ship's dining area is called a mess because the word "mess" comes from the Middle English word mes, which means "a dish". In Old French, mes meant a dish, a serving of food, or a course of dishes. It eventually came to mean a serving dish that held food for four people. The term "mess deck" originates from the Latin word missus, meaning a portion of food or a course at dinner.
@@CruisingAsCrew I had always thought it was because of how the room looked after the sailors ate. I am going on my first cruise as a passenger in 3 weeks, but I have loved your videos. Sorry I will never have the chance to meet you as a crew member
Hi Lucy! I think one of the most intimidating things about cruising would be organizing a network for the time off contract. I'd enjoy hearing how your coworkers handled finding a place to stay, keep busy, or pick up skills for their next contract if they didn't have friends or family to stay with. I don't suppose the cruise lines have a dorm or list of crew-friendly temporary housing (considering the delays you have mentioned in earlier videos.) I realize this is a challenging topic but would be pleased if you decide it is worth covering.
While working Embarkation on one of the smaller lines mentioned, we were only allowed to eat in the Crew Mess unless we got out late for lunch then we could go up on Lido deck for lunch. In the Crew Mess there were a shortage of appetizing choices and sometimes I could not recognize the entrees so I would get some chicken soup which was always good and a salad. We were on a time clock which meant we had to eat in a hurry because we had to be back on time to clock-in. If the pastry chef was in a good mood, meaning if he could get off the ship after lunch, then he would make the most delicious cookies that would melt in your mouth. We would take a couple and wrap them in a napkin to eat on our last break. We always left a dollar tip on the table for the wait staff who would bring our drinks and then rush back to continue checking in passengers.
Mess - Middle English: from Old French mes ‘portion of food’, from late Latin missum ‘something put on the table’, past participle of mittere ‘send, put’. The original sense was ‘a serving of (semi-liquid) food’, later ‘liquid food for an animal’; this gave rise (early 19th century) to the senses ‘unappetizing concoction’ and ‘predicament’, on which sense 1 is based. In late Middle English the term also denoted any of the small groups into which the company at a banquet was divided (who were served from the same dishes); hence, ‘a group who regularly eat together’ (recorded in military use from the mid 16th century).
Lucy, thanks for another nice video, and this one about one of my favorite subjects - FOOD! 😀 Seriously, love this video and especially appreciate the fact that you found Virgin to have the best food and overall "mess" (despite the delicious food in Disney's officers mess)! Fair winds sweetie! 😀 {P.S. I've got a wild idea about food/travel (and wine) for you...I'll send you an email about it. Take care.}
Thank you so much for answering this question, I really appreciate it! Do you remember if the buffet also had food labels that showed the allergenes in the dishes next to them?
The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" ( modern French mets), drawn from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send" and "to put" ( modern French mettre), the original sense being "a course of a meal put on the table".
Hi Lucy Another nice video about an important topic - Food. In Danish we have the - almost same word for the mess. It is called "messe". I can see from other posters it originate from old English / French language. You learn something new every day :-) Take care and looking forward to your next videos. Regards from DK
When I hear this is seriously makes me wonder if I should accept a job on a cruise that has bad reviews mostly for the food they serve to the staff. People I talked to that worked there some said they quit after 18 days, others after 20 days and others quit the same day they arrived. I do entertainment in resorts usually, I'd like to move on a cruise line because obviously the salaries are better. But the food by comparison it is not. Most resorts give the food for the entertainers at the guests restaurant. The rest of the staff is indeed fed improperly, this actually needs to change everywhere. It is unacceptable that the people tending to the clients are mostly pale and low on energy because all they eat is pasta, rice, potatoes, salad and apples. Coffee at the staff in resorts is diluted with water. There needs to be some regulation put in place for both industries because they both pertain to tourism and entertainment in some way. People should never accept less than good conditions for this type of job, especially if you are from the entertainment team and you appear on stage and have long hours of rehearsals.
Thanks for the video. An old roommate of mine who was an Army Sergeant told me it was from the French. I don’t remember the word, but I think In French it was ‘mes’ and it meant a small meal or something like that. Hope you are well.🙏
On Holland America many crewmembers were allowed to eat at the buffet. I don t know for sure who, but all officers, spa staff, artists, band members and shop staff for sure. We noticed them every day maybe 1 hour before the buffet was closing. (Maybe officers mess closed earlier?)
