Crew staffing levels

[Cruiz'nBaers]

My husband and I have been saying all along that we don’t buy the staff shortages being a result of availability of crew.  We have felt that this has been HAL’s choice all along.  We have been on 3 sailings since startup, 2 on HAL and 1 on Celebrity, Celebrity had plenty of staff.  We did have long waits in the dining room, that had to do with having a poor head waiter, he did not get a glowing review from us.  Pretty sure HAL has opted to remain short staffed by intent.

[mcrcruiser]

On 3/27/2023 at 3:13 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I agree 100 percent.  I know people love to say hal just can’t get the staff.  I don’t believe it for a minute.  It’s a choice to cheap out wherever they can.

You are 10000% correct . We just came back from a B2B on Celebrity Soltice ,Mexico from San Pedro Ca world cruise center . I can personally tell you ,the staff had time to talk during & post dinner .Our cabin attendant also had rime to talk . These 2 cruises were the very best in a long time .Food was superb & the entertainment was great . Wonderful all around cruises😃😃😃

 

   It is seldom that Celebrity  sails from California ports .They do service Alaska ,Australia ,New Zealand theFar east ,East coast , Europe & Panama Canal . They also have a special ship for the Galapados  Islands

[mcrcruiser]

1 hour ago, Cruiz'nBaers said:

My husband and I have been saying all along that we don’t buy the staff shortages being a result of availability of crew.  We have felt that this has been HAL’s choice all along.  We have been on 3 sailings since startup, 2 on HAL and 1 on Celebrity, Celebrity had plenty of staff.  We did have long waits in the dining room, that had to do with having a poor head waiter, he did not get a glowing review from us.  Pretty sure HAL has opted to remain short staffed by intent.

Let's face it CCL is cheaply staffing their ships .This will only last so long before people get fed up .  Low staff to me means a far lower level of enjoyment for my cruise dollars .I am getting to the point of passing on HAL except for our Hawaii cruise end of Jan 2024. Our trips can be land in our time share

[albingirl]

7 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Let's face it CCL is cheaply staffing their ships .This will only last so long before people get fed up .  Low staff to me means a far lower level of enjoyment for my cruise dollars .I am getting to the point of passing on HAL except for our Hawaii cruise end of Jan 2024. Our trips can be land in our time share

So be it.

[SnorkelAway]

Just our one anecdotal experience, but ...  We were on Eurodam for an October 30, 2021, transatlantic sailing and the service was the worst we ever had experienced on HAL - there were staff shortages and lots of new staff.  Our MDR waiter was simply unable to do the job - lots of effort and nice guy, but could not do the job.  Recently returned from 11 night Sunfarer on Eurodam that sailed March 14, 2023.  Our service on the recent cruise  was excellent - back up to what we expect,  Our cabin stewards worked in a two man team and were excellent.  Our MDR waiters all were very good.  Staffing was much better, and training and experience have worked wonders.  Hard for us to believe it was same ship.

[REOVA]

11 hours ago, Cruiz'nBaers said:

My husband and I have been saying all along that we don’t buy the staff shortages being a result of availability of crew.  We have felt that this has been HAL’s choice all along.  We have been on 3 sailings since startup, 2 on HAL and 1 on Celebrity, Celebrity had plenty of staff.  We did have long waits in the dining room, that had to do with having a poor head waiter, he did not get a glowing review from us.  Pretty sure HAL has opted to remain short staffed by intent.

We sailed Koningsdam in 2019. She was understaffed then. By that I mean that the crew was running around trying to service the ship. We never saw that on the smaller ships.  HAL has set the ratio for the Pinnacle Class ships prior to shutdown. The ratio of crew to passenger for double occupancy is higher on Pinnacle Ships than other ships so on paper it looks good to management. But the ship is larger and they underestimated the needs for the larger ships. Add in families cruising during certain times and occupancy pushing 3200 passengers, they implode. It's harder to plan and service for open seating (or bars) if you have passengers flooding in at unknown  times. At least for fixed seating (which we no longer do) they can estimate better (like restaurant reservations allow) but the more passengers choosing open seating adds a need to revamp service/training and passengers have to modify eating times and cruising dates to avoid the chaos. 

 

Are they having issues with staff and learning curves, absolutely. Is it because of labor and COVID, doubtful at this time but makes for a good response from management. HAL also announced pre COVID they were looking to source from different Nationalities to increase labor pool. They tried that. 

