danna

I WILL NO LONGER BE A MEMBER OF THIS GROUP. I AM OBVIOUSLY CAUSING TO MUCH TENSION AND GETTING PEOPLES BACKS ABOUT CERTAIN ISSUES (that you ask about). I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO GIVE SOME CRUISERS A PERSPECTIVE OF THE BEHIND THE SCENCES BUT I GUESS NOT. The movie 'A few good men', the famous line out of that was "YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH" Goodbye and goodluck to some of you

As you will see when i write thread about crew, i always use 'some or not everyone and not all'. Just as i do when i write about the passengers on board. I have explained that the opinions i give are my own and that when jason adressed this issue i had no problem to stop talking about it. One member brought this subject up again after it had been closed and i refused to talk about this as i had been told it was not apropriate. This comment from you It seems a bit egotistical on your part, to even think that people would consider leaving this wonderful forum because of your thread. I have never asked anybody to leave the wonderful forum. I did say in this thread that i have upset and probably will continue to upset people in this forum with my opinions. That is why a vote would be a good idea. These are my opinions not the opinions of all staff and crew. I am not trying to start controversay - members ask questions and i answer them. I answer truthfully and that i have said will upset some people. I am not trying to cause division in the group - everyone has there own opinions and some of you ask questions that may have controversal answers. Again i have ask members not to ask me questions that they think might upset some viewers. I said i will answer questions truthfully.

I am one of those Oldersters that complain too much... old school you know... .. was taught to write thank you notes ... Nooooooooo - you wouldnt complain to much. Would you????? There is so many things that have been lost over the years (as you said notes). Which is really a shame as it makes your day recieving a thank you note from someone. Even recieving ones about the things that need improving. Not many people have big enough shoulders for that though!!!!

I hope we do... at least that is our intent.. and yes we did adjust the gratuities... I believe we actually prorated the tips.. for the cabin steward and assistant and Maître'D reducing then only for the days when service was below expectations.. and giving full gratuity for those days when expectations were met... (I always enclose a note in the gratuity envelope along with extra $ if appropriate thanking at the crew for it's performance or explaining why there is a deficit in the amount they were expecting..... These days when we cruise we normally prepay the gratuities and consider that as part of the staffs "normal" salary...see I do know how corporate can be..LOL We also add additional notes and cash where warranted.. unless of course service was abominable then we remove all gratuities and extend those only to the truly deserving... Thats the right way of doing gratuties - and the notes in the envelopes is fab

Do you have any questions for me for a new subject?

Danna it's ok to vent.. we all do it.... and we understand that not all crew members are less than ideal as well.... see we do have an understanding!! isn't that nice!! I want to invite you to read just two of my reviews.. both are from celebrity the summit and the millennium.. and then tell me .. did I overact? Was in your opinion fair in my observations? I am truly interested .. David and my Reviews are here Joey Your reviews are informative and correct. You talk about the good and the bad of the ships. If there is something that is not up to standard (dust etc)....you need to let someone know. The guys that clean the room are not always good and the only way to make them aware of this is cutting gratuties. (i am only presuming this is what you did). You can talk till you are blue in the face about the importance of cleaning, but the only real way they will learn is 'work no good - money no good. My saying for work "there is always something to do". If me or my colleagues were every standing around i would pull out the rags and spray and we would all start cleaning the area. (i was not liked for this) Obviously not everyone has this rule and would rather chat that work. The food - specialty restaurants are always the best....I got so fat on my 2 contract from these places. Eggs - the eggs in the staff and crew mess are so hard you need a steak knife to cut them. Again with the food this always comes to the company cutting costs. Every year the management is given lower and lower budgets to work with (celebrity being one of the worst and lowest). This is turn makes the food you recieve less than perfect. (Dam pencil pushers). I have heard before that the food on Summit is not very good (not including the specialty). Your reviews are good. i say if something is not up to scratch you have every right to complain to management and have the problem solved. There is always a right way and wrong way of making complaints. Im sure you use the right way

Danna it's ok to vent.. we all do it.... and we understand that not all crew members are less than ideal as well.... see we do have an understanding!! isn't that nice!! You are right -

I have and probably will continue to do so on the future upset and make members mad. I write things as they are (as i see them) and unfortunately this does upset people. And i am to stubborn to change my ways!!!!!! Thats a shame ... are you admidting you could beginning to sound like those older passengers that you say are too demanding....LOL HAHAHAHHA - NO....I know that speaking (and writing) things as i see them is one of my biggest faults. At least i admit to knowing what my faults unlike the perfect passengers that i talk about Danna you are too funny...

I have and probably will continue to do so on the future upset and make members mad. I write things as they are (as i see them) and unfortunately this does upset people. And i am to stubborn to change my ways!!!!!!

and it shows .. don't think you are fooling people.. in fact how does that song go ..."whose zoomin who"? had you ever thought of going into a career with less demanding skills.. maybe someplace where you say "would you like fries with that?" and I Imagine you are as popular with the guests as they think they are with you! If you read the following post to that you will have read this: I am trying to give you all a behind the scence face look and if you dont like it - stop reading it!!! And what I am telling you..... is the public understands.. the public is not amused.. and the public doesn't appreciate the way the some crew members are performing their job.. i feel ..we feel it's the crew that doesn't understand!! I am sorry if you are taking my observations and opinions as criticisms, however I must say if you are that easily offended maybe you should stop posting here and go back to the dark side.. because here at CruiseCrazies we maintain a certain level of dignity.. everyone has their own opinion we retain the right to disagree respectfully but no one's opinion is wrong!! Either way I will continue to defend my positions in what i hope are intelligent well thoughtful and respectful means.. will you do the same please.. I have set up a new thread 'cruise employee vote' make your vote count

