It seems like this process has been going on forever (since last December) so now I am a little impatient waiting for my e-mails so I can start the medical and police check forms.
I have been thinking about working on the ship non-stop and find it difficult to focus on my school work. I have been looking at different suitcases for the cruise ship. I have heard there is not a lot of room in the cabins for suitcases so I am trying to find one that is affordable, collapsible, and wheelable. I found a cute one at L.L. Bean.
I am trying to think of space saving techniques to help my packing along because I heard everyone over packs on their first contract.
I also want to get the e-mail so I can get the Disney Look Book. This is a book that tells you all about the Disney standards for hygiene and looks. It is things like, you can't wear necklaces, you need to have natural looking hair colour, one ring per hand etc. I want to see if it is exactly the same as Disney World's look book, or if it is slightly different. I am also excited to get my job description. I know the basic of Guest Services, but I am hoping to receive some more information on the position so I can be a little prepared before I board the ship.
The waiting is killing me, but I know it will all be worth it in the end.
Toodles!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Disney Cruise Line!
Hello Everyone!
I am starting this blog to document my journey working for the Disney Cruise Line. I will try and maintain this blog while I am working on board the Disney Wonder. My first contract is 14 December 2011 - 25 June 2012 and I will be based in Los Angeles for the Mexican Riviera cruises and the cruise to Hawaii, and then I will be based in Seattle for the Alaska cruises.
This whole process started after my parents went on a transatlantic cruise with Disney in April of last year. They told me how wonderful the cruise ship was and how the staff was super friendly. I really miss working for Disney; I love all their standards and I think if everyone could use Disney guest service standards the world would be a much nicer place. But I digress. I started researching different roles with the cruise line and found that I was only able to become a server. I have been working in the restaurant industry since I was 16 and I really didn't want to be a server on the ship. I applied in January through Cast-a-way knowing that I would most likely have to become a server. I e-mailed them my resume and then was told that I would get a phone interview! Excellent! I researched all the roles on the ship and found that guest services is where I really wanted to be. I LOVE working with guests and there is not greater feeling than solving someones problem and making their vacation that much more special. When I had the phone interview Eric said that the only position I was suitable for was as a server and I told him how I would rather be a youth councilor or work in guest services. He said my experience did not allow me to work in those areas and I would only be a server. That pretty much ended the phone interview there, I was positive I did not want to be a server.
So a few months passed and I still really wanted to work on the Disney Cruise Line. My parents and I went on a repositioning cruise from L.A. to Vancouver and that just cemented my desire to work on DCL. I had to find a way to work in guest services. So I e-mailed my resume and application directly to the DCL human resources and had a phone interview with LeeAnn in May. I told her how I wanted to work in guest relations and how my college diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management had prepared me for that role, and how working as a server at Disney World was similar to guest relations because you had to be able to solve problems completely unrelated to food service. I guess I convinced her because I was told I did very well in the interview and she just had to straighten my Disney re-hire status out. From May until August I waited to hear if I was going to be able to work for the cruise line. I had encouraging e-mails from LeeAnn, but I couldn't relax until I knew everything was taken care of.
So this brings us to two days ago. I got a call from LeeAnn offering me a job as a guest service hostess on the Disney Wonder on December 14th!!!!!!!!!!
I was beside myself with excitement!! I promptly accepted the position and she told me about the next steps I had to take. I have to get a police check and a medical exam before I can be officially hired. I am waiting for an e-mail to start those steps, but as long as they both come up clean (which I expect they will) everything should go very smoothly.
So now I have a million things running through my brain to prepare for leaving for my contract. I have to finish my last semester of University (which is easier said than done) and I have to think of all the things I need to pack. I imagine I will pack my suitcase and then have to take at least half of the items out.
That is my Disney Cruise Line adventure thus far, but I am sure there will be many more excited posts with random information. I will update with how the police check and medical turn out.
Toodle Loo!
I am starting this blog to document my journey working for the Disney Cruise Line. I will try and maintain this blog while I am working on board the Disney Wonder. My first contract is 14 December 2011 - 25 June 2012 and I will be based in Los Angeles for the Mexican Riviera cruises and the cruise to Hawaii, and then I will be based in Seattle for the Alaska cruises.
This whole process started after my parents went on a transatlantic cruise with Disney in April of last year. They told me how wonderful the cruise ship was and how the staff was super friendly. I really miss working for Disney; I love all their standards and I think if everyone could use Disney guest service standards the world would be a much nicer place. But I digress. I started researching different roles with the cruise line and found that I was only able to become a server. I have been working in the restaurant industry since I was 16 and I really didn't want to be a server on the ship. I applied in January through Cast-a-way knowing that I would most likely have to become a server. I e-mailed them my resume and then was told that I would get a phone interview! Excellent! I researched all the roles on the ship and found that guest services is where I really wanted to be. I LOVE working with guests and there is not greater feeling than solving someones problem and making their vacation that much more special. When I had the phone interview Eric said that the only position I was suitable for was as a server and I told him how I would rather be a youth councilor or work in guest services. He said my experience did not allow me to work in those areas and I would only be a server. That pretty much ended the phone interview there, I was positive I did not want to be a server.
So a few months passed and I still really wanted to work on the Disney Cruise Line. My parents and I went on a repositioning cruise from L.A. to Vancouver and that just cemented my desire to work on DCL. I had to find a way to work in guest services. So I e-mailed my resume and application directly to the DCL human resources and had a phone interview with LeeAnn in May. I told her how I wanted to work in guest relations and how my college diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management had prepared me for that role, and how working as a server at Disney World was similar to guest relations because you had to be able to solve problems completely unrelated to food service. I guess I convinced her because I was told I did very well in the interview and she just had to straighten my Disney re-hire status out. From May until August I waited to hear if I was going to be able to work for the cruise line. I had encouraging e-mails from LeeAnn, but I couldn't relax until I knew everything was taken care of.
So this brings us to two days ago. I got a call from LeeAnn offering me a job as a guest service hostess on the Disney Wonder on December 14th!!!!!!!!!!
I was beside myself with excitement!! I promptly accepted the position and she told me about the next steps I had to take. I have to get a police check and a medical exam before I can be officially hired. I am waiting for an e-mail to start those steps, but as long as they both come up clean (which I expect they will) everything should go very smoothly.
So now I have a million things running through my brain to prepare for leaving for my contract. I have to finish my last semester of University (which is easier said than done) and I have to think of all the things I need to pack. I imagine I will pack my suitcase and then have to take at least half of the items out.
That is my Disney Cruise Line adventure thus far, but I am sure there will be many more excited posts with random information. I will update with how the police check and medical turn out.
Toodle Loo!
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