Can a crew member on NCL Epic hang out with us and/or have dinner when off-duty?

[chengkp75]

I'd guess it should be the same way on Epic then - no reason for it to be any different.

 

Doug I read your wonderful review of Escape and that is what made me make up my mind to book it! Going on Halloween!

 

As I posted above, that is not necessarily the case for all crew. It may have been for the person giving the behind the scenes tour, but not for all. It depends on the rank, and work schedule, and the department head. I was a Chief Engineer with NCL for 4 years.

[CruisingSwedes]

First off, for Brighton; the CD is under the Hotel Director, and the Chief Engineer heads his own department. The triumvirate under the Captain are the HD, CE and Staff Captain. Now that I've got the pecking order straight; :D

 

The ability to go into guest areas when off duty varies by rank. Most crew, whether hotel or deck/engine cannot do so unless it is a special occasion. Things like a reward for getting the most comment cards, etc. Perhaps a situation like this one, can't say for sure. This is strictly up to the department head's discretion. And "hanging out" would not be possible in most circumstances. A meal is one thing, spending time in a lounge or on deck might be pushing it.

 

Junior supervisors and junior officers have to get their department head's permission, and it is up to the maitre 'd to decide if there is space available. This again, is limited by rank as to how many times a month this can happen.

 

Senior supervisors and deck/engine officers can also use the guest bars if allowed. Watchkeeping deck and engine officers have a zero alcohol policy while onboard.

 

Senior officers and department heads can go almost at will, again subject to the maitre 'd.

 

Use of other guest facilities like gym, spa, etc. are pretty much limited to guest entertainers.

 

It sounds as if he is an unlicensed engine department rating. As such, depending on his job, he may be a watchkeeper, meaning he stands a 4 hour watch in the engine room, twice a day. Watches are 12-4, 4-8, or 8-12, plus 4 hours of maintenance work. So, his watch schedule may not meet with your dinner plans, and it may have to be lunch. If he is a dayworker, usually working 0600-1800, his time is a bit more flexible.

 

My suggestion is to have a letter addressed to the Chief Engineer explaining the circumstances, and go to the Front Desk immediately upon boarding, and ask for the Group Services Coordinator, explain to that person, and have them deliver the letter to the Chief. He should then contact you about whether, and when the crew member could be available.

 

Remember, as others have stated, he will be tired after a long day in heat that can range to 130*F, and noise you wouldn't believe, and you are asking him to change, shower, and put on his shore clothes so he can be "presentable" as a representative of NCL when he is with you. He must wear his nametag on his clothes, so folks may come up to him when they see you together to ask questions, and don't invite him to your cabin. Lots of crew and officers just don't want to bother (especially the officers who have to change uniform for the evening).

 

As I say, a letter to the Chief explaining your circumstances should set the wheels in motion.

 

Wow when I saw you commented I felt like I'd been visited by a cruise critic rock star! I've read many of your informative posts over the years. Thanks for the advice! I'll write that letter to have with me just in case everything isn't already arranged by him. I never thought about the noise or heat - thanks for pointing that out. We're going to try to be very considerate with his time.

[CruisingSwedes]

As I posted above, that is not necessarily the case for all crew. It may have been for the person giving the behind the scenes tour, but not for all. It depends on the rank, and work schedule, and the department head. I was a Chief Engineer with NCL for 4 years.

 

Yes - will try and prepare as much before we board as possible and hope it all works out. Fingers crossed!

[chengkp75]

Yes - will try and prepare as much before we board as possible and hope it all works out. Fingers crossed!

 

And just remember, there are cameras everywhere, and one of the warning lights for the surveillance team is a crew member out and about in the guest areas. So, if he starts to feel uncomfortable with any suggestions you make, go with his feelings, he knows he's "on stage". I know you wouldn't be doing anything "wrong", but even to have him give up more time to explain anything that surveillance thought they saw isn't fair. Heck, we had a Hotel Director get fired for spending too much time in a guest's cabin. At least on my ship, surveillance had a special working relationship with the deck and engine departments, and anything seen went to the Staff Chief or Chief Officer to deal with, rather than straight to the Staff Captain.

 

Good luck.

