Staff for Dinner

[Ex techie]

I never saw the cast members we ate with being charged. I think they just need to identify themselves to help with usage counts, etc. There may be a backend accounting process too to move funds from crew to passenger services.

 

Also, I don't think they have bar/charge privileges in the MDR.

 

Back end accounting absolutely. And I would think they still are required to provide an appropriate tip to the servers and maybe that is it?

 

CM's that are staff and not crew have Guest area access privileges so are able to use the pool deck, buy coffee in Cove Cafe, visit the lounges of an evening and buy non alcoholic drinks, buy merchandise from the stores.

 

Maybe they ordered a drink such as a smoothy or speciality coffee?

 

ex techie

 

In post #4, I said "If the CM is staff (deck crew," and I meant to say Crew, not Staff.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Thats a real shame :(

You could have transferred the money into your sisters bank account though if you'd have known.

 

ex techie

 

I sent her a Starbucks card in a "Just Because" card once I got home. She was just as happy with that. :)

[chengkp75]

I know that Disney's policies on fraternization are stricter than other lines. Maybe Techie can help me out, but at NCL, when a crew member was given "permission" from their supervisor to use guest areas, that was accompanied by a paper "chit" listing the crew's name, date, time, and venue, and was presented to the Maitre 'd or bar supervisor upon entering. This would be used to track charges. Also, the crew use their ID cards like a guest's sign and sail card, as their lives onboard are cashless as well.

[moki'smommy]

I know that Disney's policies on fraternization are stricter than other lines. Maybe Techie can help me out, but at NCL, when a crew member was given "permission" from their supervisor to use guest areas, that was accompanied by a paper "chit" listing the crew's name, date, time, and venue, and was presented to the Maitre 'd or bar supervisor upon entering. This would be used to track charges. Also, the crew use their ID cards like a guest's sign and sail card, as their lives onboard are cashless as well.

 

Yes, the crew has a card like a KTTW card and essentially a cashless life on board. The only time they need cash is when they go "off Disney" such as taking the crew bus to Target or Wal-mart or doing a non-DCL something while in port. Otherwise, they have an account at the Bursar's office and get a pay check every 2 weeks which they can send home, bank at the Bursar, etc.

[Ex techie]

I know that Disney's policies on fraternization are stricter than other lines. Maybe Techie can help me out, but at NCL, when a crew member was given "permission" from their supervisor to use guest areas, that was accompanied by a paper "chit" listing the crew's name, date, time, and venue, and was presented to the Maitre 'd or bar supervisor upon entering. This would be used to track charges. Also, the crew use their ID cards like a guest's sign and sail card, as their lives onboard are cashless as well.

 

Hi Chief,

On DCL it's a rank and privilege thing.

Crew so deck crew, housekeeping, servers, pot washers, cooks etc have no Guest area privileges and therefore are not allowed to be in guest areas unless on duty and in costume.

Staff so YAC's, performers (stage and fury's), cruise staff, musicians, ent techs, vendor's (spa and photog) etc were classed as 1 1/2 stripe petty officers or 2 stripe and do have Guest area access whilst off duty, no permission needed.

The proviso is that you are dressed in "Disney Look" appropriate to that area and are wearing your crew ID visibly. So pants and shirt/dress and smart shoes for lounges/bars/movie theatre of an evening, and you must be dressed modestly whilst traveling to the Guest pool deck not using Guest elevators. Once there appropriate family friendly sunbathing or swimming attire, and any visible tattoo's must be covered.

No smoking in Guest areas.

 

Obviously the ships officers have that privilege as well, and it is on the understanding that you are not depriving a Guest of using that facility or you forfeit it.

 

And yes, your crew ID is used to pay for any services bought in a Guest area, soda's or water, no alcohol, certain spa services such as hair cut's, anything from the stores on board.

 

Regarding dining in a MDR or speciality restaurant as a reward, that would all be arranged internally, no chit required.

As for the new dining policy I've just read about, sorry, I don't honestly know.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Yes' date=' the crew has a card like a KTTW card and essentially a cashless life on board. The only time they need cash is when they go "off Disney" such as taking the crew bus to Target or Wal-mart or doing a non-DCL something while in port. Otherwise, they have an account at the Bursar's office and get a pay check every 2 weeks which they can send home, bank at the Bursar, etc.[/quote']

 

All the above is correct

 

ex techie

[chengkp75]

Yes' date=' the crew has a card like a KTTW card and essentially a cashless life on board. The only time they need cash is when they go "off Disney" such as taking the crew bus to Target or Wal-mart or doing a non-DCL something while in port. Otherwise, they have an account at the Bursar's office and get a pay check every 2 weeks which they can send home, bank at the Bursar, etc.[/quote']

 

Also, every two weeks there is a "draw" list circulated in each department, where crew can sign up for cash "draws" against their pay. The purser's department generally hate draw day, as they have to make up cash envelopes, and have someone available all day long to hand them out when the crew can get down to pick up their pay. Supervisors also don't like them, since they get calls from the purser's office to get crew to remember to pick up their envelopes.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I know that Disney's policies on fraternization are stricter than other lines. Maybe Techie can help me out, but at NCL, when a crew member was given "permission" from their supervisor to use guest areas, that was accompanied by a paper "chit" listing the crew's name, date, time, and venue, and was presented to the Maitre 'd or bar supervisor upon entering. This would be used to track charges. Also, the crew use their ID cards like a guest's sign and sail card, as their lives onboard are cashless as well.

