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 Message 1117 of 1991 in Flair Bartending
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Subject: Re: Flair bartending on a cruise ship!
From: Gavin
Posted: Mon Feb 21. 2005, 17:49 UTC
Followup to: "Flair bartending on a cruise ship!"  by Dregs  (Mon Feb 21. 2005, 17:20 UTC)
> HELP - Need aadvise!
> 
> Is there anyone who has been a bartender on a cruise ship!  I have an 
> interview coming up next month with Princess Cruise Liners an i could 
> do with some advise.
> Regards
> Dave

I used to work for P&O Cruises, same company as Princess. No flairing on the 
ships - no floormats, wrong sort of pourers, low ceilings. Only one of P&O 
ships had flairing (when a couple of TGI bartenders worked on board - they 
used to do demonstrations on party nights etc. After they left their wasn't 
anyone else to take over, and the other ships had an older clientel and a more 
"refined" image so it wasn't really suitable anyway. While I was at sea (4 
years) I hardly ever did any real flair, just "working" moves. 
However, P&O launched a new venture Ocean Village geared more towards the 
younger market and went all out with mats etc to encourage flair (or at least 
my friend who set it up did). However, downside being that the crew are the 
lowest paid of any in the P&O fleet, by a BIG margin.
Princess is slighly more "relaxed" an atmosphere than P&O, so they may 
encourage flair in some of their bars, although with 13 bars on a ship maybe 
only one or two will be suitable in atmosphere, and the low deckheads 
(ceilings for landlubbers!) will always be a problem.
All that said, while "exhibition" flair may be innapropriate or impractical 
(ceilings/mats) more working style flair is obviously still a possibility. 
There's a lot of panache you can put into your bartending that doesn't require 
bottles/tins/glasses to leave your hand at all.
Oh, one thing - it certainly feels strange to be trying to juggle/catch things 
while the floor is moving under you!
In the interview, concentrate on your professionalism and desire for customer 
service - flair ability may be a bonus, but they really want to know that your 
customer's satisfaction is your main priority. That and accurate stock control!


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