Social Stratification

A cruise ship is the perfect example of social stratification.

According to sociologists, social stratification is defined as a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. And depending upon the source of the inequality and the degree to which it exists, social stratification may vary from society to society (Society : the basics / Macionis, Jansson, and Benoit - 4th Cdn. ed.).

But when it comes to life on-board a cruise ship, the inequality that exists spans both prestige as well as power and wealth.

Photo credit: wordtravelsblog.blogspot.com

And just so we’re clear, I am referring to the crew – not the passengers.

Anyone who has ever been on a cruise ship will be able to differentiate between a fellow passenger and a crew member by the unmistakable presence of a uniform. But in addition to serving a practical role, these uniforms also segregate the crew according to the positions they hold on the ship.

Photo credit: Maritime-Connector.com

At the top of the hierarchy are the officers. These men and women can be seen wearing white uniforms with epaulettes (stripes) that denote not only their rank, but their power and prestige amongst the crew.

Photo credit: cruiseshipjob.com

The officers generally hold managerial positions within the administrative and operational departments, or front line positions such as Pursers and Cruise Staff.

Photo credit: princess.com

Since many of these positions require formal training and previous experience (especially for those who work on the bridge), the expectation is that we give these crew members more respect and thus, consider their work more important than that of a waiter or a cabin steward.

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This ideology is reinforced through the issuance of special officer-only privileges such as access to passenger amenities, separate dining areas stocked with a greater variety of food and beverages (healthier?) and larger cabins.

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At the bottom of the hierarchy are the crew members who perform duties that can generally be done by anyone: working in the galley, cleaning, serving passengers, etc. These positions are generally filled by visible-minorities from low to middle-income countries and these crew members typically work the longest hours with little to no privileges.

Video credit: YouTube User - papanikolau182

Despite the alienation that some of these crew members experience, their income provides them (and their families) with more purchasing power than the officers and staff; therefore, some of them do experience upward social mobility both intragenerationally (within a person’s lifetime) and intergenerationally (in relation to their parents).

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But like a house of cards, this upward social mobility is both fragile and precarious. Minor fluctuations in forex coupled with the risk of work-related injuries and lack of educational opportunities means that these crew members are forever at risk of losing their purchasing power, jobs and even to some extent, their lives.

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Despite all this, proponents of Karl Marx would be pleased to know that there is one place on the cruise ship where all crew are considered equals and that is:

WARNING: Adjust your volume BEFORE viewing!

Video credit: YouTube User - ladystorme

The crew bar.