Regarding crew attitudes...

[LaPaloma]

I have been chewing on the comments about crew attitudes for several days. It seems to me...that given the hours worked, and the expenditures of smiles and graciousness...even when ill and tired...surely, at times one could be expected to be human and make a comment. I know that years ago when I was a stewardess, I certainly bent an ear or two who I considered friendly and warm. Sometimes..just opening up relieves that person..to be warm and receptive for a few more hours. As for comments that they might have made about being paid in Us and then going home to Euros. You have all traveled and experienced the Euro..how much are you spending there these days???? I can certainly see where that is on their minds as well. I have it on good authority that there have been cutbacks. These young people continue to go on in the same generous manner. When you think about it...how often do you hear a complaint. NOT VERY! We are heading our in a few days..and are so excited to see our friends on the Legend again. We will miss Capt. G.A....but know that his replacement will be great as well. Lola

[MrsWaldo]

I being paid in Us and then going home to Euros. You have all traveled and experienced the Euro..how much are you spending there these days???? quote]

 

Lola,

 

IMHO it's not so much the Euro as to which country you are taking your Euro/US $ back to. Coming from our $ (the Aus one is really bad to the Euro at about 59c...$A1 buys 78c US) The Euro doesn't go as far in Austria for example as it will in Germany it will go even further in Greece or italy and in Romania and Hungary it will go a very long way (both of these countries are part of the EU and gradually maikng the move to Euro.

We haven't really increased our spending overall...the country we have been in has made more difference. eg We spent less in Greece and the Czech republic 18 months ago than we did in France the year before when the rates were better. Scandinavia cost way more than anywhere else this year.

 

We budget on around $A100 000 for a 4-5 week trip (there are 4 of us) and have done for the last 4 years so things haven't changed drastically as far as I can see. Sometimes we come home with change, sometimes not...

 

IMHO worker morale can be much more than just $. It can very much be related to simple things like being away from home for a long time, a less agreeable cabin/room mate, change in management , overwork or any number of things including seasonal weather changes!

 

We are yet to book our Dec 07 (have to wait for the Drs ok in Feb) but I'm not worrying about the comments i'm reading as a similar type of thing was on SS boards just after I booked our SS cruise...and all was fine...

[blackbird71]

I wonder about them working for V.Ship. I would bet the moving of the Captain and others around started around the time V.Ship took over manning the ships. I also wonder if their pay was cut by the new employer, V.Ship.

 

this is only my thoughts on this, but under the old ways the Captains and other high officers rotated on 3 months off 3 months (I believe that was the time frame.) I would bet that for the high officers they had a storage area on the ship for the "off" Captain's things. My belief is when it came time to switch his room stewardess would pack up Captain A things and move them to storage, pulling Captain B's things out and set them up. The Captains (high officers) could really fly home with just a carry on.. But to change ships they would have to send all their things home, and then send them to the port they will catch the ship in. Not as easy.......

[Iamboatman]

I think it should be kept in perspective. How many of us have been on mainstream lines, even premium lines, where staff has bent our ears over their family back home and how they send all their wages to them and how much they miss their children, etc. I don't find it offensive, but I get the message loud and clear.

 

I think what is important to keep in perspective is that on Seabourn there may be one or two (or a couple more) who have started to make comment, but along with them are the dozens and dozens who not only don't, but who alway have a smile, a hello by name, and anticipate what you want or make it happen.:)

 

Eating a bad clam may be distasteful, but it doesn't put me of clams, no less seafood. There have been a comment or two, but I sure hope this thread doesn't turn into a misinformed, speculative and erroneous one like the one on the new twin ships. :eek:

[Harvey2442]

I too was concerned to read of the observations on some of the service aspects on the recent Legend cruise. If as is said above there have been further cut backs the faults lie first with management and secondly with us the travelling public who resist paying higher fares.

 

With two new larger vessels to fill in 2 and 3 years time a cut in either service levels or in compensation to staff or increased work load that contributes to their unhappiness will not assit Seabourn in filling their new vessels.

