Cruise Ship Field Trip Reflection - Assignment Example

? Field Trip Reflection FIELD TRIP REFLECTION For my Resort and Recreation Management the led the in a visit to the Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship on 21st October 2013. The visit’s objective was for the class to familiarize itself with the cruise ship’s environment and operations, as well as the benefits and challenges of working on a cruise ship. Prior to the visit, we had to do a brief background check on the cruise ship. According to the website of Royal Caribbean, which is the cruise ship’s mother company, the ship has been operational since it was completed in 1997. This paper seeks to provide a reflection on the class’ visit to the cruise ship, particularly with the regards to the objectives of the trip. Reflecting on the tour, I think the environment in which the Grandeur of the Sea’s work in is a challenging experience. However, for them, it was my opinion that they enjoyed working in their environment and those who had worked longest were proud of it. It is an opportunity that I have thought about and would like to experience. It is my opinion that to be successful in that sort of environment, one needs to be receptive of routine. Certainly, it is not an environment, which favors dynamic and restless people as it could eventually cause claustrophobic attacks and de-motivation. I also considered what the advantages and disadvantages of working on a cruise ship are. Working on a cruise ship is obviously a good career if one wants to save since they are normally on the ship. It is also a suitable opportunity to gain valuable communication experience, as well as getting to visit exotic places. On the other hand, working on a cruise ship makes family life very difficult, while it could also lead to wider social isolation. While it is a good opportunity, one year would be the maximum I would recommend for working in a cruise ship, especially for the experience. The visit itself began with a security check at the gate. One of the first opinions I formed about the ship was that it was a challenging but fun place to work. I came to this early conclusion before boarding the ship after observing the efficiency of the staff, their camaraderie, and the general order around the ship. This was obviously as a result of their motivation and dedication to the job, which must take experience and training. Prior to boarding the ship, we had to present our identities to the ship’s security officer immediately we accessed the ship. I noted that the ship gives a lot of weight to security issues, as evidenced by their standard requirement that we leave our identification with security and take visitors’ cards to use within the ship. Soon after, the visit guide told us to follow him to the ship’s “situation room” where we were to meet with the ship’s managers. Tony, the Hotel manager and head of the ship, officially welcomed us to the ship and proudly told us that he had worked for this ship for fifteen years, which we found impressive. Ricky, who introduced himself as the babysitting and entertainment manager, let us know that his work is basically to deal with citizens from diverse nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds in making sure they are comfortable. Unlike Tony who worked two months off and two months on the cruise ship, Ricky worked four months on and off. The food and beverages manager was also introduced to us and he gave us a brief outline of what his department entailed. He gave us a practical example of the French Supply Company, which is contracted to supply Grandeur of the Sea every eight weeks with an extra twenty-day supply for emergencies. Gabriela, a neat Mexican lady, then introduced herself as the Housekeeping Manager and gave us a brief talk about how she had started on the ship. Coming to work on the Grandeur of the Sea for the first time, she had faced difficulties communicating with her colleagues and had to go through six months of training, which she concluded was the most challenging part of her time on the ship. Our proper tour of the ship began with the Grandeur of the Sea’s impressive dining area and kitchen. The size of the dining area and the kitchen were quite big compared to kitchens and restaurants on dry land. In addition, the mere number of staff required in the kitchen and dining area was impressive, especially considering that this area did not close for the entire ocean cruise. Gabriela accompanied the visit leader as we were taken to one of the ship’s rooms. Gabriela was very eager to talk to us, telling us about the duration spent setting up and cleaning all the rooms, which was between 9 and 1 am. She also mentioned that out of the sixty-three staff members servicing 996 rooms, only five of them were supervisors. In servicing the rooms efficiently and effectively, she told us the room attendants worked in groups of three or two if most of the rooms were occupied. The laundry department was the next focus of our visit. We found that the department dealt with washing and cleaning laundry items, which room service brought to them; these included the guests’ laundry at a fee. Right next to the laundry department was the cruise ship’s Medical Clinic that had five staff members; three nurses and two doctors. Our visit to the medical clinic took the shortest time and we had time to visit the swimming pool and the theater. We were disappointed to learn that the tour had ended but were soon lively again as we were invited for lunch in the Windjammer Marketplace. In appreciation for their generosity, we presented the visit leader and Ms. Gabriella with mementos for their insightful information and tour. Read More