Cruise crew members are hard-working, dedicated individuals who often go out of their way to ensure that passengers not only have a great vacation, but that they experience memorable moments that will last a lifetime.
It is natural for guests to want to acknowledge those crew members and offer them something extra, but not all extras are permitted.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed such a situation recently when a guest hoped to reward a dedicated bartender but wasn’t allowed to do so in the way they wanted.
“I have a complaint about the lack of compassion from the Captain or whoever,” the recent guest stated in reaching out to Heald. “I met a bartender at the Alchemy who made me and my [sister-in-law] laugh so much. [He] was really, really attentive.”
This sounds great, and Heald is always pleased to hear accolades from happy guests noting which crew members have gone above and beyond to deliver spectacular service. The guest, however, wanted to do something special that was not allowed.
“I had heard/read that it was possible to invite a crew person to dinner at the steak restaurant – so we asked,” the guest explained. “He had to clear it with his boss (the bar manager and captain) but told me he was denied the request. … I was wrong in thinking that Carnival cared about their workers. This proves they do not. Why was this not allowed!”
While this was a kind and generous gesture from the guest, there are different reasons why such invitations cannot always be accommodated.
“To say that we ‘don’t care’ about the crew is just silly,” Heald responded. “The reason that the Staff Captain and Department Heads say ‘no’ to this kind of request is that to take a crew member out of work will most likely have a big impact on the service we can provide the rest of the guests.”
A dinner at a specialty restaurant such as the onboard steakhouse, for example, would mostly likely take two or more hours, especially if that the crew member might need to return to their cabin and change both before and after.
This means that other crew members would have to cover that portion of a planned shift, or there may not be adequate service for other guests.
Furthermore, the evening hours when such a dinner would take place are undoubtedly some of the busiest times at popular venues, such as the vintage-themed Alchemy Bar with its specialty cocktails. This is exactly when all bartenders will be needed at their posts to ensure service is swift, smooth, and entertaining.
“We just don’t have spare bartenders to put there. Everyone is working at these busy evening times,” Heald said.
It is also possible that crew members don’t want to accept these types of invitations, for several reasons.
“While perhaps not always the case I have to say this, respectfully, sometimes the crew member doesn’t want to go to dinner,” Heald noted. “They want to keep working and while they may feel comfortable behind the bar, sitting for a dinner for two hours with a guest may simply not be something they would enjoy.”
Crew members may be humorous and outgoing while they perform their duties, but in their off time they may much prefer their privacy or time away from guests and they don’t want to appear rude by refusing a nice invitation.
It is also possible that any loss of income or tips from unexpected time off might not be something an individual crew member is comfortable with.
Finally, a crew member may simply not want to dine at a given restaurant, perhaps for dietary concerns or interactions with other crew members at the venue (think of a “teacher’s pet” type of scenario!).
What to Do Instead of a Dinner Invitation
Any cruise passenger who wants to reward the attentive service and outgoing personality of a specific crew members has many ways they can do so. Offering an extra gratuity is always welcome and gives the crew member the option to spend the cash any way they wish.
Read Also: What a Cruise Ship Cabin Steward Really Does – And How You Can Help!
Another great way to acknowledge excellent service is to note the crew member’s name and position and share that information and any praise on the post-cruise survey Carnival Cruise Line provides to many past guests.
If travelers do not get such a survey, they can contact John Heald through his Facebook page to give props and kudos to the crew member. Heald passes those accolades along to the appropriate department heads onboard individual ships as well as in the corporate hierarchy.
This type of acknowledgement can help with crew members’ performance reviews and the possibility of bonuses, promotions, and other official recognition.
A steak dinner may be a great treat for one night, but the ongoing praise and what it can do for a crew member’s career is far more long-lasting!
