veendam log - 28 oct 2007

Another long entry...

I filed my first official complaint to our Security Officer.

A few evenings ago, at around midnight, I received a call in our cabin. I answered it, thinking it was my roommate’s boyfriend. I was going to tell him that she was still in the shower. But it wasn’t Mike. It was another guy looking for me. I asked him who he was – about 3 or four times – but he wouldn’t give me a straight answer so I hung up the phone.

It rang again. I answered. It was the same guy playing the same game. I hung up the phone. It rang again. I let it ring, thinking it would stop sooner or later. It didn’t.

I answered the phone again and asked him for his name. He told me he was Piolo Pascual… aba’y feeling naman talaga no? I asked him about 3 more times and he gave me the same answer. Finally I told him, “Maayos ang tanong ko kaya sagutin mo ‘ko nang maayos.”

He told me his name was Resti. I remembered his name from one time that my roommate and I ran into him in front of the crew mess. That’s all I knew… his name. I never saw his face. Even if I did, it was so fast there’s no chance I’d be able to recall it. Now if he was a good looking guy, I would remember his face… but that’s not the point of the story.

Resti then began to explain that he thought I was my roommate, which was why he was playing around. Then he said that there was probably no chance of him getting to know me since I’m already pissed at him. I told him he was right.

Seriously, regardless of whether or not that person is your friend, when someone asks you who you are – at least 3 times – you tell them your name. You do not play around. Pano pa kaya kung di mo kakilala yung tao?

Anyway, it turns out that he’d made a few more calls to other Front Desk Attendants that evening and we’d all sent statements to the Security Officer. Last I heard, he was given a final warning. And he’s getting teased non-stop in the kitchen.

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Next cruise I’ll be a reliever for the Neptune Lounge Concierge. The Neptune Lounge is the private lounge for suite guests of the ship. It’s quite a big step for a new GRA so I’m really nervous about being given the responsibility.

Dealing with the regular guests are hard enough, but suite guests can be very demanding… and snobbish. I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep my cool and start being smart with them.

Good thing I’ll only be a reliever because even if it’s only Front Desk duties, the fact that you’re doing it alone, for suite guests, that kicks it up a notch. I’m just confident enough to handle a full shift. I still need to learn more about the processes and protocol.

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We had a guest last cruise who was such a racist. Dr. Ramjeet of Stateroom 417. I’ll never forget him because the first time I encountered him – he was refusing to pay for a particular port tax – I ended snapping at him. I didn’t feel bad about doing it because he was really being condescending.

The whole time he was complaining about having to pay the port tax and recounting a previous cruise where he wasn’t refunded when they’d skipped a particular port, I just let him talk. I was calm.

When he asked to speak to my supervisor, as I turned around to go get her, he was still talking and I heard him say, “Do you know what rip-off means?” That’s what got me. I whipped around and told him straight to his face, “Of course I know what rip-off means, sir.” He backed off. I went to get my supervisor.

Dr. Ramjeet came back the next day still complaining about the tax… as if that would change anything. He was still going to have to pay. Anyway, it was my roommate who dealt with him. I was at the back so I didn’t know what was going on.

Minnie came to the back, very upset, asking for our supervisor. Apparently Dr. Ramjeet said something about the Front Desk staff not understanding his request since we were mostly Asians, and Filipinos at that. So Minnie told him that she didn’t appreciate what he was saying about us. He then “explained” that he’d worked with Filipino nurses before and that they usually had difficulty understanding things. That’s when Minnie went to the back to call our supervisor.

Miss Menchie spoke to him in private for a few minutes. When she came back, she told us that he was talking about the principle behind his refusal to pay the port tax. Then he went on to say, “I don’t know how you do it in your country… I don’t know how your parents raised you…” She cut him off right there. She told him, “Dr. Ramjeet, let’s not bring my country and my parents into this. Let’s just deal with the situation at hand.”

Unbelievable.

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I’m expecting my first appraisal soon. Every month the GRAs are reviewed by the Guest Relations Manager and I’m due for mine. I even heard the supervisor calling the crew office requesting for my appraisal form.

I hope I get good reviews. Good enough that HAL won’t have trouble assigning me to another vessel. Good enough that my superiors will request for me when they get the chance.

veendam log 10.17.2007

This is going to be a LONG post. Consider yourself warned.

Some interesting incidents since my last entry:

1. I performed in my very first crew show tonight. I was asked to sing Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas after just 2 runs with the band who’d just notated the piece 2 nights ago. Stress!

Awa ng Diyos nakaraos naman. I was nervous during the first few lines but I managed to pick things as the song progressed and ended it pretty decently.

2. We had a full-fledged fire alarm last October 14th. I was at my TC shift when I received a call from one of the staterooms. The guest, a woman, said that she thought there was a fire in her room. I went cold.

Without thinking, I asked her where the fire was located and if she could see an actual flame or just smoke. After the call, I informed my supervisor, who ran up to check on the situation himself.

