Wine Stewards' Incentives

[Pettifogger]

Wine Stewards' Incentives

 

I have never met a Holland America dining room steward I haven't liked. We always seem to have a "host-guest" type relationship that creates a gracious dining experience.

 

I have not been as fortunate with my wine stewards. The relationship, with one delightful exception on a Grand Voyage, has seemed more commercial, which detracts a bit from the atmosphere of unfailingly graciousness in the main dining room.

 

My guess, in the absence of more knowledge about the nature of the incentives, is that they are the difference rather than any difference in the kind of people involved.

 

I can understand that alcoholic beverages are an essential profit center and I have absolutely no quarrel with that. If, hypothetically, Holland America sells me a cabin for $200 less and charges me $75 more each for wine and excursions, I'm a "happy camper." (How happy a camper is illustrated by four cruises, averaging three weeks each in length in less than twelve months.)

 

But I'd be even happier if they charged a couple of bucks more for each bottle of wine or four or five bucks more for each wine card and used the proceeds to offset the cost of de-incentivizing the wine stewards enough to make them as gracious as the rest of the dining room staff.

 

Then maybe every Holland America cruise would be premium plus, as that Grand Voyage was.

 

(I know I could tip the wine stewards in advance or stuff some fifty dollar bills in my breast pocket as a counter incentive to inspire premium plus service, but that's not my personal idea of graciousness.)

[MrsMuir]

I know what you mean, in general terms. On a couple of cruises I had to speak to the DR manager because the wine steward looked right through me on the first few evenings. Others have been attentive. I like to pay attention to our tablemates and listen to their adventures of the day and not have to keep an eye out for the elusive wine steward.

 

Mrs M

[Jemima]

Observations from someone who drinks little wine; maybe once or twice a cruise. -

The wine stewards always have lots of tables to visit and little time for chatter. I assume that they also see that unfinished bottles are delivered to the correct table or, in open dining, party. We've always found them pleasant and willing to answer basic questions. Last cruise I had wine in both Canneletto's and the lido at dinner and service was fine both times. On most HAL cruises I've had wine in the MDR at least once.

What "host-guest" relationship? I expect waiters and wine stewards to pleasantly and correctly do their job and , at times, to answer brief questions on the menu choices or wine choices. I don't expect or want conversations. That would take time away from other passengers.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Raising the prices of bottles of wine and the wine cards will not mean that your wine steward will be any better.

 

Keep in mind that all the wine stewards and bar staff share all the gratuities -- one server does not get any more than another one on a cruise. They all agreed to this in a contract about 2 or 3 years ago.

 

The prices of HAL's bottles of wine are already way too high -- thus more and more people are bringing onto the ship their own wines and champagnes.

 

We have also had some bad wine stewards -- we just didn't tip them as well as we usually do. One time we even had to go as far as the guest relations manager to get things straightened out.

 

And many times on our recent cruises we have watched as some of the wine stewards just stood around in the dining room as people were not ordering cocktails or wine or anything else.

[rkacruiser]

On my recent Noordam cruise, there were many, many wine/cocktail drinkers in my section of the dining room. The wine steward was extremely busy, even though he was working efficiently. For our first dinner aboard, we had pre-ordered a bottle of wine and it was sitting in its ice bucket waiting when we arrived at the table. It is the first time that I have done this that we had a fairly long wait until the wine steward was able to get to us. (It did not help that some of my fellow guests did not have their act together and was causing him to spend an inordinate amount of time with them.)

 

Incidentally, he was very well versed in the wines that he was serving and made excellent recommendations.

[GrammyPL]

We just came back from a 10 day cruise on the Noordam and had one of the best wine stewarts we have ever had. I know they are all busy and have a lot of tables - but I think that some are able to still be so friendly. Penny

[ANSalberg]

In our 500+ days with HAL we have NEVER had a wine steward [ or stewardess] who wasn't helpful and professional! They do their job and then some [ and I think they ALL have more tables now than before the economy slumped] I chatted with ours on our last cruise and one conversation went like this " I saw you on our deck the other afternoon; what was up?" and she replied "One of the other tables has an elderly lady - Mrs XXXX - she can't remember her cabin number or where it is, so I walk her "home" " That is CERTAINLY sensitive and gentle treatment of an extraordinary problem......ALL our wine people have been delightful [ and, of couse - we drink wine! ;) ]

[artnak]

Normally the wine stewards do their jobs well, but on our last cruise in January we had AYW dining. We had decided to eat in the dining room on our last night.

