RCI to train dining room waiters in drinks service

[EJNutz]

According to this article RCL is to train all restaurant waiters to be wine waiters.

http://www.cruise-community.com/inde...blog&Itemid=69

Instead of one wine waiter covering 150 people they will now cover 24. Somehow I think this could have an impact on the service provided.

[onyourtoes]

Originally Posted by EJNutz

According to this article RCL is to train all restaurant waiters to be wine waiters.

http://www.cruise-community.com/inde...blog&Itemid=69

Instead of one wine waiter covering 150 people they will now cover 24. Somehow I think this could have an impact on the service provided.

A positive impact or a negative one? I think it might be a positive one. Lord knows I need that first glass of wine at dinner like I need my first cup of coffee in the m orning

Happy cruising

[MrPete]

Are these gonna be the same ones that serve the food?

I hope not.

After my second RCCL cruise, with the serve staff I had, I could expect to sit through both the first and second seatingsfor a meal. Not to even mention we walked out twice on a 5 night cruise leaving our meals behind.

There were NO bar servers present on my third RCCL cruise. They lost a LOT of money off us for those tasty but pricey after dinner drinks.

[DC2OC]

With waiters and their assistants already waiting on 24 or more diners at a time its already impossible for them to give premium service.MDR service cutbacks have been my main complaint in recent sailings so now they plan on giving already overtasked workers more to do.

[Bencruisin]

Just got back yesterday from the Liberty if the Seas. The MDR service for MTD was not consistant. Over a 7 day cruise we had 4 different sets of wait staff. The service ranged from slightly above average to great. I can't say that service was bad at any meal.

Our favorites were Felix and James. They were superb and we requested them each night but the request was only met once since they were so high in demand. We would have had to wait 20 minutes or more to sit in their section. On the last night of the cruise we sat in their section and could tell they were under pressure. There was smoke coming off their feet they were moving so fast. So that night their service was still excellent but not as stellar as it was previously. So even the same staff can provide a different experience given the demographics that night.

Also its what you prefer - my oldest daugher worked as a hostess and server during college and liked the more efficient, professional staff where my youngest enjoyed the more personable staff. Sometimes you get someone with both like Felix and James.

[marci22]

I have my doubts. The waiters seem to be doing their best to keep up without adding bar service to their list of chores.

[EaglesRock]

Originally Posted by MrPete

Are these gonna be the same ones that serve the food?

I hope not.

I agree. I think it's a good idea for the waiters to be knowledgeable in the basics of wine selection in case they're asked a question, but I would not want to be at my table waiting for my appetizer or entree while my waiter spent fifteen minutes explaining all the different wine options to another table.

[Laoghaire]

Hello...On our July Serenade OTS Alaskan cruise, the bar waiter, Basil, in the CL told us he was training the Main Dining Room waiters to also serve bar drinks--along with their regular duties.

Helen

[terri23]

Great. Like they don't already have enough to do

[Aquahound]

I just got off the Enchantment. Our Waiter was also our wine server. There was still a separate bar server, but our waiter was handling the wine. Service was not sacrificed at all. It seemed to work out well.

[shelby_36]

Originally Posted by MrPete

Are these gonna be the same ones that serve the food?

I hope not.

After my second RCCL cruise, with the serve staff I had, I could expect to sit through both the first and second seatingsfor a meal. Not to even mention we walked out twice on a 5 night cruise leaving our meals behind.

There were NO bar servers present on my third RCCL cruise. They lost a LOT of money off us for those tasty but pricey after dinner drinks.

When we were on LOS earlier this summer they had already handed over ALL drink responsilibities to the waiters. She didn't grump about it but did mention that it was now just them. You get your drinks faster but it gives them more to do and from what she said they don't give them less tables just more responsibilities.

[marylizcat]

We came off the Independence of the Seas a week ago, and our waiter was also our wine waiter. There were no specialist wine waiters. So it looks like it is not a plan, it is what is happening now.

[Aquahound]

Just to add another note about this....the wine menu was on our table every night. We could order a bottle or by the glass immediately upon sitting. We did not have to wait for a bar server or wine server to make their way around to us. This system improves service, not hurts it.

[negc]

Originally Posted by marylizcat

We came off the Independence of the Seas a week ago, and our waiter was also our wine waiter. There were no specialist wine waiters. So it looks like it is not a plan, it is what is happening now.

The assistant waiters have been serving wine for years on RCI, ever since they eliminated the sommeliers. What is new is this concept of having the wait staff take on the responsibility for serving beer and liquor. How well this measure will work is still to be seen.

[jbond]

We came off the Independence of the Seas a week ago, and our waiter was also our wine waiter. There were no specialist wine waiters. So it looks like it is not a plan, it is what is happening now.

There have been no wine waiters on RCI for many years, the wine orders have been handled by the table staff since at least 2000. If you read the blog, it now says that the table staff will be handling bar service also. Cuts down on dining room staff.

[CruisinNole]

We just got off the Monarch and our assistant waiter served the wine. It was nice not having to wait for the bar waiter. My Time Dining was good too and we didn't even have it. We waited too late to sign up for it so we ate in the dining room at second seating. With fewer tables to wait on, our waiter and assistant waiter had more time for us. We were out of the dining room faster than on any other cruise and we've been on 17. It was great.

[dutchess43]

Originally Posted by jbond

There have been no wine waiters on RCI for many years, the wine orders have been handled by the table staff since at least 2000. If you read the blog, it now says that the table staff will be handling bar service also. Cuts down on dining room staff.

jbond you are correct is has been so long since we had wine stewards on rci I can't remember the last time that they had one. That is another reason why if I can book X I do thank goodness the still have sommeliers.

[cb at sea]

Bring a drink WITH you to dinner---that will save you having to wait, and the waiters from having to run around so much!

[megr1125]

From my interpretation, it WILL be the same people...thus, service will continue to suffer..........

Generally we know what we want, but I can see that there will be tables that will need hand holding and our appetizers will be waiting someplace else...

[jbond]

From my interpretation, it WILL be the same people...thus, service will continue to suffer..........

My experience with the wine has been very positive. We, on occasion, had a sommelier that just wasn't around that much and if we had a white or sparkling wine it was difficult to get service. With the waiter and assistant waiter we got much better service. As for cocktails, the waiter will only be taking the order, not preparing the drink. The order will be filled in the bar area same as now. The difference being, that there won't be just one bar waiter in the area who on many occasion has been difficult to find, especially for after dinner drinks.
I think it's a positive move.