 

Right. My sister (an officer) was also given permission to visit in my cabin, and she was given a paper indicating this signed my whoever had to sign it, and she had to have it with her at all times while visiting with me. One time she realized she forgot it and ran immediately to get it because even calling one of her co-workers to bring it to her in my cabin could have gotten both of them in trouble. She was able to text him on their wave phones and he met her somewhere public they were allowed to give it to her, but it was tense moments for a little while.

[Ex techie]

Right. My sister (an officer) was also given permission to visit in my cabin, and she was given a paper indicating this signed my whoever had to sign it, and she had to have it with her at all times while visiting with me. One time she realized she forgot it and ran immediately to get it because even calling one of her co-workers to bring it to her in my cabin could have gotten both of them in trouble. She was able to text him on their wave phones and he met her somewhere public they were allowed to give it to her, but it was tense moments for a little while.

 

Visiting Guest staterooms is different. Also would require signed permission for you to visit her cabin.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Also, every two weeks there is a "draw" list circulated in each department, where crew can sign up for cash "draws" against their pay. The purser's department generally hate draw day, as they have to make up cash envelopes, and have someone available all day long to hand them out when the crew can get down to pick up their pay. Supervisors also don't like them, since they get calls from the purser's office to get crew to remember to pick up their envelopes.

 

No draw list on the Magic. You used to just take your pay check to the crew office and cash it, take the cash, put some on your crew account for purchases, arrange a money transfer. This is before you could electronically send money from the ship :) Long lines sometimes!

 

ex techie

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Visiting Guest staterooms is different. Also would require signed permission for you to visit her cabin.

 

ex techie

 

Right. She was able to get that in December for my parents to visit. Not last February for me (and she's on vacation now so won't even be on the ship when I am!).

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

No draw list on the Magic. You used to just take your pay check to the crew office and cash it, take the cash, put some on your crew account for purchases, arrange a money transfer. This is before you could electronically send money from the ship :) Long lines sometimes!

 

ex techie

 

Now Disney as a company has pretty much moved everyone to payment on a Citi Pay Card or direct deposit into a US account. I know when I worked at the Disney Store we were encouraged to get that or use direct deposit, and I'm pretty sure from what my sister and her friends said it's pretty much company-wide.

[Loonbeam]

They are also testing ATMs that work against their crew account from what I have heard (other lines have them, they dispense money and charge phone cards.)

 

Now Disney as a company has pretty much moved everyone to payment on a Citi Pay Card or direct deposit into a US account. I know when I worked at the Disney Store we were encouraged to get that or use direct deposit, and I'm pretty sure from what my sister and her friends said it's pretty much company-wide.

[Ex techie]

Hi Chief,

 

Meant to ask earlier what is the policy on your ship?

 

ex techie

[chengkp75]

Hi Chief,

 

Meant to ask earlier what is the policy on your ship?

 

ex techie

 

Two stripe officers and above (and the equivalent staff) can have guest area privileges with permission from their department head. Three stripe have privilege to more bars/venues, and 3-1/2 stripe and up can go anytime they want. MDR is free, but the specialty restaurants require they pay the upcharge. Alchohol is limited (subject to 0.04% random testing), but for deck/engine watchkeeping officers, chief engineer, staff chief, staff captain, captain, and hotel director are zero alcohol tolerance.

 

However, dining with guests is very limited, as are nearly all forms of fraternization. We had a Hotel Director fired for spending too much time in a guest's cabin, even though he knew them from home.

 

Some crew payment changes have been made in the last couple of years, due to the Manila Convention regulating crew pay, etc.

[Ex techie]

Two stripe officers and above (and the equivalent staff) can have guest area privileges with permission from their department head. Three stripe have privilege to more bars/venues, and 3-1/2 stripe and up can go anytime they want. MDR is free, but the specialty restaurants require they pay the upcharge. Alchohol is limited (subject to 0.04% random testing), but for deck/engine watchkeeping officers, chief engineer, staff chief, staff captain, captain, and hotel director are zero alcohol tolerance.

 

However, dining with guests is very limited, as are nearly all forms of fraternization. We had a Hotel Director fired for spending too much time in a guest's cabin, even though he knew them from home.

 

Some crew payment changes have been made in the last couple of years, due to the Manila Convention regulating crew pay, etc.

 

Many thanks for your reply Chief.

 

I wonder how the ranks compare between the two companies. NCL does sound stricter than DCL what with permission required to even utilise the bars and venues!

Can a 2 stripe use the Guest pools without permission?

 

ex techie

[chengkp75]

Many thanks for your reply Chief.

 

I wonder how the ranks compare between the two companies. NCL does sound stricter than DCL what with permission required to even utilise the bars and venues!

Can a 2 stripe use the Guest pools without permission?

 

ex techie

 

Guest pools are off-limits to virtually everyone except the "guest performers" (those entertainment acts like the magician or piano duos that have guest status as part of their contract).

[surran12]

Reading about all the rules about family or friend visits on board has been a very interesting read. Thanks to all who have posted.

[Ex techie]

Guest pools are off-limits to virtually everyone except the "guest performers" (those entertainment acts like the magician or piano duos that have guest status as part of their contract).

 

Chief,

 

I guess the rules are more strict on NCL than DCL after all!

The DCL Magic class crew pool "a drop in the ocean" was very rarely used enough to warrant the facility and upkeep, but the crew deck was amazing when open at night with the bar and parties.

 

That said, as you know accommodation plays a much larger part than being able to utilize Guest areas like bars/lounges.

 

It was always claimed that tech's at Petty Officer status had to share inside cabins due to the higher than industry average amount of them, (around 12 techs)

Plus 3 two stripes, two 2 1/2 stripe's in single birth and a 3 stripe that had a large Stateroom double birth cabin for single occupancy.

 

10' x 12' with two guys sharing can and cannot work well!

 

ex techie