For those of you who have read Cruise Confidential

[michelle1836]

I just finished it a few days ago and really enjoyed it. My son is now reading it and my husband will after that.

 

I enjoyed seeing the few photos on his website of some of the people depicted. I am curious if Brian had to get signed "releases" or whatever from those people, or Carnival for that matter. Just wondering what happens if you write about someone and they dispute what is said...? (thinking of if a person spoken about considers what was said to be litigous....)

 

I definitely believe the stuff about the drinking and sex... have you never been to college? Also, when you have sheltered people and they suddenly are away from home in that kind of environment.... plenty DO go crazy and catch up on the adolescence or college experience they missed.

 

And remember, it is Brain's perspective. Had his religious room mate written a book, it surely would have represented a different point of view.

 

The book is a good beach read... light, interesting, funny....

 

 

Jennifer

 

Carnival Triumph, July 2010 7 days Eastern Caribbean

 

LOL. I know right?! I also dont agree with others' posts about the big ego. He worked hard and above all remained faithful to his girlfriend.

[pe4all]

When I pick up a book, I do it to be entertained, and sometimes educated. I was definitely entertained, and got quite an education on what goes on behind the scenes on a cruise ship. I hope a sequel is in the works.

[Barbiegator]

I have started Permanent Passenger already...lets see, to put it nicely, so far I'm quite disappointed. :) Will post more after I finish it, but lets just say its not even remotely in the same class as Cruise Confidential.

 

I also have read both books and Permanent Passenger is not as enjoyable to read.

I knew the crew worked very hard for not much money but after reading both books I really admire their work more than ever.

Makes you wonder how they afford all the liquor they supposedly drink in the books.

[gtalum]

Makes you wonder how they afford all the liquor they supposedly drink in the books.

 

Crew drinks are cheap, and they don't have to pay for room and board.

[ehfl]

Even before reading the book, I always thought about how hard they worked, and refrained from special requests. It just seems like common sense...it shouldn't take a book to get people to consider what others are going through.

 

For those that go through life without thinking of others, I'm glad maybe the book will have an impact on them.

[CruizinMom2c]

I would like to know if he still with his girlfriend in the book. Sounds like he really loved her.

 

 

 

I really enjoyed the book...I am also reading the Permanent passenger and it is ok... but I put that down and am reading "What time is the midnight buffet" now that is a good one :)

[scperk]

When I pick up a book, I do it to be entertained, and sometimes educated. I was definitely entertained, and got quite an education on what goes on behind the scenes on a cruise ship. I hope a sequel is in the works.

I agree and I was on the Conquest when it was sailing from Gulfport Ms. so I was on-board with Brian.....I'm a crusaholic and am planning on going on the "Behind the Fun" tour on the Dream next week.....Dennis

[michelle1836]

I would like to know if he still with his girlfriend in the book. Sounds like he really loved her.

 

 

 

I really enjoyed the book...I am also reading the Permanent passenger and it is ok... but I put that down and am reading "What time is the midnight buffet" now that is a good one :)

 

 

He is married now (but wont say any more than that) and says a sequel is in the works

[onlyleigh]

First, I am a veteran cruiser of almost 100 cruises (we will hit 100 in September on the Carnival Spirit), over a span of 25 years, with almost 60 on Carnival alone. I have numerous friends at all levels of the hierarchy on the ships. I also personally know one of the people who worked beside the author on the Conquest.

 

I think we have to think about the compilation of the crew. As on shore, even with Americans, people work there for various reasons. The author was there to follow a girl. Others are there strictly for the money and don't behave in the manner that the author portrays at all. They are supporting wives, children, and other relatives in the best paying job they could find with their skills. Some are typical twenty-somethings there to earn a few bucks, party and aren't looking to the future. Others are there to make a career, work hard and advance if they can. They are no different than many Americans. What is different is their perspective of us.

 

I recently has an Indonesian waiter who had worked for Carnival for 12 years, tell me that he, some day, wanted to visit the villages of America where the "real" people lived and worked, like in Indonesia. He simply did not believe that the people he served were the "real" Americans.

 

I have had crew tell me that they think they see only the rich Americans. I have had crew tell me that Americans don't work for their money. I have had crew tell me that all Americans are rich. I have had crew tell me many myths about Americans. Yes, we are perceived as rich, fat, lazy and numerous other adjectives.

 

But, I have also had occasion to visit a few of my crew friends in their homes and like everywhere else in the world, there are different economic levels. And, I have gently tried to educate crew members that Americans aren't born rich. A lot of us, particularly small business owners, are familiar with 15 to 18 hour work days as normal. We are different in our level of opportunities that we can explore.