Edited March 24, 2016 by chengkp75

[luckyinpa]

It may be tough. From what I understand, unless you're an officer/entertainer, you don't have passenger deck privileges.

 

i took a quick look at the deck plan. so i assume deck 4 and under is for crew. soooo i have to ask. what exactly is down there except the requisite bunk beds and eating places everyone would need. do they have their own entertainment etc

[chengkp75]

i took a quick look at the deck plan. so i assume deck 4 and under is for crew. soooo i have to ask. what exactly is down there except the requisite bunk beds and eating places everyone would need. do they have their own entertainment etc

 

There will be the crew bar, the internet cafe, gym, crew lounge, laundry facilities, perhaps a very small crew store, as well as crew mess halls and galleys, the provisions area, workshops, engineering spaces, main laundry, offices, storerooms, garbage areas.

 

Crew bar usually has a DJ, sometimes karaoke, and sometimes crew talent, but no entertainment as you would know it as a passenger.

[GeezerCouple]

i took a quick look at the deck plan. so i assume deck 4 and under is for crew. soooo i have to ask. what exactly is down there except the requisite bunk beds and eating places everyone would need. do they have their own entertainment etc

 

You mean in addition to ship laundry (for linens) and dry cleaning (for passengers), and water evaporation/filtration/treatment/storage, and waste water processing, and garbage sorting/processing/concentrating, and literally tons and tons of all sorts of food (shelf, fresh, frozen = refrigeration/freezing), multiple food prep/cooking areas, then engine equipment and fuel storage, extra (new) linens/mattresses/chairs/etc. (for replacements needed during a cruise), repair tools/equipment and supplies needed for replacements, paint supplies...

"But wait! There's more!!"

 

I don't know if they still offer the ship tour, but just the size of those washing machines...!

 

Think of the ship as a small but complete little city, with all of the support services.

[Dan_K]

I sure hope this works out for the OP. Good luck. Please report back after the cruise and let us know.

[CruisingSwedes]

And just remember, there are cameras everywhere, and one of the warning lights for the surveillance team is a crew member out and about in the guest areas. So, if he starts to feel uncomfortable with any suggestions you make, go with his feelings, he knows he's "on stage". I know you wouldn't be doing anything "wrong", but even to have him give up more time to explain anything that surveillance thought they saw isn't fair. Heck, we had a Hotel Director get fired for spending too much time in a guest's cabin. At least on my ship, surveillance had a special working relationship with the deck and engine departments, and anything seen went to the Staff Chief or Chief Officer to deal with, rather than straight to the Staff Captain.

 

Good luck.

 

Hadn't thought of that and it never occured to me that that is obviously the case with all the cameras. We will keep it in mind. I'll remind my husband to not pressure him to do shots with him at the bar :eek::eek::eek: We also won't be inviting him back to the room. With us and our 2 children crammed in there we don't have room for guests :D

[CruisingSwedes]

I sure hope this works out for the OP. Good luck. Please report back after the cruise and let us know.

 

Thanks for the good wishes and I absolutely will report back after the cruise. I hate it when threads I follow leave you hanging on what happened in the end!

[CruisingSwedes]

We just got back from Barcelona and I'm reporting back that everything went fine to meet him (I'll call him The Fiancee "TF"). Thanks again to all that gave helpful comments and tips! I used many of them and everything went fine.

 

He is in the engineering department but is specifically an electrician (I didn't know that). He goes around to different rooms repairing things. (He said he put a new hairdryer in our room before we arrived - we actually noticed the difference - and checked all our light bulbs and electricity to make sure everything was fine!)

 

Before we left I sent an email to the email address that was posted here earlier (thanks for that) requesting that we be able to meet up. I didn't get a reply before the cruise (or even up until now).

 

I had the suggested letter with me requesting the meeting with TF and I planned to submit it at guest services as soon as we got on board after first calling TF to see if everything was OK.

 

On board I dialed his extension and he answered promptly and said meeting up was "no problem". I asked him if he needed his supervisor's approval and he said it was "not a problem". I said I wasn't sure if crew members were allowed everywhere on the ship and he said it was OK and not a problem. I asked him if he wanted to join us for dinner one night at Cagney's or Le Bistro, or the buffet and his reply was "Yes, but I'm free today in the day," so I took that from suggestions on this thread to mean that even though he said yes for my dinner suggestion that he would be too tired to meet us for dinner and was politely trying to say let's meet in the day instead.

