NCL America’s  Training Program For Its Hospitality Crew A Success

One thing that stands out about Pride of America is the quality of the US crewmembers who work in the dining and hospitality areas. Each one is proud to be serving on America’s first new build in half a century and it shows. Although some of the crew are from NCL America’s sister ship Pride of Aloha, the majority of those serving on board especially in the hotel and dining areas were chosen more recently from across the 50 US states and territories.

 It was not always this good as NCL remembers. When NCL’s first ship Pride of Aloha set sail in Hawaii last year, there were numerous complaints from passengers about the poor quality of the service on board. Stung by the criticism, NCL began the training program for all new recruits last fall to prepare them for working on Pride.

After their initial selection, chosen from hundred’s of replies to ads NCL had placed across America, each potential crew member had to first earn a Merchant Marine Document (MMD). The document is required since no one may be employed on U.S.-flag merchant vessels of 100 gross tons or over without a merchant mariner's document issued by the US Coast Guard. To obtain a MMD, applicants must meet the age requirements for working on a US vessel, have proof of US citizenship or produce evidence of nationalization from the US INS, and undergo a drug test.

Once the document is obtained, the recruits then can proceed with their training at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland, which offers US Coast Guard-approved courses. The program is compulsory for all in the dining and hotel areas who sign on to work on NCL America ships. The Piney Point training campus features unsurpassed educational facilities, such as bridge and engine simulators, the Joseph Sacco Fire Fight and Safety School, and the culinary lab.,

For a minimum of eight hours daily during their length of stay, each NCL crew member engages in a series of courses including team building, stress management, effective listening, conflict resolution, security and safety. They also take orientation courses on Hawaiian culture and hands-on practical training in food preparation, US Public Health requirements and housekeeping.

Hospitality experts and experienced NCL crew from other ships teach these courses and share their knowledge of the NCL operation and NCL passengers. Crew training also includes crowd management, which helps develop skills for controlling large groups of passengers and crew in an emergency; knowing where to locate safety and emergency equipment on board; complying with ships emergency procedures; effective communications during an emergency; and demonstrating the use of personal life-saving devices.

Crew members I talked with on board the Pride of America were proud of their training and explained some of the procedures they were put through. Many, who had had some hospitality experience prior to signing on with NCL, found that the courses in learning how to get along with others on a ship were of prime importance. “Personality issues can be very defeating in a small area,” a young waitress told me. Another stressed how difficult it is to obtain the MMD before entry into the training program. All were positive about what they had learned in the intensive program. It was evident on board the Pride where no task was too trivial nor a request too burdening, that their three-week course was a success.

Seasoned Pride of Aloha’s dining and hospitality crew now are required to spend a minimum of one week at the Center. And, reportedly, NCL is considering applying this training to hotel and dining crew on their other foreign-flagged ships.