Which member of the Crew is most important to your enjoyment on a cruise

[RuthC]

Sure the administrative staff will set a tone and standards to be met, but the proof of the (chocolate) pudding is in the eating. For me the one person who can make or break my good time is the musician in the Piano Bar. That didn't surprise anyone, did it?

I like to stay out and play. I want to hear a musician who can read the preferences of the audience and deliver a large selection of pieces. I want someone who can keep up with me playing Stump the Piano Player! :D

Oh, and my cabin steward needs to remember to leave my pillow chocolate.

[Odd Ball]

The bartenders. ;)

[newmexicoNita]

It would have to be the cabin steward, but the chefs are about as important. NMnita

[Jade13]

The Chefs!!!!

[PDAZ]

For me the one person who can make or break my good time is the musician in the Piano Bar. That didn't surprise anyone, did it?

 

I like to stay out and play. I want to hear a musician who can read the preferences of the audience and deliver a large selection of pieces. I want someone who can keep up with me playing Stump the Piano Player! :D

 

Me too!! I love the piano bar so my vote goes to the piano guy (or gal -- we had one on Carnival who was fabulous).

 

For me, the cabin steward, waiters, bar attendants, etc are only an issue if they aren't doing their job. I reward good service, but it doesn't make my cruise. But the right piano man makes all the difference :D

[bepsf]

I'll have to vote for the Captain and Hotel Manager...

 

...having been aboard a ship where the Captain was a Drunk and the HM* didn't give a damn, one could see that the lack of leadership wouldn't keep the bartenders from lying to you, the Front Office staff from ignoring your needs and messing up your paperwork and the Maitre'd from being a snob.

 

Good waiters and stewards could only do so much in an environment like that.

[Jade13]

I was not impressed with the hotel manager on the Veendam. I spoke to her after I went to the first auction (got a paddle but didn't buy anything) and the auctioner's assistance refused to give me the free bottle of champaigne (or was it wine) per the flyer left in my cabin. The hotel Manager just asked me to confirm which person (with dark hair) but it wasn't like she sent the champagne to my cabin. After a bit of an argument with the Auctioner assistant (who pushed everyone to the back of the line who didn't make a purchase) he gave me a cheap print maybe worth $3.00. He got written up by me as the one negative person on the ship.

[sail7seas]

A female Hotel Manager with HAL? On Veendam? This is the first I've heard HAL has any female Hotel Managers but I'm glad if it is so.

 

Perhaps it was a front office lady you spoke with? Maybe the Guest Relations Manager?

 

When was this?

 

[AWED23]

Laffnvegas gave a very cogent comment when he stated that as you cruise more, your answer may change...I know that I now place the Hotel Manager at the "Acme" of the pyramid with the Captain on his left and the exectutive chef on his right....As the Captains themselves always tell us at the "Welcome aboard" reception, the Hotel Manager is in charge of EVERYTHING that has a direct bearing on us as passengers....Reporting directly to him are : Chief Purser, Food and Beverage Manager, Housekeeping Manager and the Yum Yum man....Just one opinion but its' mine.....Rob....:D :D :D

[missygirl]

1....A good Captain to safety guide us.

2....A Hotel Manager who has a trained staff that is doing their best to make each guest comfortable.

3....Cruise Director and staff who make sure that they are doing their best to plan activities for everyone.

 

I can really stress the importance for me to have a good cruise director for we cruised last year on a HAL ship and the cruise director and staff were all fairly young. Needless to say on our 7-day trip they entertained each other, not the passengers. with their picking, jabbing, and overall playing around with one another. So even though I have stated three choices my number one would be a good CD.

 

Missygirl

[Jade13]

Sail7Seas, you are right. I think it was the Guest Relations Manager on the Veendam.

[Copper10-8]

The Security Officer;) If he doesn't do his job, there's gonna be trouble in River City!

All kidding aside, I'd go with the Captain and H/M also for the reasons already so eloquently mentioned!

Great thread Sea King!

[Steamboatin]

The Doctor has our vote. Hands down.

Simple reason really.

Ship cannot sail without him.:D

[mrmac]

I pick the waiter. Dinner is such a daily highlight for us that having a good, personable waiter is a big part of the fun. If they don't start talking until the night they beg for a good score on the feedback form - forget it!

[lawyerrose]

I'd have to say the dining room staff. Those are the the people we interact the most with, and they really make a difference in how we enjoy our cruise. If every day we sat down to dinner and had sour puss' faces and bad attitudes or total ineptness, it would really affect our entire cruise.

Thankfully, that was NOT the case on our lovely Westerdam cruise March 18th!:)

[hammybee]

I am going with Mariner, it takes a village.

[vanrhyn]

I have yet to go on a cruise, but first coming up! However it takes every little person on the ship (and those not on the ship). From the lowest man in the company to the president himself. They are all a team trying to provide the best possible experience possible for the overall enjoyment of the passangers (us)

 

Rod