Anybody know this Maitre'D?

[scluvsrain]

I found out our maitre'D (sp?) on our upcoming Westerdam cruise in April is Kristian Emanuel Yahya. Anyone know anything about him?

--Sherita

[sail7seas]

Any particular reason you are asking?

[scluvsrain]

Nothing in particular, I remember the other maitre d's we've had on earlier cruises -- some were friendly, others more formal and standoffish,, just wondered if he's new to HAL, or what.

People are always posting comments about certain cruise directors, captains, stewards, etc. I just wanted to know if anyone had any knowledge or experience with this maitre 'd, since he'll be running the restaurant on my upcoming cruise.

Thanks.
Sherita

[peaches from georgia]

Many people want to know about the officers and staff on their ship and the general atmosphere, Sherita. I know exactly what you mean, though I don't know the particular maitre d' you are asking about. Some are very relaxed and friendly and interact all throughout dinner with the pax. Others are exactly the opposite, and I think it most probably has to do with how efficiently the dining room runs without his constant direction on the floor during the dinner hours.

On two of the smaller HAL ships we have been on the maitre d' spent a great deal of time with us and other pax and was a lot of fun. On the Oosterdam the exact opposite was true and it was impossible not to notice how stressed and overworked the stewards and staff were every night. Don't know which comes first- the chicken or the egg, if you get my drift.

[sail7seas]

I think it greatly depends upon the individual and his experience and style of management.

We recently sailed on Zuiderdam with Wawan Kartawan as Maitre d'. He is such a master at his work. His dining rooms flow so smoothly and we have loved being in his dining rooms on many cruises. He makes it look easy (which, of course, we know it is not). We remember sailing with him as far back as early '90's. He always graciously spends many moments chatting with guests all over the dining room.

Same can be said for most of the Maitre d's IMO. Actually, I think it the rare exception to find an HAL Maitre d' who is not a gracious host; friendly and affable and able.

Sorry, I cannot place the Maitre d' about whom you inquired. If we have sailed with him, I do not recall. It was not recently, of that I am sure.

[Barocl]

He is friendly, at least he seemed so to me. If you sailed on the Rotterdam in the year 2000 he was in charge of their specialty restaurant. He use to be the MC of all the Indonesian crew shows in the early days.

[sail7seas]

Hmmm....we were on Rotterdam back-to-back for Christmas and Millenium New Years 1999/2000. I'm sure we would have eaten in Odyssey. Trying to remember him. Can you give a brief description? Tall/short etc Thanks.

[sungoddess]

Hi there,
Kristian is a very helpful and kind Maitre'. Sail, He is rather tall and is very soft spoken. Kristian was the Maitre on the Maasdam for years, but was transferred to the larger ships in 2002.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Sungoddess.


Considering the very many times we have cruised Maasdam, it's strange I don't remember him??? I'm sure he's wonderful. IMO, all the HAL Maitre d's are incredibly able, friendly, great men .... (well, only one exception I can think of :( ----

I think Bekti is on Maasdam now and we are hoping he will still be there when we arrive in June.

On our Maasdam cruises in recent years, I remember Sander, Ibnu and Piero .....all of them wonderful. They are always very gracious to us and we very much appreciate it.

[Emmie]

How do you find out who is going to be your maitre 'd....or, for that matter, your cruise director or hotel manager?

Take care,
Emmie

[sail7seas]

Sometimes Ships Services will tell you.

[scluvsrain]

I found out from someone inside HAL. I think you can call Ships Services and ask too. It's not like it's any big secret, as far as I know.

--Sherita

[SDHALFAN]

Hi scluvsrain,

I have known Kristian since way back in maybe 1996 on the Noordam(?). He is a really, really nice man. In 1997 he was Assistant Maitre D' on the Veendam when we did a Caribbean cruise . The next year we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by taking the first leg of the Rotterdam's Inaugural Round the World Cruise, sailing from Los Angeles to Auckland, and Kristian was in charge of the Odyssey Dining Room. I lost touch with him until last year when I did the San Diego/Panama Canal/San Diego cruise. I am now single (widowed) and was seated at a table with three really nice couples. We were sitting there one night at dinner when the Maitre D' came around to introduce himself and ask how we were enjoying our cruise and lo and behold it was Kristian. He remembered me from way back in 1996 - I still can't believe that since they meet so many thousands of people every year. He really embodies that HAL spirit that we old-timers appreciate. He remembers you and he cares about whether or not you are enjoying your dining experience - to say nothing of your total cruise. If you find that you have a problem in the dining room you don't need to feel shy about approaching Kristian, he will take care of it.

S-7-S: Thank you so much for mentioning Wawan Kartawan. He, too, is one of my very favorite Maitre D's. He is a true gentleman, is very approachable and very sweet and funny. I had been wondering where he had disappeared to. We spent 35 days with him on the San Diego to Rio cruise back in 2001 and we would occasionally see him in town in the various ports of call and he would always take time to talk to us and ask how we were enjoying the cruise.

Okay, anybody know where Kiki Basuko is? I have known Kiki since he was a Dining Room Supervisor way back in 1991. He has been Maitre D' for several years now but we never seem to connect on the same ship. He, like Kristian and Wawan, is a true gentleman, He always remembers your name and the fact the we have sailed together before, and like Kristian and Wawan, has a smile for you that you will remember long after the cruise is over and you are hard at work planning your next cruise.

[scluvsrain]

Thanks for the info re Kristian. I look forward to meeting him and sailing with him.

Sherita

[Esme]

Okay, anybody know where Kiki Basuko is? I have known Kiki since he was a Dining Room Supervisor way back in 1991.


Last time I saw Kiki was on the Veendam 2/04. He was going to another ship, but I can't remember which one.