Ever been mistaken as a crew member ?

[shanni-shanni]

7 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

   I think this could be considered mistaken for a crew member with a different 

twist. My DH and I were on a Princess cruise to Alaska about seventeen years ago It was a formal night,but there were not many gentlemen dressed in tuxes. My DH was wearing a suit. Some others in the dining room were dressed quite casually.

     During dinner,we decided we would like to make another reservation for dinner at the specialty restaurant, Sterling Steakhouse. My DH said he would speak with the maitre ‘d about a reservation . 

      On our way out of the restaurant, my husband approached a gentleman dressed in a tux and asked if he could assist in making a dinner reservation. The man looked at my DH and in a dismissive tone said he was not ship staff,in fact,he was a passenger !

      My husband quickly apologized and we left the restaurant.

       I could only think that when the gentleman returned to his table, he most likely said to his wife or SO,that he knew he should not have worn the tux!

      Being taken for staff ,apparently,did not sit well with him,given his reaction to my DH’s question.🙄

That happened to me when I wore my tux in the MDR. A lady asked me to bring her more butter.

 

Tom

[Boatdrill]

Yes I've been asked. It was years before I actually became one ! 

[St. Louis Sal]

3 hours ago, atexsix said:

LoL.  No, but this thread gave me a much needed laugh.  However, on a similar note, I do get mistaken for a local in Europe a lot because I'm 100% Italian.  They stop and ask me for directions, of course they realize I'll be no help at all the minute they hear my accent.  I couldn't give directions in Paris or Rome if my life depended on it, the streets change names like at every intersection.

 

Your comment reminded me of my experience at a store in Heidelberg when I was asked by a gentleman where the bottled water was.  I answered “so sorry, I don’t speak German.”  He was surprised and apologized (in English!) and we established that I didn’t work there, but I did know where the water was. My husband thought it was funny. His ancestors ARE German and our last name is the same as a famous garden store chain in Germany.
 

St Louis Sal 

[Cruise4food]

3 hours ago, atexsix said:

, the streets change names like at every intersection.

In Sydney Australia, just off downtown area, the streets keep the same name, but reset the numbers at each borough. If the building at 1046 looks wrong, keep driving. There will be another 1046 in a few blocks.

 

[shanni-shanni]

On my cruises I like to wear a name tag:- Senõr Tom and the crew likes to address me as 'Sir Tom'.

 

One time a couple of ladies asked me if I worked on the ship and in a moment of mischief I said 'yes'

One lady proceeded to ask 'What?' I said I worked in the capacity of a little known job of 'escort'. It is a complimentary service that HAL provides for ladies who would like some company when they go to dinners, theatre, dancing etc. but no hanky panky. After absorbing this information for a bit one lady asked 'Where do I sign up?' 'The front desk' I said.

 

Tom

[atexsix]

13 minutes ago, Cruise4food said:

In Sydney Australia, just off downtown area, the streets keep the same name, but reset the numbers at each borough. If the building at 1046 looks wrong, keep driving. There will be another 1046 in a few blocks.

 

OMG, feel sorry for your Amazon drivers.

[Alabaster Cruiser]

Reminded me of a cruise on Maasdam.  We were having a predinner drink and a gentleman and his wife asked to sit with us.  After talking for awhile i got the impression that he  was with the ship.  He had no nametag on.  I asked and he replied that he was the cruise director!  This was on the 5th or 6th day.  I replied that we definitely spend too much time in the casino 😁!  He had his wife on the cruise and was off duty at the time.  My dh still laughs about my embarrassment.

Edited August 7, 2021 by Alabaster Cruiser

[Copper10-8]

Yes, all the time, dunno why

[zgscl]

5 hours ago, shanni-shanni said:

On my cruises I like to wear a name tag:- Senõr Tom and the crew likes to address me as 'Sir Tom'.