Hi there. Some of you have seen my posts and not liked them at all. So we are going to have a vote. To vote YES - i will revoke my member ship to this site and never post again NO - I will stay on an probably upset more of the members Add to this Thread and if i recieve 5 'YES' I will go - with no comments on the matter

and it shows .. don't think you are fooling people.. in fact how does that song go ..."whose zoomin who"? had you ever thought of going into a career with less demanding skills.. maybe someplace where you say "would you like fries with that?" and I Imagine you are as popular with the guests as they think they are with you! If you read the following post to that you will have read this: Guests are more happy when they are treated with respect and talked to as a person not a money basket. The industry is two faced (like most but not all customer related industries). There is the customer face and the behind the scences face. I am trying to give you all a behind the scence face look and if you dont like it - stop reading it!!!

It depends what you like. Beaches - eagle beach is the best. It has all the water sports you could imagine at one end and the other end is just pure white sand and no chairs no umbrellas and no people. There is tours to the light house and the natural bridge (which has now fallen down and not worth seeing). The is 4 wheel motor bike tours or mini safaris. Go on line and google 'aruba tourism' and this will give you a lot of information.

I recieved a message from the big boss about my comments on children had upset some of you on my other post (that was removed). But if you read my first post I did say you may not like my answers. Do not in future ask me questions that you think may upset someone else. I will always answer truthfuly.

This is why you will always recieve the best treatment anyone on board can give!!!

Verbal is always good but written is much better. Cruises are always so hectic for all staff and management and things are often forgotten. If there is a piece of paper floating around it will be found again. Do both and that way the message will definately get across. And if you want to go one step further write a note to the hotel director as well.

All comment cards are sent to the office. This is why none of the crew is allowed to deposit these in the box for any guest. Good comments are always good. But if you have a good thing to say about a certain cleaner or waiter make a note to the food and beverage manager (waiter and bar staff) or the chef house keeper for the cleaners. Give them to the guest relations desk and they will have them delivered. On board comments always go further than the comment cards. But still write nice stuff on the comment cards as well.

Ill start at the bottom. The office does read the cruise reviews and take note of what is said. Unfortunately they take a lot of what is said on the 'Cruise critics' web site under consideration as this is the most problematic group. (dislike by all crew on board). But other web sites are monitored as well. To name a crew member is fantastic - where it will be seen or not - who knows? Good named comments on board get promotions faster. Speciality restaurants - it is not common to tip for this as you do pay for the service - but if you want to give a little extra go right ahead. People who think like you about the tipping policy being added into the account at the end - we love. Not all cruise lines are the same and have different policies. Some lines are mandatory tipping and some are pay what you want - and some have different payment options. I wish everyone felt the same about tipping as you do - it would make everybodies life on board so much easier. Giving an employee extra in cash is great but do it discreetly. I wish you were on my cruises !!!!

We are given 'quotes' as such and words that we are suppose to use when asked certain questions. If you are overheard not answering in such a manner by an officer you will be given a warning. As i said i do not do this. This is because i will not change who i am to suit these stupid rules. If i did not get so many good comments from guests every cruise, yes im sure i would be fired by now. Guests are more happy when they are treated with respect and talked to as a person not a money basket.

I cant tell you which ships i have worked on as you never know what management is reading these posts. The most fun line for crew would be royal. Party central. The most strict for crew is celebrity but this also depends on the captain and hotel director. The employees work extremely hard to make your cruise enjoyable. We are all put through a lot of training on how to talk to guests. Which i have never adhered to and still i am the favourite of every cruise. The cruise line is a very fake industry and i refuse to buy into the kiss ass way we are supose to treat a guest. The cleaners and waiters are the one that work the hardest...they pretty much get no time off and not paid huge amounts of money. A lot of the officers just sit in the offices and drink coffee all day and get the minons to do there work. The dancers/ entertainers are the luckiest. They do only a couple of shows a cruise and get pretty much all the other time off. They are generally (not all) young and stupid and when they stand at the doors and you say 'oh what a wondrful show', it only makes there heads bigger. they are hated by every department on board becuase they get paid to do practically nothing. Guest relations/purser is the hardest as the complaints that come in are horendous. This you must have very very braod shoulders for. Even with broad shoulders sometimes you go to your cabin and cry from stress.

As a current cruise employee and have done the L.A to hawaii and back many many times i do not recomend this. As soon as you leave you get into seriuosly rough water and you will feel horrible for a couple fo days. By the time you have made it to Hawaii all you want to do is get off the boat and never get back on. After all the ports which are extremely beautiful you have the 4 boring days at sea in very rough weather again back to L.A. I am a crew member but i know exactly what most of the guest say about this cruise. Do not do it.

hi all. I am a cruise ship employee and have been for many years in a few different departments and i am willing to give advice on any subject. Just know that you may not like my answers but they will be truthful from a staff members point of view. Ask away I recieved a message from the big boss about my comments on children had upset some of you on my other post. But if you read my first post I did say you may not like my answers. Do not in future ask me questions that you think the answers may upset someone else. I will always answer truthfuly.