For those of you who have read Cruise Confidential

[Brian David Bruns]

I haven't read this book yet but after reading this thread I am a bit confused concerning meal ordering in the MDR.

 

My DH and I enjoy the cruising experience including the "fine" dining aspect of it. Being foodies we always order the "5 course" meal. Appetizer, soup, salad, entree and desert.

 

Now to my horror I read that this is wrong. I would be considered a triple appetizer orderer, yikes! How thoughtless. Oh and since the head waiter also plays sommelier we've caused even more back log for him by buying that bottle of wine.

 

I already know the staff on cruise ships work very hard for low pay whether its salary or tips. We have always recieved great and sometimes excellent service. We always remove the prepaid tips and fill envelopes wth cash to distribute to our stewards and wait staff at the end of the cruise. And very often we also tip everyone a little something up front to assure we have a good week.

 

What exactly does the term "service industry" mean?

Ah, but there is no right and wrong way to order, unless you are rude. Sounds like you are not at all, and fortunately most folks are the same. Order what you want and have a grand time, for you are on vacation. The employees are there to help you have the time of your life, not the other way around. Every employee knows that's why they are there.

 

I am always interested in what various people read into my book and others like it. I regret when nice people start questioning their own behavior, and I never made any recommendations on how people should or should not order. This book is merely my experience, and anything more is inferred by the reader. Sure, a few encounters were discussed (literally less than a handful) when people were hard to handle, but they were so outrageous that they are indeed the stuff of satire. That happens in any service job anywhere. My goal was simply to tell what it's like because no one else had done so before, and I was asked a dozen times a day what my perspective was. Hence the book.

 

Yet I can't resist a comment about the previous post: I never once said my reading habits were too highbrow for Americans. I am American, after all. But really, you think the average American reads any Shakespeare or Tolstoy? Really? Far more people talk about Must See TV.

[czimm]

Brian, I found your book very enlightening; thank you for taking the time to write it. I don't think that I persoanlly ever took the service staff for granted, but after reading your book I am more careful to show that I appreciate them.

 

Your life and experiences have been different than most Americans, but I do not think you sounded (or intended to sound) like you thought you were better than other Americans. Good luck in your future endeavors.

[5waldos]

A

Yet I can't resist a comment about the previous post: I never once said my reading habits were too highbrow for Americans. I am American, after all. But really, you think the average American reads any Shakespeare or Tolstoy? Really? Far more people talk about Must See TV.

 

Well in fact any of them who have graduated from high school have almost certainly read at least some Shakespeare. And even though I probably agree with your sentiments, it is generally not considered polite to say so, and it does make you sound ever so slightly effete. In fact, almost every person I know not only has read Tolstoy but has at one point or another had a series of long and serious discussions about what they had read.

 

But you still leave me with great curiosity- What about the girl??? Did you get the girl???

[cbressler76]

Actually, I did not embellish at all and had to pare it down significantly lest I offend too many. It's an understandable concern, of course, but I stand behind every statement in my book because I wanted to honor the nameless, hard-working crew. I took copious notes and only truncated the timeline near the end to keep it under 400 pages.

 

Remember, college kids can party all night and study all day. We were all there once, and so the crew at large is now. Besides, there's nothing else to do but drink, smoke, play video games, or carouse and on vacation you can sleep for two months straight.

 

I just ordered your book, so this thread is helping to sell your books!! lol.... Anyway, I don't know much about your book.....but I do know that Americans are kind of lazy when it comes to working.....but I also know that ALL people tend to think only of themselves.....

[skylock]

Ah, but there is no right and wrong way to order, unless you are rude. Sounds like you are not at all, and fortunately most folks are the same. Order what you want and have a grand time, for you are on vacation. The employees are there to help you have the time of your life, not the other way around. Every employee knows that's why they are there.

 

I am always interested in what various people read into my book and others like it. I regret when nice people start questioning their own behavior, and I never made any recommendations on how people should or should not order. This book is merely my experience, and anything more is inferred by the reader. Sure, a few encounters were discussed (literally less than a handful) when people were hard to handle, but they were so outrageous that they are indeed the stuff of satire. That happens in any service job anywhere. My goal was simply to tell what it's like because no one else had done so before, and I was asked a dozen times a day what my perspective was. Hence the book.

 

Yet I can't resist a comment about the previous post: I never once said my reading habits were too highbrow for Americans. I am American, after all. But really, you think the average American reads any Shakespeare or Tolstoy? Really? Far more people talk about Must See TV.

 

Well that is one thing we can agree on.

 

It confuses me when the posters on this board try to out do each other on how little work they make for the crew, but always add how they leave the auto tip in place and add more.

 

I am not unreasonable, but I do expect them to do their job and am very happy when they do it well.

[fig414]

From one of the posters:

 

"In fact, almost every person I know not only has read Tolstoy but has at one point or another had a series of long and serious discussions about what they had read."

 

That's a funny one. Made my night in fact.

[5waldos]

From one of the posters:

 

"In fact, almost every person I know not only has read Tolstoy but has at one point or another had a series of long and serious discussions about what they had read."

 

That's a funny one. Made my night in fact.

 

Glad you found it funny. Care to elaborate?

[LaJollaCruiser]

Glad you found it funny. Care to elaborate?

 

It is unlikely that most Americans can identify Tolstoy as an author, much less have read any of his works. I think that's why your statement is humorous.

[Crazy4Koko]

I actually ordered this book from B & N and picked it up today. I'm looking forward to starting it..