Hi there. On alot of cruise ships officers and staff members are able to eat in the buffet when it's not busy. It's quite normal on mass cruise lines x
The name Mess is a carryover from the military. The word comes from a French word meaning portion of food. So, places where food are served in the navy, army and then air force became known as Messes. In the military it became common to have three different messes, one for the ordinary seamen or private soldiers, the next level up for the pretty officers or non-commissioned officers, and then one for the commissioned officers. Part of it goes back to social class, when the officers were high class, and did not want to associate with lower class people, had money, and would buy their own food. So, officers tended to have better food than their men. The name Mess seems to have moved over to civilian non-military ships. But I am surprised that having three messes has carried over to cruise ships.
How much do you suppose the dining situation has changed over the past 100 years? I'm currently reading "The Centaur" by Algernon Blackwood, published in 1911, and in chapter 4 the main character is eating supper on board a cruise ship (he's just a passenger, not a crew member) and on the one hand, the dining saloon seems to contain a random assortment of passengers, from doctors and wealthy merchants to random tourists and a poor priest, the main character himself being but a low-income journalist (although he is personally friends with the captain, so he gets some consideration for that), but also, the captain is dining with these passengers in this dining room. I've looked up some historical examples of early steam liners, say, the RMS Saxonia (cruising from 1900 to 1925, so perfectly in the time frame of the story), and the Saxonia has three dining saloons for the various levels of passenger (first, second, and third class), and I imagine if the captain is going to be dining with the passengers at all, it surely would be in the first class saloon? So not with your random tourists and other more lowly types? *Especially* in or before 1911! It seems very strange to me that the diners in the saloon in the story are such a motley assortment, but then I've no idea with how cruise lines handle dining with the captain, especially a hundred years ago. A very wealthy merchant or a prestigious doctor, sure, I can see the captain inviting them to dine with him, but the average Joe tourist on holiday?
This was very interesting. As an ex-navy guy, the idea of segregating the messes is repellant to me. Such divisions by rank causes social disharmony, jealousy and resentment. It's not the military. Eating should be egalitarian. Cheers.
I was on Voyager of the Seas, the food at the buffet was so horrible, I wondered what the poor slop, they must have been feeding the crew? You can tell a lot, by what the passengers eat and how many deck officers, (like on Celebrity Edge, 3 & 4 stripes) would eat at the lunch buffets.
After working in any store like jewellery store or fine watch store for few years at cruise. Is it possible to work on land in same brand in same country ?
That's nothing. HMAS Vampire had 8 mess/galley areas. Tie her up at a cruise terminal and you'll probably forget where you left her compared to a cruise ship.
ship's dining area is called a mess because the word "mess" comes from the Middle English word mes, which means "a dish". In Old French, mes meant a dish, a serving of food, or a course of dishes. It eventually came to mean a serving dish that held food for four people. The term "mess deck" originates from the Latin word missus, meaning a portion of food or a course at dinner.
Ohhhh thank you! I always though it came from Italian Messa🙈
Oh wow. Thank you so much for this! So interesting!!
@@CruisingAsCrew I had always thought it was because of how the room looked after the sailors ate. I am going on my first cruise as a passenger in 3 weeks, but I have loved your videos. Sorry I will never have the chance to meet you as a crew member
I'm interested in joining cruise lines can u help with that@@CruisingAsCrew
Hi Lucy! I think one of the most intimidating things about cruising would be organizing a network for the time off contract. I'd enjoy hearing how your coworkers handled finding a place to stay, keep busy, or pick up skills for their next contract if they didn't have friends or family to stay with. I don't suppose the cruise lines have a dorm or list of crew-friendly temporary housing (considering the delays you have mentioned in earlier videos.) I realize this is a challenging topic but would be pleased if you decide it is worth covering.
