Gangway Torture

Gangway Torture

1^st October 2011

I’m not the one who complains about gangways. Yes, gangways can be bad while others are good but never have I found gangway such a struggle as I did today in Naples. It’s our last port of call and Reuben had scheduled me as the gangway leader for the first time. If we didn’t get the counts, I’d be the one explaining why.

Sandra was shooting the wheel, Hernan was shooting Sanela, the dolphin and I had to shoot the rail. Automatically things went to wrong. The shore passes for Sandra and Sanela weren’t ready so they couldn’t get off the ship. Hernan and I didn’t need one and guests were starting to leave the ship.

Reuben had told us all to go out together but hearing the amount of guests punching their cards and getting off the ship, I told Hernan to take Sandra’s wheel and get onto the gangway. I'd join him with the rail and situated ourselves on opposite ends of the gangway. At at least that way we could try and make a start. 

Twenty minutes later, Hernan strolled over to me shooting the rail and said he couldn’t find the wheel and was going back inside the ship. 

Sandra and Sanela were soon off the ship. Hernan went and took over straight away from Sandra. She was fuming about Hernan’s excuse about not being able to find the wheel. She’d explained where it was and by the looks of things, Hernan hadn’t even bothered looking. Dragging the wheel out we were smudging as best as we could. We were getting nowhere though.

Naples port security came over and told me to move the rail because of cars getting passed. What the hell? I said I’d move the rail if and when a vehicle came passed. They weren’t happy with the reply, picked up my rail and carried it off to the edge of the pier. 

Borrowing security’s deck phone, I called Reuben to tell him. He’d seen it all. Reuben, was in fact watching us from Deck 3. He told me to grab the rail again, move it closer to the main ship gangway as well as sticking close to the terminal. Sandra dragged the wheel along and positioned herself near me. At least we could chat when things went quiet.

We spotted Hernan and Sanela walking back onto the ship. Sanela needed a break. It’s incredibly hot and stuffy in the dolphin costume and no doubt would be gasping for a drink. We didn’t batter an eyelid. Image rules do state that we are only to spend 30 minutes in a costumes such as the dolphin. You're then supposed to have a 30 minute break while someone else replaces you in the costume. That, doesn't happen, of course!

Checking our watches a little later, they still weren’t back. They’d been 40 minutes. Going on board I went to find out where they were. Neither were in their cabins. Walking off the ship I spotted them both back on gangway. I asked Hernan where the hell he’d been. His reply was “we went on a break”. “A 45 minute break?”. Looking at me as if I had two heads Hernan just shrugged and stated “I fell asleep” as if to say “what do you want me to do about it? It’s not my fault.”

Carrying on Sandra and I were in mental agony. if such a thing exists. Three hours of pure, non-stop shit and refusals from guests. It seriously takes its toll and becomes more like a mental, emotional torture rather than a gangway. 

With just over thirty minutes left, a group of ladies came out who I’d been helping the night before in the gallery. Smudging them in for a picture, one turned around “you remember me? You were very rude and unhelpful last night.” “Me? Ma’am, I helped you all find your photos last night” “Oh, no you didn’t, I found those. You’re rude and I’m gonna make sure your management know about it” and with that she turned and walked off. I couldn’t believe it! Last night I’d shown them how to use the kiosk and find their group and individual photographs that had been taken on several backdrops. Now, I’m getting accused of being rude and unhelpful? The only thing that I could think of as “unhelpful” was the part where I told the lady the red glow caused by the red gel on the black backdrop could not be Photoshopped out. Yet here she was, denying everything and accusing me of something else.

I’d had enough. I picked up my rail, plonked it on my shoulder and walked off nearly in tears. Sandra followed. Going inside Kervin, from security, was there. He asked what was up so I told him about our crap time on gangway where Sandra and I got 10 pictures each. Kervin, although trying to be helpful, said that within the first 30 minutes approximately 300 guests had left the ship. He didn’t know about the shore pass problems the team had had in the morning. Walking off I was biting my lip, trying not to cry. Grabbing the other shooter’s memory cards I walked off towards the lab to drop everything off.

