Dear Mr. Gus Antorcha,
I hope this message finds you well.
I am writing on behalf of all Administration Officers to formally raise our collective concerns regarding the current compensation, recognition, and responsibilities associated with our position.
While the Administration Officer role is considered an Assistant Purser position and receives the same level of compensation as roles such as EGSS, GSS, and Night Manager, the scope of our duties and responsibilities far exceeds those of the aforementioned positions. Our working hours are consistently longer, the complexity of tasks significantly greater, and the level of stress often overwhelming. Despite these demands, we are not adequately compensated nor appropriately recognized for the essential work we perform daily.
Recently, there has been a restructuring of the Guest Services department across the fleet. However, no changes were made to the Administration Officer role. While we were pleased to see several Administration Officers promoted to other roles, we must express concern about the fairness and transparency of the selection process for positions that were opened during this restructuring process. Although the application process was open to all, many highly capable Administration Officers—who meet and in many cases exceed the requirements for promotion—were not selected. This has led to further disappointment and a growing sense of inequity within our team.
The Administration team plays a critical role onboard, supporting multiple departments, managing sensitive operations, and ensuring seamless communication between guests, crew and port authorities to ensure ship can receive clearance to enter each port. Yet, there is a widespread feeling among Administration Officers that our contributions are undervalued. This has led to growing dissatisfaction and a decline in morale within the team.
We respectfully request that this matter be evaluated by higher management, taking into account the substantial responsibilities that fall under the Administration Officer’s role. We also propose that consideration be given to formally recognizing the Administration Officer position as a two-stripe officer rank, accompanied by a corresponding adjustment in salary that reflects the demands and expectations of the role.
We are bringing these concerns to your attention, and we have seen some positive changes since you became president of Princess Cruises. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We trust that management will take these concerns seriously and initiate a fair and constructive evaluation.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the Administration Officer
