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BAR MANUAL This bar manual has bee set up by the office and should be handed to bar employees as they sign on they must sign the receipt of it and follow the guidelines outlined in this Manual. GENERAL INFORMATION
Upon your arrival on board, you will be scheduled to attend Customer Service training sessions. This training manual contains most of the basic information you will need to study and learn to become a productive employee. As a new employee you will participate in training seminars and workshops when you join a ship, and you will have to memorize a lot of information per training to drink contents and classification. Do not be intimidated by all this new vocabulary and apply yourself to the task with dedication and perseverance. In a short time, your efforts will pay off, and you will develop a selling technique with your personal touch. As a Bar employee, your gratuity (Tip) is in direct proportion to the amount of your sales, so the complete knowledge of the product and of effective selling techniques will translate in higher satisfaction from the guests and increase revenues for you. Working schedule
The working schedules are determined by the Asst. Bar and F&B Manager and are generally posted in all of the bar pantries and copies given to the individual. The rotation is generally effected at the end of each cruise, depending on the itinerary or the length of each cruise. The Bar Manager must rotate the bar waiter/ress on a weekly basis or every cruise, this will benefit the overall operation, giving the opportunity to the staff to get familiar with all the areas, and gives everybody the same opportunity to make tips, considering some bars are busier then others. There are several bars on every ship, and each bar has its own opening hours. Some bars are inside bars, such as the show lounge bar, and some are outside bar, such as the pool. You are assigned to a bar for a specific period of time, generally one cruise, on a rotating basis, after your initial training period is over. Very often, you will be assigned to two bars within one schedule period, as some bars have short opening hours. For example you could work the pool bar from 08:00am to 01:00pm and the lounge bar from 05:00pm to 11:00pm. The following cruise, you would be assigned a different schedule. You should always report to work 15 to 20 mn before you are scheduled to start so that you can prepare your station and your mise en place. Your direct supervisor will check your appearance, uniform and your name tag before service begins. Refer to Appendum A of this handbook to find an example of a working schedule. The Bartender will fully responsible for his assigned Bar, the stock of is bar, he must sign it on when he takes over the bar and signs it off to the next bartender taking over from him. The Barman will be assigned his Bar and may be rotated. The Bar Manager will oversee a list of “days” off, when possible and on a rotation base. Working schedules for all bar staff are determined by the Bar Manager and should be posted in or near the bar office, or in one of the bar pantries. All bar staff must be aware of the location of the schedule. Rotation should take place at the end of each cruise, depending on the itinerary or the length of the cruise. Bar personnel will also be assigned “side jobs”. Bar Manager must assign stations in every lounge, including pool areas to every bar waiter and waitress. Rotation of stations should take place weekly. A station plan, clearly indicating stations assigned must be in each bar pantry at all times. Side Jobs
A side from regular duties, all bar service personnel are assigned „side jobs“. Those side jobs are varied and include such activities as participating in a cocktail demonstration, helping to set up a lounge for a party, or relieving a fellow crew member during his lunch break. Side jobs are an important part of your work, and are included in your working schedule. The Cashless System
Most cruise lines have adopted a system of payment for on board purchases referred to as „the cashless system“. Upon boarding the ship, guest establish a credit line, estimating the amount of money they will spend during the cruise. They give a deposit for that amount using cash or a credit card. They are issued an on board charge card, with their name and cabin number on it, and this is what they use for payment in the gift shop, the bars, the excursion desk, etc.. It is very important that you understand the procedures of the cashless system, and how you will collect payment for the drinks you serve. Refer to the procedures chapter of this handbook, under the headings „Taking the order“, „Ordering from the bartender“, and „Presenting the check“ for more detailed information. Bar Staff Gratuities Break down
