DCL Employee interesting facts

[jlemieu1]

One thing I didn't see this post is that they will sometimes get a late night at port. I've heard it happens in Nassau mostly.

 

[iZon]

But attendance at Royal Court breakfast/lunch is pretty light compared to dining. I can't imagine they need all of the servers. And Enchanted Garden isn't open for lunch and has a buffet breakfast. And Cabanas certainly doesn't have the number of servers needed during the evening. Same with Cookies.

 

[iZon]

...our very nice waiter kruno was also very nice and said he worked 5 a to 2 a with small breaks...

He said he worked from 5am to 2am everyday? So he only got three hours sleep? I doubt anyone could survive doing that. Perhaps he's just trying to gain your sympathy for a bigger tip. There are people trying to push the plight of cruise ship workers and it's possible they exaggerate the negative conditions and length of the hours.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

A 6-month contract is actually really short compared to other cruise lines. Has anyone else watched the NCL Kevin Sheehan episode of Undercover Boss? NCL had just switched from 9-month contracts to 8-month contracts.

I was also told by a member of the entertainment team that Disney pays their plane ticket home. Someone mentioned that his name tag said United Kingdom, but he had an American accent. He said that it was just on his name tag as a technicality so that Disney could pay for his plane ticket home. He was born in the UK but grew up in California, but his family now lives in the UK.

 

[TDC Nala]

It still happens

Yep. Stuff happens. People do stupid stuff even if they are specifically instructed not to. if they're caught, they will get kicked off the ship...I've heard of it happening at least once.

Cruise work is difficult, nobody says it isn't. The ships aren't registered in the US (with the exception of one NCL ship that cruises in Hawaii) so they don't have to follow US labor laws. I believe on the NCL ship that is US flagged, all the employees aboard ship must be US citizens or cleared to work in the US, so they won't have the international crew that is standard on cruises.

There were some folks on DCL who said they'd previously worked for another cruise line and they were glad to come to Disney, so maybe Disney does at least something differently.

Yes the crew does get breaks when they are in port - some of them have to stay on the ship and work, but some get to go ashore for a break. (Many of the Jamaican crew were visiting family at the Falmouth stop, I remember)

 

[annichan]

The DCL Careers website says here that in most positions, weekly work hours vary between 70 and 91. That means up to 13 hours per day, every day!! (And that is only the official line - I am sure that in some situations, as in all jobs, it may end up being more ...)

 

[ptcbass]

Compared to my M-F 8 hr./day job they do work a LOT! When we were on CC and setting at a table off to the side (where no other CM's were around) I asked our server how Disney was to work for. He said that he had worked for several other lines and Disney was not the best to work for. Now in saying that he had been with Disney for several years and said he supported his two brothers back home while they went to college. He said now they are done and working so he was really happy and now is trying to pay off his mortgage. They must make pretty good money. (although I thought his tip was small for the # of days we were there) I know in the US the average job can't do all of that. Dollar for dollar it must be more where he was from. I also told him not to work to hard and he smiled and said don't worry he won't. Then I seen him leaning up against a wall watching people and then picked up a tray someone left at a table. Yeah, he wasn't working too hard.

Our room host worked more than I thought he did. We are really neat clean people and most of the time you could hardly tell anyone was even staying in our room. Well I mentioned to my DH that I didn't think he had to do too much for us and he said he cleaned at least 3 times a day. Who could tell? Well then I noticed every time we come back to our room the sink would be clean and the wash clothes replaced or folded back. They sure are sneaky with how often they are in your room because I only caught him in there once.

I wonder how long the ones that live on CC get to stay. Unless bad weather comes up that seems like a dream job! At least if there have been a lot of people on the island messing it up they know at 5pm they will be gone!

Disney World announced they are also hiring 1200 new cast members. I wonder how they are to work for. I wonder if the same thing day after day gets old. Also I wonder how many of their jobs are rotational (going from one job to another on different days). I overheard some CM's that were riding Soarin with us that they were still in training. They auditioned in August so they only had a few months left of their training year. I didn't know they train for a year! I don't think I would want to live in Orlando though.

 

[reimero]

Disney World announced they are also hiring 1200 new cast members. I wonder how they are to work for. I wonder if the same thing day after day gets old. Also I wonder how many of their jobs are rotational (going from one job to another on different days). I overheard some CM's that were riding Soarin with us that they were still in training. They auditioned in August so they only had a few months left of their training year. I didn't know they train for a year! I don't think I would want to live in Orlando though.

They're great to work for IF you have the right personality, IF you're not afraid to work hard and IF you are willing and able to drink the Kool-Aid. You HAVE to buy in, lock, stock and barrel. It's hard work, and you spend a lot of time delivering the "magic", even (and especially) when guests are being difficult and/or unreasonable (I know, it's never any of us... )
I'm trying to remember all the details, but my DW's brother worked at WDW for a long time, so we heard quite a bit about the ins and outs.

Put in context, "drinking the Kool-Aid" isn't a bad thing. It just means you have to buy in 100% or things won't work out. Disney is about the details. Her brother was telling us stories about how certain details (like tidiness) were everyone's role, regardless of who you were. He was saying that he once witnessed one of the VPs responsible for parks walking through with a couple of aides, spotted a piece of litter, and picked it up and discarded it as a matter of course (rather than reporting it or having an aide do it). This is expected of ALL CMs.