Back in the cabin I sat in the bathroom and had a bit of a cry. It was an all-time gangway low. This cruise has been by far the worst I’ve ever experienced and one that I never want to experience again. We’re about 70% under target… how is that even possible when you have 3,200 guests on board?

Leaving the bathroom, Sandra was outside in the corridor in floods of tears. Zoran was trying to calm her down. He suggested we all go out, get off the ship and grab something to eat and forget “about that shit”. Zoran and his way with words!

Heading out, we went to Antonio’s for pizza. It was heaving with crew. Once we’d had something to eat, Zoran and I were sat at the table talking to each other. Sandra and popped over to another table to speak to the two Lauras from Bar. 

Hearing a familiar voice I looked over and standing about four metres away was the woman who’d had a go at me in the morning, claiming I'd be rude. Motioning to Zoran towards the lady with my eyes I whispered “that’s the woman that had a go at me on gangway today”. Zoran seemed shocked. 

Next thing we knew the lady was at our table!! “I know what she’s saying to you. I know what she’s saying to you. Now let me tell you something; you’re a rude, unhelpful person. You refused to help me last night and wouldn’t take our picture the night before (formal night). I’m gonna let your management know.” Next she said something about my job. Getting pissed off about having someone come over to have a go at me during my free time (I was out of uniform, on my break and off the ship) I reminded the lady I’d helped her last night and had taken her picture on formal night. I wasn’t on the black background like she was suggesting. 

Apparently, I’d taken a bad picture of her on the black backdrop on Deck 4. I reminded her that I wasn’t shooting that backdrop, but was on Deck 3 instead. Not finished there she wrongly stated to Zoran that I was then shooting on Deck 3 and refused to take her photo. Next, I’d refused to take her photo in the dining room on Deck 4. What the hell? She seemed to be making all of this up as she went along! I was mortified that someone would come into a restaurant, raising her voice for everyone to hear and accuse me of such things in front of the people I work with. I felt like a 24-carat gold prat!!

Feeling completely let down and exhausted I headed back to the ship. It wasn’t long until I had a night in the gallery. I was dreading it. I had a strange feeling the witch of a guest would be back to cause more havoc.

Popping into the office, Reuben asked what had happened this morning on gangway, so I told him. I couldn't lie and wasn't prepared to. I admitted to leaving gangway 30 minutes early and gave, what I thought was a good reason why. He nodded and said okay. I think he knew we’d had a terribly difficult struggle on gangway and that it was taking its toll. 

After I spoke to Reuben about what had happened with the guest on gangway and later in the pizza restaurant. He was shocked and asked if there were other people around. Sandra saw the gangway episode and Zoran was there for the rant in the restaurant. Reuben told me to go into the gallery and find a picture of the women. 

I found photographs of the lady in no time. I remembered taking her photo in the dining room, as soon as I saw her portrait. How could I have refused to take her photo when the picture I took was in the gallery? 

Taking it into Reuben he knew exactly who she was. She’d come in complaining about the results of one picture. Reuben sent me to get on with my work and he was going to log a complaint. That way, if she did give me a bad name comment (which Royal Caribbean and Image live for) and/or complaint, it’d be dismissed – hopefully.

The only joy of the day, and I know this is going to sound evil, was when one person who gave both me and Sandra a heck of a lot of stick in the morning was left behind! Zoran and I were walking back to the gallery from the Staff Mess. We saw four people on the pier. Instatly spotting the women, wearing an overly bright pink and white outfit with ridiculous peroxide hair plus extensions, she was one of the four still on the pier. They’d missed the ship and there was no way it was going to pull back to the pier.  In fact, because of them, we were sailing away 45 minutes late!

Hovering for about 5 minutes, the ship soon started sailing out of the port. All four guests were waving their arms and shouting for the ship to come back. Zoran and I stood watching from the ship's outter deck. It was too much of an operation to pull back upto the pier plus we had to be out the port by a certain time. The guests would have to make their own way to Civitavecchia to collect their luggage by tomorrow morning. I wonder if they’d taken their passports with them….