The bar checks presented to the guests include a 00% service charge, The 00% charge service will be given to the Bar Staff at the beginning of the following cruise. Bar Manager will pay the gratuities to the bar staff in cash, at the beginning of the following cruise, at a time determined by him. A spread sheet with the total sales per server, and a $/€ amount to be paid to the server must be signed by each server upon receiving their gratuities. The original signed spread sheet is to be given to the Chief Purser and copy to the F&B Manager for control purposes. Ratings
At the end of each cruise, the guest receive a comment card to fill up. The comment cards are collected, copied, read, and analyzed, and each Department Head receives a copy. The Bar manager will pass on to his staff the comments received, good and bad and take whatever appropriate action he deems necessary. Performance evaluations
Your progress and performance are evaluated at regular intervals by our department Head and the results of the evaluation are reviewed with you in a private interview. The evaluations are forwarded to the corporate office, who will also review them and add them to your personal file. A severe infraction to ship’s or department’s rules results in a written warning that is also forwarded to the corporate office and added to your personal file. The Golden Rules
The ship’s rules and regulations apply to all crewmembers, regardless of the department they belong to. Each department in turn has its particular code of conduct. The two most important Bar rules are: · Complete honesty is required at all times. No bartender is to give, nor a waiter/ress to receive, and drink from the bar (including “Just a coke”), without the drink being properly registered on the cash registerand the check being presented to the passenger. · All service personnel are to serve guests in the most positive and courteous manner. Should a complaint arise, the Bar Manager or his representative must be advised immediately. Failure to comply with these rules may result in dismissal. The Art of Service
We often confuse good manners, social etiquette and service protocol. Good manners is what tells you not to pick your nose or clean your teeth in public. Social etiquette tells you not to discuss religion or politics with a guest, and service protocol tells you who in a group gets served first: Good Manners:
· Do not blow your nose, pick your ears, or scratch yourself in public. · Do not chew gum on duty. · Do not cross your arms, stand with you hands in your pockets, or lean on a chair or table while talking to a guest. · Look straight at the person addressing you and maintain eye contact during the conversation. Social Etiquette:
· You are the host, so greet the guests first and say goodbye last. · Never touch a guest unless physical help is requested. · Do not discuss your personal life with a guest. · Do not speak a foreign language in front of someone who does not understand it. · Use the guest’s name when presenting the check. Service Protocol:
· Make eye contact with, take the order from, and serve the ladies first. · Do not interrupt the guests conversation, make eye contact and wait for them to acknowledge your presence and then greet them. · When serving more than two guests at the same table ask if they prefer one check or separate checks before you place the order and print the check. · Always go back to the table after a few minutes and ask if your guests are satisfied. · Etiquette also gives us the proper addresses to use with our guests. Handling guests complains:
· Listen carefully to the complain, maintaining eye contact with the guest. Do not interrupt, even if it is to agree with the guest. How can you agree if you have not listened to the whole thing? Interrupting means that you are not listening. · Empathize with the guest, letting him know that you are listening and understand the problem; nod your head, or use words like “I see” or “I understand”. · Clarify the situation. Ask question, get more information. That will help you decide what action to take next. · Repeat to the guest what you understand the problem to be. The guest will know that you have listened, that you understand, and that you care. · Apologize for any inconvenience caused, even if it is not your fault. Whether you are responsible for the problem or not is not the point here. As a crewmember, you represent the ship and all its employees, and you are apologizing for a situation that has caused distress to the guest. · Refer the complain (not the guest) to your immediate supervisor. If the complaint is something that you or the bartender on duty can not handle, call the Asst. Food and Bar Director or his assistant (Senior Bartender) to come over and take care of it. If the complaint is not about your department, call the Hotel’s office to refer the guest. If necessary take him there. Telling a guest to go and complain to your supervisor or to the hotel office does not help him in the least and only shows that you don’t care. A common mistake in handling complaints is “passing the buck”, which means shifting the problem from one person to another without really doing anything about it. · What is important here is not that you take care of the problem, it is that you take care of the guest. Service Procedures
