|
Post by Political Incorrectness on Nov 20, 2006 13:46:37 GMT -8
That is true with Sodexho because they vended the entire system and not specific routes. WSF is becoming more greedy for revenue, if they want to have quality ferries, don't just make em look nice, make em feel nice. Hint: Look at BC Ferries refurbished vessels and you'll get the picture.
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Nov 20, 2006 14:25:24 GMT -8
To a point, yes.
WSF learned a long time ago that carpet isn't worth the hassle; we don't have the manpower to maintain it, nor do we have the funding to replace it every three years when it isn't maintained. How BCF finds the $ching! to do it, I know not.
|
|
|
Post by Political Incorrectness on Nov 20, 2006 22:13:10 GMT -8
Maybe because they charge a ton with concessions and perhaps they charge both ways on fares aka as charging double over WSF?
|
|
|
Post by EGfleet on Nov 21, 2006 5:19:11 GMT -8
Maybe because they charge a ton with concessions and perhaps they charge both ways on fares aka as charging double over WSF? Let us not forget that B.C. Ferries also staffs thier boats. None of this "putting on the bare minimum to meet coast guard requirements." Trying ot have two OS's clean the entire cabin of some boats, in addition to everything else they have to do is just dumb.
|
|
|
Post by zman on Nov 21, 2006 7:28:50 GMT -8
There are some times when you can see that every crew member is doing cleaning, security checks, and making sure things are going well. There are some people who you can tell like their job with WSF and they work. There are others who do not like the job so much, and you NEVER see them during the trips. If every crew member was devoted to what they do, maybe things would be a little more clean and friendly. Bremerton-Seattle has three regular crew members that I know of who really go out and do all of the cleaning and security checks. There are others who are obviously doing it because they have to. I know that some down time is needed, but when it is the same people and every trip...it is supposed to be TEAMwork.
If anybody is one of those who likes to do their job and do a good job at being friendly and keeping things in good shape, Keep up the good work...it is noticed and appreciated...
If anybody is one of those who likes to sit down and do nothing each trip...well...it is also noticed and NOT appreciated by anybody and you are making everybody else do twice the work.
Anyways, I think that the amount of crewmembers that WSF has are capable of doing the work...if only WSF equipped them with the necessary tools to do the work.
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Nov 21, 2006 17:51:01 GMT -8
Maybe because they charge a ton with concessions and perhaps they charge both ways on fares aka as charging double over WSF? I still don't see how this would alter revenue, except negatively by doubling the number of full-time ticket sellers you'd need to have in the terminals. Anyway, Evergreenfleet hit it... BC Ferries has the crew to maintain their boats (at least cosmetically) and make them sparkle. But BCF also doesn't appear to have the vandalism problems that WSF does, either (at least on the Bremerton run).
|
|
|
Post by SS San Mateo on Nov 25, 2006 12:15:20 GMT -8
Another article concerning the ending of galley service on the Vashon route: www.vashonbeachcomber.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=90&cat=23&id=775697&more=There was an accounting issue as well: As for the accounting issues, Dorn said WSF is not specific about what the problem was, and Dorn claims that the method he used, which is to match the cash in the register with the register tape, is standard in all retail businesses.
Dorn added, “I could not find anybody who could tell me how to do the accounting differently. We spent thousands of dollars on an accountant to work it out with WSF. My accountant could not figure out what to do to satisfy them. I don’t understand what they wanted. They never made the claim that money was being taken.”
|
|
|
Post by old_wsf_fan on Nov 27, 2006 19:58:10 GMT -8
It has been brought up that it might be better to have a single vender provide the food service on the boats, as it used to be. Maybe this is the start of trying to consolidate the services. Not a very good way to do it but it just might be the reason.
|
|
|
Post by Political Incorrectness on Nov 27, 2006 20:18:17 GMT -8
Well could they possibly have Sound Foods serve at Vashon Terminal and do shore vending?
|
|
|
Post by zman on Nov 28, 2006 7:39:45 GMT -8
With the current terminal size, I do not think that it would be possible to do something like that. They would need a seperate building somewhere to make that happen. Unlike the boats, the Vashon terminal doesnt have the facilities for foodservice operations.
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Nov 28, 2006 15:01:10 GMT -8
Not nearly as badly, no. The galley would usually be up and running the same day with coffee/doughnut/popcorn service, with full service the next day.
|
|
|
Post by SS San Mateo on Dec 4, 2006 20:53:43 GMT -8
Ever since CDX restarted galley service on the Mukilteo-Clinton route last year, how many days have they had interruptions in galley service due to a boat switch (outside of the 4 days last month when the Kitsap replaced the Kittitas and when the Cathlamet was replaced by the Sealth for a day)?