 

But if you pay for Club Orange on Pinnacle Class, you'll have better service. Why should they change?$$ 🤔

[81Zoomie]

Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam.  These were our staffing observations:

 

- Turn down service by request only.  Cabin stewards now have more rooms

- Wine stewards in the main dining room are gone

- Many evenings there was only one bartender before dinner behind the bars when they are busy. Only one roaming server for the large bars.  15 minutes to get a drink was not uncommon.

- Waiters in the Pinnacle Grill were speed walking between the kitchen and the tables

- No live music at the pool

- One set of musicians, Third Ave West instrumental trio, for happy hour in the Ocean Bar only

- Limited servers and wait staff in the Lido buffet.  We waited for food and even water.

- One future cruise consultant.  You had to wait in line to book another cruise

- Formally, it was very common to see restroom attendants folding hand towels in the restrooms.  Never saw one on this cruise.  Several times there were no cloth towels remaining.

- Anytime diners in the main dining room were asked not to arrive between 6:30 and 7:30 if they want an enjoyable dining experience.  A public announcement was made.

- No one asking/watching you to sanitize or wash your hands or squirting them at any eating venue, or upon return to the ship.

 

We enjoyed our cruise, but noted that staffing appeared to be cut to the bone.

Edited March 31, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[oakridger]

3 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

staffing appeared to be cut to the bone

 

Those staffing levels sure sound lower than when I was on Nieuw Amsterdam last September and October!!  I was in the Ocean Bar quite a bit and there were usually three bartenders at Happy Hour plus around three waiters going around the tables.  Evenings there were usually two of each if I recall correctly.  Lido had very attentive service for drinks and table busing.  My two-man steward team was wonderful!

 

HAL hasn't had live music at the pools in many years...even before the shutdown.

 

What the heck happened in a couple of months?  Where did all the staff go?

 

~Nancy

[MISTER 67]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:12 AM, mcrcruiser said:

Let's face it CCL is cheaply staffing their ships .This will only last so long before people get fed up .  Low staff to me means a far lower level of enjoyment for my cruise dollars .I am getting to the point of passing on HAL except for our Hawaii cruise end of Jan 2024. Our trips can be land in our time share

We are already fed up with HAL, we are 4 Star Mariners but will only be booking with Celebrity and Princess until we hear things improve with HAL.

[Mary229]

5 hours ago, oakridger said:

was in the Ocean Bar quite a bit and there were usually three bartenders at Happy Hour plus around three waiters going around the tables

I am convinced that HAL is purposely slowing down service at Happy Hour as a way of limiting half priced drinks.  They want everyone to buy HIA as it has proven to be a big income stream and Happy Hour likely decreases demand for HIA.  It is a way to counter consumer psychology- those who say I will only drink at Happy Hour are being led to buy HIA if they can only get one or two beverages at Happy Hour.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

I am convinced that HAL is purposely slowing down service at Happy Hour as a way of limiting half priced drinks.  They want everyone to buy HIA as it has proven to be a big income stream and Happy Hour likely decreases demand for HIA.  It is a way to counter consumer psychology- those who say I will only drink at Happy Hour are being led to buy HIA if they can only get one or two beverages at Happy Hour.

I bet that is true.  I’ve found the service to be pretty much non existent in non happy hour times too though.  That said I don’t spend a ton of time in any bar.  I’d be curious what percentage of people get hia.

[albingirl]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I bet that is true.  I’ve found the service to be pretty much non existent in non happy hour times too though.  That said I don’t spend a ton of time in any bar.  I’d be curious what percentage of people get hia.

I did see people wait a long time for service at happy hour during a recent cruise.  20 to 25 minutes for a waiter to notice them.  I think the HIA is so pricey and jacks up the price of the cruise so much that it's really not worth it to us.  We don't need the specialty dining and excursion perk that is included.  The pricing for the 2024 cruises has gone up, as well. Unless you are sailing during shoulder season, it's hard to find a reasonable price.

[mcrcruiser]

13 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam.  These were our staffing observations:

 

- Turn down service by request only.  Cabin stewards now have more rooms

- Wine stewards in the main dining room are gone

- Many evenings there was only one bartender before dinner behind the bars when they are busy. Only one roaming server for the large bars.  15 minutes to get a drink was not uncommon.

- Waiters in the Pinnacle Grill were speed walking between the kitchen and the tables

- No live music at the pool

- One set of musicians, Third Ave West instrumental trio, for happy hour in the Ocean Bar only

- Limited servers and wait staff in the Lido buffet.  We waited for food and even water.

