Have they cut back on staff?

[Forensicmom]

We just got off the Liberty and were on the Majesty about a year ago, along with a Carnival ship about 5 years ago. It seemed like we had to wait a long time to get normal things that we never had to wait for before. The communication between staff was also a problem. If you asked a question, they either didn't know or they told you the wrong thing. The tender tickets were REALLY messed up.

 

The staff was really nice but it seemed there just weren't enough of them. Was it just this ship and our experience or is this something RC is doing to all of their ships?

Edited November 28, 2014 by Forensicmom

[Clarea]

I don't have any numbers to back up my feeling, but it seems that the stateroom attendants are busier than ever.

[berylde]

I think the cabin attendents have been over worked for a long time. They are responsible for far too many cabins. Even the suite attendants have too many cabins

We don't expect anything but AM clean up and ice

[marci22]

I think they've cut back on the servers as well. They are so rushed in the dining room and good luck if you need another fork or more bread.

[molly361]

I was thinking the same thing on our recent Enchantment cruise. It did not seem like there was as many bar servers and wait staff in the lounges as there usually are.

[Clarea]

I was thinking the same thing on our recent Enchantment cruise. It did not seem like there was as many bar servers and wait staff in the lounges as there usually are.

I agree about the bar servers, and forgot to mention that.

[bouhunter]

We don't care much, but it seems like RCCL has most certainly cut down on pool bar staff, etc.

[mlmc424]

On our past two RCI cruises we have noticed a signifcant decrease in bar servers to the point that most times people just went to the bar for their drinks. MDR staff seem so overwhelmed sometimes and the length of time to actually eat keeps getting longer & longer. I believe the cabin stewards have been over-booked for several years now - may be getting worse. We are sorry to see all of this happening but realize not much will change soon.

[MADflyer]

They had 3 loyalty events in TWO70 on Quantum maiden voyage, due to the large numbers they divided the events to D+/Pinnacle, Diamond and then Platinum/Emerald.

 

At the Diamond event one number that stuck out was that Quantum had 138 stateroom attendants. If you take the 2090 cabins/suites divided by 138, that is just over 15 staterooms per cabin attendant.

 

I am not sure how that compares, but with 2 shifts that is 30+ cabin movements a day. I would say that is at least 30% more than a land based resort, if not more.

Edited November 28, 2014 by MADflyer

[loubetti]

It's not just RCI, most if not all mass market cruise lines have cut back on staff while increasing pax capacity on ever larger ships. This is the price to be paid on cruise lines that are publicly held and have to cater to their shareholders first.

 

It's not just cruise lines either. Many companies, especially retail, have cut back on staff, a great example of this is Walgreens, perhaps the greediest of the retail chains out there. I know, I used to work there.

 

Look at Quantum and their "Bionic Bar", I'll betcha they still charge a 15% gratuity.

 

It's all about squeezing every penny they can, and making every 10Q they file look better and to get that stock price up.

 

Now, this gets me thinking (that can be dangerous!). If you have less staff, but more pax and a larger tip pool, should not the average staff member be making much more? I wonder what some cruise lines skim off the top of the tips to put in their pockets. Not saying RCI does this, but...

[cot427]

On the Explorer in October I noticed significant staff cutbacks, or at least that's what I assumed it was. I noticed it the most in the dining room. Those waiters and waitresses were so busy they don't have time to check in to see if you need anything. They were always running off to get this or that and our waiter mentioned lines in the kitchen were really bad for whatever reason, which no waiter has ever said before.

 

I also noticed that the bar servers, especially by the pool, were limited. There weren't as many people bringing around drinks or offering to bring you one, which I would that weird. You almost had to hunt someone down to get something.

 

Finally, it seemed like the cabin attendant had more rooms than usual. This was probably just the routine of this particular attendant, but he would always wait til amost lunch time to clean the room. Now, we left for breakfast everyday between 9-930 and have been doing so for years. It would always always be clean when we got back after breakfast, but not this past cruise.

 

It seems like they are cutting back and what I think is the main problem is the training/management program. Half of these people aren't trained properly and management does little to help this.

[finz2u]

We just sailed on the Jewel and I thought I noticed a lack of servers in the bar areas. Not that it made any difference to us. We had a wonderful time.

 

If you think about it, RCI's HR department does an amazing job. I don't think we have ever encountered any of their employees who did not go out of their way to be totally helpful and nice. Even the guest service staff who probably have it the hardest, listening mostly to complaints. HR must do an outstanding job of employee customer service orientation.

 

Everybody has different experiences, but this has been mine.

[sns101098]

They had 3 loyalty events in TWO70 on Quantum maiden voyage, due to the large numbers they divided the events to D+/Pinnacle, Diamond and then Platinum/Emerald.

 

At the Diamond event one number that stuck out was that Quantum had 138 stateroom attendants. If you take the 2090 cabins/suites divided by 138, that is just over 15 staterooms per cabin attendant.

 

I am not sure how that compares, but with 2 shifts that is 30+ cabin movements a day. I would say that is at least 30% more than a land based resort, if not more.