The service procedures described in the next pages apply to the entry-level position of bar waiter/ress. Since our policy is to promote in-house, as much as possible, most of our bartenders or wine steward/sees have once worked as a bar waiter/ress and are familiar with these procedures. General notions of service apply to all service employees and are universal. A smile and a courteous manner make a guest welcome and at ease. Remembering a guest’s name certainly makes him feel special and appreciated. Eye contact is a most effective tool and is often under-used by service personnel. When do you use eye contact? In the following situations: · Guests sit down in your station while you are already busy with another table. Make eye contact and nod. · You get to the table, and the guests are involved in a discussion. Make eye contact and nod. The guests will understand it as “I’ll be right with you”. Knowing that they are not being ignored, they will patiently wait for you. · You get to the table, and the guests are involved in a discussion. Make eye contact with one or two of them. They will interrupt the discussion and aknowledge your presence without you cutting into the conversation. · You want to take the order without repeating “For you Madame” or “For you Sir”? every time you address a guest. Make eye contact with the person whose turn it is to give his/her order. · Special promotions and drink specials are offered in the daily program or on table tent cards. · Embarkation day is the ideal time to „push“ special drinks in souvenir glasses. Services procedures
Approaching the table
HOW TO & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A) Stand straight and smile. Stay in one place and make eye contact with all the guests at the table and greet them with the appropriate terms. Note that “Salut” and “Ciaos” are used only among friends. Use good morning, afternoon or evening when addressing guests. B) The first impression is very important and is made during the first seconds of contact. Smiling is essential to make the guests feel welcome and at ease. If the guests are involved in a conversation do not interrupt but make eye contact and wait for them to address you. C) Adjust your introduction to the guests. For a group of 4 or more, an “Comment allez vous” question takes too long to answer, so use “Soyez les Bienvenue” instead. D) Evaluate the mood of the guests and adjust your introduction to the right tone of voice. E) Introduce yourself, in the most simple manner, such as “Mon nom est … and proceed to take the order. Selling the product
HOW TO & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A) Instead of just asking for the order, mention the specials, or the promotions. Learn the best times of day to recommend specific drinks, such as B) This is an effective way to start the conversation with the guests, and it will C) Try to match your suggestions to the time of day, and the mood of your guests. Knowing the products is essential if you want to make money selling them. D) A guest going to dinner wants a different drink than the guest coming from a hot afternoon on the beach. To the first one , you would suggest an aperitif, a cocktail or a glass of winme; to the second a frozen daiquiri or a cool beer. You should always suggest a special after dinner. E) If a guest asks for a suggestion, find out first what type of drink he/she prefers; F) There is no limit to how much you can sell if you put your mind to it and make H) The premiums are priced higher than the bar stock, so selling them brings I) Offering a suggestion means to the guest that you are really involved in Bar Operations Procedures
Taking the order
HOW TO & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A) Learn and adopt a system of abbreviation for the drinks on the bar list. Examples: Mti R For martini on the rocks Gin T For gin tonic A) You will save time and be able to maintain eye contact while writing the order. B) Number your guests, #1 being the first one on your right, and work you way around the table, using the proper service protocol, I-e ladies first, then children, and then the men. Start with the first lady on your right, and go to the next lady counterclockwise. C5) 4 (child) (Woman) 5 3 (woman) (man) 6 2 (woman) 1 (man) B) For a table of six, man-woman-woman- child-woman-man, your order pad should read this: #1 :Beer Kronembourg WW #2: WW GinT #3:GinT #4: Coke MgtaF n/s #5:MgtaFn/s #6: Beer Fisher C) Because of the way the cashless system works, now you need to find out if the orders go on one check or on a separate checks. The answer is obvious for a couple, but when you are working with tables of three or more, it can get complicated. The procedure calls for tact and finesse. If no one has given you a guest’s card at this point, you need to ask for it. Making eye contact with the two men at the table ask: „May I have your card, please?.“ If one of them says“it’s on me“, charge everything to his card. If you receive more than one card, make sure that you match the orders to the orders to the cards you receive. C) When you receive one card from a guest. Mr Jean, for example, match it by asking“Merci Monsieur Jean, c’est pour la biere et le verre de vin?“, if he says yes, mark his initials on your order pad next to the drinks he is paying for. Do the same thing for Mr Pierre when he hands you his card. Look at your pad now: #1: Kronembourg J #2:WW J #3: GinT S #4: Coke S #5: MgtaF n/s S #6: Fisher S D) Underage guets are issued a card od a different color, or with a hole in it. You must never serve alcoholic beverages to these guests. D) Before you leave the table, reassure your guests that you will be right back. Ordering the drinks
