Princess "Relaxed Rules"

[Rustynail]

Although I enjoy getting to know some of the staff I'm also there with my wife and prefer to spend the time with her as opposed to sitting at the bar chatting with the bartender.

[kruisey]

To this thread but I really have said how I feel about it.

I bet there are some factual unhappy stories that can be told on this subject...but dare you tell ladies ????????

[DoniaG]

To this thread but I really have said how I feel about it.

I bet there are some factual unhappy stories that can be told on this subject...but dare you tell ladies ????????

I could tell some factual HAPPY stories - but I'm not about to anything that dumb!:D Donia

[kruisey]

Yes agree Donia everyone knows what I mean .

[Marmarjudy]

To this thread but I really have said how I feel about it.

I bet there are some factual unhappy stories that can be told on this subject...but dare you tell ladies ????????

 

 

No unhappy stories, but, still stories....In the past, I sailed with my single sisters. This was not on Princess, by the way, but the comparable competition that is known for it's food.....

Examples:

---Cruise director in the late night bar, really seemed to be overly friendly, making passes, buying drinks, etc.---turns out he was gay. Not a problem, but false hopes for my sisters.

---Wine steward was attentive to the point of harrassment, we considered saying something to someone and found out he would be put off at the next port, so we didn't say anything. He had a wife and kids back home.

---Waiter, really cute, many flirtations, found out next cruise that he had been fired for inappropiate behavior with a minor.

--Another waiter, great mutual fling. Sister had a ball and

got to see the cruise quarters.

--Another waiter, another cruise, different sister, great mutual fling.

 

Etc., etc. I could go on and on. (We have cruised many times.)

 

I am happily married, so I just "watch," but it's there and happens all the time, based on my experience. I do not judge. And they are "careful" :-)

If you are single, have fun.

 

Word of advice: Watch out for your teen-aged children. Know where they are and who they are with.

 

Judy

[catmand]

....is it me? In reading this thread I am now getting the idea that every cruise employee who is in a public area is there to 'take advantage' of the ladies sailing either alone or with a s.o. who is alseep in the cabin. Am I to believe the staff are still back in the 70's and the Love Boat TV series? I guess the old saying about a man in a uniform? Just a word of advice from a health care worker.....it is hard enough to track down someone from a land based tryst, be sure to get a name, rank and seriel number.

[RSteele]

My daughter worked for Princess for several years...for a crew member to be in areas that passengers are they must be an officer, part of the entertainment staff, ACD's etc. There are some of those kids that never see the passenger areas of the ship. We traveled with her several times and one of the things I enjoyed most was watching her interact with passengers as she did her job. It made me appreciate the fact she had "grown up" and had grown up responsibilities. Most of the time she was busy and didn't get to spend every minute with us but when you haven't seen your child for 4-6 months you appreciate any time at all. :D There were several times that a passenger would "jump" her in my presence (not knowing the connection) and she was always gracious...even when I would have told them where the next port was and to take a hike.

[Rustynail]

I think the staff on the Love Boat in the 70's had more respect and were afraid to pursue a passenger because it could mean their job. Doesn't seem to be that way any longer.

Go over to the FLoataway Lounge and read the stories from the poor women who hook up with crew members only to find out months or even years later that they're married and just looking for a green card. Not to say that there hasn't been success stories however the majority seem to end in disappointment.

[Sail*Away]

I recently traveled alone on RCCL. At my dinner table was just me and a honeymooning couple (who had a tendency to come in a bit late). Our waiter was fine and I didn't notice anything unusual until mid-way through the sailing. Before the couple came to the table he would be at the table talking to me quite a bit. Perhaps being naive, I thought he was simply trying to make a single person comfortable when dining alone. I thought that until he started talking about meeting me in the ports and calling me in my stateroom late at night. On the last night he called my room (quite late again) and asked if I needed help packing. Trust me - this is more than simply offering good service. I'm sure I don't speak for everyone, but this really made me feel uncomfortable. You never know - what if his buddy was the room steward - he could have just let himself in my room at any time. Now, that didn't happen, but the whole thing made me feel very uncomfortable.

 

Any thoughts?

[jennifers490]

There are very strict guidelines, I know because a friend of mine who works onboard is always very careful about how he behaved in public rooms...and there is a difference between staff and crew...you will never see regular waiters or cleaning staff hanging around in the disco or the buffet areas, first of all they'd get in trouble and secondly i think they only have about an hour every day to sleep! the cruise staff is encouraged to socialize with passengers and i'm glad they do, i have very good friends on the staff and they are especially encouraged by superiors to chat it up with older single women who enjoy the company. they are given strick rules on how they should be dressed in which rooms and if they are allowed to sit at the bar or dance on the dancefloor. there are a few bad apples who are too aggressive with the flirting and cross the line, but overall i think it has always made my cruise better to be able to hang out with the staff. they are usually great conversationalists because they are from all over the world and are well traveled...they can also give great advice on what to do in port!

