Best Steward

[ducklite]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

So when they stop me in the hall to chat and ask about my day, I am supposed to ignore them??????

 

 

Of course not.  However, too me the question, "How is your day" is not asking for a 10 minute monologue.  It's a rephrase of  "How are you?"  The answer would be, "My day was very nice, we took a shore excursion to [insert name of place here] and had a wonderful lunch." 

 

While in a hotel 2000 miles from your home do you get into an extended conversation with the housekeeper asking about their life--or tell them all about yours?  How is being on a cruise ship any different?

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, ducklite said:

While in a hotel 2000 miles from your home do you get into an extended conversation with the housekeeper asking about their life--or tell them all about yours?  How is being on a cruise ship any different?

In my experience, life aboard a cruise ship for the crew is completely different than life ashore. In addition to most cabin stewards completing 6 to 9 month contract away from home, they can also have the same customers for much longer periods.

 

Our next cruise is 119 nights and we may very well have the same cabin steward the entire time, as was our experience on a previous world cruise. While the cabin stewards are busy, I find most of them have time to stop and chat and appreciate you taking the time to get to know them. At least on longer cruises, if you show an interest in them, they often come chat with you.

 

Although not a cabin steward, when I worked on the ships we had daily contact with passengers and I certainly appreciated the personable ones who engaged in conversation, rather than the simple good morning, thank you or stupid questions. We used to provide multiple Bridge visits at sea and every so often would have somebody show a real interest in the operation, or life at sea. This was actually appreciated and I have enjoyed many chats back when I was a Cadet. Sure beat looking out the windows at miles of empty ocean, so I suspect some cabin stewards also enjoy a similar short break from their routine.

[ducklite]

47 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

In my experience, life aboard a cruise ship for the crew is completely different than life ashore. In addition to most cabin stewards completing 6 to 9 month contract away from home, they can also have the same customers for much longer periods.

 

Our next cruise is 119 nights and we may very well have the same cabin steward the entire time, as was our experience on a previous world cruise. While the cabin stewards are busy, I find most of them have time to stop and chat and appreciate you taking the time to get to know them. At least on longer cruises, if you show an interest in them, they often come chat with you.

 

Although not a cabin steward, when I worked on the ships we had daily contact with passengers and I certainly appreciated the personable ones who engaged in conversation, rather than the simple good morning, thank you or stupid questions. We used to provide multiple Bridge visits at sea and every so often would have somebody show a real interest in the operation, or life at sea. This was actually appreciated and I have enjoyed many chats back when I was a Cadet. Sure beat looking out the windows at miles of empty ocean, so I suspect some cabin stewards also enjoy a similar short break from their routine.

You give an unusual case, and sure, I'd expect to get to know the steward a bit more if they were my stewards for three months at a time.   Apples to oranges.

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, ducklite said:

You give an unusual case, and sure, I'd expect to get to know the steward a bit more if they were my stewards for three months at a time.   Apples to oranges.

While we may take generally longer cruises, I also provided a first hand example from someone that has actually worked on the ships. The length of time you are in contact with a crew member in my experience is irrelevant, as during Bridge visits, I dealt with passengers for 30 to 45 mins, some of whom stayed longer and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with.

 

Based on your previous posts, you probably wouldn't have been one of them.

[Cruzaholic41]

On 8/22/2019 at 2:00 PM, lenquixote66 said:

Have you ever had a really great Cabin Steward ?

 

Yes, I’ve had several. But unless that steward was my spouse or child, I couldn’t imagine spending thousands of dollars for the primary purpose of chasing them. That just seems like stalking to me. 

[ducklite]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

While we may take generally longer cruises, I also provided a first hand example from someone that has actually worked on the ships. The length of time you are in contact with a crew member in my experience is irrelevant, as during Bridge visits, I dealt with passengers for 30 to 45 mins, some of whom stayed longer and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with.

 

Based on your previous posts, you probably wouldn't have been one of them.

I don't cruise to "make friends."   As I said, I'll be polite, but I don't desire to have extended conversations with strangers whether I'm in the grocery store, in a doctors waiting room, or on a cruise.  If you find that offensive, that's your problem, not mine.  

[ldubs]

47 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

 

Yes, I’ve had several. But unless that steward was my spouse or child, I couldn’t imagine spending thousands of dollars for the primary purpose of chasing them. That just seems like stalking to me. 

 

If  you enjoyed a steward and were booking the same ship, then why not try to book so you get that same steward.  That is a heck of a lot different than "spending thousands of dollars for the primary purpose of chasing them".  Come on now.      

 

 

 

[Heidi13]

4 minutes ago, ducklite said:

I don't cruise to "make friends."   As I said, I'll be polite, but I don't desire to have extended conversations with strangers whether I'm in the grocery store, in a doctors waiting room, or on a cruise.  If you find that offensive, that's your problem, not mine.  

Don't find it offensive, just providing some insights from someone who has actually worked on a cruise ship, as a response to your assumptions of crew expectations in post #15. Some crew feel that way, but many and probably most crew I worked with, and have latterly sailed with as a passenger do not.

 

Many of them are happy to take a short break and discuss their home life and life aboard, with passengers interested in chatting with them. You obviously aren't interested, but many pax are and do chat with the crew, not just the cabin stewards,

[ducklite]

1 minute ago, Heidi13 said:

Don't find it offensive, just providing some insights from someone who has actually worked on a cruise ship, as a response to your assumptions of crew expectations in post #15. Some crew feel that way, but many and probably most crew I worked with, and have latterly sailed with as a passenger do not.

