Survey Says: Begging for "10's" in MDR

[kontraxed]

Near the end of my last few cruises, our head waiter asked us to fill out the survey. No pressure for any particular scores, just please fill out the survey. That was it and I could live with the one request.

[kernow]

What I find is after sailing for a while, you get to remember the true 10's in a waitstaff or cabin attendant, etc.. It makes it hard to honestly rate 10 for someone who deserves 7. I put what I think is accurate, no hand wringing anymore.

Totally agree with this and do the same.

 

I can't understand those who say they give a 10 to everyone because they feel sorry for them, to me this is doing a huge disservice to those excellent staff who truly deserve a 10.

 

Julie

[BillOh]

My last two cruises on Grandeur and Radiance have included begging for 10's on the survey as part of the sentimental last night waiter concert. The pitch went on and on. Is this true across the fleet? Our waiter and assistant were good, but not a 10. Since when is average not acceptable as an evaluation response?

 

 

Wesley

 

As far as across the fleet - FREEDOM 2015 - NO, Oasis 2016 YES much so, not just last night. Adventure 2017 yes, not as heavy as Oasis, and 2018 Jewel, No. I left out the shorter cruises taken where surveys weren't given.

 

Your mileage may vary !

[Rocket3D]

We always give perfect 10’s, never complain and usually give a glowing written out review to the crew member we liked the least. It’s our little way of sticking it to the man!

 

Have a nice cruise!

 

Congrats....You definitely GET IT...by giving 10's we are really telling

top management that we are OK with them taking our benefits

away, raising prices, reducing personnel, food quality, on and on.

 

I always say, "10's for everybody"....but never fill out a survey.

 

My way....

 

On topic...we were asked on Empress last year...great little ship.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Rocket3D

[silentbob007]

I once had a server break down in tears when someone at our table said his service was "fine" the first night. Nothing like starting out the week awkward.

[fishbonz]

If you do a good job and worked hard 10 it is if you do a poor job than you get a lower rating. Over the year's we have seen it all the good the bad and the ugly in the MDR and in house keeping.

[Tudy]

I too, have been asked on some cruises, not all, for a 10 rating. I say, "Instead of telling me how you want to be rated, show me." Usually results in very good service for the remainder of the cruise.

[johnjen]

We experienced the same issue on our recent cruise. There were some highlights, some good, some bad. While I did the survey, I was honest and told it how I feel, but companies are starting to abuse the mission of surveys through badgering their customers to the point where it might get them upset and they'll dole out really bad surveys instead. It reminds me of the lying "we're ISO 9001 certified" campaigns from the time it came out.

[BillOh]

As far as across the fleet - FREEDOM 2015 - NO, Oasis 2016 YES much so, not just last night. Adventure 2017 yes, not as heavy as Oasis, and 2018 Jewel, No. I left out the shorter cruises taken where surveys weren't given.

 

Your mileage may vary !

 

 

I just remembered something about the waiter's comments on Adventure last year. She was ok as a waiter, the assistant waiter was the worst ever. Our waiter also mentioned if you gave the bar service a lower rating it effected her too. That was unusual.

[BillOh]

"we're ISO 9001 certified" campaigns from the time it came out.

 

 

Don't get me started on ISO9001. Companies want you to believe it assures a quality product, but all it does is document how things should be done, so when its not good, they can point the employee who didn't follow the procedure.

[Sam Ting]

Congrats....You definitely GET IT...by giving 10's we are really telling

top management that we are OK with them taking our benefits

away, raising prices, reducing personnel, food quality, on and on.

 

I always say, "10's for everybody"....but never fill out a survey.

 

My way....

 

On topic...we were asked on Empress last year...great little ship.

 

Thanks! We rarely duplicate ships so our ratings won’t affect us at all, but anything other than a 10 may affect the hardworking crew that may be having a bad day or bad week. I’m not the type of person that would mess with someone’s livelihood.

[BillOh]

This reminded me of one not so subtle request for 10's on Oasis, They also had balloons all over the dining room and WJ with "10" written all over them.

 

[davy jones]

If they cared about the results for anything other than rewarding and punishing crew members, they would improve the food. They won't do that because it might cost money.

