The food and beverage manager on any passenger ship has a great responsibility. After all, eating in the ship's restaurants and drinking in the bars are important parts of the cruise experience. Consequently, the food must be good and plentiful and quality service has to be maintained. In addition, the restaurants and bars have to reflect the style of cruising that the cruise line has marketed to the public.

All of this involves a massive behind-the-scenes operation. The food, beverages and other supplies have to be ordered, brought onboard, stored and used. The staff must be trained and motivated. There must be opportunities for advancement, good living conditions and entertainment for the crew in order to have good morale and thus good service.

Bernhard Fischer is the Food and Beverage Manager on Queen Mary 2. QM2 is one of the largest ships in the world and with a schedule that involves numerous sea days, there are logistical considerations that other ships do not encounter. Moreover, when I interviewed him recently, he pointed out that the history and tradition of Cunard Line required a different way of doing things that differentiates QM2 from every other passenger ship.

The interview is posted at http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Fischer.html I hope you enjoy it.