Trouble on Board provides a rare look at the vulnerable situation of international seafarers. Most are from the Third World, forced by economic necessity to go to sea. Beyond the reach of protections normally available to workers on shore, seafarers are frequently exploited by ship owners, recruiters, and captains. They receive appallingly low wages and have no system for redressing their grievances. Based on more than 1,500 letters and accounts of abuse, Trouble on Board describes the conditions under which many seafarers on cargo and cruise ships must live and work. It reveals an industry in which standards and working conditions have seriously declined, and serves as a disturbing case study of the internationalization of the workplace. Trouble on Board provides crucial insights for sociologists, academics in international labor, anyone interested in the maritime industry, and all those who are concerned about worsening labor conditions worldwide.