Never outdress or out tip a customer!!

[orcprincess]

...Or whatever you want to call it. Sorry, this ended up kind of long.

While working on my lovely cruise ships, I encountered all sorts of "fun" individuals. Makes living in the "real world" very scary when you get off the ship.

Anyhow, some of my coworkers and I deceided to go to one of the specialty restaurants onboard since it was an overnight, and most of the guests were off the ship, and we could enjoy a night together...blah blah blah, etc.

So, we went to the steakhouse onboard, because steak is yummy. We put on our "fancy grown up" clothes and went to the restaurant. We had a late reservation because, customers come first, right? K. So, we ate, drank (have to be careful not to go over .04 on a ship thats not moving ) and talked a little( not about work or anything...we actually talked about the outside world...school, etc) We finished eating (we paid the cover charges, and for our drinks just like the guests) and we left our tip in CASH, as opposed to our onboard cards...like the guests can do. So, this was our first mistake apparently.

Next morning, at 6am, I was doing what I did best. Work. Help little old ladies understand why there was no casino onboard...etc.

Here's what happend next

CR=Crazy Lady
Me: Yup
KAB=Kick ass boss

Me: May I help the next guest please?
CR: So, did you have a good time last night?
Me: *thinking* Yes, ma'am did you enjoy your evening?
CR: No, I didn't!! *voice gets louder* I am so embarrassed!!
Me: I'm sorry. Is it something I can help you with?
CR: No! You did enough damage! You and this whole desk!!
Me: *blank stare*
CR: "So, what gives you and the rest of the "suits" the right to just walk into any old restaurant you want on any given night, and come in all dressed up in your evening gowns and tuxes to make the rest of us who bust our asses doing real jobs, look bad?"
Me: I'm sorry? I don't think anyone here tries to make...*cut off my screamy pants*
CR: "Shut up! Just shut up and listen! *crowd is gathering to watch me get reamed real good* I paid my hard earned money to come onboard, and all you do is stand there, and you get to go into a restaurant, dressed up, and order whatever you want off the menu (funny thing is anyone that can read the menu, gets to order whatever they want!) You children made me look bad last night because I was wearing jeans, and a t-shirt. Why were you dressed up?
Me: We have to wear nice clothing, and some of had some new clothes we wanted to try out
CR: I want to speak to your manager! "you are cruel and have no heart!"
Me: *goes to get boss like a good little overdressed servant*
KAB: Would you like to come to my office and discuss this?
CR: No! I want everyone to hear how I have been embarrased about my clothing and financial standing
Me: *thinking, I'm gonna stand right here next to KAB and listen to this. Wish I had popcorn*

CR rehashes the whole scene, but then adds the part about how when we were finished, we left a tip. Oh the horror!!! We paid for our service? Funny.

KAB: So, you are upset with my employees for dressing nice, leaving a tip, and being polite? Ok. I don't think I understand. Would you like to come to my office?

Well it turns out she was embarrased that they only left 4 dollars.
We left $40 to the front waiter, and $30 for the back waiter. Yes, they are friends, but thats why we left more...we have to pay for our friends to keep them!

But seriously, we did that because we knew the people during this particular weeks' cruise were incredibly cheap *you can tell these things*

She later wrote a letter to our corporate office about the whole ordeal, and we sent them our logbooks with the info (to cover our asses) and they were confused to. Welcome to ship life!!

[PepperElf]

lol. yeah like "how dare you have fun and look nice!" bleh.

p.s. lol nice siggy. I think that elevator is about 50 feet aft of the fantail

[NightWatch]

You know... I've never seen a waiter/waitress/bartender/service slave complain about people coming into their place of business looking nice, being polite and then even tipping well. What a nut. Does she not think the cruise line employees work their butts off too?

[One-Fang]

Oh the agony of being shown up as a poor deadbeat person ... who can afford a cruise.

??!WTF??

I can't afford a cruise. Orcprincess you are showing me up just by BEING cruise staff! How dare you remind me how I can't even afford to get ON the boat! You are so CRUEL!!!

LOL.

[orcprincess]

Oh the agony of being shown up as a poor deadbeat person ... who can afford a cruise.

??!WTF??

I can't afford a cruise. Orcprincess you are showing me up just by BEING cruise staff! How dare you remind me how I can't even afford to get ON the boat! You are so CRUEL!!!

LOL.

I apologize for the inconvienence, however, I will not be able to compensate you at this time.

[Lingering Grin]

You know... I've never seen a waiter/waitress/bartender/service slave complain about people coming into their place of business looking nice, being polite and then even tipping well. What a nut. Does she not think the cruise line employees work their butts off too?

Me either...

THe worst I've ever seen is a couple of bartenders that went by on they're day off (or got off shift, and had the next day off) and proceeded to get completely wasted. Even then, noone complained.

Hell, I've seen the manager of a bar feed one of his employees drinks just to see how much it would take to make him praise the porcelain gods.

