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CGT
[ 04-13-2003: Message edited by: topgun ]
Malcolm, this chap definitely is not nor was ever rude or unhelpful to the passengers. Maybe things are different nowadays with so many cranky passengers.
When we met him 22 years ago he was the Night Manager, then Front Office Manager, then Purser. He then went on to be a F&B Manager and is now a Hotel Manager on one of the Wind Ships.
I must confess that I don't know much about the Pursers offices and Pursers on todays cruiseships, but in "the old days" the Purser was a pretty important part of the crew compliment.
I started in 1961 with (who else) American President Lines and joined my first ship, the PRESIDENT CLEVELAND, as Junior Asst Purser #5. Basically, I was the baggage clerk. In APL there was a training program, whereby you joined the company as a trainee and spent about 2 years working in the freight department, passenger department and terminals and then were assigned to a ship, generally as the most junior of juniors on the largest passenger ship. That was JAP5 on the CLEVELAND or WILSON. You worked your way up the ranks in the next 2 or 3 years doing the baggage clerks job, JAP4 was the guy that did all the freight manifesting and cargo work (with the Chief Mate), JAP3 was the great jump to the front counter of the Pursers Office where you could chat with and do all the jobs for the passengers, then to JAP2, who did all the crew personnel and payroll work, to JAP1 who was the boss of all the other Junior Asst Pursers and insured that the documentation was correct for arrival and departure requirements for all the foreign ports. After achieving this exalted level, you could go on the freighters (where you did all that work plus being the Captains Assistant for anything and everything from clerical work to all the finances of the ship) or go ashore into a mid management job in the freight or passenger or terminal departments or stay and work your way up to become Sr. Asst Purser, who did the finance work on the passenger ships and/or the entertainment work (we had no cruise directors) and finally, to Chief Purser, who got to wear the 3 stripes and pretty much play with the passengers room assignments/upgrades, be the company's on board representative and yes, ultimately be responsible for all the other Pursers on the ship. And also the Staff Department which included the musicians, printers, shop keepers, children's activity directors, special events people such as dance instructors, hosts, etc.
I chose the freighter route and had a wonderful career.
I do believe the Pursers position in todays ships is considerably different. The days I am talking about were in 1960-1980.
Regards,
Jerry
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