@Claudio:
I think Luffy taking Tama out to sea at some point is pretty much a given but not by the end of the current arc. It seems more likely to happen by the end of the story.
Yet you think it's happening this arc and her making an impression on Zoro makes it more likely? I don't get it.
Yup!
That's just because usually before a straw hat joins, they mingle around with some crew members before its happening. Tama got Luffy, Zoro and probably Chopper in her pocket by now, and soon Jinbei and Robin, muhahaha.
@Ghidorah:
I could always see a bunch of characters temp joining up with the Strawhats same way Inu and Neko counted themselves amongst the Whitebeard and Roger Pirates without getting too involved: by stowing away like a couple of miscreants!
That way Tama could sail with the Strawhats without necessarily becoming a full time member, kinda like Carrot. I personally find her a bit dull, but well gotta fulfill Ace's promise and make her dream come true and all. If anyone's joining officially, my top picks as of now are Momo and someone to serve as his foil as a Cabin Boy duo ala Shanks and Buggy, be it Yamato or some other kid from another land such as Kano who'd play the Tiger to his Dragon.
Who knows, maybe Oda'll toss in Tama anyway so we get a Cabin Girl to balance two prospective Cabin Boys. Luffy's first step to surpassing Roger: taking on +1 brats on board. And a shitload of animals too. Roger had a giant egg, the Sunny will have an entire fucking zoo, muhfucka.
Now now, they're not cabin boys, they are pirate apprentices!
Buggy and Shanks were "pirate apprentices" (海賊見習い, Kaizoku minarai), not Cabin Boys.
Luffy at baratie, and Coby and Helmeppo at he marines before joining up with Garp were "Chore Boy" (雑用 Zatsuyō, literally meaning "Odd Jobs").
Coby at Alvidas ship were a "pirate ship caretaker" 海賊船雑用係 (Kaizoku-sen zatsuyō-gakari).
In fact, "Cabin Boy" キャビンボーイ (Kyabinbōi) has never been mentioned in the manga, just like look-out.
But yeah, everyone knows what you mean by saying cabin boy, but I still think there is an issue needing to be solved here, while Coby and Luffy were never really a part of either Alvidas and Baraties crews, the actual pirate apprentices Shanks, Buggy, Kaido and Marco were definitely considered a part of their respective crew they were apprenticing at.