Getaway staff taken by Escape

[bradleyk]

We will be sailing on the Getaway 10/17/15 and from what I hear NCL will move top staff to this ship. With the Escape starting at this time will most the staff from the Getaway be pulled to the Escape? And if so where will the Getaway get there new staff and should we expect a drop in service from the change in staff?

[helpmecruise16]

I was worried about this too - sailing on getaway in January.

[TrumpyNor]

We will be sailing on the Getaway 10/17/15 and from what I hear NCL will move top staff to this ship. With the Escape starting at this time will most the staff from the Getaway be pulled to the Escape? And if so where will the Getaway get there new staff and should we expect a drop in service from the change in staff?

 

I have experienced myself on a couple of different cruises in the past (where the cruise dates happened to be within the first few weeks of a new ship being "launched"), that when NCL starts inaugural cruises with a new "megaship", the rest of the fleet is "filled" with new employees to replace all the crew members who have been transferred to the new ship. They might be a little "clueless" at first, but with some "friendly help" from the passengers, it doesn't take long before they are doing well at their job.

 

We did a cruise on board the Spirit (in Europe) in January 2014 - the same month the Getaway started her inaugural cruises - and the fact is that because of that, several crew members came on board for the first time the same day as we did..... I must admit that it was a little "annoying" on embarkation day, since many of the crew members we were dealing with from bar staff and waitstaff knew "nothing" - but after a couple of days they were doing quite good, so it didn't ruin our cruise experience at all.

[CruisinHarvey]

I believe Sean the hotel director is moving to the Escape. I know Bong the bartender from the Mojito bar is moving also. I thought s couple of other officers were going to, but can't remember who. At any rate, we've already booked a December cruise on the escape just to see Bong again.

[mypleasure]

Every new ship means they want experienced staff to crew the ship in it's early days. ALL ships in the fleet are harvested for their best staff to go to the new ship. It tends to lead to new and inexperienced people on their first contract arriving on the existing ships to work with the slightly more experienced who were left behind. Service becomes very patchy across the whole fleet for several weeks (months?) while these newbies bed in and learn their jobs. It is how it works.

[LrgPizza]

We will be sailing on the Getaway 10/17/15 and from what I hear NCL will move top staff to this ship. With the Escape starting at this time will most the staff from the Getaway be pulled to the Escape? And if so where will the Getaway get there new staff and should we expect a drop in service from the change in staff?

I guess your post assumes that the Getaway is filled with NCL's top staff. What you said you hear is that NCL will move it's top staff to the Escape, not that it will move it's Getaway staff to the Escape. It will pull from all the ships in the line to move staff, not just that one. Some staff will be from Getaway and some won't. For instance, the cruise director isn't from Getaway.

Edited May 1, 2015 by LrgPizza

[Imasima752]

I believe Sean the hotel director is moving to the Escape. I know Bong the bartender from the Mojito bar is moving also. I thought s couple of other officers were going to, but can't remember who. At any rate, we've already booked a December cruise on the escape just to see Bong again.

 

Wow, he must be a very special bartender to book a cruise just to see him. We don't drink very much, but with the UBP as a promo I'll be sure to look for him when we sail!

[Beaver1975]

I believe Sean the hotel director is moving to the Escape. I know Bong the bartender from the Mojito bar is moving also. I thought s couple of other officers were going to, but can't remember who. At any rate, we've already booked a December cruise on the escape just to see Bong again.

 

As of January, Johnathon "Bong" was not sure if he was going to accept a move to the Escape.

 

Also going to the Escape is concierge Adrian Bica.

[bradleyk]

I guess your post assumes that the Getaway is filled with NCL's top staff. What you said you hear is that NCL will move it's top staff to the Escape, not that it will move it's Getaway staff to the Escape. It will pull from all the ships in the line to move staff, not just that one. Some staff will be from Getaway and some won't. For instance, the cruise director isn't from Getaway.

 

Great point also we don't sail until the 17th which would we several sailings after any staff movement. We also are not demanding passengers. So I would doubt if we will notice anything lacking

[geegee1]

We will be sailing on the Getaway 10/17/15 and from what I hear NCL will move top staff to this ship. With the Escape starting at this time will most the staff from the Getaway be pulled to the Escape? And if so where will the Getaway get there new staff and should we expect a drop in service from the change in staff?

 

I guess your post assumes that the Getaway is filled with NCL's top staff. What you said you hear is that NCL will move it's top staff to the Escape, not that it will move it's Getaway staff to the Escape. It will pull from all the ships in the line to move staff, not just that one. Some staff will be from Getaway and some won't. For instance, the cruise director isn't from Getaway.

