b'OPERATIONSHigh tea serviceChoreography These high-end guests expect to get Wertanzl said providing a luxury cruise experience is likewhat they want when they want it. You creating a stage production: Every tiny elementfrom featuredhave to be flexible.performers like the head bartender to the tiniest details on crew uniformsneeds to work in harmony to cast a spell.The difference is, this audience can create script changes any time they like. Service CultureThe biggest thing is, during a performance, the guest canThere cant be any missing links in the culture of service, or overwrite the performance, he said. So its not only orches- it will all come undone, Wertanzl said. tration, you also have to play chess all the time too. These high- My philosophy is theres always someone who serves some-end guests expect to get what they want when they want it. Youbody who serves a guest. Theres an internal customer philos-have to be flexible. ophy. If the waiter from the dining room goes in the galley and Recent IT breakthroughs help a lot on larger ships. In a smallerpicks up the food and the chef doesnt see him or serve him the luxury market, however, the bartender is supposed to remembersame way he serves the guest, the service chain is broken, he your drink preference. The waiter is supposed to remembersaid. The crew needs to see each other as customers too. We your allergies.are all guests amongst each other. We need to serve each other All that requires individual crew training and strong systemicthe same.best practices. That extends to crew accommodations, which should be com-We know our guests more than ever. We try to anticipate.fortable and include as many extras as possible. A happy crew Our services should not be reactive. Its staged and its antic- makes for happy guests.ipative, he said. That is critical, every time a guest comesIn this business, in this segment, youre supposed to do to the front desk. Thats a moment of truth. They need to bethe cherry picking of the best people. They know, who has the ready, smile. They need to be on stage all the time. best working conditions; who is the employer of choice in that Some customers are chatty, others want crew to disappear.segment. who treats them well. Where do they have upward The behavioral side of the service is to be intimate with themobility? Who has the best conditionssingle, double cabin? customer, to understand it and to try to figure out, Do they wantAll this comes into play, he said. On a cruise ship, its a captive to talk to me, to be engaged? You know in the United States weaudience. The guests start to chat with the crew to see if they like to be engaged; we like to talk to the server. You go to Europe,are happy, to see if they are well treated. And it does reflect on they say Give me my coffee, bye bye; dont interrupt me,the overall experience. Theres no way out. Sooner or later it he said. And then at the end, you need to constantly audit it. all comes out. Cruise Industry News: MHA 35 thAnniversary25'