This week Cruise Weekly speaks with Dessi
Kostova, Senior Maitre D onboard Carnival
Cruise Lines’ Carnival Spirit.
How long have you
been working on
cruise ships?
I’ve been working
on cruise ships for
fourteen years now.
What is the best thing
about working for
Carnival Cruise Lines?
Meeting new people
and making a
difference in their
holiday and their
lives. I feel very lucky to get paid to do what I
love doing.
What is your favourite cruising destination?
I’d have to say my favourite cruising
destination would be Hawaii.
Briefly explain what your job entails?
I have the best job, as I oversee all of the
delicious food options onboard. I get to
welcome guests, and meet new people on
every sailing. We make our guests feel special,
because they become like our family. We’re
the only cruise line that has dancing waiters
– and seeing the smiles on our guests faces is
priceless.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s fun! And you can include fun in everything
you do. No matter the situation, as soon as
we announce that ‘it’s shoooowtime’, we can
immediately put everyone in a good mood.
Who is the most famous person you have
served?
Donald Trump.
What is the most interesting request you’ve
received from a passenger?
We once had some guests request to be seated
separately from other guests (in a dining room
of 3,600 people) due to an “allergy to people”!
I’ve also had to help sing “happy divorce to
you”. That was interesting.
Do you have any embarrassing cruise stories?
I have a few! Once I was onboard a nude cruise
charter, and I was working on Lido when a
guest seated on the sofa – naked of course,
but with a napkin on his lap – called me over
and said that he saw a waiter placing ice cream
cones in the dispenser without gloves on.
While complaining about how unhygienic this
was, he picked up the napkin from his lap and
wiped his mouth while he talked!
