January 31, 2011
We work hard, but we do get to reap the fruits of our labors. One of the many nice benefits of our jobs is that officers are allowed to frequent most of the guest venues. One of our favorite things to do is to dine at the specialty restaurants onboard. The Crew Mess is good for basic fair and quick meals. Easily accessible for breakfast when one is racing to work and simple and close for mid-day meals. But if one needs to put their evening uniform on to mingle with guests, one might as well put that effort to good use by eating in the guest areas. The Ocean View Café is great for a spur of the moment meals, but can be terribly predictable. So, when we feel like mixing it up a little bit, we look to dine at the specialties.
However, we are budget conscious, so we generally choose to do that on nights when discounts are offered to the crew. Depending on the itinerary for the day, specialties will be more or less full. On the nights when the Maitre D’s feel that their restaurant will be less utilized, they like to encourage the crew to dine. We don’t dine for free and our money adds to their bottom line just like our guests’. The guests do have two ‘free’ choices onboard. They can go to the Grand Cuvee Restaurant, which is our main dining room, or the Ocean View Café which they can access for a casual buffet. But they may also take advantage of one of our specialty restaurants to treat themselves to an even more exceptional meal for an added charge. Since we are subject to the same charges, crew two-for-one nights are a big hit!
The Tuscan Grille and Qsine offer two distinct but equally enjoyable experiences. Tuscan was the first specialty restaurant that I enjoyed. It is Italian country fare with excellent steaks and amazing sides. It has a comfortable Old World ambience, and a beautiful view of the ocean to our stern. Qsine is not so easily explained. It is creative and highly contemporary. The menus are iPads, and somewhat interactive. If you click on an item it not only gives you a description, but at times adds a brief tongue in cheek video about delicacies as diverse as Disco Shrimp, Lava Crab, Chi-tinis, or Sushi Tootsie Rolls. If you decide you like a dish you add it to your favorites. Then the favorites of each of the diners at your table are compared, and your culinary tour guide begins to construct a table menu which incorporates the favorites in some logical progression. Essentially, they will keep bringing these family style courses until you cry uncle! It is great fun and entirely delicious. Most nights, Yez or Laura suggests we go out as a team. But one night they each had prior plans. However, it was a two-for-one night.
So, boys night out was planned. Dwight and I agreed to get together for dinner since the women had ditched us. We agreed to meet at Qsine at 8:45pm, and enjoy a leisurely dinner together. Dwight was supposed to set up for Crew Karaoke that night, but Laura offered to cover that for him so that we would have more time, as her dinner was earlier. I completed my walk around of guest areas and then headed to Qsine. As 8:45pm quickly became 9pm, I was reminded the difference between American time and Jamaican time, Dwight’s birthplace. With the normal tact of our team I called him and told him to get there quickly before I had to chew my own arm off. He strolled in a few minutes later, and we began the culinary journey. It was a great evening and I’ve never heard Dwight talk so much. In truth when our female counterparts are there, they do drive the discussion. It was great to get to know about his background, his three year old son, and his thoughts for the future. This is really the value of these specialty restaurant evenings. We each have a chance to relax for a couple of hours and share our stories.
And we each have unusual stories to tell. It isn’t the ‘normal people’ who choose to work on a cruise ship!
And the adventure continues . . .
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