 

I found this book to be from a viewpoint of a typical American. And, the crew member I know who worked very close to Brian on the Conquest was highly offended at the portrayal of the crew and passengers. The crew member quite frankly was angry. But, then again, that crew member is and was there to make a career of the hospitality industry and has done quite well since the Conquest days. That crew member was not a member of any "mafia", but in fact was from a country in Europe that has a small number of crew on the Carnival ships. How did the crew member get there? By working 15 to 18 hour days, focusing on pleasing their guests, being willing to learn the operations side and taking on extra projects in order to deserve their promotions. This is the same way anyone can earn their promotions.

 

Cruise ships are different than land resorts. They pose specific challenges that do not exist on land. Yes, there is resentment of those who are brought in from the outside who have no experience in cruise ship operations in advanced positions such as Assistant Maitre D's. It's more of a problem that suddenly a "boss" is there who doesn't have a clue as to how the operation runs, how the machines need to be maintained, what the schedules are, etc. than a resentment of an American, per se. Until they actually are trained (as much as two to three months) fully, a lot of extra time has to be used to bring them up to speed, often by those who are actually under them in rank. That's just how it is.

 

As to tipping, it does anger me when people pull their tips when they have gotten excellent service. I have never pulled my tips. However, I have not tipped extra when the service was bad. Since so many have focused on tipping, let me add my twenty cents worth. Americans are the biggest tippers in the world over all. But, for that we expect good service. Tips are not a right, they are a reward, a thank-you if you want to see it that way. Certain cultures do not tip. The crew know that. They live with it.

 

As to the crew partying and being drunk on duty. If caught, it is an immediately fireable offense, the same as physically fighting. Some managers are tough about it, some are not. This is no different than on land in America. Have I seen drunk crew on duty? Yes, once in over 90+ cruises. Did they get in trouble? No, their boss was also drunk on duty, the Maitre D. But, several months later the MD was fired because he was drunk on duty and the Food and Beverage Manager caught him. The guy had a drinking problem and it was dealt with. He was allowed to return to work once he had dried out so long as he was never drunk on duty again. As to the crew who were drunk, the smart ones never did it again. The dumb ones, well, who knows as they aren't working there any more.

 

I have been to a few crew parties after shifts and I can tell you that most of the time, the crew is too tired to be engaged in the kind of antics he describes in the book. True, a lot of the twenty-somethings behave exactly like twenty-somethings in America. When you only get one or two breakfasts and/or lunches off in a cruise, you quickly learn to sleep, do laundry and take care of other things that need doing. Funny, isn't that just like it is in our own jobs?

 

So, my bottom line, for anyone still reading this. The book was written from a biased viewpoint. The author signed on for a job, didn't want to pay his dues by working his way up and did nothing particularly great to show that he really wanted the manangement job. In fact, he flat states he was there for his girlfriend, not the job and naturally, as a boss I would feel that he was more interested in the girl and not the job. As a boss, I wouldn't have "given him his boards" as they say either. If he really wanted the AMD job, he should have shut up, stopped complaining and done the training. I can tell you that the crew member I know who worked near him has flat said that he was more interested in "chatting up" the guests and partying than he ever was in the job.

 

It's sad that the author couldn't see his own contributions to his problems. Instead we get a picture of a guy who was resentful, complaining, angry and generally whining about not getting what he was told he was going to get. It's obvious that he couldn't and wouldn't try to fit in, or as many teachers say, "didn't work well with others". As my friend said, "he did nothing to help himself", "he was very full of himself" and from the start "he was there to write a book."

 

I do have one question. If he was so tired from his 15-18-20 hour days, how was it that he had time, as he stated in his Cruise Critic interview, to sit and record notes every other day or so? And, as another poster said, how was he able to recall exact conversations? Nice try, Brian, but a lot of your book is a biased view of crew life mixed with self-serving BS that in many ways demeans the crew, the management and the passengers. Too bad you couldn't have given a more honest view

[LoveBruns]

Funny, I never once told a single person on the ships that I was writing a book. Not even Bianca.

[jimbo5544]

Funny, I never once told a single person on the ships that I was writing a book. Not even Bianca.

Did you know then you were going to write the book?

[LoveBruns]

Did you know then you were going to write the book?

