The resulting “ship’s company” is a large and diverse community that, because of scale and complexity,
requires careful management and coordination. A ship’s master has, according to Branch
(1996), absolute authority aboard a cruise ship. This authority, acting in lieu of the ship’s owner, provides
powers to act accordingly in cases where the ship, crew, customers, or ship’s contents are at risk.
This responsibility is further outlined in the discussion of maritime law in previous threads. There is a subtle
difference between this role and the post of captain, which is deemed to be a rank, although frequently
the captain on a cruise ship will hold the position of master. Other officers on board may also
hold the rank of captain, such as the staff captain who is charged with a responsibility relating to the
crew, staff, and customers.