companions may occupy either cabin. Also, please be aware that the second cabin will be prioritized as your second cruise, and will only be cleared after all first requests have been cleared.
Remember that availability within this program is at the discretion of Yield Management.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Employees and their guests are strictly prohibited from discussing any confidential information with others. This includes the terms or fares of the employee cruise and travel programs and any onboard discounts.
PAYMENT
When you are confirmed for a cruise, you will receive an email advising that you have seven days to accept and pay for the cruise. After you make payment, the following cancellation fees will apply:
“Total Charges” includes cruise/cruise tour fare, any air booked through the company, and pre-cruise and post-cruise package charges.
CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS
As a courtesy to your co-workers, if you have requested a cruise and no longer wish to be considered for it, please cancel your request as soon as possible. Please refer to the Payment section above for information on cancellation fees.
COMPLIMENTARY TRANSFERS
Employees traveling on Employee Space Available rates (and their guests traveling in the same cabin) are eligible for free standard transfers between the airport and the pier. To receive this benefit, employees must provide their flight information to the company, and request their free transfers, at least 14 days prior to their cruise.
CAPTAIN’S CIRCLE
Employees and their guests traveling in the same cabin on Employee Space Available rates will be eligible for certain shipboard Captains’ Circle membership benefits.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Employees and their guests are encouraged to participate in the Travel Protection Program for Employees of the Cruise and Tour Industries. This program provides trip interruption/delay protection, medical protection, baggage protection, and worldwide emergency assistance service at a deeply discounted rate, and can be purchased even if employees are confirmed on an ESA cruise at the last minute.
As long as the envelope contains your enrollment form and payment is postmarked before you depart, coverage will begin at the start of your travel even if you have not received a confirmation of coverage.
If you are confirmed on a cruise less than a week prior to departure, you may scan your enrollment form and check and email them immediately before mailing the originals. Take the program brochure with you on your trip so you will have the contact numbers, claims instructions, and benefit details should you need them.
You also have the option of purchasing Vacation Protection to cover your ESA cruise at the time of booking and up until making final payment for the cruise. You may wish to consider this option in the event that you have paid for a cabin category upgrade as Vacation Protection can provide coverage for cancellation fees charged by the company on the upgrade costs should you need to cancel your cruise vacation. Please see the full plan description below for terms, conditions and exclusions. Please note that you may purchase Vacation Protection anytime before making final payment for the voyage; it cannot be purchased after the final payment date has passed. We do recommend that it be purchased at the time of booking. Please note that the complimentary upgrade to Platinum PVP for Platinum and Elite Captain’s Circle members does not apply to ESA travel.
CRUISE-RELATED COSTS
The ESA program provides employees with access to cruises at rates designed to be affordable for all employees. However, before taking a cruise, employees should be aware that some costs associated with cruises are not prepaid.
- Airfare to and from the port of embarkation/debarkation is the employee’s own responsibility
- Though employees traveling on this program are eligible for free transfers between the airport and the pier as described above, transportation between home and the airport, as well as airport parking (if applicable) is the employee’s own responsibility.
Employees are responsible for their onboard purchases, pre-and post-cruise hotel packages, etc.
ONBOARD DISCOUNTS
Employees traveling on all ships through the ESA program enjoy a variety of special discounts as detailed below. These discounts also apply to all individuals traveling in the same cabin as the employee (or, if an Officer’s spouse is using the Employee’s ESA cruise benefit to travel without the Officer, to all individuals in the same cabin as the Officer’s spouse). When employees book an ESA cruise, they and their qualified guests will automatically receive the applicable discounts.
Employees and their guests should not request discounts during purchases, especially in the presence of other passengers. Most discounts are not reflected in the receipts employees and their guests will receive at the time of purchase. Instead, on the last day of the cruise, their (or their guest’s) stateroom folio will show the original purchase (s), with a final credit entry totaling the discount for each charge type (Boutiques, Photo, etc.). For shore excursions, the discount will be automatically applied to the original charge and no separate credit will be shown on the folio.
All accounts must be settled at the Purser’s Desk prior to disembarkation. Any discounts that are not applied prior to disembarkation will not be honored after the employee leaves the ship.
Though we make every effort to ensure employees and their traveling companions receive the discounts to which they are entitled, there are occasional errors in the system. If you find a discrepancy in your onboard account, you should try to resolve it at the Purser’s Desk politely and professionally. If any unresolved issues remain, you should pay the bill as presented and then contact your supervisor when you return home. If appropriate, the supervisor may refer the issue to Human Resources for resolution.
We respect our team and want to provide you with all the perks of employment. It is also essential that we always behave professionally with one another, especially when in the presence of other passengers.
No discounts apply to any onboard services not described below. Discounts do not apply to Hotel & Dining Charges that are automatically added to the stateroom folio every day.
Those traveling should bear in mind that full fare paying passengers must come first at all times.
They should, therefore, avoid any conduct that could result in passenger service being adversely affected or comments being made concerning the presence of those in receipt of a concession fare being on board.
When onboard, ship staff and their relatives (including spouses) are not permitted to gamble, including bingo, horse-racing, and lotto.
CONDITIONS AND REGULATIONS OF CARRIAGE
All travelers are subject to the Conditions and Regulations of Carriage (Baggage, personal Effects, Liability Limitations) and Limitations on Carrier’s Liability, Indemnification of the Passage Contract.
MEDICAL
The Company will not be liable for any medical or repatriation costs incurred by anyone using this facility and those traveling. It is recommended that each traveler purchase appropriate insurance coverage prior to sailing.
Medical services and/or medicines prescribed/obtained through the onboard Medical Center will be charged at full cost.
For safety reasons, women who are pregnant must not travel prior to the 16th week or beyond the 24th week of their pregnancy. A pregnant woman wishing to travel between the 16th and 24th weeks of pregnancy should obtain a report from her family practitioner outlining her obstetric history and confirming that no complications are anticipated. Prenatal/antenatal care must be fully established and all investigations planned by the obstetrician completed prior to embarkation