Hi All,
It's actually really sad the way some cruise lines abuse their staff. They may not even pay them a fair wage. Working more than 8 hours a day can be exhausing. On a cruise ship, I can understand 12 hour days, maybe even 6 days a week. People need time time off. Any more than this is simply abuse. These people get worked 7 days per week on some lines. Cruise lines get around US employment laws by registering their ships in countires with no significant laws nor enforcement. This is one reason why there are no US cruise lines and those that were are no longer running. (Maybe the upcoming US line will succeed.)
This does not mean, however, that you should modify your tipping procedures because you feel sympathy or because the cruise line abuses its staff. Remember, you pay people tips because they have provided you with a service. The amount of the tip reflects the quality of the service. While I do feel sypmathy for the staff on-board, it is their choice to make. According to the cruise lines, their is no shortage of people willing to take their place. Apparently, the money is very, very good. While the wages seem rather low to us, it must be really high to them because the demand for the jobs is overwhemling. The conditions they experience on-board are likely better than conditions they experience working jobs in their own countries.
We all have our challenges, we all have our heartaches, I've had my share (and still do). When I pay big bucks to forget about life for awhile and enjoy a cruise, I'll pay a great tip to those that help me in that endeavor!