Do Waiters ALL Receive the Same Training????

[teacherman]

We have been fortunate to cruise on many cruises with several different cruise lines. We have had great, average, and poor wait staffs in the MDR. Our last cruise was poor. The waiter and assistant were both very personable and "eager" to please, but there did not seem to be any standard of service among all of the waiters that I observed. It seems that there should be several consistent steps: (My Time Dining)

1-Make sure the table is properly set and then take the customers to be seated and offer menus

2-Offer water and ask if any other drinks are requested

3-Bring rolls and butter

4-Take the order

5-Serve the various courses, periodically checking to see if everything is okay

6-On lobster night, offer to remove the tails from the shell

 

Do waiters and assistants receive training in how to properly serve prior to joining a crew? Some waiters seem to have a consistent pattern they follow and some just seem to do whatever. Are they really being short-staffed and causing a drop in level of service or is it simply a lack of training. Is the waiter supposed to explain to the assistant how he wants it to happen? There is not much consistency. The dining experience can make or break a cruise.

[Merion_Mom]

Huh?

[MikeBTN]

We have been fortunate to cruise on many cruises with several different cruise lines. We have had great, average, and poor wait staffs in the MDR. Our last cruise was poor. The waiter and assistant were both very personable and "eager" to please, but there did not seem to be any standard of service among all of the waiters that I observed. It seems that there should be several consistent steps: (My Time Dining)

1-Make sure the table is properly set and then take the customers to be seated and offer menus

2-Offer water and ask if any other drinks are requested

3-Bring rolls and butter

4-Take the order

5-Serve the various courses, periodically checking to see if everything is okay

6-On lobster night, offer to remove the tails from the shell

 

Do waiters and assistants receive training in how to properly serve prior to joining a crew? Some waiters seem to have a consistent pattern they follow and some just seem to do whatever. Are they really being short-staffed and causing a drop in level of service or is it simply a lack of training. Is the waiter supposed to explain to the assistant how he wants it to happen? There is not much consistency. The dining experience can make or break a cruise.

 

That’s a great question for the Hotel Director or head chef on your next sailing. I would assume the answer is “yes”. Just as in a land-based restaurant, you have good waiters and not-so-good ones.

 

In the future, giving feedback to the Maitre D’ while on board will help ensure these individuals receive additional support where needed.

[wendychloecruiser]

May I assume that as the OP’s name is “Teacherman,” that you are a teacher? Were you as good at what you do on your first day out of school versus a recent day? I doubt it. Everyone develops skills with time and experience. And some teachers are better than others...

[teacherman]

And if I might humbly say, I was a great one (after a few years). When I first began cruising, a long time ago, we were on Celebrity Horizon. For dinner, they would have some nice tables set in the buffet area where you could receive a waiter-served meal. We dined there several times. It was always stated that we were being served by "newer" crew members-kind of a waiter training area. It was a nice idea.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

That’s a great question for the Hotel Director or head chef on your next sailing. I would assume the answer is “yes”. Just as in a land-based restaurant, you have good waiters and not-so-good ones.

 

In the future, giving feedback to the Maitre D’ while on board will help ensure these individuals receive additional support where needed.

 

And even with the same training, they are not robots so there WILL be differences in styles and things will happen. Teams do not always remain the same and if you get a new team, yes, the assistant may be learning the main's routine.

 

As MikeBTN states here, if there is a problem, bring it to the maitre d' when it happens so that corrections may be made.