 

The simple answer is maintain service levels, pay the staff a fair wage and put the fares up if need be. Anything else spells disaster for any shipping line but more particularly for the upscale ones like Seabourn.

 

I will see for myself in three weeks time whether the recent cruise on the Legend was a one off or is more endemic.

 

I can understand the need to use V Ships rather than Princess for technical staff but once you outsouce operations there are inevitably conflicts which certainly initially are likely to impact on service levels.

 

I very much hope to find the service and experience as before for if not the level of dissatisfaction felt overrides the fact that the fares may well be more competitive than Silversea and certainly SeaDream and causes one to look elsewhere.

[blackbird71]

I forgot to put this in my first post. :rolleyes:

 

IMHO the Winter season is the hardest on the crew. The beach BBQ is a major labor effort and they (Pride / Legend) are doing one a week. Plus most of these cruises are 7 days with a turnover again an major labor effort.

 

LOL the Sky Bar person on the Pride I call Mr. Grumpy is loved by others.

 

The last full day in the morning I dropped off my Thank You card with some $$ in it for the crew fund and by that night two crew came over and thanked me for the card... That means a lot to me. LOL I have a great pop-up card for my Legend cruise.... :)

[ITravelNow]

 

IMHO the Winter season is the hardest on the crew. The beach BBQ is a major labor effort and they (Pride / Legend) are doing one a week. Plus most of these cruises are 7 days with a turnover again an major labor effort.

 

bb...while our holiday cruise was sold two 7 day segments or 14 Days, only 27 people left the ship in Barbados with 27 new passengers joining.

 

We only had one BBQ.

 

I agree with the comment that for one complaint there are dozens more working with smiles and enthusiasm. Of course human nature being what it is, the complaint remains on our minds. I have great empathy for the crew - they work very hard for long hours indulging our whims. Maintaining a smile and balanced disposition in those circumstances would be difficult. Overall they do a great job - I guess that's why we notice when it doesn't happen.

 

My comments about service were observations of what happened during our cruise. I tried to report both good and not so good. My personal opinion, which is not in anyway scientific, is that it was a management problem. There was something going on in the background that passengers might not be aware of, but the crew was just a bit off. That's how I saw it. And as before, I hasten to add we enjoyed our cruise and will book on Seabourn again.

 

Perhaps the conversation here will filter back to the Legend and the small problems will disappear. When LaPaloma boards there will be wonderful reunions and happy crew and cruisers!

[SantaAna,CA]

As much as I love Seabourn, I appreciate honest appraisals of one's experiences onboard. I think we can all agree that Seabourn's crewmembers are examples of graciousness and service that, frankly, I haven't found anywhere else in my travels.

 

That being said, I also think it's fine to share one's experiences, even if they aren't always a "10", and I appreciate those people who are honest enough to report problems they may have had. I think we all have "been around enough" to know that you can take any comment with a grain of salt, since it may just be a personal experience, or even, just an off day.

 

In other words, please keep your "truth in travel" reports coming....it doesn't all have to be sunshine and roses, I appreciate hearing your feedback, good and not-so-good!

 

Jane :)

[CruisinMatt]

Jane - you wrote my thoughts perfectly - thanks! :)

[tennisbunny]

Couldn't agree more, Jane! We have all traveled quite a bit and have seen much in terms of attitudes by crew members. I'm generally an upbeat person who likes to look at life through a "glass is half-full" perspective. But, being in an industry with constant deadline pressures and working 10-12 hour days as a norm, can sometimes turn that smile upsidedown ;).

 

I am so very appreciative of the hard work that goes into making a cruise special for all of us while we're onboard. IMHO, I believe our expressions of appreciation toward crew members goes a long way to lifting spirits and helping these wonderful people get through those long days.

 

Keep those "fair and balanced" posts coming :).

[LaPaloma]

Well said..that is our feelings as well! Lola