General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Here's the source for some of the pro-TPP bull$hit being disseminated on DU: [View all]TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Liberia is a "flag of convenience" country that will register just about any blue water vessel and even give college kids "master's certificates" that would theoretically allow them to be captains of oil tankers.
It was (and may still be) a joke among King's Point Maritime Academy students to get Panamanian (another flag of convenience) masters licenses when they made their required Canal trip in their junior year. Suitable for framing, but no one will hire you. We hope.
Anyway, all this was set up by the our government for US shipping companies to get around something called the Jones Act that had a lot of requirements for anything sailing between US ports. Safety was secondary to the requirements for US union crews that would be at least three times larger than foreign flag crews, and cost a lot more per seaman. The crew costs could be more than 10 times as much for a US flag vessel. There were other things, too, but you get the idea.
To get back to your choice of cruise, though, if you are planning a cruise the reputation of the cruise operator is much more important than the flag they registered under. Liberia, Panama, Greece, Norway... Few of the registering countries actually get involved in the operations of their fleets after the check is cashed.