OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK SEASCAPE SEPT 24, 2023

[morpheusofthesea]

Today is Grand Cayman. It is a tender port of call. This time the ship unloaded differently. Last time the ship catered to those with tours and Yacht Club guest before calling tender tickets a couple hours later in the morning. This time there were two gangways. Both started at 7:30 am. Those with tender tickets went to one gangway following the stairway signs. The other were all the escorted groups without tender tickets. There are 5 tender boats carrying about 100 guests each. It took 13 minutes for a tender to fill up and the tender ride to shore took 5 minutes.

[no1talks]

15 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"You do 'cut a fine swath' wherever you go."

 

Mille grazie, Signor Morpheus.

[morpheusofthesea]

My DW has a 'beef' and wants me to 'air' it . (I think she means on the email survey but I am always looking for CC content to publish). This is the first time on a cruise in the American market that the YC restaurant starts dinner service at 6pm instead of the usual 5:30pm. This is an inconvenience as my DW loves to get to the early shows at 7:30pm in the Chora Theatre and now has to rush our dining experience. When she questioned the time change we were told it is because there is a larger contingent of Europeans on board. Now we love the more finely attired and sophisticated Europeans, but there is not the same dining hour changes on the Seaside out of Canaveral.

[no1talks]

38 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

" ...but there is not the same dining hour changes on the Seaside out of Canaveral."

 

The fluidity of MSC policies, from ship to ship and cruise to cruise, can be frustrating.

Edited September 28, 2023 by no1talks

[wikoffclan]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 but there is not the same dining hour changes on the Seaside out of Canaveral.

Seaside 9/10-9/14/23 out of Canaveral --- early dining in the MDR was 5:15

[Essiesmom]

3 hours ago, Fighterone said:

a little more diversity and more food on the trays. If you like chocolate cake and bread pudding, swell! you're in luck. 

@morpheusofthesea what time  do they remove the hors-d'oeuvres in Top Sail? 

Just looks to me as though people have been eating, leaving the empty places on the trays.  That tells you what is good…and what isn’t.  You can make a salad, have dessert, pizza.  I remember small sandwiches.  That was back in 2016 when I had to make a midnight raid on the buffet for my sister.  We had ordered dinner, she had taken her diabetes pills, and was nibbling on a multigrain roll, when she turned to me and said ‘I have to go’.  I knew immediately that the roll had buckwheat in it, the one thing she was allergic to.  She had to leave and take some Benadryl.  That would make her sleepy.  It was the last night and I had visions of her sleeping it off and I would have to do the packing.  But she went to the cabin, took an extra large dose which made her hyper so she could pack.  But she couldn’t eat.  At midnight, she sat straight up and sat there for a few minutes.  I was trying to get to sleep.  I asked if she was going to sleep sitting up.  She said ‘I have to eat’.  So I had to get dressed and hit the buffet.  Small sandwich, little salad, little pizza…might have been a piece of fruit.  Thank goodness for the late buffet.  EM

[Fighterone]

7 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Just looks to me as though people have been eating, leaving the empty places on the trays.  That tells you what is good…and what isn’t.  You can make a salad, have dessert, pizza.  I remember small sandwiches.  That was back in 2016 when I had to make a midnight raid on the buffet for my sister.  We had ordered dinner, she had taken her diabetes pills, and was nibbling on a multigrain roll, when she turned to me and said ‘I have to go’.  I knew immediately that the roll had buckwheat in it, the one thing she was allergic to.  She had to leave and take some Benadryl.  That would make her sleepy.  It was the last night and I had visions of her sleeping it off and I would have to do the packing.  But she went to the cabin, took an extra large dose which made her hyper so she could pack.  But she couldn’t eat.  At midnight, she sat straight up and sat there for a few minutes.  I was trying to get to sleep.  I asked if she was going to sleep sitting up.  She said ‘I have to eat’.  So I had to get dressed and hit the buffet.  Small sandwich, little salad, little pizza…might have been a piece of fruit.  Thank goodness for the late buffet.  EM

Agree! Too many different nationalities and late night eaters on the ships. 

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Fighterone

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, wikoffclan said:

Seaside 9/10-9/14/23 out of Canaveral --- early dining in the MDR was 5:15

Adding salt to her wound ?

[Essiesmom]

August 13-20 early was 5:15 & 7:30.

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

Sometimes nowadays getting the information is one thing and actually hearing what I'm being told is another.( Not so good hearing whispers and reading lips) So perhaps someone can fill in the misunderstanding I am having with this. As of June this year MSC has a new bonus policy for the staff. That filling out the questionnaires or email survey are more important than ever. That presently on board are training exercises (Classes) for refreshers and one of the classes is going over the surveys and what guests are looking for. These surveys do not have as much impact for those in management positions. Heard that a waiter position is presently $1600 (Is this per month or per year?) in the Yacht Club which due to high survey ratings has recently been increased to $2500. Generally special mention has resulted in $500 bonuses.

