Empathy List Archives

L

LAL

Wed, May 11, 2011 6:50 PM

Do any of you all have a "formal" or "informal" guest policy.

Specifically do any of you "limit" how young children can be on board,
and who is responsible for them, and when these youngsters must wear
life vests?

Do any of you have a informal limit as to how long a guest can stay on
board?

How does one politely tell guests that there are severe and rigid
limitations as to what can go down the toilet, how much water one can
use in the shower, turn the tap off when brushing teeth, and when to
help and when not to help around the boat.

Do any of you state that small children (under the age of, let's say 5
or 6) must be accompanied by their parents? (Grandparents, aunts,
other relatives do not qualify.)

And, do any of you all have a "guest who brings their pet with them"
policy?

Again, informal, formal, understand between consenting adults, wish I
had that discussion, have not had that discussion but wish I had, etc
etc etc..

Private replies very much accepted...

I am thinking about these issues and my mind is drifting toward
draconian rules, especially with young children with their parents
only, as having a child get hurt on board would be ABSOLUTELY
DEVASTATING.

Lee

[demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/pkcs7-signature which had a name of smime.p7s]

Do any of you all have a "formal" or "informal" guest policy. Specifically do any of you "limit" how young children can be on board, and who is responsible for them, and when these youngsters must wear life vests? Do any of you have a informal limit as to how long a guest can stay on board? How does one politely tell guests that there are severe and rigid limitations as to what can go down the toilet, how much water one can use in the shower, turn the tap off when brushing teeth, and when to help and when not to help around the boat. Do any of you state that small children (under the age of, let's say 5 or 6) must be accompanied by their parents? (Grandparents, aunts, other relatives do not qualify.) And, do any of you all have a "guest who brings their pet with them" policy? Again, informal, formal, understand between consenting adults, wish I had that discussion, have not had that discussion but wish I had, etc etc etc.. Private replies very much accepted... I am thinking about these issues and my mind is drifting toward draconian rules, especially with young children with their parents only, as having a child get hurt on board would be ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING. Lee [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/pkcs7-signature which had a name of smime.p7s]

JP

Joseph Pica

Wed, May 11, 2011 7:13 PM

Snip:"...Do any of you have a informal limit as to how long a guest can stay
on board?..."

In 17,000+ miles very rarely any guests. Day trips only. Guests are only
tolerable if truly accustomed to cruising and its necessary safety and
mechanical rules/constraints. Safety of all aboard is ultimately the
Captain's responsibility. Schedules are unrealistic with regard to being
places for pick up and drop off. Non cruisers don't understand that.
Guests on board become annoyed and annoying quickly if not true experienced
cruisers accustomed to rules on board. Friendship may end.

Joe

Carolyn Ann GH N-37

Snip:"...Do any of you have a informal limit as to how long a guest can stay on board?..." In 17,000+ miles very rarely any guests. Day trips only. Guests are only tolerable if truly accustomed to cruising and its necessary safety and mechanical rules/constraints. Safety of all aboard is ultimately the Captain's responsibility. Schedules are unrealistic with regard to being places for pick up and drop off. Non cruisers don't understand that. Guests on board become annoyed and annoying quickly if not true experienced cruisers accustomed to rules on board. Friendship may end. Joe Carolyn Ann GH N-37

RA

Rudy and Jill

Wed, May 11, 2011 10:47 PM

We have a very firm policy towards guest... we don't allow any guests to stay for more than an hour or two. As far as kids go, if they make it by the gun fire, then they too can stay for an hour.

That's the good thing about having only one stateroom... there is an implied time frame on vistis. It's kinda like not smoking in church; there are no signs, no one ever says anything about it, but yet, no one does it.

Rudy
Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl

We have a very firm policy towards guest... we don't allow any guests to stay for more than an hour or two. As far as kids go, if they make it by the gun fire, then they too can stay for an hour. That's the good thing about having only one stateroom... there is an implied time frame on vistis. It's kinda like not smoking in church; there are no signs, no one ever says anything about it, but yet, no one does it. Rudy Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl

SW

Scott Welch

Thu, May 12, 2011 9:03 PM

On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 2:50 PM, LAL lalicata@alum.rpi.edu wrote:

Do any of you all have a "formal" or "informal" guest policy.

I have frequently had guests aboard, from youngsters to older folks.

In addition to the other excellent suggestions, there is one I will add.
Before we cast off, I usually give a little speech about the fact that we're
in an environment that is more unpredictable and less safe than it might be
ashore, and that there may be times when the guests may be called on to act
immediately, without asking what's going on and generally carrying on. I
then tell them that it will be very easy to know when then is happening,
because I'll use a special word. I then pause for a sec, so that I have
their attention, and then I tell them that the word is "EMERGENCY". I tell
them that if I use that word, it means that they have to do EXACTLY what I
tell them to do, IMMEDIATELY. I then promise them that I will not use it
lightly.

By the way, this is the same word I use with the Admiral -- she can come to
me with a problem, a situation, even a "we want to talk", and I can take my
time to respond. But when she uses the word "EMERGENCY", it's just that.

Thankfully, we've never had to use it yet.

