Interview with Ms Donata Caillé, supervisor Recruiting and Carreer about life on board
Hello Donata
Hello, How are you?
I am very well, and you? How are you doing?
Very well, Thank you very much.
We are very thankfull that you invited us today on Arosa Bella, that we could see the ship, and aslo our candidates could be here. I would like to ask you, have you ever been on board for your self to work?
Yes, I actually worked on ships for two years, started on 2000 and finish eventually on 2012 started 2 years between starting for my masters degree basically quit on 2012 and started to work on recruiting for the ships.
Wau, amazing and did you work on river or sea going vesels?
Actually sea going vesels
Did you enjoy that?
Yes, absolutely, it was amazing.
That’s why you are good recruiter, you are doing well your job now, because you know about what you are talking.
I know what we are looking for, ship is more special than working on land, and we are looking for special people.
And in what do you see this special thing that peple need to have when they apply for job on board.
We have to have people who are really flexible, and very open minded, because when you are working on ships, you’re dealing with so many different nationalities on crew wise, but also on passenger wise, so really have to be open ti intercultural exchange, you have to deal with collegues, you have to deal with guests you have to solve problems, you realize that people are dealing differently with stress than you do yourself. People dealing different with anger or with hapiness, so you learn a lot basically about yourself about others about the other nationalities, other mentalities you meet along so it’s a big learning process that you have on board the ship, but it’s actually worth it and worth learn how can you go throug life.
So it’s a good school for people for sure. To be flexible, friendly to the people. Do you think if somebody is too complicated, it is possible to see that very soon on board?
Yes, we actually realize that very fast, because if you are working on board the ship you can prepare a lot of things, but the rest will happen as you come along. Ship can arrive early, can arrive late, we can cancel abord different things can happening, we might have to cancel board, you have to deal with things right on the spot. If you are like square structured and you go one by one by one, it might be a problem. You have to be really openminded and flexible and dealing the situations as they come along. There is preparation before that, yes, but the last 20-30% you just have to except the situation an deal with it straight away.
What about languages? People would like to apply, what do you think which kind of language they should speak?
The language on board our ship is actually the german language, the main language is german, all the menus, the structures, the drills are done in german, but we also accept people who are speaking english, this year we started with german lenguage teachers on board the ship, so there is a possibility to learn.
So on each board people could start with german language even if they are not very good?
They can sign.
I think that’s really really good, and very positive for the people.
Absolutely. It’s just you have to have the willingness to learn.
And what about time, when they are working on board do they have time to go to have some lessons in german?
They are working about 8-10 hours per day, there is maximum 72 hours for week. Could be sometimes less, it always depends on the day, if you have a cruise, and we are starting and the guests are starting to come in at the same time, and then when they are leaving, there are usually the most intense days. During the cruise there are a lot of excursions so the guests left the ship. People are working in shifts, in the restaurant, in galley, at the reception, we have early shift, we have late shifts . You can take part on the excursions.
So people who are wonking on ship, they could go outside to take some excursions?
Yes, absolutely
Which one forexample? When they can go?
They can basically have a look at our excursion program, if our crew likes one of these, and they have time, and there is space in excursions, they can actually go with the guests to join the sightseeing.
I know that you have gym on board.
Of course.
If people are working on board, they can use it?
It’s another benefit that crew has, after 8 pm at night they can use the gym, the guests come first, but after 8 pm they are usually done and they can use it.
That’s good for the crew, right?
Absolutely, they love it.
What about food?
The food we are offering on board our ship is that we have crew mess for our crew, they can go there for breakfast, lunch and dinner, we have there crew preparing the food and is frehly prepared, it’s not leftovers it is freshly prepared for crew and also during the day if they are hungry they can come there and there is bread, som vegetables, fruit, some water, some tee, coffe.
What about party? Birthday party, how they can arrange it on board?
There is the possibility that they has to go to harbour, but obviously from time to time partys on board the ship, if they likes the party and have time.
What if somebody would like to go to higher position? If somebody starts at lower position is it possible on Arosa to go to higher?
Absolutely, we can provide full education on board the ship, we do crosstrainings, we have various schools what they can do, we look at crew indiviualy and see how far they gone and whether they basically can go higher up. We have on board the ship person who started as cabin stewardess and now is Hotel manager.
That’s the best way, because you know all parts. And if you are looking at crew members for the future, which kind of people you look to coe on board?
We like enthusiastic, openminded crew members, it is not necessery they have to be from hotel or touristic background, we also accept people that are new to the business, we train them up, they have to have will and passion, you have to be happy to serve the guest, and to take care of the guest, and we’ll give you the international crew and basically have good time on board the ship and provide a fantastic vacation for the guest.
You can listen to this podcast also on Spotify.
Leave a Reply