Sweating the Small Stuff

Maybe The Love Boat changed the paradigm.:)

Go to the front of the class! Wonderful response.

We don't sweat the small stuff.

We do notice that many who do are hung up on conformity. Not certain if this is because of insecurity or lack of imagination.

We do our own thing and go with the flow. We always have a great cruise. Don't care about anyone else. We cannot control what they wear or their manners, lack thereof, etc so we do not get obsessed about it. We are strictly MYOB people.

We are all different. One person's small stuff is someone else's big stuff. I understand where you are coming from as in 18 cruises I have never let anything ruin my cruise, including someone who talked non-stop even when I was in the bathroom.:eek::eek::eek:

I have never let anything ruin my cruise, including someone who talked non-stop even when I was in the bathroom.:eek::eek::eek:

I believe your talkative restroom passenger was having what could best be described as - a flowing conversation.

Please don't take this the wrong way but can I suggest taking ear plugs for the issue of constant whistling, dripping, creaking, or vibrating noises...even covers noisy staff and neighbors. It won't stop all the issues you listed but it stops most of them. I don't travel without ear plugs for just that reason...plus DH snores like crazy.

Ooh, ear plugs -- good suggestion. I just can't wear them. They make my ears hurt. Moot, though, really, unless I had been able to foresee that all-night noise was going to be a problem on that cruise...

I am amazed at people who are concerned who the captain, CD or MDR manager is. I never encounter these people and they have little or no effect on the vacation. In fact the most I see them is at a meet and greet and I feel sorry for them having to go to these events, when they have other things to do on their already busy schedule

Agree!!! I always wonder why. I never worry about who they are either.

Are "amazed" and "wonder" really the words you want to use? Because this particular aspect of the cruise is not important to you, why is it "amazing" or a cause for "wonder" that it is important to others?

Example: I can easily imagine that it might come close to ruining one's cruise if the climbing wall or lido pool were closed for most of the cruise. This would not affect me in any way, as I do not use these amenities. But I would not be amazed to hear complaints that this loss had "ruined" someone else's cruise.

In cruising lingo doesn't "Don't sweat the small stuff" really means "Go with the flow" (River cruising) and "Ride with the tide" (Ocean cruising)?

In cruising lingo doesn't "Don't sweat the small stuff" really means "Go with the flow" (River cruising) and "Ride with the tide" (Ocean cruising)?

I think around here, "don't sweat the small stuff" means "the cruise line is always right". :)

This is hyperbole and has almost reached "urban myth" status here on CC. I have read hundreds and hundreds of reviews over 15 years and virtually NEVER does anyone actually say that any given annoyance or inconvenience RUINED their cruise. I'd really like anyone in this thread who has repeated this idea to link to just one single post that actually says so. :rolleyes:

 

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Op of this thread "cried for 3 days" because she got assigned a Hull balcony for her gty booking.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1520582&highlight=hull+balcony+ruined+cruise

Op of this thread "cried for 3 days" because she got assigned a Hull balcony for her gty booking.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1520582&highlight=hull+balcony+ruined+cruise

You dug up a five year old thread for this.

You dug up a five year old thread for this.

The person he quoted said she had read hundreds of reviews in 15 years and had never read that some annoyance or inconvenience had ruined the cruise and laid down a challenge to provide one link that said so. It's not surprising that at least two people took her up on it...and were successful:).

Op of this thread "cried for 3 days" because she got assigned a Hull balcony for her gty booking.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1520582&highlight=hull+balcony+ruined+cruise

And upon reading her post one must draw the conclusion that this problem was, therefore, not "small stuff" to her. Yes, it was a problem she might have avoided had she:

1. been more informed about the various types of balconies on the ship

2. not booked a guarantee

3. had a better TA

4. had lower (or different) expectations

5. had a more flexible personality which easily "rolled with the punches"

6. been a more seasoned cruiser who might have had a different perspective on her situation.

Nonetheless, it clearly ruined her cruise; ipso facto it was not "small stuff" to her.

And upon reading her post one must draw the conclusion that this problem was, therefore, not "small stuff" to her. Yes, it was a problem she might have avoided had she:

 

1. been more informed about the various types of balconies on the ship

 

2. not booked a guarantee

 

3. had a better TA

4. had lower (or different) expectations

5. had a more flexible personality which easily "rolled with the punches"

6. been a more seasoned cruiser who might have had a different perspective on her situation.