 

 

AFTER I finish with The Scarpetta Factor. :)

[Guest LuvMyPride]

Will you think twice before asking for anything "special" or out of the ordinary from the crew members? I guess most of us never gave much thought to how much extra work we could be unknowingly causing the crew members. I always knew they put in long hours, but the fact that most of them work up to 15 hours a day is just crazy! I think most people think that being 15-30 minutes late for dinner is not a big deal, but if they knew what a hassle it is for the servers, maybe they might make a more concerted effort to be there on time. I personally will think twice before I ask for anything out of the ordinary again.

 

I thought it was a fascinating book, and I believe it gave a fair and balanced view of life on a cruise ship. I had half-expected it to be one long bash of Carnival, but I think the author did a great job of presenting things from both sides. I also found the view of Americans and their behavior from the workers' perspectives to be quite interesting, and dead on in a lot of cases!

 

All in all, I really enjoyed the book. :)

 

I agree. I talk alot with my stewart's all the time and always leave then something extra for all there work. I also like to get my stewart a little gift. I loves this book and hope there will be another soon

[Cambrensis]

From one of the posters:

 

"In fact, almost every person I know not only has read Tolstoy but has at one point or another had a series of long and serious discussions about what they had read."

 

That's a funny one. Made my night in fact.

Now, now fig414 -- if you went to college, and had a lit course, and went to the favorite campus watering hole, SURELY you had one of those long and serious discussions ... why, I did just the other ... um, what decade is this??:)

[ohio cowgirl]

I read it front to back on my 4 day cruise on the Fantasy. I left it in the library today before getting off the boat. Hope the next person picks it up and enjoys it.

[Crusin6]

Couldn't finish the book.. that guy was too full of himself..

I couldn't finish the book either..but not for the same reason

 

In my mind,I was starting to smell like cigarette smoke, alcohol and wild sex.....

 

Truth be told, no saint here:D, but the way the author depicted the lifestyle of the majority of the crew, nauseated me:eek: And no , Nunu, it did not remind me of high school days:D It was just an insulting, provacative depiction of Carnival and the way they treat their employees and how their employees conduct themselves.

 

Regardless, we ask for very little from any of the crew anyway so we only give a token extra tip at the end to the servers and the steward, but the book really made them all sound like people that conduct themselves in a way that does not allow me to think to highly of them.

 

The author depicted this, not me.

[Crusin6]

It is unlikely that most Americans can identify Tolstoy as an author, much less have read any of his works. I think that's why your statement is humorous.

Well, maybe only on this board:D;)

[Crusin6]

I just ordered your book, so this thread is helping to sell your books!! lol.... Anyway, I don't know much about your book.....but I do know that Americans are kind of lazy when it comes to working.....but I also know that ALL people tend to think only of themselves.....

Hey, I could post under the name Brad Pitt...does that make me him?:rolleyes:

[cbressler76]

Hey, I could post under the name Brad Pitt...does that make me him?:rolleyes:

 

.....lol.....Very true!! :) .....are you Brad Pitt? lol j/k

[Crusin6]

.....lol.....Very true!! :) .....are you Brad Pitt? lol j/k

Yep!!!

[Crusin6]

.....lol.....Very true!! :) .....are you Brad Pitt? lol j/k

Nope!!!

[CinWin]

I couldn't finish the book either..but not for the same reason

 

In my mind,I was starting to smell like cigarette smoke, alcohol and wild sex.....

 

Truth be told, no saint here:D, but the way the author depicted the lifestyle of the majority of the crew, nauseated me:eek: And no , Nunu, it did not remind me of high school days:D It was just an insulting, provacative depiction of Carnival and the way they treat their employees and how their employees conduct themselves.

 

Regardless, we ask for very little from any of the crew anyway so we only give a token extra tip at the end to the servers and the steward, but the book really made them all sound like people that conduct themselves in a way that does not allow me to think to highly of them.

 

The author depicted this, not me.

 

Cruisin6 - I DID finish the book and felt the same as you stated above.

Cindy

[5waldos]

It is unlikely that most Americans can identify Tolstoy as an author, much less have read any of his works. I think that's why your statement is humorous.

 

So I know strange people. But they are all, well almost all, Americans born and bred. And educated. I like to believe that they are not entirely unique.

[5waldos]

....but I also know that ALL people tend to think only of themselves.....

 

Actually that is a rather culturally biased notion. In many eastern cultures people tend to think of the group. As far as Americans being lazy- they work longer hours and have significantly less vacation than most of the rest of the western world. Although I think there is a shift in the cycle, when I worked in the UK it astonished me how laid back things were as compared to similar work situations in the US.

[ivycruise]

It is unlikely that most Americans can identify Tolstoy as an author, much less have read any of his works. I think that's why your statement is humorous.

 

Sad but true. I would bet many college educated Americans would probably think you were discussing Toystory if you mentioned Tolstoy and start talking about Woody and Buzz lightyear! But then, they're cuter than Leo...

[muttley]

i haven't read the book. on my last cruise i leaned far over the deck rail and caught glimpses of the crew deck below. it was dirty as heck. cigarette butts, empty cigarette packs, silverware and plates, and empty soda cans littered the floor. did the book talk about this? i have this image in my head of crew members being dr jekyll and mr hydes named felix unger and oscar madison.

[cbressler76]

Nope!!!

 

 

>>lol<< ...it wouldn't matter if you were/weren't...... I'm old now (just turned 33).....I don't get excited about seeing famous people....:D

[cbressler76]

i haven't read the book. on my last cruise i leaned far over the deck rail and caught glimpses of the crew deck below. it was dirty as heck. cigarette butts, empty cigarette packs, silverware and plates, and empty soda cans littered the floor. did the book talk about this? i have this image in my head of crew members being dr jekyll and mr hydes named felix unger and oscar madison.

 

 

:eek: lol :D