Sure, if that was the case (they were drunk), she *MIGHT* have a complaint, but only if it conflicted with their work. If they were able to recover and work perfectly fine... no harm... no foul...

However, they weren't drunk, they weren't rude, and they weren't being stupid.


That lady that complained... is just a bitch.

[Kiwi]

*pouts*

I wish I could go on a cruise

and if I could afford it, I would be dressing in the best stuff I had at all times and pretending I was rich enough not to keep a daily tally on my income and spending!

oh the agony of being on a cruise as a guest and not an employee!

[otakuneko]

Much to your KAB there.

[depechemodefan]

OMG, that woman was so freaking out of control. Obviously she was envious of you for the presentation you gave (how you dressed, that you tipped, etc) and she just couldn't get over it. That is so fucking sad. I can imagine how she didn't tip anyone or even bitch to her family/friends that "those skinny girls (other passengers) showing off their tits in those skimpy bikinis!" because she has too large an ass to be in a bikini. I can get some envy, like a working smuck is envious of the rich, but that orgress just went way over the line.

[tropicsgoddess]

"OMG you outdone me in tipping and dressing while and I came in looking like a scrub and tipped a paltry $4!!" Talk about petty and downright stupid.

[Polenicus]

CR: "So, what gives you and the rest of the "suits" the right to just walk into any old restaurant you want on any given night, and come in all dressed up in your evening gowns and tuxes to make the rest of us who bust our asses doing real jobs, look bad?"
Me: I'm sorry? I don't think anyone here tries to make...*cut off my screamy pants*
CR: "Shut up! Just shut up and listen! *crowd is gathering to watch me get reamed real good* I paid my hard earned money to come onboard, and all you do is stand there, and you get to go into a restaurant, dressed up, and order whatever you want off the menu (funny thing is anyone that can read the menu, gets to order whatever they want!) You children made me look bad last night because I was wearing jeans, and a t-shirt. Why were you dressed up?

I wait... SHE'S the working plebe? But she's the one on vacation, while you have to work... and... and... but...!



Wow... I know sometimes you have to jump through some hoops to reaffirm your firm knowledge that you are, in fact, the center of the universe and everything that happens in it relates to or is directed towards you, but holy FISHNUTS is that ever a reach to find a reason to complain!

[Kirkygirl]

OrcPrincess, I think that you had every right to go and dress up all fancy. If there was a party that was in nice clothes at the table beside me, I might ask politely if they were having a party or some such thing. I don't think I have the right to go and bother people about their clothing (extenuating circumstances excluded of course) and that is their business. That lady was way out of bounds. Good job that you kept calm and collected throughout that lady's tirade. Probably made her look pretty stupid.
I think also the reason why your boss sided with you is because of safety regulations regarding staffing levels, am I correct? Like, lifeboat tickets and emergency procedures and such?

[threadjack, but some similiarities]
My dad used to be an engineer with the local ferry service. I was hanging out in the terminal one day with him when his ship wasn't sailing due to high winds. He wasn't wearing his shoulder patches, but he was wearing his crew sweater. He was accosted serveral times by people asking if they had canned the sailing. He said that they had, and they ducked back inside their cars. Probably swore at him too under their breath.
What the hell can my father do?!? He is not the one who said that the sailing had to be scrubbed, it's Transport Canada for god's sake!

www.tc.gc.ca
[/threadjack]

Minions on the high seas are still minions though. It just goes to show you that you can't please some people no matter where they are. But thankfully, you have a great boss who understands that everyone is part of the team while onboard, and even on shore. My dad's former bosses? Ehhhh....not so much.

[Evil Queen]

Working on a cruiseline still sounds like fun, can I join?

[Snowbird]

So.. um... if this woman encountered, say, Zsa Zsa Gabor, enjoying a fine meal while dressed to the nines, who just so happened to leave a generous tip, would she behave the same?

My answer? Absolutely not. One, because Ms. Gabor is not in customer service, which would make her fair game to the 'this person is a peon and unable to retaliate or refute because of their job' mindset. Two, because Ms. Gabor might take offense and knowing her track record, the other lady might end up clobbered with a purse... but that thought makes me laugh.

Seriously though, what a pill. Does she yell at cell phone store employees for having a more expensive style than her phone? The stupidity, it makes my brain hurt.

[Shards]

Meh... I dunno what her beef is with you guys. If I saw people walking into a steakhouse wearing formal wear, I'd laugh. At them, more specifically. I mean, a Tux is one thing, and it's really not so bad, but a suit or a blazer is almost always annoying ans obnoxious to wear. Personally, if I could afford to go on a cruise (With my own money) I would probably spend the entire trip wearing nothing but a t-shirt and swim trunks. Even if I were dining or couldn't get in the water. I mean, if a place asked me to dress nice, I'd be a good sport and put my penguin suit on, but I would much rather wear something easier.

Then again, I'm the type of guy who'd rather spend his money on a trip out west to enjoy the Rockey Mountain slopes.