The recent announcement by Royal Caribbean Cruises to axe 400 jobs owing to a 55 per cent increase to its fuel costs and a sharp drop in second quarter net income seems to be the least of its worries. ExpertCruiser hears that current employees at Royal Caribbean are very unhappy with how the layoffs were conducted and that moral is at an all time low.

Employees are upset that the company has not been recruiting from within, but has chosen to go outside the royal confines and hire talent from other cruise lines. In fact, two departments in Royal Caribbean are now being run by people poached from Carnival. One of which started last week! Given the fact that some of the fired employees had over twenty years service with Royal Caribbean seems all is not well.

What message is Royal Caribbean sending to its own troops when it gives long-time employees the heave-ho citing costs then turns around only to throw big sums of money to hook other cruise lines executives?  Also, why are they so focused on Carnival?  Hmmm.

Also, ex-employees are speaking out. A family member of a fired employee wrote the following on ExpertCruiser’s blog: “They made my fiancée sign a piece of paper stating that he would forfeit his severance if he talked to a news media or if he filed a lawsuit. They are basically holding their severances hostage. Royal Caribbean has tried to put up the front that they are family oriented and care for their employees and like to promote company loyalty. This was so opposite of their public persona.”

Clearly, Royal Caribbean is not a happy workplace.

Layoffs at Royal Caribbean’s largest call center in Wichita, Kansas have started. The 89,000 square foot call center employs approximately 600 people and has been in operation since 1997. According to blog posts on www.expertcruiser.com the layoffs have started.

One poster says people are walking into work only to be handed pink slips. Royal Caribbean has not released a statement announcing the layoffs or the departments involved. Stay tuned to www.expertcruiser.com for the latest.