MTD waiters rotated based on guest satisfaction survey?

[cruising_again]

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie on this forum even though I started sailing with Royal Caribbean two years ago. Missed out on quite a bit of "insider knowledge" but better late than never!

 

I browsed and searched the forum but didn't manage to find the following information so if you have information (or if I missed out on some threads, do let me know), I look forward to reading them!

 

On my recent New Year cruise on Mariner of the Seas, my MTD waiter in the MDR was explaining the company moving to a "paperless" guest satisfaction survey.

 

He then mentioned that the guest satisfaction survey is very important to them because it determines who gets to continue to be MTD waiters. I have read on this forum about how the guest satisfaction survey has an influence on the gratuities they get but I have not read about it influencing the waiters in that way.

 

From the conversation with him, I understood that "better" (for lack of a more suitable word) waiters were allocated to in MTD and he confessed that it is not easy to do MTD. With Traditional Dining, everyone start their courses at around the same time but not so for MTD.

 

Maybe it is an internal hierarchy or promotion structure but he made it sound like MTD waiters were of a higher hierarchy than those who do Traditional Dining?

 

In my pre-Christmas cruise on Mariner of the Seas, I noticed this waiter who had excellent table service. However, his MTD guests all came to the table at around the same time so there was a mad rush to serve bread, offer water, etc. A family of 5 was upset at the longer than usual wait and told this waiter off. The waiter offered his apologies but the family wanted to speak to the Head Waiter.

 

The Head Waiter also offered his apologies but the family remarked that they were snubbed and other tables were served before them. The family later requested for another table (not MTD) and left.

 

In the New Year cruise, I saw that the waiter was no longer doing MTD and was doing Traditional dining. Maybe there is some truth to what I heard?

[Clarea]

The way it has been explained to us is that the surveys are compiled and each waiter gets a numerical rating. In fact, we have seen the ratings posted inside the galley area during tours. The higher the rating, the more guests (and therefore the more money) the waiter gets. The highest ratings get MTD because MTD has the potential for even more guests to be served by a waiter than traditional dining.

[cruising_again]

The way it has been explained to us is that the surveys are compiled and each waiter gets a numerical rating. In fact, we have seen the ratings posted inside the galley area during tours. The higher the rating, the more guests (and therefore the more money) the waiter gets. The highest ratings get MTD because MTD has the potential for even more guests to be served by a waiter than traditional dining.

 

I see, thank you for sharing that!

[Cindy]

The way it has been explained to us is that the surveys are compiled and each waiter gets a numerical rating. In fact, we have seen the ratings posted inside the galley area during tours. The higher the rating, the more guests (and therefore the more money) the waiter gets. The highest ratings get MTD because MTD has the potential for even more guests to be served by a waiter than traditional dining.

 

I have seen the same, and I have also seen positive comments and letters posted on bulletin boards in crew areas. Several years ago, I was at a Q&A with a cruise director (on Princess) who told us how important the surveys are. Crew promotions are partially determined by passenger feedback. That's stuck with me, and I always take the time to fill out the survey. I single out those people who made my trip special.

[riviera]

Apparently they REALLY pay attention to those surveys. We have cruised ALOT and usually make a request for certain waiters before we board. Has never been a problem. We just emailed the Explorer for our February cruise and instead of getting the usual response "your table is confirmed and request noted" We got this response: "Waiters stations are being done on every boarding day according to their evaluation and performance. We will keep your request on file" Really? Hey, even if the past guests and YOU think a waiter is awful, WE happen to think their service is phenomenal and we want them to be our waiter on our upcoming cruise.

[rncruiser]

I have also heard that the better waiters get table assignments closer to the kitchen as a reward since they don't have to walk as far. I have been near the kitchen on several cruises and have always had the best waiters there. This is not to say I haven't had good service at other tables, but it has been even better when near the kitchen.

[cruising_again]

I have also heard that the better waiters get table assignments closer to the kitchen as a reward since they don't have to walk as far. I have been near the kitchen on several cruises and have always had the best waiters there. This is not to say I haven't had good service at other tables, but it has been even better when near the kitchen.

 

That's a good tip! I've always asked for a specific table number (for the sunset views) but never tried seating near the kitchen.

[LindaO]

The guest surveys do make a HUGE difference to the waiters and room stewards. RCI weights what we put on the survey greatly. Wait staff and room stewards can gain 'extras' for good comments. They also can suffer from bad comments. BUT as far as being a MTD as a reward... I think that is a personal preference for your waiter. We always do Traditional Dining (after trying MTD once).... We just like it better. And our waiters have always told us they prefer it also... So either they are all telling us what they think we want hear... or they individually have different preferences.

 

But... It would have to be something horrible for me to put any bad remarks on the survey... and not just they forgot to bring my ice tea... or the bread was cold. IF the waiter never showed up at the table... I would put a bad comment. Otherwise... it is all good!!

