Off-Duty Crew in Passenger Bars

[Elaine5715]

We had the dancers in the lounge after hours on a couple of cruises. They put on quite a show. Why anyone would object is beyond me.

 

This is what I bet old Norman's WIFE had an issue with...

[Out to sea!]

Now we have to feel guilty? They are servants

 

 

They clean your room

They serve your food

 

They do not do this for free

 

They are not forced to do this

 

Last I noticed they are not in chains and the pax do not beat up on them

 

They are servants and are paid to be such.

 

 

 

They can choose to take these jobs or not

 

If they are not respected or a pax abuses them they can lodge a complaint

 

Please note that my above comment does not say anything about the crew in bars but rather comments on why the quoted poster has an issue with the word servant

 

If it is semantics well then just call them cabin crew or wait staff

 

But they still are serving you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Huge difference between being a "Server" and a "Servant". :rolleyes:

[winddawn]

John Heald posted a question today about a complaint from a guest regarding crew in the passenger bars. Do people really have a problem with this? Why?

 

I've only seen obvious crew in passenger bars a handful of times in 10 cruises with carnival, and I can't say it's ever bothered me at all.

 

Crew can only have a drink or two anyway (even when off duty they are required to remain legally sober in case of emergency) so how much can they really affect service?

I've seen crew members out on the ship enjoying their limited time off. Usually they are very discreet. I've also seen a group of crew playing on the beach at Half Moon Cay enjoying their time off.

 

I don't understand the fuss about this as long as they are not disturbing passengers. They work hard and deserve time off just like anyone else. Considering they are on the ships for months at a time, I can't imagine what else they could do during their limited time off.

[ryanpatricksmom]

I'm more surprised that staff would want to socialize with passengers than the other way around. For every one person that generally has an interest in their lives, there are likely many more who grill them on the "inside scoop". If I were a Carnival employee who had to wear my badge everywhere onboard, I'd be hiding in the safe zone every chance I got, lol!

[Cruise-Crazy]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I've been in the crew bar so why can't they come in the PAX bar? :D

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I'm more surprised that staff would want to socialize with passengers than the other way around.

I got a hypothetical question based on this. What would a staff member do if they're in the nightclub with their colleagues (like the OP described), and a passenger tries to dance with them? Do they still have the leeway to politely decline, like a fellow passenger would, or is there some kind of an unwritten rule, set in place by Carnival, not to refuse any reasonable request? I would hate for the staff member to not be able to avoid an interaction they don't want to be in. (This doesn't apply to crew, who can't be in passenger areas outside of work, and probably not to officers, either, simply because of their higher authority level.)

Edited July 22, 2014 by LandlockedCruiser01

[CrusinCyndi]

Last year on the Fantasy, I was able to have breakfast with THE CAPTAIN!!! It was so interesting. He was walking around and looking for a place to sit. He was wonderful to talk to, answered a few of my questions. Guess some people would have complained that he was on lido deck having breakfast. I still remember his accent and ALSO remember that he had Black Coffee, Special K Cearel, Skim Milk and a Banana..only bad thing was it made me look like a pig....LOL But it was so special and so unexpected!

[golfadj]

Last year on the Fantasy, I was able to have breakfast with THE CAPTAIN!!! It was so interesting. He was walking around and looking for a place to sit. He was wonderful to talk to, answered a few of my questions. Guess some people would have complained that he was on lido deck having breakfast. I still remember his accent and ALSO remember that he had Black Coffee, Special K Cearel, Skim Milk and a Banana..only bad thing was it made me look like a pig....LOL But it was so special and so unexpected!

 

Wow how great is that

[Cruise, J.D.]

Last year on the Fantasy, I was able to have breakfast with THE CAPTAIN!!! It was so interesting. He was walking around and looking for a place to sit. He was wonderful to talk to, answered a few of my questions. Guess some people would have complained that he was on lido deck having breakfast. I still remember his accent and ALSO remember that he had Black Coffee, Special K Cearel, Skim Milk and a Banana..only bad thing was it made me look like a pig....LOL But it was so special and so unexpected!