 

One time a couple of ladies asked me if I worked on the ship and in a moment of mischief I said 'yes'

One lady proceeded to ask 'What?' I said I worked in the capacity of a little known job of 'escort'. It is a complimentary service that HAL provides for ladies who would like some company when they go to dinners, theatre, dancing etc. but no hanky panky. After absorbing this information for a bit one lady asked 'Where do I sign up?' 'The front desk' I said.

 

Tom

I can only imagine how confused the front desk folks were!

[oakridger]

My first cruise was many years ago on Royal Viking Line.  RVL catered to a "seasoned" clientele.  I was 29 years old and was mistaken for crew several times, once even by another crew member. At first he didn't believe that I was actually a passenger and thought I was kidding him!  That trip was the beginning of my love of cruising.

 

~Nancy

Edited August 7, 2021 by oakridger
Added info

[Caribbean Chris]

28 minutes ago, oakridger said:

My first cruise was many years ago on Royal Viking Line.  RVL catered to a "seasoned" clientele.  I was 29 years old and was mistaken for crew several times, once even by another crew member. At first he didn't believe that I was actually a passenger and thought I was kidding him!  That trip was the beginning of my love of cruising.

 

~Nancy

Loved your Royal Viking Line story. As a sales rep for RVL based in Washington, DC, I often worked aboard the ships escorting travel agents on familiarization trips.  But when DH & I sailed together on the ship, also considerably younger than those “seasoned” folks, we were just there for an anonymous vacation and tried to avoid looking like crew. I changed the subject during dinner table conversations about careers. I think people wondered if we were with the CIA.
 

I often had to bite my tongue - one person told everyone at the table it was OK to take items used on the ship such as logo ashtrays and porcelain peanut jars in the lounges because “the line wants the free publicity.” 
 

Once we were seated with a supposed travel writer & his wife who had weaseled their way into a discounted cruise. He bragged that he was actually an attorney but managed to get lots of free trips. He tried to impress everyone by describing various annoying “tests” they performed on staff and crew “to evaluate their response.” Things like numerous special orders they left uneaten, sending food back repeatedly, demands on the room stewardess for items like many more towels when the cabin was already stocked, you name it. After the cruise, I made a call to the PR Director.

[Sir PMP]

Many times..

[bra1nchild]

We became friends with another couple on a cruise in 2012[?].  He was a doctor and told of having served as a ship's doctor on a cruise.  On a formal night, he was decked out in his officer's uniform [which the ship provided] when a steward approached him and said there was an emergency.  He quickly followed the steward to the appropriate table where he was greeted by an angry passenger exclaiming, "There's no butter!"  

[bluesplayer]

20 hours ago, SLC1954 said:

Yes, it happened to me and I am a white, gray haired, female cruiser. I was wearing a white polo shirt and black skort and a passenger handed me her key card and ordered a drink out by the Seaview bar.  It took me by surprise, I could have been bad, but when I told her I am a passenger she was utterly embarrassed.

Thanks for bringing back a fun memory.

Too funny.   You should have taken her key card and drink order.   Brought them back to her and asked for a cash tip to be returned to your cabin #.   Make that 20% for excellent service!!!  

[dockman]

no but once long ago on crystal i had a man approach me and sort of whisper that he was a big fan of mine...HUH?  Turns out he was absolutely convinced i was harrison ford and when i told him i was not he said something like no worries as he knew i just wanted to be treated like every other passenger...

 

a compliment?  you bet...if only he had been a pretty gal.....

[oakridger]

On 8/7/2021 at 4:29 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

Loved your Royal Viking Line story. As a sales rep for RVL based in Washington, DC, ........After the cruise, I made a call to the PR Director.

 

Ha!  Good story!  I'm going to pass it along to my good friend who was a reservations trainer in the RVL San Francisco office in the late 1970s until RVL moved to Florida.

 

~Nancy

[AncientWanderer]

On 8/7/2021 at 4:29 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

Loved your Royal Viking Line story. As a sales rep for RVL based in Washington, DC, I often worked aboard the ships escorting travel agents on familiarization trips.  But when DH & I sailed together on the ship, also considerably younger than those “seasoned” folks, we were just there for an anonymous vacation and tried to avoid looking like crew. I changed the subject during dinner table conversations about careers. I think people wondered if we were with the CIA.
 