HOW TO & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A) To order from the bartender, you need to input your personal code into the computer, along with the guest’s card information. The computer will automatically bill the charge to the guets’s account and print a check that will include your gratuity. A) Make sure at this time that you match the checks and the guest’s charge cards. B) To speed up the preparation, order the frozen drinks and cocktails first. C) While the bartender is mixing the drinks, prepare the fruit garnishes that decorate the drinks, and check your tray to make sure that you have enough coasters and napkins, a clean ashtray, and spare pens. D) You should always carry with you a program of the day’s activities. Very often the guests will ask you at what time the show starts or which movie is playing in the theater. E) Put each check in a presenter, making sure that you match the checks and the cards. Serving the drinks
HOW TO & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A) Put the last drinks to be served (the men’s drinks in the center of the tray, and the first drinks to be served, (the ladie’s) on the outside. A) This way, your tray will stay balanced after you unload the first drinks. B) Place a coaster and/or a cocktail napkin in front of each guest. Serve the ladies B) Put the drink on top of the coaster, and the napkin on the side. C) Do not ask who ordered which drink. Refer to your order pad if you do not C) You will look much more professional saying “Voici votre biere, Monsieur”, when you set it down, than going to the table asking: “Pour qui est la biere, le coca, le vin”etc… D) Use a shot glass when serving highballs or on the rocks. To serve a scotch on D) This way the guest sees that he is getting the right measure. E) After you set down the drinks, remove from the table empty glasses, soiled E) There should never be more than two cigarettes butts in the ashtray. When you remove an ashtray from a table, cover it with another ashtray to prevent ashes from failing on the table or into drinks. Presenting the check
HOW TO & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Present the check to the guest right after serving the drinks, to avoid mistakes or misunderstandings. If a guest asks to run a tab, clear it up with the bartender first. Make sure the guest gets his check before leaving. If a guest leaves without paying, you are held responsible for the payment as the check registers your personal code when you place the order. When presenting the check to a guest, address him/her by name: „Mr/Mme Jean, s’il vous auriez vous l’amabilited d’imprimer votre nom et de signer l’addition, merci.“ If a guest becomes a regular, make it a point to remember his name. You must always give the guest the Right copy of the check, or a receipt. Most guests keep a copy of the checks they sign to verify their account. When the guests leave the lounge, make Sure that you are around to bid them “Au revoir” and invite them to come back. REMEMBER: YOU DON’T SERVE DRINKS, YOU SERVE PEOPLE
Par Stocks, and Inventory Procedures
The par stock levels must be implemented and followed, each Bartender is in charge of the par stocks of his assigned bar, and the Asst. Bar Manager must ensure these procedures are followed. For better control of the bar merchandise on hand and consumption, all the bars must have a par stock, this will ensure the permanent availability of goods at any given moment. This par stock or par level like is more known, must be established according to the location and sales expected from each bar. The Managers have to monitor these par levels. The Services bar, while we always tend to stock all the bars properly and with the maximum amount of liquor variety, we must not forget that some of these liquors will be requested only if the passenger knows about it or see it in the bar counter display and show curiosity. We should ensure that the bar pantries liquor is monitored and consider those that continuously shows no sales to be transferred to a more suitable location. With the company experience we should be able to have a more accurate par level on the services pantries and be more concentrated were the company make the profit, the pouring brands, and used the other liquors and spirits in this area only by passenger request. Bar closing inventories must be done at the end of each cruise by the Bar Manager and the bartender responsible for each bar, at closing time. This closing inventory at the end of the day will be the open inventory at the beginning of the next 7 days. Bar closing Procedures