I had hopes of someday writing a book because I've always dreamed of being a writer, and figured this was a pretty unique situation. A professional friend of mine who worked abroad for years hopping from country to country like crazy advised me to write a diary or I would forget everything in the jumble. Boy, was he right! My diary became my anchor in an otherwise wild ride. Five minutes a day to recount what happened was not so taxing, as some of my critics imply. Since 2002 I now have 836 single-spaced, typed pages of searchable diary. That's a whole lotta detail, thoughts, worries, and adventures.

[LoveBruns]

Did you know then you were going to write the book?

Oh, the short answer to your question is that no, I didn't really think I would get a contract to write this book, which is why I never talked about it. I always thought I would be an historical fiction writer someday. Becoming a comedic writer has been quite a surprise. A good one, to be sure.

[shipty2]

All books are written from biased viewpoints.

 

The author gave us snippets of the more interesting events that happened while he was employed by Carnival. Biased or not I enjoyed reading he booking anyway. It ws in my opinion a much easier read than Permanent Passenger.

[indianapastor]

As part-time missionaries to the third world...

 

Where have you been serving?:cool:

[krisbtr]

I just returned from the Conquest last week, and I, for one, loved the book. It was an enjoyable and pretty easy read. It was easy to read a few pages, then go to an activity, and pick it up later. I do realize this is a subjective point of view, but also an interesting one. I found myself looking for certain people and wondering if any were still there. I also was in the retail industry, so I am acute to the problems of serving people. It was a good book to read while actually on a cruise, and now my DH wants to read it as well. good job Brian!

[bobbyleduck]

How many people on this thread really think the person with a total of nine posts is the person who wrote the book? I think not! Remember: Anyone can create a name and post a picture of anyone they want on an anonymous board.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

 

P.S. Or, how about the one with 59 posts. I wonder, how many people on the board are pretending to be Brian David Bruns?

[thesawch]

Loveburns,Where can we get your book in Canada??

[shipty2]

Loveburns,Where can we get your book in Canada??

 

 

I got mine at chapters.

[ccruisequeen]

Have you tried Amazon Canada?

[bobbyleduck]

Check the library, that's where I got it. It's a quick read, and much fun. Didn't change my mind at all about cruising. Of course, I read $elling the $ea, by former Carnival president and CEO, Bob Dickinson, as soon as I finished Cruise Confidential.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[scchasgal]

How many people on this thread really think the person with a total of nine posts is the person who wrote the book? I think not! Remember: Anyone can create a name and post a picture of anyone they want on an anonymous board.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

 

P.S. Or, how about the one with 59 posts. I wonder, how many people on the board are pretending to be Brian David Bruns?

 

He does have a cc account but the name is not the same as it once was. Do you want me to ask him?

[sixgun8]

I read the bok right before our last cruise and when we went to breakfast one day I watched the servers closely and saw one guy going around and "pilfering" glasses from other tables and silverware as well. I had to smile, when he actually disappeared into a crew only area in the Dining room with a covered plate I actually chuckled out loud to the confusion on my table mates. I don't know what they had been talking about, but they lost my attention within the first 5 minutes as they were complaining about everything on the cruise.

[shipty2]

How many people on this thread really think the person with a total of nine posts is the person who wrote the book? I think not! Remember: Anyone can create a name and post a picture of anyone they want on an anonymous board.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

 

P.S. Or, how about the one with 59 posts. I wonder, how many people on the board are pretending to be Brian David Bruns?

 

I also wondered this. Also I am thinking that is not his real name. I noticed on his facebook friends list he has a "friend named "david burns"

 

.

[pcrum]

It did make me feel bad for our waiters after one of our tablemates ordered multiples of everything each night. His record was 5 appetizers, 3 entrees and 4 desserts. Just coming for him took the time it would have to serve an entire table of 4.

 

The most uncomfortable dinner of our cruise (indeed, our life) was after being in San Juan on the Triumph in Nov., 2008. We docked in San Juan late (around 5 pm) and for this night only it was open seating in the MDR. We got seated next to a couple who it was obvious had just met that day and decided to have dinner together. The guy was so full of himself and also ordered multiples of every course. I'm not sure how he ate it all (and we left before he finished, so not sure he did), but it was so uncomfortable at the table. Chateaubriand was one of the main courses and he had actually ordered it the night before so it would be cooked a certain way. On top of this, he added two other entrees. We could tell that as the dinner went on the lady was regretting her choice of a dining companion. But the server, to his credit, never flinched, never acted like anything was a problem. I felt bad for him, as it was open seating this one night and I'm sure the guy was not going to tip the server extra for his trouble.