 

We had also decided that we didn't want wine that night so when the wine steward came by to take our order, we told him thank you but we wouldn't be ordering wine.

 

He grabbed the wine menu, rolled his eyes, let out a big sigh and walked away. We couldn't believe it. He didn't seem inexperienced, just had a really bad attitude.

 

Our server and the hostess that seated us that evening were the total opposite, professional and gracious.

 

I hope this wine steward was just having a bad day!

[RuthC]

but on our last cruise in January we had AYW dining.

Everybody has AYW dining.

[momatibm]

We were on the Maasdam and had a wonderful wine steward. He was there every night to check on our needs, even to the point of including the obnoxious table mates. When our table mates were not at dinner, he was a wonderful person, chatted with us, etc. When met on deck, outside of the dining room he was so accomodating it was amazing.

 

I want to thank the wine stewards on the Maasdam.

[artnak]

sorry .. meant open dining.

[Pettifogger]

I have never met a Holland America dining room steward I haven't liked. We always seem to have a "host-guest" type relationship that creates a gracious dining experience.

 

I have not been as fortunate with my wine stewards. The relationship, with one delightful exception on a Grand Voyage, has seemed more commercial, which detracts a bit from the atmosphere of unfailingly graciousness in the main dining room.

 

My guess, in the absence of more knowledge about the nature of the incentives, is that they are the difference rather than any difference in the kind of people involved.

 

I can understand that alcoholic beverages are an essential profit center and I have absolutely no quarrel with that. If, hypothetically, Holland America sells me a cabin for $200 less and charges me $75 more each for wine and excursions, I'm a "happy camper." (How happy a camper is illustrated by four cruises, averaging three weeks each in length in less than twelve months.)

 

But I'd be even happier if they charged a couple of bucks more for each bottle of wine or four or five bucks more for each wine card and used the proceeds to offset the cost of de-incentivizing the wine stewards enough to make them as gracious as the rest of the dining room staff.

 

Then maybe every Holland America cruise would be premium plus, as that Grand Voyage was.

 

(I know I could tip the wine stewards in advance or stuff some fifty dollar bills in my breast pocket as a counter incentive to inspire premium plus service, but that's not my personal idea of graciousness.)

[CroneWynd]

On our first HAL cruise, the wine stewart was the only bright spot of our dining experience! He was personable, paid attention to us, and he was the one that arranged our anniversary cake - and suggested champange, of course, but he paid attention. Our waiter did not.

 

We tipped the wine stewart separately.

[elsie60]

I guess we have been very lucky on all our cruises with the wine stewards. I purchased a wine card for the first time on our February Westerdam cruise, thanks to recommendations from Cruise Critic members. A couple of nights I felt like a Pinot Noir and our steward graciously suggested a Merlot that was included with the wine card and I told him I would rather pay the charge and have the Pinot. He was very nice and prompt every night and waited for me to look at the menu and decide. Even though the wines included are not the best, they were fine and it was nice not to have several bottles open and having the steward keep track of them. We brought 3 bottles with us so we could have a nice glass of wine after dinner. Our wonderful TA also gave us 2 Signature cocktail cards so we never had to worry about having plenty of libations:D

[Pettifogger]

Sorry about the double post. My message board did not refresh, so I thought the first post hadn't registered. I wish I knew how to delete the second one. (The responses suggest that I should have deleted them both.)

But I'm glad that they gave me an opportunity to hear from you from whom I have learned several valuable things.

[luvcruisn']

We had friends who had wine cards and ordered wine using their cards when dining in the Pinnacle on the Prinsendam. The wine steward kept trying to push a bottle of wine on them instead, and seemed very unhappy when our friends continued to say they just wanted the wine available on their cards.

[innlady1]

Our our recent Noordam cruise, we had two delightful wine stewards (one for each of our 10 days). Last year, we weren't so fortunate, but that was the only time we've been disappointed in the service.

 

We also had a fabulous dining steward, too. Hary. What a gem! We always tip generously, but this year, went above and beyond with these guys! LOL!

 

Our room stewards were not as good as in cruises past.