Before closing the bar the Bartender must: Do all closing reports Ensure the bar is cleaned. The trash is empty. Store all bottles in their respective areas or cabinets Lock all storage rooms, cabinets and coolers. Turn off soda guns and any equipment other then the fridges. Close the bar and turn the keys and reports to the manager on duty. Ensure that no open checks are on the computer system
The bar keys must be turned to the Reception at the closing of each bar, no bar staff his to have any bar keys in his/hers possession. The bar manager must have a log system to sign off and sign in the bar keys and every crewmember must sign the key log book any time they take or return any keys.The reception will be responsible for the logging in and out of the keys. Requisitions to and from the Galley
Any requisitions from the galley must have the signature of the Exc. Chef and authorized by the F&B Manager. Any requisitions for special parties must be signed by the Bar Manager and F&B Manager. The special parties must be charged to the departments or guests requesting the function and a credit must be given to the food cost. ( See prices and guide lines on chapter 10 - Special Functions) Ordering Procedures
Bar requisitions must be sent to the Bar Manager drop box the previous night for delivery the following day. When the closing Bartender closes the bar at the end of the night he does a stock inventory and produces a requisition to restock the bar before opening the next day, the Bar Manager or Asst. Bar Manager closing must sign the requisition. The requisitions must be dropped at the Provision Master’s office on a box set up for that effect. All requisitions must be signed by the Bartender producing the requisition and checked and signed by the Bar Manager or Asst Bar Manager. The Bar Manager and the F&B Manager must sign any food requisitions. The F&B Manager have to sign any requisitions to the Galley department. Mini Bars
The mini bars, Suites or De Luxe Cabins are equipped with mini bars, these refrigerators bars are under the control of the Chief Housekeeper and his assistants. Is up to the cabin steward to ensure the par level is daily maintained, and for that purpose is one or two bars allocated with this stock were the refill order can be prepared. The refrigerator bar is open the first night of the cruise until last day, the control is maintained by physically check daily for any consumption. The beers, sodas, and snacks has expiration date that need to be periodically check to avoid expired product and complains from passengers, this product with proper control should be replaced before expiration date, and transferred to the crew shop or crew bar. By having proper record of these changes, we will be able to ensure fresh product and guest satisfaction, without losses. The refill of the mini bars is done daily and as many times as needed for this reason the Bar Manager has allocated one bar during the day time and the other for any need at late hours. The Assistant chief housekeeper should be the person responsible to check these mini bars in the morning and in the evening, prepare the refill order and the charges to the passengers with copy to the guest, this will avoid the amount of discrepancies and complains from guest at the end of the cruise. Private Functions
All the Private Functions must be coordinated through the Hotel Manager, who will then inform the F&B Manager and/or Bar Manager and provide him/her with the details. The Bar Manager must not discuss private functions pricing with the guests, as this is the Hotel Manager or F&B Manager’s responsibility. Payment for parties to bar personnel is as follows: Bartender: $ 00.00 per party Bar Servers $ 00.00 per party. These payments will not be made for the Captain’s Party or any party served free of charge. Payments must be detailed via supplementary payroll. Supplementary payroll must include employee’s full name, ID number, and position. Under the „Remarks Column“ must note „Cocktail Party“ Bar staff will be informed of party schedule
All private party forms must be properly filled with all the information For accounting purposes specify if it is Pre-Paid or Complimentary. End of cruise Report
The Bar Manager is to give to the F&B Manager a detailed Cruise Report at the end of each Voyage. The cruise report is a way of documenting any incidents, bar costs and revenues, days off schedule, rotation schedule, problems and other bar related matters. The following should be attached to the cruise report: · Weekly repair request report · Crew bar sales report · Wine Stewards sales report · Bar Waiters weekly sales · Private functions report · Bar sales report Three ( 3 ) copies of the cruise report will be needed 1) for the Hotel Director and two ( 2 ) to the F&B Manager, one will for the on board file the other will be sent to the office by the Htl Mngr with all the end of cruise reports. | | ||||||||
