Best crew from other ships to go to Koningsdam?

[sugcarol]

Our neighbors returned from their cruise and onboard they were told the crew for the Koningsdam will be taken from other ships and only the best based on reviews will get to go. Has anyone else heard this?

[ODECCIT]

Our neighbors returned from their cruise and onboard they were told the crew for the Koningsdam will be taken from other ships and only the best based on reviews will get to go. Has anyone else heard this?

I think their steward and waiter were trying to get a good review for themselves with their names in it.

[sail7seas]

There will be some highly rated/experienced crew, some on new contracts and some gathered from other HAL ships. It will not be a ship full of only the very best crew in the fleet. What would that do to the other 13 ships?

 

Edited December 17, 2015 by sail7seas

[cruz chic]

I would say that false. I'm quite sure a lot of the key personnel is hand picked but there is no way it would go all the way down the food chain. It would be too disruptive to other ships.

[Ricktan]

Our neighbors returned from their cruise and onboard they were told the crew for the Koningsdam will be taken from other ships and only the best based on reviews will get to go. Has anyone else heard this?

 

On our cruise we had the BEST concierge in the NL. Both were great but one was really over the top wonderful! Talking one day, she told us that she was going to the Koningsdam. She said it is considered a great honor among the crew to be invited to the new ship. I would think it makes sense they want the best since you know there will be winkles and they need people that can handle that and keep customers happy.

[Randyk47]

I would think they would "salt" the new crew with experience staff and train up the rest both before they get in the ship and then with OJT once on the ship. At one time, when they were bringing the Vista class on line, they actually had a full time team of supervisor trainers who would work on the new ship for several months.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Randyk47

[durangoscots]

I have heard that "taking the best for the new ship" before .... and it just does not happen. Yes, they do take some very experienced crew members but given the way contracts work I am sure that plenty of good crew members will continue on the other ships.

 

Susan

[Copper10-8]

Our neighbors returned from their cruise and onboard they were told the crew for the Koningsdam will be taken from other ships and only the best based on reviews will get to go. Has anyone else heard this?

 

Some, like KODM's management/Dept. heads, are very experienced and originate from other ships, however some of them join from home/vacation so not straight from another ship. Some of the 'worker bees' are on their 1st contract, others are joining KODM from vacation at home. Others still join from their current ships, some very experienced. It's basically a mix

 

[Jade13]

Our neighbors returned from their cruise and onboard they were told the crew for the Koningsdam will be taken from other ships and only the best based on reviews will get to go. Has anyone else heard this?

 

 

Yes. I believe the best crew always has the first choice to go to the new ship.

 

I found this to be true with the Eurodam.

 

Of course it will be a mix based on timing and when contracts end.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Jade13

[Jade13]

On our cruise we had the BEST concierge in the NL. Both were great but one was really over the top wonderful! Talking one day, she told us that she was going to the Koningsdam. She said it is considered a great honor among the crew to be invited to the new ship. I would think it makes sense they want the best since you know there will be winkles and they need people that can handle that and keep customers happy.

 

 

Makes sense.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I can remember being on the Westerdam and some of the crew/staff were talking about having been selected to sail on the new ship coming out then -- Eurodam.

But talking to others -- it was going to be a mixed bag who and where the entire crew/staff would be coming from. Some would new and others would be experienced from other ships or from vacations.

[Topsham]

Some, like KODM's management/Dept. heads, are very experienced and originate from other ships, however some of them join from home/vacation so not straight from another ship. Some of the 'worker bees' are on their 1st contract, others are joining KODM from vacation at home. Others still join from their current ships, some very experienced. It's basically a mix

 

 

 

 

Yes, and some times just a nuisance! It takes a lot of very hard work and time to get that ship finished. You don't get any bonus or medals!:eek:

[serendipity1499]

I'll take the word of Copper 10-8 who knows exactly what will be done!

 

IMO, as several others have indicated, it makes sense to have a mixed bag. of experienced & non-experienced crew..

Edited December 17, 2015 by serendipity1499

[take us away]

Agree with the 'mixed bag' for employees. On a WC, they tout that they hand pick the crew but it is also a mixed bag with very experienced to brand new crew along with experienced senior officers and staff (and usually the same ones which is wonderful).

[Himself]

Some would come from the old Statendam and Ryndam.

[sail7seas]

As to stewards, we have to remember that HAL has training schools in Indonesia and Philippines. Many are already experienced from working in hotels etc and they do not arrive 'totally green' when first starting to work on the ships.

[SeaBands]

Frank Menzel out of retirement to be the wine master

[RuthC]

If my experience on the E-dam inaugural holds true, then there will definitely be a "mixed bag" of crew when the Koningsdam starts sailing for HAL.

 

The E-dam had some very experienced crew, and some who were less so. And then they had some who were brand new with HAL, and seemed to be in way over their heads. :eek:

What made it more difficult was that the crew wasn't used to working together as a team, so their efforts weren't smooth. Add to that some things were falling apart (cabinet door in the service area of the dining room fell off on the floor during dinner; shower head fell off the wall when someone had a head full of shampoo), and it was a less than stellar take out.

[sail7seas]

Wawan Kartawan used to do all the takes outs as Maitre d', as the position was then called.

 

He has retired and I wonder who is doing it for Koningsdam.

[Copper10-8]

Frank Menzel out of retirement to be the wine master

 

KODM will have two overlapping cellar masters for the first two months, both very experienced: Filipino Fernando Bacsa and Canadian Tony Irace

[Copper10-8]

Wawan Kartawan used to do all the takes outs as Maitre d', as the position was then called.

 

He has retired and I wonder who is doing it for Koningsdam.

 

KODM's DRM will be very experienced (with the co since 1990) Tjitradjaja "Citra" Pudja

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Copper. :)

[POA1]

KODM will have two overlapping cellar masters for the first two months, both very experienced: Filipino Fernando Bacsa and Canadian Tony Irace

We had Tony on the Nieuw Amsterdam last year. I thought he was very good. You've got a wide range of wine experience among the passengers, and he did a great job of reading his audience.

[taxmantoo]

KODM will have two overlapping cellar masters for the first two months, both very experienced: Filipino Fernando Bacsa and Canadian Tony Irace

 

They are both excellent and deserving of the opportunity to launch a new ship. Fernando is one of the hardest working cellar masters on HAL who can often be seen with his jacket off helping waiters bus tables. Tony Irace is a former restaurant owner in Ottawa, Canada who graduated from the same sommelier program I did. We had excellent professors.

 

p.s. To Seabands ... you may want to verify why Frank is no longer employed by HAL ... not quite certain he voluntarily retired ;)

[Sir PMP]

KODM will have two overlapping cellar masters for the first two months, both very experienced: Filipino Fernando Bacsa and Canadian Tony Irace

 

And the best executive chef in the fleet , Daniel Hrgich, has been assembling his 'crew' for the Koningsdam since this summer...