How much of a workload can/will Carnival employees handle?

[SFCruisers]

I'm not sure my observation fits in here but having just gotten off the Spirit I'll give my 2 cents. I've been on 4 different lines and this was my first Carnival cruise. I liked my cruise but:

 

I was only on board for about 2 hours when I got the feeling from the crew that they were very overworked, understaffed and tired.

 

That said I hope Carnival doesn't do too much to make the crew's work even harder or for longer hours.

 

Perhaps they looked tired because of the mad rush to get the ship ready for your departure. They have a very short period of time to make this transition. I know it would whip my butt!

[Carnival Platinum Cruiser]

on our last cruise our head waiter (who had been a head waiter for 5 years) said it was her last contract. She said it was not the $$ but the extreme overload she has experienced over the past year. She said her # of tables has increased to the point where she cannot give reasonable service in her opinion and was just plain worn out on a daily basis. She said they could make her captain and she still will not resign another contract. BTW I thought she and her assistant did a very nice job, we had no complaints at all.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

on our last cruise our head waiter (who had been a head waiter for 5 years) said it was her last contract. She said it was not the $$ but the extreme overload she has experienced over the past year. She said her # of tables has increased to the point where she cannot give reasonable service in her opinion and was just plain worn out on a daily basis. She said they could make her captain and she still will not resign another contract. BTW I thought she and her assistant did a very nice job, we had no complaints at all.

 

That mirrors what we have been hearing of late from various staff people. I know that Carnival must cringe when they read comments like these - they likely don't appreciate the fact that their staff are relating "sensitive" issues to the passengers. They must understand though that these people are only human, and are not under their full mind control (at least those who have not yet received the remote control brain implants) :D !

 

Tom

[Nunu]

The world has changed big time over the past year. Even the monster known as Toyota has abandoned their pledge of "jobs for life" and sent people packing. I don't mean this as an excuse to any companies to cut out their service but in the cruise industry the cream will surely rise to the top.

[Kurbanfan]

Cool - glad it went well. I really think there is a place for both types of dining onboard.

 

There are land restaurants that use the team system. I worked in a fine dining place where we did the waiter/assistant thing plus busboy so there were three of us for each section. It was still easier to me to do the all at once banquet style serving vs. rolling table seating but maybe that was just me. :)

 

I believe you:) But I'm not sure if you can compare banquet style serving on land with a cruise dining. Every banguet style dinner I have been at on land had maybe 2 choices for a main entree? And you could order only one. Cruise dining you can order anything and as many entrees as you please, making it extremly difficult for the servers. I personally think they should stop this, and people should only be able to order one entree and if they are still hungry there is always the buffet.....

I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't change in the future. It would help with cost cutting, waste and overworked servers and kitchen staff JMO.

[vacruizer]

I believe you:) But I'm not sure if you can compare banquet style serving on land with a cruise dining. Every banguet style dinner I have been at on land had maybe 2 choices for a main entree? And you could order only one. Cruise dining you can order anything and as many entrees as you please, making it extremly difficult for the servers. I personally think they should stop this, and people should only be able to order one entree and if they are still hungry there is always the buffet.....

I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't change in the future. It would help with cost cutting, waste and overworked servers and kitchen staff JMO.

 

I'm not opposed to that at all to the idea of limiting people to one entree as long as the buffet is there - it would limit food cost some. But you'd also get those who eat most of it and then complain and want something else but you get that anywhere.

 

I probably wasn't clear when I said banquet style - I was thinking more along the lines of when I would have a large group that took up four or five tables but sat all at once - still the same old menu to choose from but less trips back and forth because you could do it all at once.

[vacruizer]

It is a very fine line they walk and they need to avoid the "death spiral"

 

Cut staff - service drops - lose customers - revenue drops - cut more staff - repeat until bankrupt.

 

 

That's what I fear - and I will admit I love Carnival. I'm not enough of a cheerleader to think they can do no wrong, though - it's just that I'm passoinate about their product and really don't want to see them head down that road.:(

[big_duck]

That's what I fear - and I will admit I love Carnival. I'm not enough of a cheerleader to think they can do no wrong, though - it's just that I'm passoinate about their product and really don't want to see them head down that road.:(

 

Computer City of the Seas. :eek:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:(

[dan40]

I have not noticed a reduction in entertainers, musicians, Pursers staff, Engineers, Ships Officers, or deck crew. The photo staff seems well populated and the CD's staff seems adequate. Not sure about Camp Carnival, I have no small kids.

I do notice a serious reduction in wait staff and room stewards. But since the actual salary of 5 to 10 of these people probably doesn't equal the pay of one photo dept. staff, I just don't understand. The FIRST line of service to the passenger and the best able to effect the passengers cruise, is PAID by the passenger [TIPS] with only a token amount coming from the cruise line. How much is saved there and at what cost to SERVICE?

Doesn't make sense to me.

 

Dan

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I have not noticed a reduction in entertainers, musicians, Pursers staff, Engineers, Ships Officers, or deck crew. The photo staff seems well populated and the CD's staff seems adequate. Not sure about Camp Carnival, I have no small kids.

I do notice a serious reduction in wait staff and room stewards. But since the actual salary of 5 to 10 of these people probably doesn't equal the pay of one photo dept. staff, I just don't understand. The FIRST line of service to the passenger and the best able to effect the passengers cruise, is PAID by the passenger [TIPS] with only a token amount coming from the cruise line. How much is saved there and at what cost to SERVICE?

Doesn't make sense to me.

 

Dan

 

Dan - I suppose it must be the cost of the gourmet meals and spacious accommodations they enjoy... :rolleyes: :D

 

Tom

[dan40]

Dan - I suppose it must be the cost of the gourmet meals and spacious accommodations they enjoy... :rolleyes: :D

 

Tom

 

Yeah, that must be it. The fact that all those other jobs either can take in money or protect it from going out has no bearing. Does it?

 

Dan

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Yeah, that must be it. The fact that all those other jobs either can take in money or protect it from going out has no bearing. Does it?

 

Dan

 

Nah - I'm sure that wouldn't be a factor... :D

 

Tom