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Introduction
The Maritime Union of Australia has accused Carnival Cruise Line of engaging in what it describes as some of the most extreme labour exploitation seen in Australia, alleging crew on its Australian-based ships are paid a fraction of the minimum wage while working punishing hours under restrictive visa arrangements.
Allegations Against Carnival
The Sydney branch of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) claims crew members working aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Australian fleet are paid as little as $2.50 an hour while routinely working more than 10 hours a day.
The allegations relate to staff working on the Carnival Splendor, Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure, which are home-ported in Australia and operate predominantly along the Australian coast with mostly Australian passengers.
MUA Sydney branch organiser Shane Reside said the company “preys” on workers from economically disadvantaged countries.
“The company flies in seafarers from some of the poorest economies on Earth into Sydney and Brisbane,” he said.
“They work on Australian home-ported vessels along the Australian coast, but they’re paid wages commensurate with third-world economies.”
Working Conditions at Sea
According to the union, while crew members may earn more than minimum wages in their home countries, they face extreme working conditions onboard.
Reside alleged workers can be rostered for up to 300 hours a month — roughly double standard full-time employment hours.
“We’ve heard stories of people working below deck for extremely long hours each day, often for months at a time,” he said.
“Sometimes people are not seeing daylight for months.”
The MUA also claims crew members are reluctant to raise concerns due to fears their employment — and their right to remain in Australia — could be terminated.
“When they seek to complain or raise these issues, they’re being told to shut up, accept it or they’ll be moved on,” Reside said.
Visa and Legal Loopholes
Carnival Cruise Line is not bound by Australian federal labour laws due to exemptions under the Coastal Trading Act, which allows cruise operators to work under temporary licences rather than general licences.
These licences, overseen by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, classify cruise ships as international vessels rather than Australian ones.
Reside said the exemption was designed for short-term visits by international vessels, not for cruise ships permanently operating from Australian ports.
“For all intents and purposes they’re Australian vessels, but they’re exempted because of a loophole the law creates,” he said.
“These vessels are right here in our backyard, and we consider that very much to be our responsibility.”
While changes to the act were announced following an independent review in 2024 — allowing the minister to cancel temporary licences — the union argues the reforms do not go far enough to protect crew.
Carnival’s Response
Carnival Cruise Line rejected the allegations, describing them as unfounded and criticising the union’s campaign language.
In a statement, the company said:
“Carnival shipboard wages meet and most often exceed International Maritime Organisation labour standards, and are supplemented by free housing, food, medical care, training, transportation and other benefits.”
The company said it employs crew from more than 150 countries and highlighted long staff retention rates, noting that more than 95 per cent of P&O Cruises Australia crew stayed on when the brand folded into Carnival last year.
Carnival did not provide details on hourly pay rates or confirm how many hours crew are required to work per month.
Conclusion
The allegations have renewed scrutiny on labour standards in Australia’s cruise industry and the regulatory gaps that allow international operators to avoid domestic wage laws. While Carnival denies the claims, the MUA says it will continue to push for reform to ensure international seafarers working in Australian waters are protected from exploitation.