 

When I was on the Enchantment in October, I asked my cabin attendant how many cabins he had. His reply was 19. He was wonderful; probably the best I've ever had. He was ALWAYS working though. Seems like he never had a break. He was on deck 4.

 

When I was on the Enchantment in November, I once again asked. I was on deck 8 this cruise. This time the reply way 17. This poor lady was totally overwhelmed and the service received was probably the worst. She also said that she has a lot of side work outside of the cabins that she never had before. One day I saw her around the ship cleaning the hand rails.

[LMaxwell]

They do more with less and hope that the guests tip additionally for earnest efforts and not exceptional service. So long as guests tip out of compulsion or a sense of a guilt I suspect the staff themselves are quite content to be run ragged as any additional staff would cut into the tip pool.

 

There are exceptions, but the exceptional service is becoming more and more rare; they just don't have the resources.

 

All the cruise lines are doing this; setting up the customer facing staff for failure by not giving them the tools to provide exceptional service. I feel bad for the harried and hurried staff.

[jules815]

Although we had a great time on our last FOS cruise, we did notice a decline in service, particularly in the MDR. We were on a B2B and service the second week was so off, we only dined in the MDR the first night, and ate the rest of our dinners in the WJ or specialty restaurants.

 

Although this could be a rumor, so take it for what it's worth, we were told by someone on board that the reason our MDR service was so bad is they were training a whole lot of new people on FOS who would eventually be sent to the ships working the Asian market. It made sense, as all of our servers were Asian and spoke very little English.

 

Also noticed fewer servers in the pool area, and most times just went up to the bar and got our own drinks.

 

Our cabin attendant was wonderful though. He must have worked very quickly, because our cabin was always made up when we were back from breakfast.

Edited November 28, 2014 by jules815

[bouhunter]

I am not sure how that compares, but with 2 shifts that is 30+ cabin movements a day. I would say that is at least 30% more than a land based resort, if not more.

Exactly.......:rolleyes:

Edited November 28, 2014 by bouhunter

[CruisinCampbells]

Personally, I think the lack of bar waiters/servers are directly tied to the drink packages offered. You buy the package for unlimited drinks, but then have to wait quite a while for actual service. Less waiters walking around selling drinks or taking orders means less alcohol served, more of a profit for the cruise line. Before the packages were offered, the pool bar waiters were everywhere! My last cruise on the Allure, there was rarely one in sight, and if someone was seen, they were just collecting empties. The Viking Crown lounge would have 1 maybe 2 servers for a packed room, two bar tenders run ragged, as most people would have to walk up to the bar to actually get a drink.

[trev71]

I agree about the bar servers, and forgot to mention that.

 

 

I know on my last cruise we had to chase people down for drinks and no we did not have the drink package. That is one thing i really didnt like doing

 

past cruises there were alot of people around the pool serving drinks. I know at the shows they were right on the spot though I do have to admit

Edited November 28, 2014 by trev71

[rkd1]

Personally, I think the lack of bar waiters/servers are directly tied to the drink packages offered. You buy the package for unlimited drinks, but then have to wait quite a while for actual service. Less waiters walking around selling drinks or taking orders means less alcohol served, more of a profit for the cruise line. Before the packages were offered, the pool bar waiters were everywhere! My last cruise on the Allure, there was rarely one in sight, and if someone was seen, they were just collecting empties. The Viking Crown lounge would have 1 maybe 2 servers for a packed room, two bar tenders run ragged, as most people would have to walk up to the bar to actually get a drink.

 

I agree we could never get served around the pool.

[Merion_Mom]

It's not just RCI, most if not all mass market cruise lines have cut back on staff while increasing pax capacity on ever larger ships. This is the price to be paid on cruise lines that are publicly held and have to cater to their shareholders first.

 

It's not just cruise lines either. Many companies, especially retail, have cut back on staff, a great example of this is Walgreens, perhaps the greediest of the retail chains out there. I know, I used to work there.

 

Look at Quantum and their "Bionic Bar", I'll betcha they still charge a 15% gratuity.

 

It's all about squeezing every penny they can, and making every 10Q they file look better and to get that stock price up.

 

Now, this gets me thinking (that can be dangerous!). If you have less staff, but more pax and a larger tip pool, should not the average staff member be making much more? I wonder what some cruise lines skim off the top of the tips to put in their pockets. Not saying RCI does this, but...

 

Yes, they do. :rolleyes:

[living at the beach]

I guess that as long as the corporate managers keep hoping that new cruisers will be bedazzled by the wonder of first seeing a cruise ship and all that it encompasses, they don't have to worry about those who have cruised before and are now noticing the ever growing reductions in service and product. But the new cruisers coming aboard are used to free wifi, larger rooms, infinity pools, and lower prices if you compare not just base fares but add on all the extra charges on the ships for specialty restaurants, to obtain half way decent meals going to specialty venues , the extra costs to have a drink in your room before diner, the measly balcony compared to all inclusive properties! Hallelujah!c All of a sudden although, granted it did take awhile, it seems to me that cruising is getting to be less and less desirable!

And this from a previous cruise lover with 34 cruises completed so far. I am very sad.

Sharon

[Forensicmom]

I'm so happy to hear that it wasn't just me.