Undercover Boss Tonight - NCL CEO

[BillOh]

Did any of you notice the room he was staying in? I don't believe that was an average crew room, as was stated. It had a king bed and plenty of room to move around in. I really wished it was an average crew room.

 

 

I wondered about that too, though I didn't notice it was a king bed. I figured that room was way too big for say for an average crew member, but perhaps what they use for a featured entertainer? It looked like the room number would have been on deck 12, which also caught my eye.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

That is most definitely a guest inside cabin. I've toured the EPIC twice...

 

 

 

Regardless, I am interested in sailing on the EPIC as DH and I love water parks and the entertainment options look right up our alley. I did find some parts of the show awkward, but it was interesting to watch.

[manu4evr]

We have cruised quite a lot on RCI, NCL and Princess, but both my wife and I can't ever remember seeing any dining staff with facial hair. Are just having a senior moment or are we remembering correctly?

I couldn't believe the "ice rink".

[debache]

I watch the show and I liked it better the first season, now it is always the same..it is a commercial for their product, which is fine...Because if the CEO's really wanted to know what was happening in their companies they would have hidden cameras..Most people are going to be at their best will a TV camera in their face...

[negc]

That was crazy. And you might think that a CEO with any business savy would have flown one employee from Haiwaii to the East coast instead of three emplyees out to Hawaii.:p

 

I'm thinking that the Pride of America segment, although shown first, was actually the last segment taped and therefore they flew the others out while that part of the program was ongoing. So many things didn't make a lot of sense that it is hardly worth listing them. Is Kevin Sheehan so uncertain that he will be staying in his job with NCL that he hasn't moved his family down to Miami? It isn't as though he has only been on the job a few weeks and just hasn't had time to find a place to relocate his wife and kids. There could be very legitimate reasons why this might not be possible but it just seemed strange.

[daisy-mae]

Is Kevin Sheehan so uncertain that he will be staying in his job with NCL that he hasn't moved his family down to Miami? It isn't as though he has only been on the job a few weeks and just hasn't had time to find a place to relocate his wife and kids. There could be very legitimate reasons why this might not be possible but it just seemed strange.

 

We wondered about that as well. Maybe he wants to avoid the upheaval involved in changing schools, etc. I imagine he does a fair bit of commuting back and forth.

 

What struck me about the employees on their way to the POA was the fact that at least one was still wearing her uniform, and looked like she had barely had time to comb her hair. It's an awfully long way from the US east coast to Hawaii, yet they looked like they had just left their ship.

[NYcruzzer]

I'm thinking that the Pride of America segment, although shown first, was actually the last segment taped and therefore they flew the others out while that part of the program was ongoing. So many things didn't make a lot of sense that it is hardly worth listing them. Is Kevin Sheehan so uncertain that he will be staying in his job with NCL that he hasn't moved his family down to Miami? It isn't as though he has only been on the job a few weeks and just hasn't had time to find a place to relocate his wife and kids. There could be very legitimate reasons why this might not be possible but it just seemed strange.

 

His NY residence is in Lloyd Harbor one of the richest zip codes on Long Island. I'm sure his kids are in one of the finest private schools and he prefers not to uproot them. Besides I'm sure he travels so much his family sees him just as often living in NY as they would in Miami.

[The_Big_M]

Yes, anyone who pays is, ultimately, a customer. However, every profession has its own terminology to denote the paying public; lawyers have "clients", dentists have "patients", WalMart's "associates" (as opposed to "sales clerks") deal with "customers", and hotels have "guests".

 

That's not true. Those are terms with other meanings that are also used, e.g. a client is someone who consults a professional, usually one-on-one. Thus, any professional in that situation (e.g. consultants, psychiatrists and so forth) have clients as their customers.

A patient is someone in a medical institution, hence anyone medical deals with patients.

 

None of these were made to make "customer" sound better. They just indicate a different relationship and are sometimes used in place. Similarly, while RCL might believe that emphasising "guest" instead of "customer" is a way to deliver better "customer" service, using the term "customer" is not a failing and is at the heart of many service oriented businesses.

[Venusleo1]

When he entered the room, it appeared to be from a passenger hallway. The walls were finished and the floor was carpeted. It also did not appear to be a shared bathroom. I've never been on Epic, but I have seen a lot a crew quarters on a lot of ships, and they are never that plush. I am fairly certain it was a passenger stateroom.

