The resulting “ship’s company” is a large and diverse community that, because of scale and complexity,
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.