Hummingfrog,
No offence, but you appear to have forgotten the main factor, which is CHOICE.
Yes, Xmas and New Year etc away is a bad routine, (doesn't happen every year) but some people actually exist very well on rosters like that.
As Mountainman would testify (he decided he'd had enough of it years ago), there are some who have lives and relationships (and are ex North Sea with it's "structured" life), who relish the amount of time off a roster like that can give you.
So please, let's not generalise
Have you been anywhere apart from the North Sea ? As I saId, no offence.
Cheers,
NEO.