 

We met at the buffet (he was wearing his uniform (tan) and name tag. We had coffee and cakes, exchanged gifts and took lots of pictures. He seemed very relaxed but was noticeably aware when the wait staff supervisors walked by and looked at us. Other guests also seemed curious.

 

We also met up on departure day before we left the ship to say goodbye and give another letter and a drawing our daughter had made for TF to bring home. It was also TF's last day before going back home for vacation. We'd planned that I would call him when we were ready to leave the ship. He surprised us by being in the hallway outside our cabin when we left the room to go to the buffet. He wasn't in uniform but did have his name tag. We said our good-byes and see you soons, and then he said he was off to "finance" (I guess that's to get his last paycheck).

 

I wish I had more information about exactly what the rules are as I don't think for everyone it is "no problem". I did ask TF the exact rules but we definitely had a language barrier because he just kind of smiled and said that it's not a problem.

 

Thanks again to all who gave helpful suggestions and positive encouragement. This meeting meant a lot to us!

[SS Exeter]

Happy you were able to spend some time with TF. When is the wedding?

Wish them a Lovely Life from the Cruise Critic People.:D

[cml4958]

Thanks for the update. Glad you were able to meet before the wedding. Hope you had a lovely trip!

[Dan_K]

Glad this worked out. Thank you for reporting back.

[DMH15]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you handled it perfectly.

[Gershep]

We just got back from Barcelona and I'm reporting back that everything went fine to meet him (I'll call him The Fiancee "TF"). Thanks again to all that gave helpful comments and tips! I used many of them and everything went fine.

 

He is in the engineering department but is specifically an electrician (I didn't know that). He goes around to different rooms repairing things. (He said he put a new hairdryer in our room before we arrived - we actually noticed the difference - and checked all our light bulbs and electricity to make sure everything was fine!)

 

Before we left I sent an email to the email address that was posted here earlier (thanks for that) requesting that we be able to meet up. I didn't get a reply before the cruise (or even up until now).

 

I had the suggested letter with me requesting the meeting with TF and I planned to submit it at guest services as soon as we got on board after first calling TF to see if everything was OK.

 

On board I dialed his extension and he answered promptly and said meeting up was "no problem". I asked him if he needed his supervisor's approval and he said it was "not a problem". I said I wasn't sure if crew members were allowed everywhere on the ship and he said it was OK and not a problem. I asked him if he wanted to join us for dinner one night at Cagney's or Le Bistro, or the buffet and his reply was "Yes, but I'm free today in the day," so I took that from suggestions on this thread to mean that even though he said yes for my dinner suggestion that he would be too tired to meet us for dinner and was politely trying to say let's meet in the day instead.

 

We met at the buffet (he was wearing his uniform (tan) and name tag. We had coffee and cakes, exchanged gifts and took lots of pictures. He seemed very relaxed but was noticeably aware when the wait staff supervisors walked by and looked at us. Other guests also seemed curious.

 

We also met up on departure day before we left the ship to say goodbye and give another letter and a drawing our daughter had made for TF to bring home. It was also TF's last day before going back home for vacation. We'd planned that I would call him when we were ready to leave the ship. He surprised us by being in the hallway outside our cabin when we left the room to go to the buffet. He wasn't in uniform but did have his name tag. We said our good-byes and see you soons, and then he said he was off to "finance" (I guess that's to get his last paycheck).

 

I wish I had more information about exactly what the rules are as I don't think for everyone it is "no problem". I did ask TF the exact rules but we definitely had a language barrier because he just kind of smiled and said that it's not a problem.

 

Thanks again to all who gave helpful suggestions and positive encouragement. This meeting meant a lot to us!

 

 

So glad you got to meet TF.

[ColinIllinois]

He'll be fired, but why not. Invite him to dinner! Wish him Bon Voyage!

 

 

It helps to read the whole thread before commenting. ;)

[www3traveler]

I have dinner and lunch with a variety of staff members both Senior Officers and regular staff members all the time (30 cruises and counting). Some have to their supervisors' permission. Always an enjoyable time.