[CruzanAlong]

Interestingly, on the post-cruise survey I recently completed, there was a question asking if any member of the staff mentioned the survey and/or asked for a high rating. The next question on the survey asked which department(s) the staff members were from who mentioned it. I was surprised by this question, but answered honestly. Now the question is: Does RCI encourage or discourage this practice?

[Clarea]

Interestingly, on the post-cruise survey I recently completed, there was a question asking if any member of the staff mentioned the survey and/or asked for a high rating. The next question on the survey asked which department(s) the staff members were from who mentioned it. I was surprised by this question, but answered honestly. Now the question is: Does RCI encourage or discourage this practice?

I believe they are trying to discourage the practice by requesting accountability.

[Rocket3D]

If they cared about the results for anything other than rewarding and punishing crew members, they would improve the food. They won't do that because it might cost money.

 

Ya...this topic can be spun several ways....

 

1. Top management/bean counters take away $tuff,

and give it to the $tockholders (read: themselves).

 

2. Then hold the officers and crew liable because

customers see through their B$....lol.

 

3. Or, a score of 5 out of ten means exactly that to us....and let them

spend half of their working hours terrified of each other... which seems to show

more and more.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Rocket3D

[Cruise-y]

Interestingly, on the post-cruise survey I recently completed, there was a question asking if any member of the staff mentioned the survey and/or asked for a high rating. The next question on the survey asked which department(s) the staff members were from who mentioned it. I was surprised by this question, but answered honestly. Now the question is: Does RCI encourage or discourage this practice?

 

This is tough. Our waiter gave a pitch about the survey and asked what number we’d give him. And, if not a 10 why - so he could improve in the few remaining days. He was a fine waiter but it was awkward and annoying. On the survey, I really don’t want to say that he asked because I know he’ll get in trouble and I like him. And he didn’t really ask for a 10, per se.

 

And this may be beating a dead horse - but it is something that RCCL needs to address. Thus it deserves discussion.

[grapau27]

I too, have been asked on some cruises, not all, for a 10 rating. I say, "Instead of telling me how you want to be rated, show me." Usually results in very good service for the remainder of the cruise.

I like your response [emoji106]

[grapau27]

I believe they are trying to discourage the practice by requesting accountability.

Thanks Bob.

That question puzzles me because they might be told by corporate to ask for 10s so corporate can spin the 10 markings.

I say no just in case I might get someone in trouble in case it is not corporate instructions.

[Baron Barracuda]

In traditional dining have no issue with Royal using survey to identify over and under performers. High achievers deserve to be recognized and those deficient should be retrained or weeded out.

 

Not sure how survey works for mtd though. If you are seated in different section each night with different wait staffs how does survey identify the good from the bad. On two week sailing don't want to have to identify and evaluate 14 waiters by name.

[grapau27]

In traditional dining have no issue with Royal using survey to identify over and under performers. High achievers deserve to be recognized and those deficient should be retrained or weeded out.

 

Not sure how survey works for mtd though. If you are seated in different section each night with different wait staffs how does survey identify the good from the bad. On two week sailing don't want to have to identify and evaluate 14 waiters by name.

Just make a note of their name to put on the survey and/or tell the head waiter on your way out of the dining room.

[davy jones]

In traditional dining have no issue with Royal using survey to identify over and under performers. High achievers deserve to be recognized and those deficient should be retrained or weeded out.

 

Not sure how survey works for mtd though. If you are seated in different section each night with different wait staffs how does survey identify the good from the bad. On two week sailing don't want to have to identify and evaluate 14 waiters by name.

 

On many cruises, we have the same wait staff with my time. We make reservations in advance though.

[Eslader]

This has become the norm now. The current company I work for and my last company completely rely on client reviews. They have also decided that perfect is the only score acceptable.

 

I think it would be fun to set it up such that the people who come up with this crap have to score a perfect on *their* annual performance review or they get fired. I bet that would put the kibosh on this stupidity.

[Rocket3D]

Ya....I think the employees should give us a survey of what we think

about their management's competence, lol.

[emdia43]

We always give perfect 10’s, never complain and usually give a glowing written out review to the crew member we liked the least. It’s our little way of sticking it to the man!

 

Have a nice cruise!

 

Me too. These poor people have the job from hell and deserve so much more than they are given.