 

However...I did notice a lack of personal items laying around. Makes me wonder if he even actually stayed in that room. Plus, DW says she thinks it was two different rooms. The second time they showed him in the room, it looked different than the first one.

 

Paul for sure 1 of the rooms (the more subdude one) was an interior wave room on Epic and I assumed that the more colorful room was an interior room on pride of America.

 

They made an error at the end and showed him in the Pride of America room saying something about finishing his tasks (but he had just finished working the dinning room on Epic)....

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

What struck me repeatedly was that the CEO was much older than ship's crew that you would normally see in those positions he was "auditioning" for. For example, on the sports deck of Oasis, everyone is quite young, really fit, very enthusiastic and outgoing. No one sunburned and bearded in their late forties is doing basic chores like signing up passengers for the rock wall and outfitting them in hanrnesses.

 

I've never seen a junior level waiter in the MDR the CEO's age and the exterior painters on any ship I have been on on young and most often Filipinos. The CEO was exhausted after one chore. I just didn't think the CEO made a credible appearance in any aspect of these undercover jobs. He couldn't even do a credible line dance. I mean who was he fooling?

 

Also Hubby and I both questioned that he occupied a typical crew's quarters. He had an inside room, but it was beautifully decorated. I can't imagine waiters, cooks and maintenance workers get a room like that.

 

On a positive note, the passengers looked like they were having fun. The ship scenes made me want to go on a cruise this very week!

 

We have sailed on NCL Pearl. I do prefer RCI, but Pearl was good enough...not as bad as some folks make NCL ships seem.

[Rancher Dave]

I can't remember the entire conversation that the CEO was having with the Sports Deck woman but she made one comment that "This is why people don't want to come back to the Epic". I am not sure if she was referring to crew or passengers. Does anyone else recall that comment and what the gist of the conversation was?

 

At the time I wondered the same thing. I suspect it is pax...they go thinking they can ice skate to find out it is only plastic, not real ice rinks like on Voyager et.al...

 

I'd hate to be crew explaining why the ice rink isn't for real...

[ScrapHappy44]

I'm new to cruising, so I enjoy watching anything related to the industry. Mr. Sheehan seems like a nice enough guy who wants only the best for his business. However, many of the comments he made to the young woman on the repelling line bordered on harassment. I would think that someone at his level would be more careful. I don't remember the exact comment, but it was something about wanting her to fasten his harness. Maybe he was just nervous. He didn't get any better when he tried to help some of the customers.

 

Also, why do they make such a big deal on that show about putting on the appropriate uniform? Does that bother anyone else?

 

19 days to my very first cruise! Serenade of the Seas! We can't wait!

[sissymaryuk]

They were definitely passenger cabins! I'm pretty sure they even said as much, but that they were "similar to crew quarters" (except they're not).

[Aquahound]

I've never seen a junior level waiter in the MDR the CEO's age and the exterior painters on any ship I have been on on young and most often Filipinos. The CEO was exhausted after one chore. I just didn't think the CEO made a credible appearance in any aspect of these undercover jobs. He couldn't even do a credible line dance. I mean who was he fooling?

 

I've never even seen an American waiter, let alone an old American (remember, Epic is not an NCLA ship). Plus, under what circumstances would someone be competing for a job where they are working on the Cruise Director staff out on the sports deck, then waiting tables with an all foreign staff on the same ship? None of it made any sense at all. Fake. All fake, I say.

[nosmothj]

Watch the show and never really lked it as it single out4 people who got something however the rest of the staff not much. One of the staff mentioned the 8 to 10 month contracts. Why one do something for everyone and lower it down to 6 or 8 months.

 

Also he seemed very surpirsed at how hard they work. That really surprised me. I never had a question that cruise staff are some of the hardest working people I have meet.

 

Finally I really like the room he got. I wonder if it was a staff room?

[ORANGEinINDY]

I always find this show VERY non-reality. If any employee ever performed the way he did (or other episodes as well) , they would have been asked to leave and never come back.

 

Even as A CEO he did not perform that well... granted they canned the "Ice" Rink idea, but good management would have also implemented a review process that would prevent the next dumb idea continuing as long as this one did., Or give CD's the authority (and responsibility) to not implement unused attractions like that.