 

Nonetheless, it clearly ruined her cruise; ipso facto it was not "small stuff" to her.

A bee sting is small stuff...unless you are allergic.

a bee sting is small stuff...unless you are allergic.

Bingo!

We go into a cruise or a trip with the attitude that no matter what we have planned, something somewhere will go wrong and that is ok, we will just roll with it.

For example we laugh about our vacation (not a cruise) last year. We were going from St. Louis to NC for my husband's grandson's HS graduation. My sister lives in SC so we decided to make a road trip out of it and spend a few days with her family then go to NC to be with our kiddos. We planned to spend one night in Chattanooga TN on the way. We get there and find out that it is the night of their big STRUT festival.... YAY! We go, and they had this TORRENTIAL storm... high winds, flooded and blew everything away. By the time we made it back to our car we were as wet as if we had jumped into a pool fully clothed. We laughed til we thought we would puke!

Then my sister called, and she was sick so we could not go to her place.... great, now we have 3 days to kill (and pay for that we had not planned for) We go to Lookout Mountain... and it was fogged in. We ended up going to Gatlinburgh for a few days and it was fun. The motel we booked was a DUMP...but we had fun anyway :)

Finally we get to NC and could not find a hotel anywhere near where the kids were. (military base, HS graduation... I TOLD my husband we needed to book in advance but he insisted we *wing it!*) Sooooo, we spend twice as much as we would have had we booked when I wanted to... but did I make a big deal of it? NOPE... we were there to see his son's family and his grandson's graduation. THAT is what mattered. But for many people that trip would have been a disaster... we just roll with it. We were together, we had fun because we DECIDED to have fun. And that is how we go into all our trips/plans. Expect something to go wrong and deal with it. If it doesn't well, I don't know what we will do because it ALWAYS gets messed up :)

I am a planning nut. I read these boards everyday when I have a cruise planned. I read reviews on excursions, watch videos. I drive my traveling companions crazy with the look at this, this looks fun, what are we going to do here etc. My traveling companions are fly by the seat of their pants people and could care less. I know this and I still try to plan everything. I look for different ideas, gadgets, things to pack, shoes etc. Does anyone else do this?

I am a planning nut. I read these boards everyday when I have a cruise planned. I read reviews on excursions, watch videos. I drive my traveling companions crazy with the look at this, this looks fun, what are we going to do here etc. My traveling companions are fly by the seat of their pants people and could care less. I know this and I still try to plan everything. I look for different ideas, gadgets, things to pack, shoes etc. Does anyone else do this?

I do it for the fun, as I can't seem to get enough of cruise-related reading, research and planning -- it's a hobby. DH appreciates what I do, as it relieves him of the responsibility, and since I don't bug him with too many questions or requirements, it works for us. My obsession with planning my cruise wardrobe is mine alone -- I doubt my husband is even aware of what goes on behind the scenes, though he is always very complimentary of the results! ;)

On the first cruise with my DW, our honeymoon, BTW, we sat with 'the good couple" and "the bad couple". We we on my first cruise and after every meal, we had a HUGE laugh about how these people were so miserable. Late in the cruise, we sat with the "good" couple to play bingo or fold towels. We had a great time laughing about how miserable the other couple were when they were on a cruise.

Life, and for sure, a cruise is too short to let anything bother you that you cannot control. This may not be a lot of things, but other people is #1 on the list.

Now, I really hope this post doesn't offend anyone as it involved the dreaded tipping, but most years that we cruise, we get a suite that has a butler. I am extremely lucky that I'm able to cruise this way and appreciate and savour every single moment of our lovely cruises! Oh and for the record, we don't really utilise the butler, we are very easy going and just like to be left to our own devices, enjoy the room, the ship, the ports, we are no trouble! Anyway, last year our butler was just downright mean, particularly to me, I guess I look a bit younger than my age and he took it upon himself to lecture me at every opportunity on food, what I was wearing, on the tan lines I had and how that was unacceptable etc etc. Well, we turned this into a positive, it became a bit of a standing joke between myself and my partner, wondering what he was going to lecture me on that day! It actually made the cruise more fun and it gave us a bit of sport! Down to the tipping.....yes, he got his prepaid gratuity, but no, the extra money we set aside for him was spent in Barbados airport on booze, which made the flight home very nice for me as a nervous flyer, we even raised a glass to him! Nothing upsets us on our cruise, we love every moment and turn the negatives into positives! :)