[misty57]

We have only had a poor waiter once in 16 cruises, and even then I didn't give a bad evaluation on the survey. I have had a few cabin attendents that were less than steller, but manage to find a positive comment to make about most who serve us. The service in the MDR is dependent on so many things, including how complicated the diner's orders are. On one cruise we were seated at a large table. One person was upset because the waiter didn't bring out his second order in the right sequence ( according to him:rolleyes:). He berated the poor waiter so badly that he was almost in tears. We made sure to include that in our survey along with a glowing evaluation so maybe it would cancel out that other person's complaint if he filled out the survey and gave our waiter poor marks.

[lifeboatcaptain]

We have only had a poor waiter once in 16 cruises, and even then I didn't give a bad evaluation on the survey. I have had a few cabin attendents that were less than steller, but manage to find a positive comment to make about most who serve us. The service in the MDR is dependent on so many things, including how complicated the diner's orders are. On one cruise we were seated at a large table. One person was upset because the waiter didn't bring out his second order in the right sequence ( according to him:rolleyes:). He berated the poor waiter so badly that he was almost in tears. We made sure to include that in our survey along with a glowing evaluation so maybe it would cancel out that other person's complaint if he filled out the survey and gave our waiter poor marks.

 

oh my.... think we need to roll out a Cruising Etiquette handbook....

[yj2cute]

A friend of mine who is a RCCL MDR waiter explained to me that at one time, MTD was more desirable, but that was prior to RCCL going to the daily gratuity being added to our accounts on board. In the day of the envelope on the last night, we all know that many would tend to stiff their servers. At that time, MTD required prepayment of gratuities, therefore those waiters generally made more money because they were "guaranteed" a certain amount of money. However, under the new system, I would think pretty much all the servers are making decent money and not being stiffed as much, in which case they may now prefer the traditional dining assignment because it is, as previously noted, a bit less hectic and stressful.

 

I've know for a while that RCCL places great weight on the passenger surveys. Which is why I was surprised that I never received one on my recent Carnival Breeze cruise. I even went to Guest Services to request one. I was told that they would email one to me after the cruise. Well I never received it and I found it strange and also telling that apparently Carnival isn't as interested in their guests feedback as RCCL is.

[cruising_again]

A friend of mine who is a RCCL MDR waiter explained to me that at one time, MTD was more desirable, but that was prior to RCCL going to the daily gratuity being added to our accounts on board. In the day of the envelope on the last night, we all know that many would tend to stiff their servers. At that time, MTD required prepayment of gratuities, therefore those waiters generally made more money because they were "guaranteed" a certain amount of money. However, under the new system, I would think pretty much all the servers are making decent money and not being stiffed as much, in which case they may now prefer the traditional dining assignment because it is, as previously noted, a bit less hectic and stressful.

 

I've know for a while that RCCL places great weight on the passenger surveys. Which is why I was surprised that I never received one on my recent Carnival Breeze cruise. I even went to Guest Services to request one. I was told that they would email one to me after the cruise. Well I never received it and I found it strange and also telling that apparently Carnival isn't as interested in their guests feedback as RCCL is.

 

That does make perfect sense. Thank you for your explanation! Perhaps it was my waiter that personally prefers MTD, and not because they get more perks or a step up the promotion ladder.

[cruising_again]

We have only had a poor waiter once in 16 cruises, and even then I didn't give a bad evaluation on the survey. I have had a few cabin attendents that were less than steller, but manage to find a positive comment to make about most who serve us. The service in the MDR is dependent on so many things, including how complicated the diner's orders are. On one cruise we were seated at a large table. One person was upset because the waiter didn't bring out his second order in the right sequence ( according to him:rolleyes:). He berated the poor waiter so badly that he was almost in tears. We made sure to include that in our survey along with a glowing evaluation so maybe it would cancel out that other person's complaint if he filled out the survey and gave our waiter poor marks.

 

I do agree! So far, I have not met a bad waiter... Or rather, bad enough to justify writing something explicitly negative. Sometimes there are small slip-ups like requesting for warm water and getting a cold one but the waiter are usually very quick to bring a new glass. So that is fine to me.

[printingchick]

Clarea made an excellent point, which becomes even more valid in the days of the pre-paid gratuities. Waitstaff in MTD would typically serve MORE passengers. People in MTD eat on their own schedule and tend to finish and depart more quickly - freeing up the table for a new set of guests. That certainly gives the staff the potential to serve more guests and therefore make more money.

[cruising_again]

Clarea made an excellent point, which becomes even more valid in the days of the pre-paid gratuities. Waitstaff in MTD would typically serve MORE passengers. People in MTD eat on their own schedule and tend to finish and depart more quickly - freeing up the table for a new set of guests. That certainly gives the staff the potential to serve more guests and therefore make more money.

 

I have only done Traditional Dining once and it was with a large group of 8 other strangers (later turned friends). Dinner was about 2 hours minimum while now when we do MTD and sit at a table for 2, we take a maximum of 1.5 hours so I do see where you are coming from. That would be at least a couple of tables more.

[cruising_again]

I have only done Traditional Dining once and it was with a large group of 8 other strangers (later turned friends). Dinner was about 2 hours minimum while now when we do MTD and sit at a table for 2, we take a maximum of 1.5 hours so I do see where you are coming from. That would be at least a couple of tables more.

 

Sorry, I meant that would be at least a couple of tables more for the MTD waiters.