- One future cruise consultant.  You had to wait in line to book another cruise

- Formally, it was very common to see restroom attendants folding hand towels in the restrooms.  Never saw one on this cruise.  Several times there were no cloth towels remaining.

- Anytime diners in the main dining room were asked not to arrive between 6:30 and 7:30 if they want an enjoyable dining experience.  A public announcement was made.

- No one asking/watching you to sanitize or wash your hands or squirting them at any eating venue, or upon return to the ship.

 

We enjoyed our cruise, but noted that staffing appeared to be cut to the bone.

This is serious  in any service type business . If a expensive hotel did this they soon find that  people would not stay with them . Cruise prices continue to rise & HAL is  one of them raising prices  & simultaneously cuts staff in MDR & entertainment in the World Stage .How different except the entertainment part is a hotel from a cruise cabin?

[*Miss G*]

2 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

How different except the entertainment part is a hotel from a cruise cabin?

 

I don’t generally wake up in another country when I stay in a hotel.

[mcrcruiser]

4 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

We are already fed up with HAL, we are 4 Star Mariners but will only be booking with Celebrity and Princess until we hear things improve with HAL.

Imo Celebrity is hands down the best not Princess which is cut from the same Carnival corp mold  .We had 2 great cruises on Celebrity Soltice in March .No staff shortages No entertainment shortages  .Great food & quality

[mcrcruiser]

Just now, *Miss G* said:

 

I don’t generally wake up in another country when I stay in a hotel.

you miss the point

[mcrcruiser]

We definitely know the differences between a great cruise & one that is below standards .Comparing HAL to Celebrity is truly a non comparison .Celebrity hands down is far better in ALL departments .We have done very recent cruises on both lines do we can tell the vast differences 

[ontheweb]

43 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I don’t generally wake up in another country when I stay in a hotel.

Unless you find yourself in the "Twilight Zone". Cue up the introductory music. (BTW, when the show had a new reboot, the introductory music was then played by the Grateful Dead.)

[OlsSalt]

1 hour ago, mcrcruiser said:

you miss the point

 

You miss the point. Many of us sail to travel, the rest is just not that consequential. 

 

Why are most of the "service complaints" about not getting fast bar service? While HAL ships still sail clean, friendly and with adequate staffing support. 

[Hllb]

Having not been on a HAL cruise yet, I can contribute little to this conversation except...in a bar, waiting for waitstaff to notice you and come over if usually a recipe for long wait times. I get that might be different on a ship, but in a busy bar, if you want a drink, you go up to the bartender and order them, and take them yourself. Perhaps this is part of HAL wanting to bring in somewhat younger crowds. It doesn't seem odd to me to go to the bartender directly, unless I'm somewhere that also serves food. Yes, the waitstaff eventually come to your bar table, but it may take them longer than you'd like.

[albingirl]

3 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

We definitely know the differences between a great cruise & one that is below standards .Comparing HAL to Celebrity is truly a non comparison .Celebrity hands down is far better in ALL departments .We have done very recent cruises on both lines do we can tell the vast differences 

You keep beating the same drum on every post.  So, go with Celebrity.  Bon voyage.

[Florida_gal_50]

5 hours ago, albingirl said:

I did see people wait a long time for service at happy hour during a recent cruise.  20 to 25 minutes for a waiter to notice them.  I think the HIA is so pricey and jacks up the price of the cruise so much that it's really not worth it to us.  We don't need the specialty dining and excursion perk that is included.  The pricing for the 2024 cruises has gone up, as well. Unless you are sailing during shoulder season, it's hard to find a reasonable price.

I think you and I are in the high price silo.  I see people saying all the time on here how low prices are.  They must be open to a few because I'm not seeing them with further out cruises.

[albingirl]

Florida gal, you are right. I've looked recently but havent seen any deals, even on the private sale.  I'm living in Florida, so it might not be that big a deal, but I do love to cruise for the fun change of scenery and the luxury of not cooking and so forth.  I have been very satisfied with HAL, and I don't know where all this recent negativity is coming from.

[HappyInVan]

3 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Why are most of the "service complaints" about not getting fast bar service? While HAL ships still sail clean, friendly and with adequate staffing support. 

 

HAL has been promoting HIA (drinks limit 15/day). So, HAL had better not disappoint.

[POA1]

On 3/27/2023 at 6:00 PM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I can't "like" this post because it isn't good to hear, but I do think you're right. ☹️

Probably have to use the "Thanks" (trophy) instead of the Like. We need a thoughtful Hmmm... button.

🤔