 

Many of them are happy to take a short break and discuss their home life and life aboard, with passengers interested in chatting with them. You obviously aren't interested, but many pax are and do chat with the crew, not just the cabin stewards,

I'd prefer to err on the side of caution.  Personally I never want my steward to assume that they have to chitchat with me or they won't be tipped.  

 

We have had some interesting conversations with the officers on the bridge, but typically they had a lot more time on their hands with not much to do when we were in open waters.  And those conversations haven't been particularly personal.  I do like to ask what part of the world is their favorite or would they most like to sail to, I've gotten a few unexpected responses.

 

[Cruzaholic41]

46 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

If  you enjoyed a steward and were booking the same ship, then why not try to book so you get that same steward.  That is a heck of a lot different than "spending thousands of dollars for the primary purpose of chasing them".  Come on now.      

 

 

Come on now?  You and I must be reading the OP totally different because the way I read it, they booked 3 more times just because of the steward. 

[Aquahound]

8 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

...the way I read it, they booked 3 more times just because of the steward. 

 

That was the way I understood it as well.  

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

 

Yes, I’ve had several. But unless that steward was my spouse or child, I couldn’t imagine spending thousands of dollars for the primary purpose of chasing them. That just seems like stalking to me. 

We booked the same cabin because we liked the cabin ,low deck and mid ship.We hoped to have the same Steward.He was on the ship the second time but on a different deck.We did not try to find him on the ship or try to get a cabin on the deck he was on. In addition we met nice people the first time we were on the ship and they were on the ship in successive years. We also had a great CD and hoped he would be back on the cruise.

[ldubs]

23 hours ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

 

Come on now?  You and I must be reading the OP totally different because the way I read it, they booked 3 more times just because of the steward. 

 

I've read several of the OP's posts about his travel style.  Perhaps someone with special travel requirements and limited port access would be likely to repeat ships.  And, depending on needs, if someone served them well, then why not try to get the person again.   I just think calling it stalking is inaccurate.    

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

 

I've read several of the OP's posts about his travel style.  Perhaps someone with special travel requirements and limited port access would be likely to repeat ships.  And, depending on needs, if someone served them well, then why not try to get the person again.   I just think calling it stalking is inaccurate.    

Thank you,Idubs 😀

[angie7911922]

Oh my,

I have had the pleasure to meet so many nice crew members onboard ships. Not only Stewards, but waiters, bar personnel. But I don't think I would book a cruise just to have the chance to meet them again. He must have been very special.

 

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, angie7911922 said:

Oh my,

I have had the pleasure to meet so many nice crew members onboard ships. Not only Stewards, but waiters, bar personnel. But I don't think I would book a cruise just to have the chance to meet them again. He must have been very special.

 

He was very special.I am visibly disabled. If he saw me walking in the area near my cabin and if the ship was “shaking” he made sure that I was safely back in my cabin.

He was very personable and very helpful ,totally unlike every Steward before or after.

When we were on the cruise the next year and mentioned to the Steward that we were here the year before and our Steward was .........He said he hoped that he could measure up to him,that everyone thought ........was great.

[angie7911922]

On 8/29/2019 at 2:14 AM, lenquixote66 said:

He was very special.I am visibly disabled. If he saw me walking in the area near my cabin and if the ship was “shaking” he made sure that I was safely back in my cabin.

He was very personable and very helpful ,totally unlike every Steward before or after.

When we were on the cruise the next year and mentioned to the Steward that we were here the year before and our Steward was .........He said he hoped that he could measure up to him,that everyone thought ........was great.

 

that sounds very special!! Did you have contact with him after you left? to know where he is? Did you meet him again?

He is a one of a kind!! true

[slidergirl]

Just a side comment about ship stewards vs hotel housekeeping:  Yes, ship crew does work on 6-9 month contracts and are away from their families.   Surprisingly, the hotel housekeeping staff is very similar, especially in resort hotels.  My example:  while we have a core of maybe 5 permanent housekeepers, our majority are on contracts and visas for 4 months to a year.  They come from the Philippines, Jamaica, Eastern Europe (now we have from Montenegro and Macedonia), Colombia, El Salvador.  They are away from their families and are working here for the higher wages to send back to their families.   They smile and say "hello" to guests they encounter, but they don't form relationships and stop for 10 minutes to chat - they have work to do.  

[lenquixote66]

7 hours ago, angie7911922 said:

 

that sounds very special!! Did you have contact with him after you left? to know where he is? Did you meet him again?

He is a one of a kind!! true

We never saw him again . I did send a letter to the CEO of the cruise line thanking him for having such a wonderful employee.I received a response thanking me for my letter and my reaching out.

[angie7911922]

7 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

We never saw him again . I did send a letter to the CEO of the cruise line thanking him for having such a wonderful employee.I received a response thanking me for my letter and my reaching out.

 

That is sad, It is nice of you to send the letter to the CEO. 

And you never know, maybe you will meet again one day on a cruise!!

 

[lenquixote66]

2 minutes ago, angie7911922 said:

 

That is sad, It is nice of you to send the letter to the CEO. 

And you never know, maybe you will meet again one day on a cruise!!

 

I hope so.It would be very nice.Thanks for your comments.😀