Now, I really hope this post doesn't offend anyone as it involved the dreaded tipping, but most years that we cruise, we get a suite that has a butler. I am extremely lucky that I'm able to cruise this way and appreciate and savour every single moment of our lovely cruises! Oh and for the record, we don't really utilise the butler, we are very easy going and just like to be left to our own devices, enjoy the room, the ship, the ports, we are no trouble! Anyway, last year our butler was just downright mean, particularly to me, I guess I look a bit younger than my age and he took it upon himself to lecture me at every opportunity on food, what I was wearing, on the tan lines I had and how that was unacceptable etc etc. Well, we turned this into a positive, it became a bit of a standing joke between myself and my partner, wondering what he was going to lecture me on that day! It actually made the cruise more fun and it gave us a bit of sport! Down to the tipping.....yes, he got his prepaid gratuity, but no, the extra money we set aside for him was spent in Barbados airport on booze, which made the flight home very nice for me as a nervous flyer, we even raised a glass to him! Nothing upsets us on our cruise, we love every moment and turn the negatives into positives! :)

I serious love you!

We are the same. Need to check my cruise count but almost 3O sailed and have had a fab time

on all.

We sailed Quantum in April 2015 and had the cabin steward from hell!

When cabins opened, we headed down to discover our room wasn't even touched.

No problem..go up to the pool deck for an hour and chill.

Go back and discover stil not ready. No biggie..we are on a cruise.

Back to the cabin an hour later and the steward apologizes for the delay.

I give him my formal dress to be steamed for the following night and it doesn't reappear until 4 days later when I asked for it.

No biggie..we are on a cruise.

Forgets to leave us soap, towels, forgets to clean the room one day, no biggie..we are on a cruise.

It was a running joke with my sail mates on what he would do next.

He was never rude, just inept.

I never complained to the Hotel Director, kept my auto grats in place but when we rec'd the "envelope" for add'l grats, we laughed our heads off.

I serious love you!

We are the same. Need to check my cruise count but almost 3O sailed and have had a fab time

on all.

We sailed Quantum in April 2015 and had the cabin steward from hell!

When cabins opened, we headed down to discover our room wasn't even touched.

No problem..go up to the pool deck for an hour and chill.

Go back and discover stil not ready. No biggie..we are on a cruise.

Back to the cabin an hour later and the steward apologizes for the delay.

I give him my formal dress to be steamed for the following night and it doesn't reappear until 4 days later when I asked for it.

No biggie..we are on a cruise.

Forgets to leave us soap, towels, forgets to clean the room one day, no biggie..we are on a cruise.

It was a running joke with my sail mates on what he would do next.

He was never rude, just inept.

I never complained to the Hotel Director, kept my auto grats in place but when we rec'd the "envelope" for add'l grats, we laughed our heads off.

Hahaha, love this! There was a lot more went on with our butler that I'll not mention, that falls into the creepy category, but we didn't say a word, didn't complain, just avoided him on the last day (expected tips day haha) ran out of there and sampled every rum imaginable in the airport! :D he really deserved to have been complained about and his arse kicked off the ship if I'm honest, but when my partner raised a glass to him in the airport I've never laughed as much! :D

Now, I really hope this post doesn't offend anyone as it involved the dreaded tipping, but most years that we cruise, we get a suite that has a butler. I am extremely lucky that I'm able to cruise this way and appreciate and savour every single moment of our lovely cruises! Oh and for the record, we don't really utilise the butler, we are very easy going and just like to be left to our own devices, enjoy the room, the ship, the ports, we are no trouble! Anyway, last year our butler was just downright mean, particularly to me, I guess I look a bit younger than my age and he took it upon himself to lecture me at every opportunity on food, what I was wearing, on the tan lines I had and how that was unacceptable etc etc. Well, we turned this into a positive, it became a bit of a standing joke between myself and my partner, wondering what he was going to lecture me on that day! It actually made the cruise more fun and it gave us a bit of sport! Down to the tipping.....yes, he got his prepaid gratuity, but no, the extra money we set aside for him was spent in Barbados airport on booze, which made the flight home very nice for me as a nervous flyer, we even raised a glass to him! Nothing upsets us on our cruise, we love every moment and turn the negatives into positives! :)

Astonishing! I cannot understand how anyone in a service position could take it upon himself to act this way! :eek: Since we are in a "tell-all" environment on these boards, please, tell us, what ship were you on?!

