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Emerald Sea · 18-06-2014, 22:16

We will be a international cruising family of 4 shortly; all adults. Could someone offer to explain the advantages/disadvantages of registering or designating the permanent onboard members as 'Crew' or 'Passengers'?

Thanks,
Steve
S/V Emerald Sea

**carstenb** · 19-06-2014, 00:00

If you designate them Crew, then they will appear on your manifest as such. When entering a foreign country and asked for your manifest, the authorities will want assurances that they will leave when the boat does, or that they have a plane ticket etc to exit the country in another legal way.

Claiming them as passengers, could get you into a discussion as to whether or not they are "paying" passengers, thereby making you a commercial vessel requiring commercial licenses etc.

Make them crew. Everyone understand this, it does not cause any problems

**Ex-Calif** · 19-06-2014, 00:20

This gets confusing fast and I think there are no standards in reality. I wrote a super long post and then dumped it.

There are lots of reasons for one or the other.

3 main considerations for me -

First - Most ports only allow crew ashore to do immigration. Everyone else is supposed to stay on-board.

Second - Some ports have landing fees. If you have "passengers" they could presume you are a commercial operation and charge you some exorbitant passenger landing fee.

Third - The Captain is usually responsible for the crew's conduct and to ensure their onward journey including paying airfare etc. If a crewperson gets sick and in hospital the Captain may be responsible for all that and cannot leave until assurances are given and accepted. Some argue that this applies for passengers as well but I disagree.

In summary -

- Crew - Captain may be responsible for their onward journey and/or their conduct in port
- Passengers - May make you a commercial operation

Each country may have different rules and may not even apply their own rules consistently. My experience is they cut us non-profs some slack.

Professional captains & commercial operations not so much.

Emerald Sea · 20-06-2014, 01:43

Thanks guys! Crew it will be.

Pelagic · 20-06-2014, 01:57

You have a third option which you can use for short time visitors.

On your "Crew List" ...list them as 'Guests'...(rather than a given position)
This can help to facilitate their departure as Tourists in some locations

We use that on the large yachts with professional crew to distinguish the VIP tourist.

Adventurebound · 20-06-2014, 02:06

Can you classify them as 'relatives'-we are all related to the first life that crawled on this planet??

**Ex-Calif** · 20-06-2014, 04:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelagic

You have a third option which you can use for short time visitors.

On your "Crew List" ...list them as 'Guests'...(rather than a given position)
This can help to facilitate their departure as Tourists in some locations

We use that on the large yachts with professional crew to distinguish the VIP tourist.

Ok - To reveal a little more of the dance of seven veils.

I list acquaintances as passengers and tell them if there is a fee they pay it. I took a couple to Indonesia they had a fight. She ferried home. Had she been crew I could have been obligated to prove she left...

Where I go I do know there is no passenger fee.

I also list at least one crewman. We had a paperwork kerfuffle in Indonesia. I took the boat to Indonesia for a week. My boat partner ferried in on the following Friday. I ferried out. He was to take the boat to Malaysia for a week then home to Singapore. Indonesia tilted because the captain changed.

Apparently they got rules about that. A crewman may be able to do stuff with the boat that a passenger can't - say if the Captain is incapacitated (in my case drunk in the bar) or something.

Like I said I think they cut us amateurs some slack. Giving an attitude never helps. That guy makes $800 a month and thinks you are super rich - top that with attitude and he gets pissy - and he has all the power regardless that he only has one uniform shirt and holes in his shoes.

I find a lot of humility goes a little way with these guys.

denverd0n · 20-06-2014, 05:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

That guy makes $800 a month and thinks you are super rich...

Let's face it. Compared to him, you ARE super rich.

Pelagic · 20-06-2014, 09:03

Indonesia is definitely a different dance partner....

Adventurebound · 20-06-2014, 17:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Ok and he has all the power regardless that he only has one uniform shirt and holes in his shoes.

Guys with holes in their shoes have tried to rule the world and one almost suceeded. Don't under estimate them. Come to think of it I have some holes in a pair of shoes-maybe I am destined for great things.

**JPA Cate** · 20-06-2014, 18:33

When we were in Mexico, we discovered that if "something" happened to Jim, I could not move the boat UNLESS I was listed on the crew list as "First Mate".

As the OP will be traveling as a family for an unknown period of time, I think all the crew and their positions be listed. However that works out for you. The First Mate is the normal "Assistant Skipper". ...And could even be one's second spouse.

Cheers,

Ann

Adventurebound · 20-06-2014, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

When we were in Mexico, we discovered that if "something" happened to Jim, I could not move the boat UNLESS I was listed on the crew list as "First Mate".

As the OP will be traveling as a family for an unknown period of time, I think all the crew and their positions be listed. However that works out for you. The First Mate is the normal "Assistant Skipper". ...And could even be one's second spouse.

Cheers,

Ann

I wouldn't want to be spouse number five-bilge and toilet cleaner.