Many years ago I heard a tale, which I believe to be true rather than an urban myth, about the RN. Perhaps someone can confirm/deny this...?
The way I heard it the crew of an RN "battleship" were paid LOA at the rate of the last overseas port (country) they had visited, until they got to their next one. This obviously didn't count with regard to UK. However, say a grey funnel liner was leaving UK to go to the USA. On leaving UK, a quick flag waving stop in France before crossing the Atlantic, and you get LOA at French rates until you reach the USA.
I believe this lead to the situation in the Falklands war where you could have 2 ships side by side doing the same job. One steamed straight from Portsmouth in a hurry without stopping anywhere, so the crew was getting nothing. The other was recalled from a port visit in the Med, so for the whole of the Falklands war deployment the crew was being paid LOA at the rate for the last country they visited (say Italy).......
True, or an urban myth? A past practice, or still going on today? Overall cost of this perk? Being paid LOA while at sea being fed 3 meals a day, using ships laundry, etc..?