After what seemed like only seconds, we heard the fire alarm. Everyone went to their positions to wait for the Captain’s public address as well as further instructions from our manager.

The first address from the Captain informed us that the alarm was not a drill and that the fire report was being investigated. After a few minutes, the Captain came on again to tell all the passengers and crew that the was indeed a small flame caused by a short circuit – evidently the guest had been flicking the light switch over and over – and that it had been contained. We could all rest easy.

Later in the afternoon, I was commended by our other supervisor for staying calm during the whole incident. Apparently she’d been observing me the whole time… even when I answered a call from one guest asking about the fire alarm (I simply informed her that we had received a call from one of the guests, that sounding the alarm was a standard procedure, and that we should stay calm and wait for an announcement from the Captain).

2. I encountered an extremely rude guest on October 15th. He’d just come from the library on Deck 8 and had a complaint. I then proceeded to ask him the standard questions:

1. What is your name?
2. What is your stateroom number?
3. What is your concern?
4. How may I be of assistance?

Before I could even finish my first question, he says, “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to the guy who stood up in front of everyone on the first day of the cruise and told us to come to him if there was any problem.”

I then asked him who the gentleman was and he couldn’t tell me. So I offered my assistance once again. I told him that I’d be able to inform the necessary departments if he’d allow me to help him.

Again, before I could finish my sentence, he interrupted by saying, “How many times do I have to come back here before you let me speak to the man who told us to come to him?”

What I wanted to answer with was, “Just once, sir, if you could tell us his name and what he looks like. But seeing as you don’t remember, it looks like you’re going to have to make a few trips.”

What I did say was, “I would really love to help you set up a meeting with that gentleman, sir, if you could just tell me what your concern was so I can inform the necessary department immediately.”

While all this was happening, one of the supervisors was already standing by behind me just in case he started acting out of order.

In the end, we set up a meeting with him and the Hotel Manager so he could air out his concern, which turned out to be the lack of chairs in the library.

Seriously? All that drama and aggravation just for chairs? And I thought girls were supposed to be the over-emotional ones.

3. On Day 2 of the voyage, we had about 58 passengers check in. 48 of them were guests who’d booked the cruise online. Because of a delayed United Airlines flight, these guests weren’t able embark on the 9th when they were supposed to. What made things worse was their luggage had been lost because of all the delays and transfers.

We were prepared. All the GRAs were informed of the situation and we were ready to face all these angry passengers. What we weren’t prepared for, or at least I wasn’t, was being ganged up on on Day 3.

It was just one of them at first. She was inquiring about updates regarding the lost luggage and reimbursements for the hotel charges they’d incurred (the hotel stays were going to be reimbursed, fyi). After I’d answered her questions, she went on to talking about the reimbursements not being enough since there were still things they needed that they didn’t have access to. Case in point: her husband’s need for a shave.

I suggested the salon on the Lido Deck for her husband’s shaving needs, which she accepted. However, she wanted the shave to be complimentary. I informed her that the salon would not provide a free shave and that there was nothing the FO or anyone on the ship could do to change that situation since the salon is an independent vendor.

It was at this moment that her companions came down to start complaining. It’s true what they say: there is strength in numbers. They just fed off each other. They were only supposed to ask about the status of their luggage and all of a sudden they were asking me what Holland America intended to do for them for the inconvenience. The hotel reimbursement wasn’t enough.

It was all the about the money. Nevermind that it was United Airlines that caused their delay. Nevermind that it was United Airlines that lost their luggage. United Airlines wasn’t there. We were. And they were looking for someone to blame. And since we were in a cruise ship, we couldn’t really run away.

But see, it’s not even their complaints that bothered me the most. What really got to me was that even after I’d taken note of their requests and assured them that I would inform my supervisor and manager, they still didn’t leave. Instead, they stood a few feet away from the front desk and started talking amongst themselves about me. I was right there and they talked about me as if I wasn’t there, as if I didn’t just offer them assistance.
I found that arrogant and rude.

I just looked at them. The entire time they were there. I continued sending out emails, answering calls, stuffing folders… all the time keeping my eye on them. Every time one of them looked in my direction, I made eye contact and didn’t break it. They left after a few minutes.

veendam log - 12 oct 2007

It was a day of firsts. This afternoon I had my first shore leave. This evening, I had my first bout of seasickness. And I must say that I do not care for it.

It was unbelievable. The ship’s was --- and still is --- rocking as thought there was an earthquake… but in slow-mo. I started feeling dizzy so everyone at the FO told me to eat something to counteract the dizziness. Well, it only made me feel worse. All I wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep.

Issa, the GRA I was sharing my shift with, was feeling just as bad so we were taking turns taking a seat to rest and running to the bathroom. Nicole helped us out front as well. It took every ounce of energy for us stand at the reception desk and accommodate our guests… always with a smile. But I’m sure our increasingly pale complexions were a dead give away of how we were really feeling.