[DaKahuna]

@morpheusofthesea My appologies and I assure you this is meant 100% in jest but I keep pondering your choice of title for this given that you are sailing in YC which is forward on the ship and also that there is no "poop deck" on the MSC Seascape.  Just curious that's all. 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

33 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

@morpheusofthesea My appologies and I assure you this is meant 100% in jest but I keep pondering your choice of title for this given that you are sailing in YC which is forward on the ship and also that there is no "poop deck" on the MSC Seascape.  Just curious that's all. 

 

If I was motoring around the world in a car and writing about it I would probably title my musings as "Observation's from the Rumble seat or Dickey Seat". Or maybe by train "Observations from my Pullman". You see I am living in "Fantasy Land".

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, morpheusofthesea said:

If I was motoring around the world in a car and writing about it I would probably title my musings as "Observation's from the Rumble seat or Dickey Seat". Or maybe by train "Observations from my Pullman". You see I am living in "Fantasy Land".

 

Gottcha.  I completely understand now.  Loving your post,  please continue and pardon the interruption. 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

This slipped my mind. When we got to check in  all that we were required to produce was our passport. We were asked our cabin number. No filled out medical questionnaire nor boarding pass nor tickets were asked for.

[morpheusofthesea]

Every morning after breakfast we do a little walk out on deck and every day we pass by the Infinity Pool bar advertising 2 drink specials of the day.

[morpheusofthesea]

They resumed 'backstage tours.

[morpheusofthesea]

There was no line picking up tender tickets in the Sports Bar. Began calling 1-3 at 7:30 am. Guessing 1-3 amounted to 100 passengers which appeared to be the capacity of each tender.

Edited September 29, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[perakcruiser]

10 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Heard that a waiter position is presently $1600 (Is this per month or per year?) in the Yacht Club which due to high survey ratings has recently been increased to $2500. Generally special mention has resulted in $500 bonuses.

It is $1200 per month plus $500 bonus. The bonus is based on the questionnaires and email survey. Unfortunately for the crew MSCs consistency about sending the survey email leaves room for improvement. 

[ShawnK]

12 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Sometimes nowadays getting the information is one thing and actually hearing what I'm being told is another.( Not so good hearing whispers and reading lips) So perhaps someone can fill in the misunderstanding I am having with this. As of June this year MSC has a new bonus policy for the staff. That filling out the questionnaires or email survey are more important than ever. That presently on board are training exercises (Classes) for refreshers and one of the classes is going over the surveys and what guests are looking for. These surveys do not have as much impact for those in management positions. Heard that a waiter position is presently $1600 (Is this per month or per year?) in the Yacht Club which due to high survey ratings this has recently been increased to $2500. Generally special mention has resulted in $500 bonuses.

Apparently, these bonuses will only be available if some conditions are met. That is, you should not expect them.

[ShawnK]

2 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

It is $1200 per month plus $500 bonus. The bonus is based on the questionnaires and email survey. Unfortunately for the crew MSCs consistency about sending the survey email leaves room for improvement. 

1200+500=1700, not 1600. Where's the $100 lost? 😀

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, ShawnK said:

4 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

It is $1200 per month plus $500 bonus

1200+500=1700, not 1600. Where's the $100 lost? 😀

Did not hear $1200. Heard the phrase "when they reach this deck (18 YC Restaurant) it is $1600 and now since June it is $2500. That is why you see so many smiling faces up here." I just didn't know if it was per month or year.

[morpheusofthesea]

Another welcome change we notice is in Le Cabaret Rouge's nightly presentation of acts. A few months ago every evening at the same hours was the same acts. Saw a contortionist work his way through a tennis racket 6 times. Now the acts are different during the same hour time slots.

[morpheusofthesea]

This is a perfect example of what a little extra cash tipping gets one. Came up this morning to check out our reserved pergola to see if the cushions would be dry enough to get toweled and found it already made up with clean dry towels and cushions. Then quickly noticed the FCFS pergolas next to us. Had to grab a picture for the contrast.

[morpheusofthesea]

While having breakfast in the YC Restaurant, Arthur came by our table with a greeting and asked if we would be getting off in Cozumel. He just was informed with the news that the Captain has been advised of a dock change. Instead of Puerto Longostino it will be the dock a few miles away with Royal's Allure and Carnival's Glory.The he gave us a word of caution that the ATM machines in Cozumel are rigged by hackers that have wiped out a crew members account.

[morpheusofthesea]

It appears the Royal Allure is in need of a paint job.