Sloppy service – Does it change your own behaviour

[Bradbury, Coventry]

I am in the process of writing my very long detailed review of our recent cruise. I have already indicated on my Gratuities thread that the service was not up to par and was infact quite sloppy. I had an incident on the ship which rammed home to me my behaviour and how it was affected by the sloppy service.

The wine was poured into my wine glass but was poured carelessly so that I had wine dripping down the glass around the rim and onto the table cloth. No attempt was made to say sorry madam let me change that or let me clean that up. So I did no more than take the glass and stamp it around various parts of the clean table cloth until the glass was clean so I wouldnt drip red wine all over myself. I immediately thought, OMG that is just so disgusting, why I have done that, there is no way on this earth I would have considered doing such a thing on any other cruise or restaurant. I would simply have politely asked for a paper napkin or asked for it to be dealt with. What was going through my head for me to behave in such a way – it was simply because they didn’t care, so why should I. And it wasn’t because it was a one off thing, I think it was a build up overall of my perception of how we were being served.

Bad I know, but its like a dirty carpet, people see its dirty so will not care about spilling things or dropping things on it. That’s kind of how I felt.

[Haworth, Wokingham]

I have never done this type of service job, plenty of others but that's another post.

The staff doing these jobs could be our children and are someone's and they can't fight back, had someone behaved as Taffy describes in front of me I would make my views very clear, I detest bullies and that is what she was. Taffy, no criticism intended I wasn't there but I grew up treating people equally and appreciating when I was treated equally.

[Taffy, Wales]

The only time we have has less than perfect service was when the after dinner coffee was cold. Obviously someone had not closed the thermos jug. I mentioned it quietly to a wine waiter and asked him to discretely tell the waiter concerned, because I did not wish to get him in trouble with the AMD. The waiter was very apologetic. No problem.

You reminded me of a breakfast we were at on Constellation, we were on a large table with mainly American's ,we were part way thruogh the meal when one lady asked for more coffee ,no one came with it she asked 3 more waiters and still no coffee or tea.The Lady was getting more agitated and grabbed a passing manager ,there were 4 covering the MDR, He said I will get someone to get some ,you just need to asked.
She Exploded telling him to do his job properly and the @@@@ Coffee and tea himself she really ripped into him .she pointed out he would be hand out for his tip ,for the crap service he was overseeing?
In fairness that was the only time we have had a problem with table service...Taffy

[ROSEBASKETS, Yorkshire]

Show us the photo and then I can compare when we get on the Azura in september,

I would love to Jim but I haven't been able to add photos to this forum in about 3 years!

[jimtheoldsalt, felixstowe]

I think you misunderstood, P&O are serving sandwiches MADE in the 60's.

I specifically took a photo of an evening buffet (after 10pm) sandwich that the ends were curled up so far they touched each other.

Show us the photo and then I can compare when we get on the Azura in september,

[ROSEBASKETS, Yorkshire]

On another thread, someone said that P&O are still serving the same kind of sandwiches as they did in the 60s. So is it different now or what??

I think you misunderstood, P&O are serving sandwiches MADE in the 60's.

I specifically took a photo of an evening buffet (after 10pm) sandwich that the ends were curled up so far they touched each other.

[MAGGIEMOU, CYPRUS]

Well, as the saying goes. "A fish goes rotten from the head."
Bad management.

[smtcan, Scarborough]

We have only cruised on NCL once and are in no hurry to repeat the experience. We didn't have any issues with service, in fact our cabin steward was one of the best ever. The main issue we had was the noise all around the ship, even in the restaurants. When we mentioned this to the maitre d' he was quite honest, he said he couldn't reduce the noise, because the loud music was company policy, but he did find us a quiet table every evening and made sure we were well looked after.

As Annie says I would report poor service to the appropriate supervisor, if speaking to the offending person did not get a response.

Sheila

[Victoria, Aberystwyth]

Snap. We stopped sailing with them for the same reason. Just nothing like P&O used to be. Beryl

On another thread, someone said that P&O are still serving the same kind of sandwiches as they did in the 60s. So is it different now or what??

[cornish girl, falmouth]

OK I am probably different, I would have requested them to clean it up. If my request was not granted, I would have spoken immediately to a manager.

Having said that, none of my dining group experienced such an issue in the MDR.
.
We did have an issue in one of the bars which we addressed and was rectified
Annie

I agree Annie, never would I let that pass why wipe it on the tablecloth? I would have insisted they put it right if you ignore it you cannot then complain, the managers ae there to deal with incidents such as these.CG

[Haworth, Wokingham]

What you are describing is to me symptomatic of poor/disinterested mamangement.

Last year we were walking down one of those long endless corridors to get to passport control after a flight, a cleaner was pushing a large rectangular duster/polisher along the side of the floor, every 10 yards or so it would be moved round a pillar and all along the corridor a distinct line existed where the sweeping/polishing had missed around each pillar.

I dont blame the cleaner but how many supervisors and managers must have walked the same route and just ignored the lack of attention to detail, it drives me mad.

What you have described is an example of the same mind set

All I can say is that when I was working an equivalent issue would not have happened in any of my teams.

[Cooke, Ashby]

The only time we have has less than perfect service was when the after dinner coffee was cold. Obviously someone had not closed the thermos jug. I mentioned it quietly to a wine waiter and asked him to discretely tell the waiter concerned, because I did not wish to get him in trouble with the AMD. The waiter was very apologetic. No problem.

[annie, Glasgow]

Thats my point Annie,
Any other restaurant, any other cruise line, any other cruise ship..... I would have done just that - asked them to deal with it. But the continual sloppy service had unwittingly driven me down to their level.
I was quite appalled at myself when I realised what I had done.

I hear you Bradbury but I don't tolerate sloppy service standards anywhere as my friends and family will testify. In my student days working in the hospitality industry, I wouldn't have got away with it

Annie

[Bradbury, Coventry]

OK I am probably different, I would have requested them to clean it up. If my request was not granted, I would have spoken immediately to a manager.

Having said that, none of my dining group experienced such an issue in the MDR.

We did have an issue in one of the bars which we addressed and was rectified.

Annie

Thats my point Annie,
Any other restaurant, any other cruise line, any other cruise ship..... I would have done just that - asked them to deal with it. But the continual sloppy service had unwittingly driven me down to their level.
I was quite appalled at myself when I realised what I had done.

[annie, Glasgow]

OK I am probably different, I would have requested them to clean it up. If my request was not granted, I would have spoken immediately to a manager.

Having said that, none of my dining group experienced such an issue in the MDR.

We did have an issue in one of the bars which we addressed and was rectified.

Annie