I often had to bite my tongue - one person told everyone at the table it was OK to take items used on the ship such as logo ashtrays and porcelain peanut jars in the lounges because “the line wants the free publicity.” 
 

Once we were seated with a supposed travel writer & his wife who had weaseled their way into a discounted cruise. He bragged that he was actually an attorney but managed to get lots of free trips. He tried to impress everyone by describing various annoying “tests” they performed on staff and crew “to evaluate their response.” Things like numerous special orders they left uneaten, sending food back repeatedly, demands on the room stewardess for items like many more towels when the cabin was already stocked, you name it. After the cruise, I made a call to the PR Director.

 

I used to collect Porsgrund china for a Scandinavian kind of decor I have.  I can't tell you how many of the peanut jars I've run into on eBay.  Apparently a whole lotta people thought it was okay to walk off with the goods.  Sad

[Caribbean Chris]

7 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

Ha!  Good story!  I'm going to pass it along to my good friend who was a reservations trainer in the RVL San Francisco office in the late 1970s until RVL moved to Florida.

 

~Nancy

Tell her Chris, the DC Sales rep, said hello. Those were good days (exhausting but good) and I was honored to represent RVL. Some of the wonderful SFO crew sadly are gone (Mardi Mitchell, Spencer Frazier and others) but definitely not forgotten.

[Caribbean Chris]

8 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

 

I used to collect Porsgrund china for a Scandinavian kind of decor I have.  I can't tell you how many of the peanut jars I've run into on eBay.  Apparently a whole lotta people thought it was okay to walk off with the goods.  Sad

Yes, those cute little porcelain jars turn up often. Some had the “sea eagle” logo in gold but others later had blue designs, with or without logo. 

Edited August 9, 2021 by Caribbean Chris

[atexsix]

12 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

 

I used to collect Porsgrund china for a Scandinavian kind of decor I have.  I can't tell you how many of the peanut jars I've run into on eBay.  Apparently a whole lotta people thought it was okay to walk off with the goods.  Sad

Can't believe people still do that, I won't even take the little bottles of soap.  Like I really need more junk.

[Sushicat]

Decades ago I was on the Royal Viking Sea (out of Norway) and one of the ship's officers came up to me while I was waiting at a port and said something in Norwegian. I gave him a questioning smile and he immediately apologized. He thought I was one of the cabin housekeepers, being blond and Nordic-ish looking, but also perhaps because I was fairly young compared to the other passengers at that time.

[oakridger]

21 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Tell her Chris, the DC Sales rep, said hello. Those were good days (exhausting but good) and I was honored to represent RVL. Some of the wonderful SFO crew sadly are gone (Mardi Mitchell, Spencer Frazier and others) but definitely not forgotten.

 

I will pass the message!  She was good friends with Mardi and still remains friends with Mrs. Titus and others.

 

~Nancy

[Caribbean Chris]

16 hours ago, Sushicat said:

Decades ago I was on the Royal Viking Sea (out of Norway) and one of the ship's officers came up to me while I was waiting at a port and said something in Norwegian. I gave him a questioning smile and he immediately apologized. He thought I was one of the cabin housekeepers, being blond and Nordic-ish looking, but also perhaps because I was fairly young compared to the other passengers at that time.

Love it! That was a real compliment. You maybe recall that those Scandinavian cabin stewardesses were wonderful young women -hard working, smart, and enjoying the chance to see the world for a few years. Cleanest ships ever. The stewardesses “washed down” their cabins between cruises - literally washed the walls. 

[Mary229]

This is a funny thread.  I wonder I these people who mistake others for crew are the same people who complain about the service on the ship.  "No, I don't work here" "Welllll, I never, I am going to file a complaint".

 

I hope once they realize their mistake they apologize

[Mandalay1903]

Thank you all for this thread! We begin sailing again a week from Sunday on the Eurodam, and after this we're looking forward to it more than ever!!  😁🤣