 

Very cool!! I did notice a lot of the officers on the Fantasy using the Lido buffet. One had his family with him.

[Chris64]

Wow, some of the comments here really amaze me! Do some of you really walk around with your noses so far in the air that you can't even see in front of you?

"Servants"???? :eek:

"Should stay in there own area"???? :eek:

If you ever took the time to talk to them, you would find out that the are people just like you and me and simply have a job to do, like you and I do also.

As far as taking up room in certain bars etc., we were in the piano bar on the Fascination a couple of weeks ago. There was some crew in there, as soon as the seats started filing up around the piano, the first thing that the crew did was to stand up and give thier seats to the guests.

[VikkiGarcia]

Landlockedcruiser: My son works on the Liberty and if he is in the nightclub and asked to dance he dances (whether be wants to or not). Most of the time it is groups of women who are sick of such few men on the dance floor. So he kind of dances with the group. If staff really doesn't want to dance or be possibly asked by guests then they need to be "hanging out" in a non dance venue.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

Landlockedcruiser: My son works on the Liberty and if he is in the nightclub and asked to dance he dances (whether be wants to or not). Most of the time it is groups of women who are sick of such few men on the dance floor. So he kind of dances with the group. If staff really doesn't want to dance or be possibly asked by guests then they need to be "hanging out" in a non dance venue.

Makes sense. I also noticed an inordinately small number of men compared to what I've come to expect in land-based nightclubs. Not that I'm complaining; it worked in my favor :D. Plus, women acted friendlier, since they probably got less undesirable attention.

 

In my description, I was referring to the more common "guy approaches girl" scenario. I take it the staff member's course of action would be the same. Unless, of course, the passenger mistakes friendliness for flirting and/or dances too close. Then hopefully, one of her officer colleagues will step in.

Edited July 22, 2014 by LandlockedCruiser01

[golfadj]

Landlockedcruiser: My son works on the Liberty and if he is in the nightclub and asked to dance he dances (whether be wants to or not). Most of the time it is groups of women who are sick of such few men on the dance floor. So he kind of dances with the group. If staff really doesn't want to dance or be possibly asked by guests then they need to be "hanging out" in a non dance venue.

 

Interesting thanks for sharing.

[golfadj]

Wow, some of the comments here really amaze me! Do some of you really walk around with your noses so far in the air that you can't even see in front of you?

"Servants"???? :eek:

"Should stay in there own area"???? :eek:

If you ever took the time to talk to them, you would find out that the are people just like you and me and simply have a job to do, like you and I do also.

As far as taking up room in certain bars etc., we were in the piano bar on the Fascination a couple of weeks ago. There was some crew in there, as soon as the seats started filing up around the piano, the first thing that the crew did was to stand up and give thier seats to the guests.

 

like

[VikkiGarcia]

Land: When a girl staff is approached usually she will pull any other girls to come along with them. Or some of the guys in the group will join in after keeping a close eye on her. It really depends on the "vibe" the guy asking to dance is giving off. The girls and guys on staff are great at looking out for one another. This is the reason for hanging out in small groups. Nobody wants to be left in an akward one on one situation with a guest.

[MV Wiggle]

I have no problem with this.

[WindsorFred]

like

 

Like also +1

[Bigbob75]

This is a interesting thread

You see I love crew members , I go out of my way to vocalize my support of these and all poor hard working people . After all they are human . So I'm extremely nice and take every opportunity on these boards to make sure they are tipped and let people know to treat them with the upmost respect .

Bless there poor hearts working so hard coming from there homeland for so little wages. It makes me weep

It's one of my favorite things about cruising that and also taking used clothes to poor island orphanages.

But sometimes I just go on vacation don't notice crapolla drink and enjoy myself

[luvtheships]

Huge difference between being a "Server" and a "Servant". :rolleyes:

 

What would one call a butler? Just askin

 

A " man servant?"

A " servant"

A " ships worker"

A " friend"

 

Servant is not a bad word. Especially when they get paid

 

And receive tips

 

And can support a family in a way they never imagined possible

 

Again, I have never seen a servant on a ship I rags and chains or being abused

 

Political correctness is taking over where common sense used to exist.