I hope this never happens again. Or if it does, I hope I’ll be able to handle it better.

bukas palad stands up and speaks out against poverty

view the original entry.

Start:	Oct 17, '07 7:00p
Location:	Quezon Memorial Circle, QC

To mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, choirs and anti-poverty campaigners will perform a 'Poverty Requiem' as part of a unique global movement aimed at ending poverty and inequality. The event is among several in STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT, a worldwide call to take action in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.

More then twenty huge choirs will join a global chain of performances as a massive community arts project around the world including Philippines, Suriname, Portugal, Gambia, Nigeria, India, Slovenia, Palestine, USA, and The Netherlands. Bukas Palad will be among several local choirs participating in the event that will take place on October 17, 7pm at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

The Poverty Requiem is a vocal piece, composed in the language of world music. The work is made up of five movements elaborating on the different ways in which poverty impacts on people: suffering, anger, mourning, humour and hope. Composer and conductor Peter Maissan wrote the music for the Poverty Requiem. Oxfam Novib’s general director Sylvia Borren wrote the lyrics.

The eight Millennium Development Goals – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.

STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT is an effort to ensure that world leaders actively uphold their promise to realize the Millennium Development Goals. It encourages all to take part in this growing movement of people who refuse to stay silent or seated in the face of poverty. Their appeal is for all to help break the world record so that the world can break the record of broken promises.

To find out how to participate in this movement, log on to: http://www.standagainstpoverty.org

veendam log - 10 oct 2007

it's 10 minutes to 1:00AM (clocks moved 1 our forward) and my first shift starts at 7AM so this will be a roundup of the week since i last posted.

• I must be doing something right because I’ve been assigned a cash float. Normally, a GRA is given a cash float after at least one month of service. I was tense the entire time because at the end of my shift, I had to prepare a Cash Position, which is basically a balance sheet to show that I had the exact same amount that the Purser had given me.
• I’ve served my first full cruise. There were no major incidents. Any potential crises were quickly averted. I was even given a good review by one of the passengers helped. :) Tomorrow’s the start of a brand new cruise and there will be a lot of shuffling of positions. Our supervisor is being trained to be a manager and one of the telephone concierges is being groomed to be a supervisor. the front desk people naman will be taking turns covering the telephone concierge (tc) chair. good luck to us.
• I was watching a German variety show on one of the in-house channels the other night. They had various artists perform songs from different musicals. One of the songs performed was Fame. When the female artist went up on stage, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen her somewhere before. When the camera pulled in for a close-up I realized where I’d seen her: That’s Entertainment. It was Caselyn Francisco! She’s HUGE in Germany. But so is David Hasselhoff so…
• I have a… I wouldn’t call him a stalker because he’s not. Makulit lang talaga. Aakyat daw ng ligaw pag balik nya sa Manila. Ang lagi kong sagot: I’m going to be late for my shift. Ingat po.
• I’ve started watching “The Office” on DVD. Finished the first season as well as a few episodes of the 2nd season. It’s really, really funny. Carlo, I think you’ll enjoy it.
• We have a TV in our cabin. Network and cable channels that we get are CNN, TNT, ESPN and the Discovery Channel. Looks like I’ll be able to catch the NBA after all. ☺ Plus, the movies they show on the in-house channels are not bad: Ocean’s 13, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Reign Over Me. So I won’t really get bored in the cabin.
• I had chocolate-covered strawberries today. YUMMY ☺

i'm on tc duty when i go to work tomorrow. the main difference between a guest relations attendant and a tc is that the tc doesn't have to face the guests. they're mostly on phone duty answering queries by the suite guests. i had a go at it for 3 hours today and it was pretty interesting. i'm guessing tomorrow will be pretty quiet since the guests will probably be sleeping still or having breakfast.

it's a sea day tomorrow, which means we won't have a moment's peace. i honestly think guests think of questions on purpose just so they can come to the front desk. there was one couple that was walking past the front desk. i swear, they looked our way, stopped, whispered to each other, came up to the desk and asked, "is this the front desk?" oh. my. god.

veendam log - 3 oct 2007

it's been almost a week since i boarded the ms veendam and i can honestly say that it's been a great experience so far. there's so much to learn with such a short time to learn. dealing with the guests is the least of my problems. i've managed to calm down a few agitated and confused guests. it's getting the knowledge that's necessary for me to deal with them properly that's the challenge.

after six days of working the front desk, i noticed that most senior americans become crabby and easily flustered simply because they don't want to look stupid. it's a pride thing. they're all huffy in the beginning trying to intimidate you. you just have to stand your ground and explain things as calmly as you can until they calm down and actually hear what you're saying and realize that you're actually making sense.

of course there are the cool seniors who do not, or just simply refuse, to get ruffled. they're the easiest ones to deal with. they're even patient with you when you don't know the answer and wait for you to get the answer. i like them the most.

we're docking at halifax in a few hours. i still haven't been given a schedule that allows me to go on shore leave so i still won't be able to take any pictures. i believe i'll have that chance on the next cruise.