Don’t people read the comments…the term ‘mess’ was explained about 20 times…we KNOW you are all smart and well informed😄
While working Embarkation on one of the smaller lines mentioned, we were only allowed to eat in the Crew Mess unless we got out late for lunch then we could go up on Lido deck for lunch. In the Crew Mess there were a shortage of appetizing choices and sometimes I could not recognize the entrees so I would get some chicken soup which was always good and a salad. We were on a time clock which meant we had to eat in a hurry because we had to be back on time to clock-in. If the pastry chef was in a good mood, meaning if he could get off the ship after lunch, then he would make the most delicious cookies that would melt in your mouth. We would take a couple and wrap them in a napkin to eat on our last break. We always left a dollar tip on the table for the wait staff who would bring our drinks and then rush back to continue checking in passengers.
I love your videos, and I also love that you stopped covering your freckles on your last couple of videos! Their soo cuuute!!!!❤😊
I think it good to be able to mix with other cruise staff no matter what your rank is
" It derives from the old French word 'mes' which means a 'portion of food'. "
Thank you x
I was in the staff mess of the Disney magic and fantasy and the food was like cat food 😨
Mess - Middle English: from Old French mes ‘portion of food’, from late Latin missum ‘something put on the table’, past participle of mittere ‘send, put’. The original sense was ‘a serving of (semi-liquid) food’, later ‘liquid food for an animal’; this gave rise (early 19th century) to the senses ‘unappetizing concoction’ and ‘predicament’, on which sense 1 is based. In late Middle English the term also denoted any of the small groups into which the company at a banquet was divided (who were served from the same dishes); hence, ‘a group who regularly eat together’ (recorded in military use from the mid 16th century).
Lucy, thanks for another nice video, and this one about one of my favorite subjects - FOOD! 😀 Seriously, love this video and especially appreciate the fact that you found Virgin to have the best food and overall "mess" (despite the delicious food in Disney's officers mess)! Fair winds sweetie! 😀 {P.S. I've got a wild idea about food/travel (and wine) for you...I'll send you an email about it. Take care.}
Ive been hired as an officer on the disney fantasy and it good to hear that the food is good, ive been hearing a lot of mixed reviews 😂
The term comes from an old meaning of mess, "food for one meal." Many other professions use as well such as military an Officers Mess etc.
Thank you so much for answering this question, I really appreciate it!
Do you remember if the buffet also had food labels that showed the allergenes in the dishes next to them?
The "mess"
Is a military term.The navy call the area where you eat the Is crew mess, the army calls it the mess hall
The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" ( modern French mets), drawn from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send" and "to put" ( modern French mettre), the original sense being "a course of a meal put on the table".
Thank you, so interesting!!
Hi Lucy
Another nice video about an important topic - Food. In Danish we have the - almost same word for the mess. It is called "messe". I can see from other posters it originate from old English / French language. You learn something new every day :-) Take care and looking forward to your next videos. Regards from DK
Great vid as usual.. Hope all is well young lady. And you looked very professional in this vlog. Hugs to you from California.
When I hear this is seriously makes me wonder if I should accept a job on a cruise that has bad reviews mostly for the food they serve to the staff. People I talked to that worked there some said they quit after 18 days, others after 20 days and others quit the same day they arrived. I do entertainment in resorts usually, I'd like to move on a cruise line because obviously the salaries are better. But the food by comparison it is not. Most resorts give the food for the entertainers at the guests restaurant. The rest of the staff is indeed fed improperly, this actually needs to change everywhere. It is unacceptable that the people tending to the clients are mostly pale and low on energy because all they eat is pasta, rice, potatoes, salad and apples. Coffee at the staff in resorts is diluted with water. There needs to be some regulation put in place for both industries because they both pertain to tourism and entertainment in some way. People should never accept less than good conditions for this type of job, especially if you are from the entertainment team and you appear on stage and have long hours of rehearsals.
Thanks for the video. An old roommate of mine who was an Army Sergeant told me it was from the French. I don’t remember the word, but I think In French it was ‘mes’ and it meant a small meal or something like that. Hope you are well.🙏
So the crew mess is similar to the mess decks on a U.S. Navy Ship, “quantity over quality” at least when I served, may be better now.
