Servers using aliases

[perky]

I was just remembering something I thought was odd - when it came time to tip our waiter and assistant waiter, we saw different names on the envelopes. I checked with guest services, and they said the envelope names were correct and they would go to the right people. He said they go by different names on their name tags. It wasn't even remotely close like a nickname. Anyone else ever notice this? Why wouldn't they want to use their real names? It felt odd after spending a week together and calling them by this other name.

 

[bksaffle]

Cast Members who come from different countries will sometimes adopt an "English" name since the majority of their guests are from the United States. This is pretty common. Next time ask your server what their born-given name is, and they will tell you. They choose their English name, and that is what they are used to being called. But legally, when they are receiving their salary/tips, it has to be given in their legal "passport" name. A lot of times it is the English translation of their real name.

 

[Sir William]

We've had several servers who had names difficult to pronounce. They told us their actual name and then said "call me Daniel" or something easier to remember or pronounce. I always try to use their real name if I can manage it without mangling it.

 

[jillbean78]

This happened to us and guest services said it was fine however, I asked our servers directly and the name on my sheet was wrong!!! Glad I asked them. I guess changes are made last minute and it doesn't always get corrected on the sheet you are given for tips.

 

[Flossbolna]

This happened to us and guest services said it was fine however, I asked our servers directly and the name on my sheet was wrong!!! Glad I asked them. I guess changes are made last minute and it doesn't always get corrected on the sheet you are given for tips.

Yes, I would recommend to always verify with your servers or stateroom attendant directly, if the name is off. We had this on our Norway cruise and asked our server. It was very strange as for him first name and family name were idenitically. He laughed and said that it was indeed his family name and that for some reason DCL's computer have started to use his family name as his first name two cruises ago and he had thought that it would be corrected by now. He thanked us for verifying with him however and said that sometimes mistakes do happen.

 

[ludari]

I've had this many times as well but it's always been a shorter variation of their name never a completely different name. Although I understand why they do it I would prefer to call them by their real name.

 

[brochad1611]

I was very surprised this cruise to find out that our Servers Daniel and Alavara are actually Daniel and Alavara!

 

[clten]

Personally, I honor their wishes on what they choose to be called. If they did not want an "English" name, they wouldn't choose one. This is the name that they go by onboard with guests and co-workers. Yes, other crew members may know their real name but some that don't work directly with them may not. So if I refer to their real name when speaking at Guest Services, they may not know the server I am referring to.

Now as far as the name on the tip cards, I do check to see if the name they have asked to be called is anything like the name printed. If it makes sense, I'm good with it. If the names doesn't correspond in any way I can figure, I make sure I ask the server (or whoever it might be) so I can be sure the right person is getting the right tip!

 

[emnems34]

Yes, like others have said it just is a way to make their names easier to pronounce for guests since most are English speakers. I always call them by whatever it says on their name tag- that's the name they chose for themselves after all! A lot of the time name's are difficult to pronounce so it's just easier for everyone involved.

 

[RedSox68]

We've had some servers and stateroom hosts with very difficult names -- on their name tags. We've never had a difference in names between their tags and the printouts. Guess it depends on the server's preferences. This is interesting though.

 

[Quellman]

On our last cruise we noticed that the name on the assistant server card was completely not the same person as the person who took care of us. (We knew because this was a B2B cruise and we saw that the names matched the first time around since we had the same servers both cruises). Turns out our assistant server was supposed to rotate to another server (since the server was about to head home at the end of his contract). Guest services wasn't much of a help in this matter since they didn't have a clue what had happened, but our assistant server just HAPPENED to walk by at that exact moment, and we were like "Yulia! What's going on?" She said no to worry about it, that everything was taken care of in the dining room.


I know this doesn't have much to do with the servers alias comment, but wanted to remind people to check their cards, because it could be tough if funds don't go where they need to be!

 

[Hundredacre]

We have also had servers who said my name is -------, but I go by Sam or whatever. I have a friend in real life who does this as well. I have known her for more than 20 years and she said her parents gave her two names when she was born, her legal name, which I definitely cannot pronounce, and her American name, which is easy apple pie american. She was born in the US. She says she prefers her american name.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Also agree to make sure names match your tip printouts. We had one name wrong, went to GS and it took them awhile, including speaking with supervisor, waiting etc for over 20 min, explaining again, but had new tip sheets later that day with correct info. Situation was as described - one server was supposed to be elsewhere so was not in system correctly.

 

[lbus42]

This happens outside of the cruise industry as well. I used to work at the Nissan car company with a Japanese man named Ken. I once asked him about his name because it did not sound very Japanese. He told me that he immigrated to the US in the 1960's and immigration gave him the name Ken. His real name was Matsuhara.

 

[kiford]

We have several people at work who are known by one name but are listed by a completely different name in the payroll system. In some cases, the individual has a Chinese name and has chosen an English name and in a few cases, they are known by a middle name and/or maiden name. One woman uses her first name at work but is known by her middle name at home and goes by her maiden name at work but uses her husband's name at home. So sometimes a family member calling work for her will use a completely different first and last name than what we know her by.

My husband spent his early years until after high school using his middle name (which his family still uses) and then changed to using his first name at university. All of his friends from prior to high school (some of whom he also went to university with) still call him by his middle name 30+ years later but I've always known him by his first name. Same for both his brothers and sister. So I have to know everyone in the family by two different names plus nicknames of the middle names.

 

[danceteacher]

We have a favorite on the Dream named Putra from xxxxx...except when we asked for him the first time we went back they asked "Which Putra?" Good thing we could give a physical description and that he laughs all the time! Turns out OUR Putra from xxxxx was one of several in the dining staff and one of more than that ship-wide, so we just hand our envelopes to them anyway. Plus, we have never had a server we didn't love, so, pictures and silliness are important at the end of the cruise, that's when we give them the envelope. (Same with mousekeeping).

 

[steves100]

have sailed 11 DCL cruises, only once was anyone's name different. We also checked with guest services to verify......

 

[SuperDry]

Cast Members who come from different countries will sometimes adopt an "English" name since the majority of their guests are from the United States. This is pretty common.

It's not just done on the ship. In many countries around the world, it's common for people to have an English name that they use when speaking English, even locally. Their English name may far pre-date their service on the ship.

 

[Flossbolna]

It's not just done on the ship. In many countries around the world, it's common for people to have an English name that they use when speaking English, even locally. Their English name may far pre-date their service on the ship.

Actually, I have something similar, a "Starbucks" name. My German first name has an English equivalent, but is not very common and when I order a drink at Starbucks in the US and they ask for my name, they get my "Starbucks" name as there have been instances when I did not recognize my own name anymore once it was written on a cup and then read out by a different person... I got that tip from a friend whose name is more or less not translatable into English.

 

[richkaryn]

Happened with our assistant server on the dream. I just asked him and told him I wanted to make sure he was getting the tips he deserved. Turns out he went by one of his middle names and that is why it didn't show up the same on the card, but he did verify for me it was him.