On the topic of stateroom hosts, what I heard (from a stateroom host?) was that they work from something like 5a to 1p or 2p, then again during dining periods for turndown. They don't get a solid 8 hours of sleep, but I think they do get 2 4-hour blocks. The big "sleep loss" for them is when cruisers remain in their staterooms all morning and past lunchtime with the Do Not Disturb sign up. There comes a point at which they're allowed to say, "I'm not waiting any longer", but they DO wait around for people to give them a chance to clean.

 

[Saamh]

One of our servers was so excited for their "day off" in port. They only had to work the dinner shifts but had the whole day off which was a nice treat for her. She said she was planning on doing laundry and sleeping.

 

[ptcbass]

One of our servers was so excited for their "day off" in port. They only had to work the dinner shifts but had the whole day off which was a nice treat for her. She said she was planning on doing laundry and sleeping.

Getting a day off and doing laundry and sleeping?
Not me! I couldn't use that time for laundry when I had a day off!


I can see where you have to be in it 100% to make it work. Not a bad thing for everyone to pitch in (even upper levels) and to be happy (or at least act like it). Maybe more places need to be like this!

I remember the last time I was at six flags. You could tell the employees did NOT want to be there and would routinely play on their cell phones. It really changed the mood for everyone. Not a good experience and NOT Disney!

 

[lbgraves]

But attendance at Royal Court breakfast/lunch is pretty light compared to dining. I can't imagine they need all of the servers. And Enchanted Garden isn't open for lunch and has a buffet breakfast. And Cabanas certainly doesn't have the number of servers needed during the evening. Same with Cookies.

The MDR servers also staff the fast food counters and the assistants clear the decks of dirty plates and trays throughout the day.

 

[livie1205]

He said he worked from 5am to 2am everyday? So he only got three hours sleep? I doubt anyone could survive doing that. Perhaps he's just trying to gain your sympathy for a bigger tip. There are people trying to push the plight of cruise ship workers and it's possible they exaggerate the negative conditions and length of the hours.

He said he got 2 hrs off in the middle of the day to rest/ eat. We did see him in cabanas a few days after that. I dont think they make it up at all, I have read 3 books this yr about working on board a ship and all said the same... That they worked them HARD.

 

[iZon]

How do tips work? For example, head server gets $1 per day or $7 for the cruise. But there are 500ish people at a seating in her/his rotation. So they make $3500 per week? Yikes. $7000 if they supervise both seatings? Wow, no wonder ours was so happy and friendly.

And how many rooms would the stateroom host/hostess service? At $28 per person, average 3 per room - at 10 rooms that would be $840 for a week.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How do tips work? For example, head server gets $1 per day or $7 for the cruise. But there are 500ish people at a seating in her/his rotation. So they make $3500 per week? Yikes. $7000 if they supervise both seatings? Wow, no wonder ours was so happy and friendly.

And how many rooms would the stateroom host/hostess service? At $28 per person, average 3 per room - at 10 rooms that would be $840 for a week.

But, remember their base pay is really quite minimal. Most of their income comes from tips. And there is more than one head server in each MDR. So they only get the tips from the people in their area.

And not everyone tips. Sad, but true.

 

[iZon]

...And there is more than one head server in each MDR. So they only get the tips from the people in their area...

Okay, that makes sense. I wondered how with 100+ tables she was able to find the time to cut my shrimp (don't ask).

We had the same HS two cruises in a row.

 

[jrabbit]

Okay, that makes sense. I wondered how with 100+ tables she was able to find the time to cut my shrimp (don't ask).

We had the same HS two cruises in a row.

I've seen "Pretty Woman"

 

[racingfandj]

It just means you have to buy in 100% or things won't work out. Disney is about the details. Her brother was telling us stories about how certain details (like tidiness) were everyone's role, regardless of who you were. He was saying that he once witnessed one of the VPs responsible for parks walking through with a couple of aides, spotted a piece of litter, and picked it up and discarded it as a matter of course (rather than reporting it or having an aide do it). This is expected of ALL CMs.

This isn't just Disney. I work for the corporate office of a large retail chain and we are expected to shag carts from the parking lot every time we are at a store. Additionally, we straighten shelves or pick up as we go through, even if we are there on our personal shopping trip. It keeps operating costs down and is good for employee morale. Yep, I've drank a lot of kool-aid in 16 years!

 

[mimmi]

We had a very interesting talk to an Austrian waiter on the Fantasy last year, i.e. coming from a rich country with very good working conditions (even much better than in the US for similar positions).

He was very happy with Disney, his main reason to work on a ship was doing something different for two years, which makes him look good on his CV as people who have worked on ships are regarded highly in the tourism industry because of the hard work and the international clientele.

He told us, that they aren't allowed to work more than 11 hours without a break and that Disney is very good at complying with the few rules they have. One week during their contract they are on stand by, in case anybody gets sick, but if not, they have a lot more leisure time than usually.
He said that Disney has a good reputation as employer within the cruise industry which was the reason he chose the company when he was given a choice of several different ones by his agency.

Of course, his big advantage is, that he has insurance between contracts due to our health system regulations and probably even retirement benefits.

 

[Freesia123]

You also have to remember that they have minimal costs while on the ship. They can probably send home at least $2000 + a month to their families, or save it of they are single. That's a lot if you don't have food, lodging, transportation or clothes to pay for. And in a lot of countries, that's big bucks!

 

[LJC1861]

I found out, from talking with our stateroom host, that they have to share their tips with the people who work in the laundry and one other place ( that I can't remember right now) so they are not pocketing the entire amount that is recommended and added to our shipboard accounts. What they can keep 100% of is anything that you give them in cash above and beyond the recommended tip amount.

Linda