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Dec 4, 2006 22:40:01 GMT -8
I don't know anything about CDX or their operations. The boats at Mukilteo just don't switch out that often... the Kittitas and Cathlamet are two of the most reliable boats in the fleet thanks to the efforts of their crews, so I don't see where they'd have near the losses due to boat switches.
|
|
|
Post by SS San Mateo on Dec 5, 2006 7:39:58 GMT -8
Another galley problem (this time on the Issaquah). The machine that provides ice for the soda dispenser kicked the bucket shortly after she returned to service and will not be replaced (at least not before Sound Foods stops galley service).
|
|
|
Post by EGfleet on Dec 5, 2006 18:24:01 GMT -8
Another galley problem (this time on the Issaquah). The machine that provides ice for the soda dispenser kicked the bucket shortly after she returned to service and will not be replaced (at least not before Sound Foods stops galley service). This, I have to say is a problem with the vendor. Is it a Pepsi machine by any chance? They've been nothing but problems on the Chelan since summer and I hear now the one on the Sealth is dead. And getting the Pepsi vendor in to repair the thing has been like pulling teeth--we went through most of August with no ice.
|
|
|
Post by SS San Mateo on Dec 5, 2006 20:03:24 GMT -8
Is it a Pepsi machine by any chance? They've been nothing but problems on the Chelan since summer and I hear now the one on the Sealth is dead. And getting the Pepsi vendor in to repair the thing has been like pulling teeth--we went through most of August with no ice. It's a Pepsi machine. No ice through most of August? I bet there were quite a few unhappy people. On the subject of the Pepsi machine, I got a rather nasty suprise back in 2001. I had filled up a water bottle using the water dispenser on the Pepsi machine (I was on the Sealth). A few days after I had filled the bottle (I didn't drink it right away), I noticed the water tasted funny. I took a sniff and it smelled like gasoline . I only took a sip or two. Lickily I didn't end up getting sick.
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Dec 5, 2006 22:20:45 GMT -8
How can I say this politely? I strongly recommend bringing your own water on board the boat, or buy a bottle. I've gotten... shall we say, a wide variety of quality in the drinking water over the years.
|
|
|
Post by SS San Mateo on Dec 11, 2006 12:19:37 GMT -8
How can I say this politely? I strongly recommend bringing your own water on board the boat, or buy a bottle. I've gotten... shall we say, a wide variety of quality in the drinking water over the years. Ever since the abovementioned "funny water" incident, I've never gotten water from the soda machine. The "no ice" soda machine on the Issaquah now has a plastic baggy covering the front of it (which I assume means that it's no longer in service).
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Dec 11, 2006 12:40:20 GMT -8
Probably. The Pepsi machine on the Sealth has packed it in as well, and that machine "belongs" to a different contractor. I'm thinking it's a problem with Pepsi's equipment, not the galley concessionaires.
|
|
|
Post by SS Shasta on Dec 17, 2006 14:34:08 GMT -8
Did I hear or read that galley service has finally resumed on the Port Townsend-Keystone run? I think it is being provided by the same company that will begin service on the Vashon-Southworth route after the 1st of the year. It would be nice to have galley service restored on the "Steel Electric" vessels. They have always had nice galleys, both before and after their rebuilds.
|
|
|
Post by EGfleet on Dec 17, 2006 18:04:56 GMT -8
Did I hear or read that galley service has finally resumed on the Port Townsend-Keystone run? I think it is being provided by the same company that will begin service on the Vashon-Southworth route after the 1st of the year. It would be nice to have galley service restored on the "Steel Electric" vessels. They have always had nice galleys, both before and after their rebuilds. Three of the four, anyway. I think the Klickitat's galley for lack of a better word, sucks. Then again I think they ruined that boat when they rebuilt her. I'm glad she was the only one that got that stupid deck configuration.
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Dec 18, 2006 8:24:57 GMT -8
It was my understanding that they really didn't make the cabin tremendously different than it was before, other than to take about 1/3 of it away for use as crew's quarters.
I haven't heard anything about galley service on the Port Townsend run... I suspect all it would do would be to take business away from the vending machines, and make neither one profitable.
And I prefer the galley on the Klickitat to the other three... you don't have to go through the cave to get your lunch. The layout is actually pretty similar to the other three; they just added a wall and two doors...
...though why they put it on the #1 end of the boat is beyond me. ;D
|
|
|
Post by SS San Mateo on Dec 18, 2006 9:41:33 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by zman on Dec 18, 2006 9:52:39 GMT -8
This is the galley on the Klickitat. It kinda speaks for itself when it comes to the lack of space.
|
|
|
Post by Barnacle on Dec 18, 2006 10:57:49 GMT -8
The only thing making that galley "smaller" than the others (aside from the crew's quarters directly behind the photographer, of course) is the little half-wall corralling it off. The tables really aren't any smaller than the other three.
|
|