 

I have been cruising since i was very young and I think the rules on staff and crew has actually gotten much stricter as the cruiselines have merged and have taken on a more corporate atmosphere...any complaints about unwelcomed advances by staff are taken very seriously on princess, i haven't seen that as much with other lines...

[bdjam]

You never know - what if his buddy was the room steward - he could have just let himself in my room at any time.

Always use the deadbolt when in your cabin – the room steward key will not get past that.

[Globaliser]

Perhaps being naive, I thought he was simply trying to make a single person comfortable when dining alone. I thought that until he started talking about meeting me in the ports and calling me in my stateroom late at night. On the last night he called my room (quite late again) and asked if I needed help packing. Trust me - this is more than simply offering good service.

Yes, this certainly was. If he continued doing this, you should have reported him, IMHO. That's totally unacceptable.

 

But at least he didn't say "Get your coat, you've pulled." (As is rumoured to be rife in some of the more, um, interesting bars and nightclubs.) :D

[MaryPoppinz]

Hanging out with the crew is not on my "To do" list when I cruise.

 

Mine either. I like a little bit of chit-chat on the way in or out of my cabin if the room steward happens to be nearby, and I like a few exchanges here and there with the wait staff. I also don't mind seeing uniformed officers in any of the passenger dining areas or entertainment/cruise/photo staff showing up in various places and chatting with passengers. When these relationships are completely appropriate and everyone knows it, the staff can enrich your cruise experience a great deal. But, I wouldn't ever want to convey that I have any interest in a personal relationship beyond conversation.

[stoneharborlady]

I'm with Kruisey for the most part. It's one thing for the officers, cruise director staff and entertainers to be visible and accessible but it's another for "crew" members to associate with the passengers. They have their own areas where they can get together, eat and be entertained. They don't need to be in the passenger areas onboard the ship.

 

If crew members are taking up tables in the Horizon Court or space at a show, you can bet I'll take their names and that's not to write them 'thank you' notes.

 

 

I kind of feel the same Pam, as you and Kruisey. I went cruising with family and friends, dont feel the need to rub elbows at dinner with the crew. (I dont mean that disrespectfully either)

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

When we sailed the Dawn a few years back doing a Canal sailing we were seated at dinner for the entire 16-day sailing with the #3 person and his mom at traditional dinner. Peter's wife was a purser at the time on the Sun so his mom tagged along with him to have a reunion when both ships ported in Acapulco.

 

What Peter told us is that when the ship was not full they strongly "encouraged" the staff (you had to be a certain level & up) to dine with your assigned tablemates each night. This was by far the best cruise as we had the opportunity to talke with Peter and his mom. They had so much history regarding P&O (Peter's dad was some higher-up in P&O) that it was very enlightening hearing about it. His mom got to sail for $25.00/day believe it or not thus, to say the least she spent more time on ships then back in the UK where she lived.

 

I think it's great to have the opportunity to meet the staff and get some insight into what they do/where they've been/"Where I want to be"

[cruiseryyc]

The only problem I have with staff enjoying the bars, is that one night on our cruise last May the Captian had taken over our favorite table in the Wheelhouse Bar and we had to sit somewhere else that night !!!

[Host CJSKIDS]

It was interesting on our 7/11 cruise on the Golden out of Southampton but we saw more and more crew hanging around than we had seen previously. Particularily in the sports/cigar bar. The only thing that was bothersome was the staff took a good portion of the tables on a nightly basis to have coffee and smoke one cigerette after the other. There were nights that we couldn't get a seat because there were so many staff and then the bartender and the bar staff seemed to pay more attention to their friends chatting then to taking care of guests. I have no problems with staff around but this I did have a problem with. If I can't take advantage of something that I want to due to the fact that it is over run with staff and I'm a paying guest, that just doen't seem right.

[jimneycrkit]

I enjot talking to the various crew members in the various areas of the ship, ie bartenders, waiters and such. I was glad on my last cruise this past Sept that I had gotten to know the maitre'd. I get up very early in the am and enjoy having my coffee and a smoke up on deck to watch the sun come up. One morning a room service waiter decided to speak with me. After a few minutes it became quite obvious to me he was flirting with me and asked me very personal questions. I was polite but a bit nervous as I was the only one up at that hour. He left me alone after a while as he had gotten beeped to deliver an order. A few days later he found me in another area of the ship again having my early morning ritual. This time he was more pushy and kept suggesting I order room service so he could come to my room. I told him my 80 year old mother slept in and he said that was okay we could meet somewhere else. At this point I excused myself. The maitre 'd that I had gotten to know from my dining room was also working the morning buffet and I was chatting with him. I mentioned to him my encounter and told him I didn't want the guy to get into trouble but it had made me feel uncomfortable. I never saw the room service service waiter again and I was on this ship for 25 days.I was glad I had said something and was able to enjoy the rest of my cruise not having to worry about being acosted. I am single but I really don't want to have a relationship like that on a ship.

[kryos]

[quote name='TinaLee']We always see the casino workers late in the evenings having some coffee and food to unwind after the casino has closed down. [/QUOTE]
I got really friendly with a whole bunch of casino workers on HAL last year. They slip out to a certain outside table on the Lido deck during their breaks to have a smoke. I tended to retreat to that same area at the end of my day to wind down with a cup of coffee and a cigarette before retiring to my cabin for the night.

I don't know ... as long as the crew and staff are friendly and respectful, I think it's great that they get to mingle with passengers. I like learning a bit about life onboard ship ... and certainly did learn a lot over the course of those couple of weeks.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[jennew]

I guess I am having trouble understanding the debate. The workers are people too, banning them to "steerage" is an archaic idea. (KIDDING)

Really, if they do thier job well then they certainly should be allowed to enjoy the wonderful ship they live and work on. Why not?

[stephenandrew]

[quote name='jennew']I guess I am having trouble understanding the debate. The workers are people too, banning them to "steerage" is an archaic idea. (KIDDING)

Really, if they do thier job well then they certainly should be allowed to enjoy the wonderful ship they live and work on. Why not?[/QUOTE]

I understand what you are saying, but I think that there is an appropriate level of separation between the crew and guests. In my younger life, I was an assistant golf professional at a country club in Atlanta. After my shift ended, I had 30 minutes to vacate the country club property---I would have very much enjoyed hanging around the bar and having a drink, or playing a few holes of golf, but the conditions of my employment were to basically provide serivce to the members, and when I wasn't doing that, I was not to be there. I never flet like I was a second class citizen---that was the job. I was not a member of the club--rather an employee hired for the members benefit. Frankly, I think the staff/crew on a ship should be friendly, professional---but it should be done in the context of them performing their jobs. I think seeing the staff drinking/smoking/eating in a public are of the ship is inappropriate. And frankly, I am surprised Princess condones it.

[jennew]

The only problem with your example is that you were free to leave the country club and go home.

[bdjam]

[quote name='stephenandrew']I think seeing the staff drinking/smoking/eating in a public are of the ship is inappropriate. And frankly, I am surprised Princess condones it.[/quote] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]I think you might be surprised because you might misunderstand the situation. The staff that is allowed deck privileges on Princess ships must have a certain status. Some have officer status (which extends to the Cruise staff), some have passenger status (headliners in the shows, other entertainers), and some – like those who work in shops, the spa and the dancers are allowed on deck. Some can sit at bars, some can only sit at tables in the lounges. Some can smoke in passenger areas, some cannot. Some are encouraged to mingle with passengers and for others – like the Cruise staff – it is their job. Frankly I think it a good thing that Princess condones this – for one it gives passengers a chance to learn a little bit about different cultures and life at sea, and for another, one of my best friends was a staff member when I met him.[/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]The privilege does not extend to everyone who works on the ship. Waiters and stewards are not allowed in the passenger areas and can get in trouble for being there…its not like there’s a free for all in the passenger areas for everyone who works on the ship. And if one really looks around, they could probably count on one hand the number of staff members they find in the passenger areas. I think they prefer to retreat to their own areas away from the passengers as whether or not they are on duty, they are subject to passenger demands. [/FONT] [QUOTE]The only problem with your example is that you were free to leave the country club and go home.[/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"]Good point![/SIZE][/FONT]

[WCAB]

I would not have a problem with the staff/crew mingling as long as they maintain a professional attitude. Due to the fact they do not leave the work place, they have to be aware that they are representing the cruise line whenever they interact with the cruise guests, even if it is in off work hours. For this reason, I am sure there are some basic guidelines in place.

Carol

[stephenandrew]

[quote name='jennew']The only problem with your example is that you were free to leave the country club and go home.[/QUOTE]



This is true, but they can certainly leave the ship for some R&R. I don't know the rules, but I saw lots of crew getting off the ship at various ports.