Do sailors make a good living?

[Az]

While there is very little for a deck qualified merchant mariner to do shore side, there are all sorts of things an engineer can be hired for both inside and outside the industry

That's is not completely correct. With an advanced degree - in operations, or business, a Captain can progress his career very far away.

The merchant navy unifies the aspects of leading men and operating in a commercial, competitive enviroment. It has ample opportunity for rapid promotion. It is a bargain, career-wise.

[Patroklos]

I meant as a merchant mariner. Sure a top sider can leave the merchant marine and get a salaried job somewhere probably having nothing to do with his former job. Thats not the point.

The point is that within the merchant marine industry there are plenty of shore side jobs an engineer can do without restricting him from taking cruising contracts.

[Az]

If you are on long-term contracts with with the same shipping company for a while, this is still true. You can cross over from maritime duties to operations and back.