Undercover Boss Shakes Up Cruise Line

On the largest cruise ships, a thousand or more people are needed to tend to the needs of about 4,000 passengers, and there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than most will ever appreciate. Still, when you're top of this wide bottom pyramid, the increasing profits and the prestige of the industry doubtlessly has its advantages. But when a CEO went from deskhand to deckhand, the contrast was readily apparent to Kevin Sheehan on CBS show 'Undercover Boss'. Undercover Boss is a TV format from the UK (originally by a BBC show called 'Back to the Floor') in which Bosses return to entry level jobs for a re-perspective on their company. Sheehan's findings may not just shake up his own cruise line. Competitors like Crystal cruises 2011 may also take note.

Aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line's 'Norwegian Epic', Sheehan cleaned toilets, cabins and waited tables in the Cafeteria. He also worked alongside a deck repairman on basic ship maintenance, allowing for some somewhat predictable failures. In all tasks he performed slowly and to a poor degree of quality, remarking 'I would have given myself an F grade'. He was at one point ridiculed for his poor performance by his maintenance co-worker. Sheehan was also reminded that the worst thing about working in the tourism industry isn't just that the customer is always right, it's that they're also a singularity of joy that must require your undivided and extremely partial attention for the duration of your shift.

So, what changes will be implemented in the wake of the show?? First to get the chop is the virtually unused and labour intensive ice-rink. The show will also benefit competitors like Seabourn cruises because of the clever scheduling of the show. The program was aired right at the beginning of 'wave season', the period of the best deals and increased demand. And there will be rewards for the people he worked alongside. One staff member who suggested that the CEO had 'never interacted with a woman before' is particularly deserving of many a luxury Nile cruise.