OT An Indian restaurant manager on an American cruise ship. How did that happen
Guru Karkera I&rsquom the youngest of three siblings. We lost our parents when I was seventeen years old. I always wanted to go see the world and the cruise industry was very exciting, so I applied to Royal Caribbean. My eldest brother works in Nigeria and the next also works with Royal Caribbean, on the Oasis of the Seas. I was twenty-two when I first joined the Explorer of the Seas, as Crew Mess Attendant.
OT What was your career path like
Guru Karkera That first contract, I would see a lot of my colleagues working in the dining room while I was in the crew mess. It was difficult for me to remain patient. Even then it was a great experience and helped me understand the operations. I gradually moved to Officers&rsquo Mess Attendant, then Assistant Waiter, then Waiter, then Windjammer (buffet restaurant) Supervisor, Head Waiter, and now Assistant Dining Room Manager (ADRM).
OT Was life at sea a difficult adjustment
Guru Karkera To adapt to more than forty different nationalities on board when you come as a new hire is definitely challenging. But I had worked for Oberoi Hotels in Mumbai and the experience helped. In terms of food, I am comfortable with any kind of non-vegetarian food, so that was never a problem. To be away from the family for such a long time (we have a six-month contract) is hard &mdash I live in Mumbai with my wife and two-year-old daughter. But the 6- to 8-week-long vacations compensate.
OT What&rsquos an average day&rsquos work for you
Guru Karkera Working hours depend on the day. On sea days, I work close to twelve hours and on port days, around nine. My typical day starts with a round of all F&B venues to see they are up to the mark. Then I check my mails and exchange information with other ADRMs. I draw up guest seating arrangements and assign stations to waiters and assistant waiters, all for the next voyage, even as I keep an eye on current operations and communicate with my manager during the day.
OT What&rsquos most challenging about your job
Guru Karkera To accommodate all the requests from crew, guests and colleagues while abiding by the company guidelines. On Voyager, we cater for close to 3,500 guests. It is a huge number We have 278 crew members and officers in restaurant operations and speed of service is critical. In the galleys, chefs prepare 18,000-19,000 meals every day, to be served at different venues. Yet, with continuous communication between the galleys and the restaurants, we deliver them on time.
OT Do you get any time off on the ship
Guru Karkera We do get to see the places we visit. It&rsquos not a lot of time, but enough to free your mind, relax at the beaches or have a nice lunch. In off-duty hours, I call my wife, have a cup of coffee or catch up with friends on board.
OT What is the most unusual request you have had from a guest
Guru Karkera On the Empress of the Seas, this guest came with a special request attested by his doctor that he could only have filet mignon or lamb chops for his meals every day.
OT Your experience with Indian guests...
Guru Karkera Food is a very crucial requirement of Indian guests. When they are happy with the food, they are happy with everything on board. Yet menus cannot be prepared or changed overnight on a ship &mdash a lot of prior research is done to select dishes and procure ingredients. We have a great Indian menu. At the same time, we encourage Indian guests to try our international offerings. As we say here at Royal Caribbean, &ldquoThe sea is calling&hellip&rdquo &mdash and we are here to &ldquoanswer it royally&rdquo.
Guru Karkera, Assistant Dining Room Manager (Deck 5), Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruises 1-305-341-0204 www.royalcaribbean.com
