Men and women sharing rooms on ships?

**cajaya** · June 24th, 2009, 09:11 AM

Is it okay to take a job, be flown somewhere and then find out you have to share a room with someone of the opposite sex even though there is a spare?

**sean** · June 24th, 2009, 10:02 AM

No. You can walk off and the company will have to pay to repatriate if you're overseas. They may even have to pay partial wages, depending on the contract.

I sailed with a 2nd engineer who walked off because he found out he had to share a bathroom. Wasn't even an opposite sex thing. It violated the contract though, so he got repatriated from Singapore and some part of his wages. Union of course.

**Capt. Fran** · June 24th, 2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by cajaya

Is it okay to take a job, be flown somewhere and then find out you have to share a room with someone of the opposite sex even though there is a spare?

I find that I'm always having to share a room with a guy, mostly because I'm usually one of the few women on board.

However, I've been lucky and have never had a problem, mostly because I'm usually sharing the room with another watchstander and we are rarely in there at the same time.

And finally, I think you should be very careful about asking for a spare room. Getting a room to yourself on a ship is a privilege, and certainly one that needs to be earned by more than just being a different gender than your roommate.

**Capt. Fran** · June 24th, 2009, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by sean

No. You can walk off and the company will have to pay to repatriate if you're overseas. They may even have to pay partial wages, depending on the contract.

I sailed with a 2nd engineer who walked off because he found out he had to share a bathroom. Wasn't even an opposite sex thing. It violated the contract though, so he got repatriated from Singapore and some part of his wages. Union of course.

Sean brings up an excellent point. If you have a contract, stick to your guns.

**Capt. Nemo** · June 24th, 2009, 10:52 AM

If two adult professionals can't inhabit the same space at different times, then one...or both...isn't a professional. I don't like sharing a cabin with anybody. The burping and farting (mine) keeps me awake!

I don't know how it would work if the opposite gender roommates were on the same rotation, but on different watches I don't see the problem. Rules have to be made and space defined, but that's the case anytime two people share a confined area.

Just my thoughts,

Nemo

**sean** · June 24th, 2009, 12:17 PM

Requiring 2 people of the opposite sex to share a cabin, as a condition of employment, is most likely illegal. I can't refer to any law on this, but if I were a shipowner or master I would definitely think twice about this.

**seadawg** · June 24th, 2009, 12:34 PM

as per management..race,ethnic background, gender, sexuallity and other "pc" sensitive issues do not exist aboard..no exceptional treatment..there are only mariners aboard.
*one of the few things management and I agree on..leave that crap on the dock and do your job and you might stay!

**Capt. Nemo** · June 24th, 2009, 12:40 PM

It probably is, but how do you justify giving the sole female member of the crew her own room and head when everybody else is sharing?

Is that discrimination (against the male crewmembers), being politically correct, old-fashioned or just covering legalities?

I'm not poking...just asking. Interesting topic.

Nemo

**anchorman** · June 24th, 2009, 12:55 PM

There is nothing that says anyone has to have their own room other than officers should be afforded one if possible. This means that spares must be utilized by the master if and when an officer is bunked with someone else. There is no requirement like this based on sex, but there is a sex segregation requirement for housing that has been addressed by our office's legal dept. at one time. Simply put, don't put a man and a woman in the same room at the same time. Other than that, nothing you can do without a contract.

**sean** · June 24th, 2009, 02:07 PM

You would have to look through non-maritime employment law to see if there are any prohibitions on this. I would be surprised if there aren't.

Even if not, there would be liability issues if anything happened.

I'm not saying anybody should get special privileges, but if it were a ship full of women it would be the other way around.

**mike173** · June 24th, 2009, 02:10 PM

This is a touchy subject, and I can see arguments for both sides. In my experience, most companies opt for the separate, but unequal, option. In other words, when someone has to double up, it's always the guys, unless there are 2 girls. I will admit that another union advantage is that officers are guaranteed their own room and head. What is the GOM standard on quarters? Do most officers on supply boats share rooms? What about the big anchor handlers? Just wondering, for personal interest.

**mike173** · June 24th, 2009, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by sean

I'm not saying anybody should get special privileges, but if it were a ship full of women it would be the other way around.

