Guru Karkera

Guru Karkera: I’m 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’ 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 — I live in Mumbai with my wife and two-year-old daughter. But the 6- to 8-week-long vacations compensate.

OT: What’s an average day’s 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’s 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’s 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 — 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, “The sea is calling…” — and we are here to “answer it royally”.

Guru Karkera, Assistant Dining Room Manager (Deck 5), Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruises +1-305-341-0204; www.royalcaribbean.com