Stockholm

Captain’s Log, October 22nd: Another excellent day. We docked on schedule in Stockholm, and passengers were able to walk to the local ferry service, to visit different parts of the city. We never make much on the tours here as everything is so local, but on the other hand we didn’t have to provide the free shuttle buses.
The only unpleasantness arose in the evening. We have a standard service charge of $100 per cabin per day, which is added into the passengers’ accounts. Unfortunately there are six mean-minded passengers who had noted in the small print of their agreement that it is optional, and have chosen not to pay it, despite considerable argument at the purser’s desk. I consulted with Mrs Negibi by phone, and she had an interesting solution. This evening, our purser approached each of these six passengers at dinner, and asked out loud why they thought that the staff that looked after them, and particularly those who served their meals, didn’t deserve a gratuity. This was partly successful as two of them agreed to the service charge on the spot.
However four stood firm and were shameless enough to be willing to argue it out publicly in the dining room. Needless to say, our staff won’t be rushing to serve their table in future, so with any luck the peer pressure from the others at their table will make them change their mind.
Passengers should surely realize that the service charge is a critical part of the payment to staff. I personally for example rely on my twenty per cent of the service charges, as it’s what enables me to enjoy the little luxuries of life. Mrs Negibi of course deducts fifty per cent, as she says she also has to reward the staff at head office.

I’m a little concerned about three men that joined the ship in London, who wanted to travel incognito. Fortunately we had a spare suite to accommodate them, but I wasn’t comfortable about them not showing me any passports or other identification, or allowing their baggage to be scanned. They paid me well enough to board the ship, but today I visited their cabin and asked when they would be leaving. They said it was none of my business, and were quite rude, considering I am the captain. I threatened to tell the authorities about them, but I wish I hadn’t done that, as it was not a comfortable feeling when one of them produced a handgun.