Don't think too many of us guys would complain too much.

**sean** · June 24th, 2009, 02:20 PM

I was on a ship where all the other deck officers were women. That was not so much fun. Actually, I almost quit.

**Capt. Fran** · June 25th, 2009, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by sean

I was on a ship where all the other deck officers were women. That was not so much fun. Actually, I almost quit.

Funny, I was on a ship where all the other deck officers were men. That was not so much fun either and actually, I almost quit, too.

**mike173** · June 25th, 2009, 03:36 PM

Nice comeback, Fran.

**Jeffrox** · June 25th, 2009, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by mike173

This is a touchy subject, and I can see arguments for both sides. In my experience, most companies opt for the separate, but unequal, option. In other words, when someone has to double up, it's always the guys, unless there are 2 girls. I will admit that another union advantage is that officers are guaranteed their own room and head. What is the GOM standard on quarters? Do most officers on supply boats share rooms? What about the big anchor handlers? Just wondering, for personal interest.

On my last vessel, (220 OSV chartered to the Navy), the Capt. ChEng, 2 AEngs, 3 Mates, 3 ABs shared 5 rooms and 2 heads. The head sharing was no problem, but I would have prefered my own room. Everyone was mature about the situation and we all were careful to respect each others space and there were no problems. This situation existed cuz when the contract was agreed to with the Navy, all the 01 level rooms were reserved for the Navy. (they stayed empty most all the time.) To me, sharing a room felt like living at someone elses house for 2 months.

**Jeffrox** · June 25th, 2009, 09:12 PM

I have a friend that is a mate on Crowley tugs sailing from Jacksonville, (SIU I think). He sez that they often take on cadets and whenever there is a female cadet they give her his room and he has to move and bunk with the ABs in their room.

**anchorman** · June 25th, 2009, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by mike173

This is a touchy subject, and I can see arguments for both sides. In my experience, most companies opt for the separate, but unequal, option. In other words, when someone has to double up, it's always the guys, unless there are 2 girls. I will admit that another union advantage is that officers are guaranteed their own room and head. What is the GOM standard on quarters? Do most officers on supply boats share rooms? What about the big anchor handlers? Just wondering, for personal interest.

On the Dino Chouest, the Master, Relief Master, C/E, and relief Engineer has staterooms with large beds, separate day rooms with couch, desk, fridge, and 36" plasma TVs, 256k internet connection (which I'm using now) and Direct TV. There are also 26" LCD TVs in the bedrooms for the Master and Chief. All other officers get their own single stateroom, but not as lavish. None of these room are used while you are gone so you can leave and lock your door.
I had to add blue ray and 1000watts surround sound on my own though.

Each stateroom has a private head.

**Jeffrox** · June 25th, 2009, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by anchorman

On the Dino Chouest, the Master, Relief Master, C/E, and relief Engineer has staterooms with large beds, separate day rooms with couch, desk, fridge, and 36" plasma TVs, 256k internet connection (which I'm using now) and Direct TV. There are also 26" LCD TVs in the bedrooms for the Master and Chief. All other officers get their own single stateroom, but not as lavish. None of these room are used while you are gone so you can leave and lock your door.
I had to add blue ray and 1000watts surround sound on my own though.

Each stateroom has a private head.

It's amazing that the same company that can provide it's employees what you describe on your vessel can also provide it's employees with what I described on my last vessel. And to think, you do what, a 28 day hitch? We were playing sardines doing 60/30. Enjoy your flat screens!!

**dougpine** · June 25th, 2009, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by anchorman

On the Dino Chouest, the Master, Relief Master, C/E, and relief Engineer has staterooms with large beds, separate day rooms with couch, desk, fridge, and 36" plasma TVs, 256k internet connection (which I'm using now) and Direct TV. There are also 26" LCD TVs in the bedrooms for the Master and Chief. All other officers get their own single stateroom, but not as lavish. None of these room are used while you are gone so you can leave and lock your door.
I had to add blue ray and 1000watts surround sound on my own though.

Each stateroom has a private head.

This is why I don't want to go back to tugs...