By the way, one other very small suggestion. Coming out on a boat is a very
big deal for plenty of folks. One of the things that I have done is to get a
bunch of T-shirts printed with a small drawing of the boat and the name
"Island Eagle", about 3" X 3" over the left breast. I give these out to
guests who spend the night on the boat, and there's always a bit of a
ceremony over drinks when we give the shirts out (especially for the younger
kids). At about $10 per shirt, it's a nice way for people to remember their
experience. And plus, it looks like I have a real crew when we come in to
dock :-)

Just my two cents,

Scott Welch
Island Eagle

On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 2:50 PM, LAL <lalicata@alum.rpi.edu> wrote: > Do any of you all have a "formal" or "informal" guest policy. > I have frequently had guests aboard, from youngsters to older folks. In addition to the other excellent suggestions, there is one I will add. Before we cast off, I usually give a little speech about the fact that we're in an environment that is more unpredictable and less safe than it might be ashore, and that there may be times when the guests may be called on to act immediately, without asking what's going on and generally carrying on. I then tell them that it will be very easy to know when then is happening, because I'll use a special word. I then pause for a sec, so that I have their attention, and then I tell them that the word is "EMERGENCY". I tell them that if I use that word, it means that they have to do EXACTLY what I tell them to do, IMMEDIATELY. I then promise them that I will not use it lightly. By the way, this is the same word I use with the Admiral -- she can come to me with a problem, a situation, even a "we want to talk", and I can take my time to respond. But when she uses the word "EMERGENCY", it's just that. Thankfully, we've never had to use it yet. By the way, one other very small suggestion. Coming out on a boat is a very big deal for plenty of folks. One of the things that I have done is to get a bunch of T-shirts printed with a small drawing of the boat and the name "Island Eagle", about 3" X 3" over the left breast. I give these out to guests who spend the night on the boat, and there's always a bit of a ceremony over drinks when we give the shirts out (especially for the younger kids). At about $10 per shirt, it's a nice way for people to remember their experience. And plus, it looks like I have a real crew when we come in to dock :-) Just my two cents, Scott Welch Island Eagle

I

ispedbyu@aol.com

Sat, May 14, 2011 3:40 PM

We tell everyone our boat sleeps 'two' while winking and keep the forward
V-berth full of storage items making it clear we are cramped on board during
any tours. Once in a while we have a guest for overnight (special friends)
and welcome children, as long as they listen and behave. Dinette in Salon
works for one easily enough.

Pets - no, although we have one. Length of time on board is what ever the
situation warrants, although we like our privacy and s our reason for boating.
We don't hang out with other boaters really.

We do go over rules concerning head and dc usage and do so unabashedly.

I don't consider "Draconian rules", necessary as it is understood the Captain
is the Captain. We get to pick.

Bob Horne
'Fu Hwat' - San Rafael

We tell everyone our boat sleeps 'two' while winking and keep the forward V-berth full of storage items making it clear we are cramped on board during any tours. Once in a while we have a guest for overnight (special friends) and welcome children, as long as they listen and behave. Dinette in Salon works for one easily enough. Pets - no, although we have one. Length of time on board is what ever the situation warrants, although we like our privacy and s our reason for boating. We don't hang out with other boaters really. We do go over rules concerning head and dc usage and do so unabashedly. I don't consider "Draconian rules", necessary as it is understood the Captain is the Captain. We get to pick. Bob Horne 'Fu Hwat' - San Rafael

L

LAL

Mon, May 23, 2011 5:39 PM

I posted a question a few weeks about visiting policies you all had
and got more than 50 responses.

Most were quite helpful, and some were down right draconian.

Had an INITIAL discussion with the Admiral and she is quite keen to
have NO policy.

I specifically want all guest to come with duffle bag type of luggage,
as I am suggesting that they will will be storing that luggage under
the bed they are sleeping on. If they come with hard side or non
collapsible luggage, they get to off load their stuff into the guest
cabin, and then either throw that luggage away of ship it home.

I specifically would like a vote as to when guests are coming, how
many, and that if a child is coming, his/her age.

I would like to make it a rule that a child under 13 can come only
with his or her parent(s) and not grandparents.

(I would be devastated if something happened to the child while
"granny" was "watching.")

I also like one person's rule that states that if a child under 13 is
found on a weather deck without a life vest, than the parents are
buying dinner that night.

The Admiral understood that some rules were needed with respect to the
head but not written...

I am all for written.

So, in summary, thanks to all... Have plenty to noodle on, and realize
I need to go slow if I am to have a written policy.

Lee

[demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/pkcs7-signature which had a name of smime.p7s]

I posted a question a few weeks about visiting policies you all had and got more than 50 responses. Most were quite helpful, and some were down right draconian. Had an INITIAL discussion with the Admiral and she is quite keen to have NO policy. I specifically want all guest to come with duffle bag type of luggage, as I am suggesting that they will will be storing that luggage under the bed they are sleeping on. If they come with hard side or non collapsible luggage, they get to off load their stuff into the guest cabin, and then either throw that luggage away of ship it home. I specifically would like a vote as to when guests are coming, how many, and that if a child is coming, his/her age. I would like to make it a rule that a child under 13 can come only with his or her parent(s) and not grandparents. (I would be devastated if something happened to the child while "granny" was "watching.") I also like one person's rule that states that if a child under 13 is found on a weather deck without a life vest, than the parents are buying dinner that night. The Admiral understood that some rules were needed with respect to the head but not written... I am all for written. So, in summary, thanks to all... Have plenty to noodle on, and realize I need to go slow if I am to have a written policy. Lee [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/pkcs7-signature which had a name of smime.p7s]

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