 

In February, our favorite bartender from Malting's on the Breakaway said he was going to the Getaway in October. I'm sure they are going to be moving some of the seasoned staff from other ships to help ease whatever pain it will cause the possible mass defection of crew members to the Escape.

[pambo]

As of January, Johnathon "Bong" was not sure if he was going to accept a move to the Escape.

 

Also going to the Escape is concierge Adrian Bica.

 

We just got off the Getaway this morning...Bong confirmed that he will be going to the Escape.

[Demonyte]

We just got off the Getaway this morning...Bong confirmed that he will be going to the Escape.

 

 

That's too bad, I'd have loved meeting Bong again on Getaway on our last booked NCL cruise next January. :(

[CruisinHarvey]

We just got off the Getaway this morning...Bong confirmed that he will be going to the Escape.

 

That's good to hear. We'd met him in November on the Getaway, and got to know him better again at the end of January. We're Facebook friends, but he's not very active there. Looking forward to a great time at the Escape mojito bar.

[Beaver1975]

We just got off the Getaway this morning...Bong confirmed that he will be going to the Escape.

 

Thanks for the confirmation. He is such a character.

 

I win either way since we have a Escape/Getaway B2B scheduled.

[CruisinHarvey]

Wow, he must be a very special bartender to book a cruise just to see him. We don't drink very much, but with the UBP as a promo I'll be sure to look for him when we sail!

 

We all know a ship is just a place, and there's bunch of those to choose from. The difference is the people.

[$hip$hape]

I was worried about this too - sailing on getaway in January.

Don't be worried. When the Bong is gone, it will be a great opportunity for "underlings" to show their stuff.

As hard as they work, they will only work harder to impress you and the management!

Edited May 3, 2015 by $hip$hape

[FloaterGirl]

I think Harvey is 100% correct...it's the people that make the difference! Does anyone know where there may be listings of staff (e.g. Hotel Director, Cruise Director, etc)? We're going on the Getaway again in June in hopes we can see again the wonderful staff we met last year (Sean, Errol, Joel). Thanks!

[Langham1865]

I had a conversation with one of the senior officers when I was on the Getaway last year. I had met several of the same staff on the Epic, Breakaway and Getaway when they were all the newest ship. He said that they have a contingent of staff that are considered "opening crew for new ships" That way they have a core group from all departments who are trained in opening new ships. So I think you will see a lot of similar faces if you are like me and like to try the new ships.

[Kdiamond55]

I am so incredibly happy Bong will be on the Escape. I've told everybody about him! He is so much fun. He makes up celebrity names for everyone on the first night and then you get called those names the entire cruise. We were Pamela Anderson and Alec Baldwin. LOL!

[Dorhead1230]

In February, our favorite bartender from Malting's on the Breakaway said he was going to the Getaway in October. I'm sure they are going to be moving some of the seasoned staff from other ships to help ease whatever pain it will cause the possible mass defection of crew members to the Escape.

 

 

Was that Chips Ahoy, by any chance? I've heard that he's on Breakaway now and am hoping to catch him at the end of July because we had so much fun with him on the Dawn two years ago!!

[footballbabe3]

When we sailed on the Getaway in Feb the staff told us they had all worked together on the Breakaway. So maybe that is how they rotate all the new ship staffs. They start off on the Breakaway then the Getaway now the Escape

[FreestyleNovice]

Staff is attracted from the whole fleet. Not just one ship, for reasons others mentioned above.

[biker@sea]

Staff is attracted from the whole fleet. Not just one ship, for reasons others mentioned above.

 

That's Right !

 

Dawn got 117 newbee's on one cruise we did when a new ship was being rolled out .

 

It was noticeable with over 10% rookies crewing the ship .

Edited June 2, 2015 by biker@sea

[newmexicoNita]

We will be sailing on the Getaway 10/17/15 and from what I hear NCL will move top staff to this ship. With the Escape starting at this time will most the staff from the Getaway be pulled to the Escape? And if so where will the Getaway get there new staff and should we expect a drop in service from the change in staff?

 

Generally when a ship is new, the crew staff will be the best from other ships, so most likely what you are hearing is ture. They won't move all the top staff from just one ship, but they may move several members. Will there be a drop in service? Not necessarily, but some of the crew will be less experienced.

[Donna_In_India]

Wow...I'm surprised to read all this. We were on the Breakaway right after she arrived in NYC and service was a disaster....especially the dining staff!!! Guest services were not so good either....

Edited June 2, 2015 by Donna_In_India