Hello from the beautiful cruise ship Seabourn SOJOURN sailing to French Polynesia from the west coast, on to Kiribati and Hawaiian islands and back to LA...
After cruising for over 40 years with mostly European or Filipino crews, we have been pleasantly surprised to be joined by many young men and women on our crew from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya!! These wonderful folks are working onboard at all levels as cabin Stewardesses, dining waiters and waitresses, wine stewards, bar tenders and servers....right on up to our Manager of Guest Services who wears an officers uniform!!
Apparently Seabourn started this process years ago as exchange rates and availability of interested employees had become more difficult to attract from normal venues. Seabourn started a focused African recruiting program from several of the Hospitality and Hotel Management colleges and universities, several in Cape Town but others as well to attend their US Training Academy and immediately take them aboard their 6-Star ships in a variety of positions. It is working!!
These fine folks have excellent language skills and are very well trained, meticulously groomed and have assimilated into this luxury environment and are doing an excellent job...friendly, engaging, happy, laughing and singing while carrying out their various tasks here at sea.
It is so pleasing to us and very heart warming to see these fine people venturing out into the world and "working abroad" and seeing the world at the same time. What an opportunity for Africans!!
We enjoy talking with them while they come to our tables or suites to carry out duties and share their stories and where they are from. They are surprised and pleased when we know their home towns and share stories of visiting their homes many times. Yes, many of them have worked in various safari camps and lodges.
I am not sure that many of our fellow passengers have experienced Africa and recognize the interesting culture of the crew members...we certainly do and very much enjoy the ambiance of these fine people we have shared safari camps with in years past.
Yes, there were some big tears as we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay, with many on deck with us taking a short break or serving coffee and Mimosas for the occasion...interestingly the Bridge appearing out of the smoke of the Napa fires...the sunset the previous evening was Orange, just like Africa...
What a RENNISSANCE for these fine people...maybe we are biased, but we really believe they bring a great new ambiance to our cruising experience. This simply confirms our love of the African people...they have graduated...and are coming out... It is a "PLEASURE"!!

CHEERS,

Good post, Eddy. Thank you.

quote:

Seabourn started a focused African recruiting program from several of the Hospitality and Hotel Management colleges and universities, several in Cape Town but others as well to attend their US Training Academy and immediately take them aboard their 6-Star ships in a variety of positions. It is working!!

It can make a whale of a difference when they see how the real world functions and creaming the Hotel Colleges is likely to get you the best candidates.

One thing is for sure ..... they ain't ever going back!

Interestingly the crew members are late 20's, 30's and early 40's often with family/kids at home. Crew contracts are 6 to 8 months and then the cruise line provides air transportation back home or where ever they wish to travel. Most crew members very much adore their own country's and are very anxious to get back to their own culture and especially traditional foods!! They go home, rest up, recharge and come back on the ship...it is very intense work...no slackers out here..but they love it and come back to their family at sea.
We often see experienced crew members migrating back to their home countries to open restaurants, BnB, Lodges and small hotels based on the Hospitality they have well learned on the cruise ships. Most are very successful that we have kept in contact with and visited them back in their home countries.
There are also romantic escapades that develop and happy marriages take couples to new spouse homes yet, they still come back and work on ships...it becomes a tradition and way of life....hard work, meet great people and see the world...until you are old and can retire...
We are hopeful that this opportunity for Africans will prosper and cruise ship crew members will thrive and bring back their wealth and experience to apply in Africa...and we will all see the fruits of their pursuits and success!!
Cheers,

The sad truth is it's very hard to find work in RSA as the unemployment rate is staggering due to the ANC putting a Mercedes in every politician's garage but forgetting to put a chicken in every citizen's pot. Under the "former apartheid regime" finding work was not a problem for anyone. Sadly I don't think this type of work leads to a Green Card as these boats cruise international waters. So I don't see any renaissance, I just see people sacrificing their personal lives to overcome the mess the politicians have made of their country.

This like any contract work is great for those who can get it, but it benefits few others. That said, here in Zim the so-called diaspora is a major source of income as these people wire back money for their families. That benefits a few families, and the alleged government which steals the USD and pays out it's new monkey money.

But I have to say, well done to those who have taken the jump.