Company Blog
The Thank You
by Adam Zack — September 23, 2026
“What a cruise ship maître d’ taught me about gratitude.”
“What a cruise ship maître d’ taught me about gratitude.”
I’ve just returned from a long vacation that took me from London and the UK, plus France, across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada, Boston and finally New York. (Thank you Scott for the fill in blogs and DW for allowing me to take this epic vacation!). I was on a cruise ship (Oceania Vista) that has a crew of over 800 for about 1,000 passengers. The crew, mainly Phillipino, Indian and Malaysian, sign on for terms of 6 to 9 months away from their families and work 7 days a week. Their impeccable uniform presentation combined with humble hospitality left me in awe. The cruise fare included gratuities, so the staff was definitely not working extra hard for tips. Still, there were many who provided such exceptional service, I felt they deserved an extra gratuity. One woman commanded the entire main dining room (approximately 80 tables serving about 400 guests) like a field general or a conductor of a symphony orchestra. She was so polite, remembered everyone’s name and table preference and knew at all times what was going on in the dining room. Her name is Marie and I was floored by her combination of professionalism and warmth. About halfway through the cruise I really felt she deserved an extra gratuity, and I had brought cash for just that reason. After our dinner, I thanked her for being so kind to us and subtly shook her hand and gave her a $50 bill. She had no Idea what the denomination was, and here’s what floored me: Her response was the most impactful “Thank you” I have ever heard. She said: “Mr. Adam, thank you for sharing your blessing.” Wow. Not only did she convey humble gratitude, she made me realize just how lucky I am and what great blessings life has given me. I’ve thought about it every day since.
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