Familiar with this term , A MESS, when i was in medical school. We had students Mess in our hostel
On Holland America many crewmembers were allowed to eat at the buffet. I don t know for sure who, but all officers, spa staff, artists, band members and shop staff for sure. We noticed them every day maybe 1 hour before the buffet was closing. (Maybe officers mess closed earlier?)
Hi there. On alot of cruise ships officers and staff members are able to eat in the buffet when it's not busy. It's quite normal on mass cruise lines x
really interesting video lucy, thanks for sharing:)
The name Mess is a carryover from the military. The word comes from a French word meaning portion of food. So, places where food are served in the navy, army and then air force became known as Messes. In the military it became common to have three different messes, one for the ordinary seamen or private soldiers, the next level up for the pretty officers or non-commissioned officers, and then one for the commissioned officers. Part of it goes back to social class, when the officers were high class, and did not want to associate with lower class people, had money, and would buy their own food. So, officers tended to have better food than their men. The name Mess seems to have moved over to civilian non-military ships. But I am surprised that having three messes has carried over to cruise ships.
I really think the crew staff no matter how many stripes, you should be allowed to eat in any mess on the cruise ship
How much do you suppose the dining situation has changed over the past 100 years? I'm currently reading "The Centaur" by Algernon Blackwood, published in 1911, and in chapter 4 the main character is eating supper on board a cruise ship (he's just a passenger, not a crew member) and on the one hand, the dining saloon seems to contain a random assortment of passengers, from doctors and wealthy merchants to random tourists and a poor priest, the main character himself being but a low-income journalist (although he is personally friends with the captain, so he gets some consideration for that), but also, the captain is dining with these passengers in this dining room.
I've looked up some historical examples of early steam liners, say, the RMS Saxonia (cruising from 1900 to 1925, so perfectly in the time frame of the story), and the Saxonia has three dining saloons for the various levels of passenger (first, second, and third class), and I imagine if the captain is going to be dining with the passengers at all, it surely would be in the first class saloon? So not with your random tourists and other more lowly types? *Especially* in or before 1911! It seems very strange to me that the diners in the saloon in the story are such a motley assortment, but then I've no idea with how cruise lines handle dining with the captain, especially a hundred years ago. A very wealthy merchant or a prestigious doctor, sure, I can see the captain inviting them to dine with him, but the average Joe tourist on holiday?
Very informative like always!
Officers has a status and there dinning mess is very similar to military ships traditions
This was very interesting.
As an ex-navy guy, the idea of segregating the messes is repellant to me.
Such divisions by rank causes social disharmony, jealousy and resentment.
It's not the military. Eating should be egalitarian.
Cheers.
Love you, Lucy! Be well. ❤
11:45 i am embarrased to admit ...i do not know what this food is? help please😊
I was on Voyager of the Seas, the food at the buffet was so horrible, I wondered what the poor slop, they must have been feeding the crew? You can tell a lot, by what the passengers eat and how many deck officers, (like on Celebrity Edge, 3 & 4 stripes) would eat at the lunch buffets.
Can you imagine the Hell, MSC's ships much be?
Thank you so much!
After working in any store like jewellery store or fine watch store for few years at cruise. Is it possible to work on land in same brand in same country ?
hey, I’m about to join royal as a cruise staff entertainer and I was wondering what SIM card I should have / phone plan as someone from the uk x
That's nothing. HMAS Vampire had 8 mess/galley areas. Tie her up at a cruise terminal and you'll probably forget where you left her compared to a cruise ship.
So how does the officers mess compared to main dinning, or is officer mess leaning more towards speciality dinning quality
How many stripes do you have?
My brother has a huge crush on Lucy and wants to know if you want to come work on our dairy farm. Lol.
Is 44 to old to work on a cruise ship? I have been turning in applications but no luck yet. Are there services that could help me out?
Apply to Norwegian cruise line -pride of America ship they always hiring
Your voice quality is very low, please use an external mic!
❤❤❤
I think the mess came from the military.
The staff mess sounds like a diabetic's nightmare.
Please fix the audio, it is very low and hard to hear you. I will need to stop subscribing.
😂 OH NO! She's gonna lose a Karen! 😱
🇺🇸 IT'S CALLED The MESS Bc: FOOD FIGHT.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. 😋 (NOT! ......... KINDA.!.) 🇺🇸