 

Guess it's luck of the draw.:rolleyes:

[jtl513]

Sorry about the double post. My message board did not refresh, so I thought the first post hadn't registered. I wish I knew how to delete the second one. (The responses suggest that I should have deleted them both.)

You can not delete a thread, nor modify any post after 10 minutes, but you can "alert" a Host by clicking the red "warning" symbol in the upper right-hand corner that you would like a post removed. This can be done for your own posts, or posts of others that you find offensive.

 

In this case, I alerted the Host and he combined your first and second threads ... which is why post #12 is a repeat of #1 ! :)

[Max2003]

We had friends who had wine cards and ordered wine using their cards when dining in the Pinnacle on the Prinsendam. The wine steward kept trying to push a bottle of wine on them instead' date=' and seemed very unhappy when our friends continued to say they just wanted the wine available on their cards.[/quote']

 

 

I have sensed a frustration especially on the part of bartenders and waiters in the Crow's nest and Ocean bar when a wine card is used. It is the same issue that you have noted in the Pinnacle. It is understandable when you realize that these individuals have a form of sales quota, and are expected to generate a certain level of alcohol sales. It somewhat explains the aggressive "pushing" of drinks at the pool and elsewhere. Couple that with the fact that a wine card is only available from the dining room wine steward, so he essentially gets all the "credit" for the sale. You get the picture! The bar tender or waiter is serving you and gets no credit. The fact that the total 15% gratuity pool is shared equally does not address the pressure that these individuals feel from their management to make their quota.

[Harry1954]

DW and I are wine drinkers. We generally order a bottle each evening and often share with tablemates (if they are not obnoxious). Thus we have had a lot of interaction with wine stewards(esses too). They always have a reasonable grasp of wines in general. Further, they tend to be very attentive. We have been disappointed that they have so many tables to cover that when there are lots of wine or other beverage drinkers, they seem to have trouble keeping up with things. This is obviously not their fault.

 

But .. there is one quirk that irritates both me and DW. They tend to be aggressive in selling wines or wine tastings. Some of them have been such that I have had to give them a stern warning that that was enough. This always has made them back off. Yet, the overzealous salesmanship turns us off. We are at dinner on vacation and the last thing we want is high pressured selling. There must be some type of quota that they have to reach it seems ...

harry

[cruz chic]

I just got off a Princess cruise a week ago. The waiter gets both your drinks and food. They handle it amazingly well. I've NEVER had to wait as long for my wine on Princess as I've had to on HAL. I really don't understand why the stewards on HAL take longer when they are only dealing with the alcohol. That said, I've only had a few stewards on HAL that took forever to get my wine....usually when I had a wine card. When I order a bottle, I'm not high maintenence...I know what I want so I don't need their expertise.

[jtl513]

Couple that with the fact that a wine card is only available from the dining room wine steward, so he essentially gets all the "credit" for the sale.

Sorry, that's not true. They can be purchased at bars (although they may be "out" at times), or on-line/telephone, or sometimes in terminal waiting areas.

[Max2003]

I have been told multiple times on multiple ships by bartenders in the Crow's nest that the wine card is only available from the Dining Room steward. I am referring to the 10 and 20 glass card. Can anyone else verify this?? My last cruise was Oct. 2009. Has it changed?? Has someone gotten the card in another bar?? Which one??:confused:

 

Thanks!

[Willsot]

I have been told multiple times on multiple ships by bartenders in the Crow's nest that the wine card is only available from the Dining Room steward. I am referring to the 10 and 20 glass card. Can anyone else verify this?? My last cruise was Oct. 2009. Has it changed?? Has someone gotten the card in another bar?? Which one??:confused:

 

Thanks!

 

On our last two cruises on the Eurodam (April and July 2009) I used my 20 pour wine card in the MDR, Tamarind and Pinnacle for dinners. We have cocktails in the lounges and wine with dinners so did not try it in any lounges. My understanding was that they were good anywhere.

[Max2003]

On our last two cruises on the Eurodam (April and July 2009) I used my 20 pour wine card in the MDR, Tamarind and Pinnacle for dinners. We have cocktails in the lounges and wine with dinners so did not try it in any lounges. My understanding was that they were good anywhere.

 

No question - They a can be " used" anywhere on the ship! The question is - Where can they be procured???? I was lead to believe that only the Dining Room wine steward could dispense them?? :confused: