Crew not allowed passenger emails?

[RLM77]

I just saw this from another thread:

 

Originally Posted by Veronica13

It USED to be...

They (another brilliant move by the new board or RCCL) decided a crew member can be terminated for having e-mail contact with passengers....

I am astonished that RCCL would limit email contact between crew members and passengers this way.

 

Thoughts?

 

Marlee

[Lois R]

Hi Marlee,:) I email friends and they email me back.

I also know other people who keep in touch with crew/staff as well.

I was never told they could not receive or reply to email.

[ellbon]

On other cruiselines i have emailed or recieved emil. why would RCI do that and how would they find out. I beleive that is not fair and not normal

[Kutty1101]

Really? Wow! We just sailed the Constellation 1/23/09, and 2 staff asked us to email them with pictures, etc. We did already, and they emailed back. They both were soooo grateful. The one girl said most travelers forget about them when they get home, and it was nice to get the pictures and email.

[wrp96]

I email back and forth with some RCCL crew members. I've never been told they aren't allowed to send and receive email with passengers.

[Veronica13]

I just saw this from another thread:

 

I am astonished that RCCL would limit email contact between crew members and passengers this way.

 

Thoughts?

 

Marlee

 

Yes, my thought is that if you're going to quote someone, ask THEM instead of copying and pasting and starting a new thread based on their post.

:cool:

My reply in the other thread was

This is the new Celebrity policy for 2009 which is strictly interpreted, meaning e-mailing guests/crew that are purely "buddies" is now an issue as it is not part of their "professional duties". While you can obviously get around it by using their google/yahoo account, crew cannot use the satellite connection account with passengers - I am happy for all that are still getting around this ridiculous policy. My old crew friends had to change the e-mail account I used to use, so they could read when on shore. She stated that "corporate" has been breathing down their neck with rules, other crew members had been reprimanded and she didn't want to have any problems. It's already been posted on here that waiters are no longer welcome to "chat" with guests are are "moved along" by the head waiters.

 

Taken from Celebritycruises.com

Guest Conduct Policy Guest Conduct Guest and Crew Interaction Our crewmembers are friendly, outgoing and helpful and they will do their very best to make your vacation as enjoyable as possible. Please do not misinterpret their friendliness. Crewmembers are prohibited from engaging in physical relationships with guests. Crewmembers are not permitted to socialize with guests beyond their professional duties, and are not permitted to be in guest staterooms, except for the performance of their shipboard duties. Guests are expected to respect these policies and are similarly prohibited from engaging in physical relationships with crewmembers. Guests are not permitted in any restricted or crew areas of the ship, including crew staterooms and corridors.

[RLM77]

Yes, my thought is that if you're going to quote someone, ask THEM instead of copying and pasting and starting a new thread based on their post.

 

My apologies. It honestly never occurred to me.

[Veronica13]

My apologies. It honestly never occurred to me.

 

I was just teasing you....should have added a :D instead of the smirk.

[dutchess43]

If wait staff chats less then X can give them extra tables to wait on less waiters less payroll. That is exactly what we found on our last Crown Princess cruise(5/08). The wait staff was actually running all the time & had virtually no time to chat & this was on a 15 nighter. Our wait staff had 5 tables at one time equalled 26 passengers.

[Veronica13]

If wait staff chats less then X can give them extra tables to wait on less waiters less payroll. That is exactly what we found on our last Crown Princess cruise(5/08). The wait staff was actually running all the time & had virtually no time to chat & this was on a 15 nighter. Our wait staff had 5 tables at one time equalled 26 passengers.

 

That's the normal amount of tables. It's a 2-3 hour service, so that should be no big deal at all. There's servce and there's service. I took ONE Princess (Ruby in December) and found everyone running around and totally impersonal service. I ate at the buffets a lot that week...the DR was a joke.:(

 

Celeb's service was always their "niche" market. The number one thing people loved. Still better than any Princess ship IMHO, but falling

[Texed]

:) I email friends and they email me back.

I also know other people who keep in touch with crew/staff as well.

I was never told they could not receive or reply to email.

 

Ditto, and a lot of them have e-mail addesses on their Celebrity business cards.

[Veronica13]

Ditto, and a lot of them have e-mail addesses on their Celebrity business cards.

 

Really? I'm Elite and the only "Business Card" I ever saw was from the guest relations personnel or Hotel Director.

 

I have certainly never seen a bartender, waiter, steward, etc. with a business card. I believe the policy is intended for crew other than customer service or Hotel Director. Just me?

[dkjretired]

Ditto, and a lot of them have e-mail addesses on their Celebrity business cards.

 

Hi Ed:

 

As with many things, there was probably some type of embarrassing or potentially embarrassing incident that caused the policy to be written. Probably a CYA here...

[FinelyCruising]

Hi Ed:

 

As with many things, there was probably some type of embarrassing or potentially embarrassing incident that caused the policy to be written. Probably a CYA here...

 

Don - Could be as a result of some overzealous guests who 'demand' replies as well. Boundaries are important in this regard, and its probably needed do some spoils on each side that while in the aggregate are minor, but on their own are significant.

[Veronica13]

Don - Could be as a result of some overzealous guests who 'demand' replies as well. Boundaries are important in this regard, and its probably needed do some spoils on each side that while in the aggregate are minor, but on their own are significant.

 

I agree they probably had an ugly "incident" that caused them legal liability and made sure the policy was written to keep further incidents from happening, which spoils it for the platonic long time cruisers with no intentions other than to keep in touch with the crew or mail them photos, which they always loved.

 

They can, however, do as they wish with fellow crew members. Guests are off limits for socializing. They can't even sit down and have a drink with you like in the old days.

[The_Big_M]

Crewmembers are not permitted to socialize with guests beyond their professional duties, and are not permitted to be in guest staterooms, except for the performance of their shipboard duties.

 

It could be argued if sending an e-mail message is socialising though! Corresponding yes, but socialising I wouldn't regard it as. It's probably more important what their managers view it as given they're the ones applying the rule.

[Veronica13]

It could be argued if sending an e-mail message is socialising though! Corresponding yes, but socialising I wouldn't regard it as. It's probably more important what their managers view it as given they're the ones applying the rule.

 

Actually, (I know of a lot of corporate people in Miami), the directive comes straight from corporate and Hotel Managers on board, and lower management are obligated to carry it out to the T. Even the Captain is no longer "in charge". He is just an employee of RCCL, who owns Celeb. He cannot make decisions and must follow policy. The only decisions he can make are how to sail the ship.

 

The corporate "feel" is now evident on the ships...everyone is afraid of breaking regulations.

[Sky Sweet]

I can think of a few reasons why Celebrity has decided to have a policy limiting socialization between passengers and crew.

 

Some passengers may have trouble distinguishing between being friendly and inappropriate behavior, and this protects them from potential law suits.

 

Celebrity may be trying to reduce their crew to passenger ratio, and this will make it possible to get the same amount of work done with less crew.

 

They may feel that the formality of the Celebrity experience is compromised when crew become too friendly with passengers.

 

It is also possible that they want to insure that no passenger feels that he/she is getting service that is inferior to what the crew's friends receive.

 

 

BTW - I am not saying that I agree with these reasons, but feel that they are very possiblity what Celebrity had in mind.

[Veronica13]

I can think of a few reasons why Celebrity has decided to have a policy limiting socialization between passengers and crew.

 

Some passengers may have trouble distinguishing between being friendly and inappropriate behavior, and this protects them from potential law suits.

 

Celebrity may be trying to reduce their crew to passenger ratio, and this will make it possible to get the same amount of work done with less crew.

 

They may feel that the formality of the Celebrity experience is compromised when crew become too friendly with passengers.

 

It is also possible that they want to insure that no passenger feels that he/she is getting service that is inferior to what the crew's friends receive.

 

 

BTW - I am not saying that I agree with these reasons, but feel that they are very possiblity what Celebrity had in mind.

 

Still and all, a shame. SERVICE had always distinquished them and part of that service was knowing your name, being very friendly and personable. I noticed my Constellation sailing a year ago, was definitely more inpersonal and "uptight". It made me feel lonely.:(

[Some1]

What is so wrong about "socializing" with crew members? It's one of the things that makes cruising memorable. Whatever.

[Sky Sweet]

Still and all, a shame. SERVICE had always distinquished them and part of that service was knowing your name, being very friendly and personable. I noticed my Constellation sailing a year ago, was definitely more inpersonal and "uptight". It made me feel lonely.:(

 

Hi Veronica :)

 

I don't think that friendly personalized service and lack of socialization between crew and passengers are mutually exclusive categories.

 

It is now relatively common at land based restaurants for the owner to come around to each table, greet their regular customers by name, and chat for a few minutes.

 

The difference is that the conversation at these restaurants are not likely to get very personal, while it is relatively common for the crew on a Celebrity ship to discuss their personal problems with the passengers that they are serving. This has never bothered me, but it may make some people feel uncomfortable, and even feel obligated to give a tip based on need, rather than service.

[Veronica13]

What is so wrong about "socializing" with crew members? It's one of the things that makes cruising memorable. Whatever.

 

NOTHING!!! Like I said, I'm against the policy. But it is indeed policy now from the "let's eliminate any possible liability" mindset in Miami.

[FinelyCruising]

The difference is that the conversation at these restaurants are not likely to get very personal, while it is relatively common for the crew on a Celebrity ship to discuss their personal problems with the passengers that they are serving. This has never bothered me, but it may make some people feel uncomfortable, and even feel obligated to give a tip based on need, rather than service.

 

I have always had engaging conversations with ship staff and never once has anyone discussed personal problems...if what you mean by that are financial issues, heath issues, marital issues and the like. I suppose somthing like that could occur, but it would have to be as rare as the guest dining in a restaurant involved with that staff speaking of those kinds of issues as far as I am concerned. Most people have better sensibilities than that.

[Veronica13]

The difference is that the conversation at these restaurants are not likely to get very personal, while it is relatively common for the crew on a Celebrity ship to discuss their personal problems with the passengers that they are serving. This has never bothered me, but it may make some people feel uncomfortable, and even feel obligated to give a tip based on need, rather than service.

Hmmm...I don't think so...I think maybe NEW cruisers who aren't used to the "family" feel of a ship might find it odd, but for long time cruisers, we all know we're "family" on board, make fast friends with passengers and crew alike. All part of the now extinct cruising experience - with Anytime Dining - the HUGE influx of new pax who no clue about cruising - the "we only want a table for two" people...it's all changing.

 

I've certainly never had anyone "cry poor mouth" to me...ever. Nor have I ever been made to feel like I had to leave a larger tip. But again, I'm used to these guys and girls...been cruising for decades. I know their intentions are sincere and IF someone wanted to make more out of it, it's the passenger. While there have been substantiated rape cases on Carnival, etc. by the crew, they are rare, and what adults choose to do, it their business. Let's face it, anyone who's ever been on a ship's disco knows the senior officers used to "troll" for passengers...it's been going on forever....but now they can't drink, and they can't "socialize". It's a sensitive subject, but I always found the Love Boat atmosphere what I grew up with, and it never offended me.

[ma_in_ak]

Too much contact between staff and guests can cause problems. I work for a tour company and we have guests who go to the same property every year. We have employees who becomes friends with guests and e-mail them a lot of personal and company information. It can be very uncomfortable when a guest arrives and immediately starts grilling you "Is so and so still dating so and so?" "I heard so and so was fired for ..... what happened?" "Is so and so still sleeping with so and so?" It isn't always a good thing to have guests who know "too much."