And I am wondering this: why do you cruise in suites if you have no use for the butler? (who in this case, to his shame, clearly has no use for you!! :mad:) Is it to luxuriate in the size of your cabin and enjoy the suite lounge, etc? I've often wondered whether paying for a suite, if I could afford to one day, be worth it to me, since I, like you, don't think I would be able to put the butler to good use...

I serious love you!

We are the same. Need to check my cruise count but almost 3O sailed and have had a fab time

on all.

We sailed Quantum in April 2015 and had the cabin steward from hell!

When cabins opened, we headed down to discover our room wasn't even touched.

No problem..go up to the pool deck for an hour and chill.

Go back and discover stil not ready. No biggie..we are on a cruise.

Back to the cabin an hour later and the steward apologizes for the delay.

I give him my formal dress to be steamed for the following night and it doesn't reappear until 4 days later when I asked for it.

No biggie..we are on a cruise.

Forgets to leave us soap, towels, forgets to clean the room one day, no biggie..we are on a cruise.

It was a running joke with my sail mates on what he would do next.

He was never rude, just inept.

I never complained to the Hotel Director, kept my auto grats in place but when we rec'd the "envelope" for add'l grats, we laughed our heads off.

Wow, the level of "badness" of service you experienced is outside the limits of what I had imagined was possible on a cruise! :eek:

Kudos to you both for turning lemons into very refreshing-sounding lemonade!

Astonishing! I cannot understand how anyone in a service position could take it upon himself to act this way! :eek: Since we are in a "tell-all" environment on these boards, please, tell us, what ship were you on?!

 

And I am wondering this: why do you cruise in suites if you have no use for the butler? (who in this case, to his shame, clearly has no use for you!! :mad:) Is it to luxuriate in the size of your cabin and enjoy the suite lounge, etc? I've often wondered whether paying for a suite, if I could afford to one day, be worth it to me, since I, like you, don't think I would be able to put the butler to good use...

 

 

Wow, the level of "badness" of service you experienced is outside the limits of what I had imagined was possible on a cruise! :eek:

 

Kudos to you both for turning lemons into very refreshing-sounding lemonade!

It was our first (and last) cruise with P&O all the staff were a bit rude and strange! Nevertheless we enjoyed it! Celebrity and RCCL for us! In fact, one day to go for our next one. I'm sitting here staring at an empty suitcase, willing it to pack itself! ;) for us, the lure of the suite is as you said, it's the size and the lovely balcony, all the little extras. We really can do without the butler, but I know some people love that side of it. We love the ports of course, but we are not early risers on holiday and we love to luxuriate in our room, sunbathe on the balcony, bliss! Then of course, the bluddy butler comes along to give you a lecture on sun cream, tan lines and why didn't we answer the door when he came to deliver nibbles! Haha, I hope he's calmed down a bit since last year! :D

Astonishing! I cannot understand how anyone in a service position could take it upon himself to act this way! :eek: Since we are in a "tell-all" environment on these boards, please, tell us, what ship were you on?!

 

And I am wondering this: why do you cruise in suites if you have no use for the butler? (who in this case, to his shame, clearly has no use for you!! :mad:) Is it to luxuriate in the size of your cabin and enjoy the suite lounge, etc? I've often wondered whether paying for a suite, if I could afford to one day, be worth it to me, since I, like you, don't think I would be able to put the butler to good use...

 

 

Wow, the level of "badness" of service you experienced is outside the limits of what I had imagined was possible on a cruise! :eek:

 

Kudos to you both for turning lemons into very refreshing-sounding lemonade!

Thanks. In the scheme of things, it really is small stuff. We are blessed to travel and appreciate

all that we have,

Happy Sails!

Not much will bother me on a cruise. I don't care what people wear in the MDR.