 

First this DW and I said when he mentioned 'standard crew quarters' was laugh... for an assistant waiter? I don't think so

[ORANGEinINDY]

One other thought.... what is the gook thy spray on the Skating Rink? I think I'd hate to fall in it.:eek:

[BillOh]

I personally like the show despite its being contrived. And there have been some less than stellar employees. Last season, there was an employee that the "undercover boss" would have fired, but due to the show and all sent to retraining [or something similar] instead. May have been the one about the amusement park company.

 

There was one manager in the Hooter's show that should have been fired for harrassment, but got a strong talking too. Like others, I liked the show, but I think the word has gotten out and don't think it will last much longer. I work for a company larger than any shown so far with hundreds of locations all over the world and I know everyone here would recognize the CEO.

[coffeebean]

That's not true. Those are terms with other meanings that are also used, e.g. a client is someone who consults a professional, usually one-on-one. Thus, any professional in that situation (e.g. consultants, psychiatrists and so forth) have clients as their customers.

A patient is someone in a medical institution, hence anyone medical deals with patients.

 

None of these were made to make "customer" sound better. They just indicate a different relationship and are sometimes used in place. Similarly, while RCL might believe that emphasising "guest" instead of "customer" is a way to deliver better "customer" service, using the term "customer" is not a failing and is at the heart of many service oriented businesses.

I just finished watching the show on Tivo. This line of discussion about Mr. Sheehan referring to passengers as "customers" vs RCCL referring to them as "guests" is sort of a non issue. From what I saw on the show, Mr. Sheehan refers to the passengers as customers at times and guests other times. He uses both terms to reference the passengers who cruise on NCL.

[LBumb]

i enjoyed the show.

[Esmerelda]

Someone that work closely with just got off of the Epic on 12/25. She said it was the worst ship she'd ever sailed on. Her words were; it was all chopped up and there is no deck where you can walk all the way around outside unless you to to the swimming pool deck on top. You always had to go thru the casino to get anywhere on the ship and out of the 20 places onboard to eat, only 4 of them are free. :eek: I felt very bad for her as I was hoping she would have a fabulous time.

 

I watched the show the other night with an open mind but was also paying close attention to different views that they were showing. OMG, that skating ring floor thing...? What the hell were they thinking? I would have never skated on that thing..it looked so cheesy...:eek:

[wmunley]

There was one manager in the Hooter's show that should have been fired for harrassment, but got a strong talking too. Like others, I liked the show, but I think the word has gotten out and don't think it will last much longer. I work for a company larger than any shown so far with hundreds of locations all over the world and I know everyone here would recognize the CEO.

 

Bill - I have a funny feeling we may work for the same CEO... Especially if your company is headquartered in NYC...

[Sunkissed Mommy]

Its funny that everyone is laughing at the mock ice skating rink. I see them all over in South Florida. Delray Beach always has one downtown around the holidays. So I guess seeing one of these wasn't that strange or pointless to me! We only have a few real ice skating rinks down here anyway.:D

[BadSeaLegs]

We have never sailed on NCL so I'm not sure if my opinion counts. My take on the show was it was a bad attempt for good PR on NCL's part.

 

 

Ok, so I am not the only cynic to think the same.

For me, cruising is nice but I really do detest the "entertainment." No matter what the cruise line, they all seem to do the same, lame nursing home style activities. It's like they got lost in an 1980's warp. The few times we traveled with friends, I wanted to claw the skin off my face at having to sit through some of the shows and karaoke contests. I don't fault the crew because they can only work with what they get. Too bad he didn't focus on finding the proper niches in that area beyond realizing the ice skating rink was just a stupid move.

[Dave85]

At the time I wondered the same thing. I suspect it is pax...they go thinking they can ice skate to find out it is only plastic, not real ice rinks like on Voyager et.al...

 

I'd hate to be crew explaining why the ice rink isn't for real...

 

Interesting, I interpreted the statement as referring to the entertainment staff. My thinking was the Epic clearly entails some really annoying extra responsibilities for the entertainment staff (like assembling that plastic goopey rink puzzle) that aren't present on the other ships... therefore entertainment staff would just not want to deal with that.

 

Who knows... wish they hadn't edited it like that so we could find out for sure what she meant!