 

The " kool aid " is definitely spiked

 

 

And just for fun just who do you think takes care of multimillion dollar a year rock/ hip hop/rap/ movie stars?

They employ servants who serve them and get paid to do so.

 

Last I looked being a servant to the stars was an enviable position

 

But to make everyone happy just call them " personal assistants" but they are still servants

 

 

 

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Edited July 22, 2014 by luvtheships

[golfadj]

What would one call a butler? Just askin

 

A " man servant?"

A " servant"

A " ships worker"

A " friend"

 

Servant is not a bad word. Especially when they get paid

 

And receive tips

 

And can support a family in a way they never imagined possible

 

Again, I have never seen a servant on a ship I rags and chains or being abused

 

Political correctness is taking over where common sense used to exist.

 

The " kool aid " is definitely spiked

 

 

And just for fun just who do you think takes care of multimillion dollar a year rock/ hip hop/rap/ movie stars?

They employ servants who serve them and get paid to do so.

 

Last I looked being a servant to the stars was an enviable position

 

But to make everyone happy just call them " personal assistants" but they are still servants

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Very interesting post. Thanks

[cruzinlisa]

My opinion (for what it is worth) is as long as they are behaving appropriately, I don't care. If they are falling down drunk, hitting on underage kids, knocking people down or cutting in line, that would be an issue for me. I think that Carnival (and many cruise lines for that matter) requires their staff to wear their name tags even when off duty so that people know they are crew. I have seen officers and entertainment staff dining and at bars on cruises and never thought much about it.

[sparks1093]

What would one call a butler? Just askin

 

A " man servant?"

A " servant"

A " ships worker"

A " friend"

 

Servant is not a bad word. Especially when they get paid

 

And receive tips

 

And can support a family in a way they never imagined possible

 

Again, I have never seen a servant on a ship I rags and chains or being abused

 

Political correctness is taking over where common sense used to exist.

 

The " kool aid " is definitely spiked

 

 

And just for fun just who do you think takes care of multimillion dollar a year rock/ hip hop/rap/ movie stars?

They employ servants who serve them and get paid to do so.

 

Last I looked being a servant to the stars was an enviable position

 

But to make everyone happy just call them " personal assistants" but they are still servants

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I do see your point but there is no need to re-invent titles as they already have them- steward/cabin attendant, butler, concierge, waiter/waitress, purser. The term "servant" has an obviously negative connotation and is more appropriately used for someone in the employ of an individual or family. A steward may serve me, but he is not my servant as he is an employee of the cruise line.

[WindsorFred]

I do see your point but there is no need to re-invent titles as they already have them- steward/cabin attendant, butler, concierge, waiter/waitress, purser. The term "servant" has an obviously negative connotation and is more appropriately used for someone in the employ of an individual or family. A steward may serve me, but he is not my servant as he is an employee of the cruise line.

 

Well said!

[luvtheships]

In many countries the term servant is perfectly good verbiage.

 

I don't use the term personally and I prefer less interference by the stewards and wait staff but that is just me

 

Forget a butler. Don't want them on a ship for me

 

But on principal I will defend someone's choice to use the term servant because isn't it all about individual rites these days?

 

As long as a person is not abusing the "worker" it doesn't really matter anyway

 

 

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Edited July 22, 2014 by luvtheships

[ShellLoves2cruise]

I have absolutely no issue at all with a crew member being in passenger areas, like a PP said sometimes I'd rather chat with them than some passengers!

 

On the last night of one cruise, I used the kiosk/ATM near the casino around 11:30pm, there was a short line and people kept joining the line, I assume because it was the last night. There was a crew member, off to the side leaning against a wall also waiting to use it, he was not in uniform but did have his name tag on. Myself and others in the line offered to let him have his turn but he politely decline each of us, I imagine he had been instructed to not go in front of any passengers.....I kind of felt bad for him having to wait so long because some folks using that machine were taking forever. I certainly wouldn't have minded him going ahead of me, I know he'd been waiting some time.