# What happens if you're fired while working on board a ship?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 19, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839 "2008-12-19T01:24:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/1 "2008-12-19T01:24:44Z")
I was wondering, how do they manage the logistics of firing a crewmember on a long pleasure or merchant cruise? Does he stop working, and do they stop paying him, just like in a terrestrial job? Assuming he can’t simply be set adrift, does he start paying for his room and board once he’s been fired? Is he booted off the boat at the next port, even if it’s against his wishes? Are such arrangements spelled out before the crewmember even signs on?
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/2 "2008-12-19T01:46:44Z")
I had a friend who retired and became a dancer on a cruise ship. They want retired gentlemen who can dance to keep the old rich women happy. He got free trips around the world. He was diabetic and did not tell them he might black out. He went down and got fired. They dumped him at the next port. I believe a plane trip home was included in the severance.
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### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/3 "2008-12-19T02:11:41Z")
I asked a cruise worker for Carnival this same question. His response was much like **gonzomax’s** friend although he mentioned nothing about airfare. He just said they dropped you off at the next port and you were SOL. I assume that the circumstances of your firing would effect how considerate they were to you. Fraternizing with the guests is a big no no.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/4 "2008-12-19T02:25:34Z")
> [@stuyguy](#):
>
> Assuming he can’t simply be set adrift . . .
Don’t ships still have gangplanks? 😃
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### Author:  [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/5 "2008-12-19T03:36:28Z")
And how does it work on smaller vessels, like fishing boats? They hire a new guy, go out to sea for a few weeks, and find out he’s a total incompetant shithead 3 days in… what happens?
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/6 "2008-12-19T03:44:20Z")
> [@mmmiiikkkeee](#):
>
> They hire a new guy, go out to sea for a few weeks, and find out he’s a total incompetant shithead 3 days in… what happens?
They tell him to stay completely out of the way - out of sight if at all possible. If this works, they get rid of him when next in port; if not, they’ll have to make a special trip.
In extreme cases (guy becomes deranged) there is very strong nautical tradition & precedent that the captain can do whatever is necessary to keep the vessel and its occupants safe - though such actions will certainly face scrutiny.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/7 "2008-12-19T03:46:54Z")
> [@panache45](#):
>
> Don’t ships still have gangplanks? 😃
That’s much to low tech for the big cruise ships. They’d much rather use the pneumatic keelhauler.
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### Author:  [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/8 "2008-12-19T03:53:47Z")
> [@Xema](#):
>
> Though such actions will certainly face scrutiny.
I believe you misspelled accident.
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### Author:  [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/9 "2008-12-19T05:10:04Z")
On foriegn ships the rules are different.
On a US flag ship Sailing Articles are signed before the ship leaves a US port to go over seas. It is like a contract. You can not be fired until you reach a US port. The only way they could fire you outside a US port would be to pay you off in full put you on a plane back to the home port. And I believe the ship would be required to have someone from the US consel in the country sign off on it.
If you descide that you want to leave the ship outside of a US port the term for it is Jumping Ship. And it can cost you your License and or your seamans papers if the company were to make an issue of it, most do not. Also if you are in a foriegn country and jump ship then you are not covered by your Z card, that means you are there with no pasport or visa.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/10 "2008-12-19T06:03:40Z")
> [@KRM](#):
>
> I asked a cruise worker for Carnival this same question. His response was much like **gonzomax’s** friend although he mentioned nothing about airfare. He just said they dropped you off at the next port and you were SOL. I assume that the circumstances of your firing would effect how considerate they were to you. Fraternizing with the guests is a big no no.
Really?
… sorry, man. Hope you didn’t get caught.
I mean, you probably weren’t a very nice guy anyway, in the long view, as it were.
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### Author:  [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/11 "2008-12-19T06:24:20Z")
On _Deadliest Catch_, they once had a guy who was just miserable to work with - he was constantly grumpy, did stuff wrong, talked back to the captain, etc. They let him off at the next port.
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### Author:  [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/12 "2008-12-19T06:26:32Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> Really?
> … sorry, man. Hope you didn’t get caught.
>
> I mean, you probably weren’t a very nice guy anyway, in the long view, as it were.
Is this a whoosh?
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
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### Author:  [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/13 "2008-12-19T06:47:25Z")
> [@panache45](#):
>
> Don’t ships still have gangplanks? 😃
Not to nitpick but a _gangplank_ connects the ship to the pier. _Walking the plank_ is another matter!
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### Author:  [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/14 "2008-12-19T13:47:47Z")
> [@WoodenTaco](#):
>
> On _Deadliest Catch_, they once had a guy who was just miserable to work with - he was constantly grumpy, did stuff wrong, talked back to the captain, etc. They let him off at the next port.
I seem to remember another episode where a total newbie to the business freaked out not too long into the trip.
Not only could he not work, he was so freaked out he kept talking about putting on his survival suit and litterally jumping ship. How that was gonna somehow be better is beyond me. Maybe he thought there were zombies on the ship?
They were so worried he might do something they took him back to port.
At least he was extremely appolgetic after they got back to port. He felt bad and insisted he not get paid anything for any of the work/time he put in. The captain was fairly understanding and insisted the guy DID get paid his share despite the problem he caused. The guy ended up getting paid.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/15 "2008-12-19T14:04:45Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#):
>
> Is this a whoosh?
>
> Valete,
> Vox Imperatoris
Oh, not you. I just had a brief fling with an officer on a cruise ship, once.
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### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/16 "2008-12-19T14:06:50Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> Really?
> … sorry, man. Hope you didn’t get caught.
>
> I mean, you probably weren’t a very nice guy anyway, in the long view, as it were.
Huh? That’s just what I was told. Really.
Hoping this is a whoosh.
Just saw the reply. Now I get it.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/17 "2008-12-19T14:13:06Z")
It was more like a dalliance.
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### Author:  [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/18 "2008-12-19T16:23:18Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#):
>
> On foriegn ships the rules are different.
>
> On a US flag ship Sailing Articles are signed before the ship leaves a US port to go over seas. It is like a contract. You can not be fired until you reach a US port. The only way they could fire you outside a US port would be to pay you off in full put you on a plane back to the home port. And I believe the ship would be required to have someone from the US consel in the country sign off on it.
>
> If you descide that you want to leave the ship outside of a US port the term for it is Jumping Ship. And it can cost you your License and or your seamans papers if the company were to make an issue of it, most do not. Also if you are in a foriegn country and jump ship then you are not covered by your Z card, that means you are there with no pasport or visa.
Is this the modern version of signing the Captain’s book that is mentioned in many old stories about sea voyages in the age of sail?
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### Author:  [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/19 "2008-12-19T17:54:45Z")
I saw the Cruise Director get kicked off the ship once. We pulled out and he was standing on the end of the dock with his luggage around him. There was a new Cruise Director waiting for us at the next port.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-youre-fired-while-working-on-board-a-ship/477839/20 "2008-12-19T18:29:11Z")
> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> Oh, not you. I just had a brief fling with an officer on a cruise ship, once.
For 20 minutes? Marianas Trench? I think I remember hearing about it but it was a long time ago…
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