Is a little etiquette too much to ask for?

[footzz]

Most cruise lines have certainly diverged from their earlier marketing strategy of promoting an air of affluence and glamor. They are now marketing the impression of an affordable product within everyone’s reach while projecting a ‘fun ship’ image. This new image has proven to be very prosperous for the industry as evidenced by their growth in spite of the economic downturn. It has also spurred the emergence of a new demographic of people who are choosing a cruise vacation. There are now passengers onboard that come from a multitude of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. While the vast majority of my interaction with fellow passengers has been favorable it's becoming increasingly apparent that some of them do not realize that a little etiquette is order.

 

One of the very few drawbacks of a cruise vacation is the necessity of sharing relatively limited public areas. Onboard a cruise ship space is at a premium. While it is true that you paid hard earned cash for the vacation, it is important to be considerate of the others.

 

I’m sure this topic has been discussed before but it’s worth revisiting. There are a few common sense suggestions that don’t take a lot of effort to employ and will help everyone enjoy their cruise vacation. There are many more “rules” that could be added to this short list and by all means, add them to the discussion. The ones listed below seem to be the most often ignored.

 

Please wait your turn.

There are times when certain areas of the ship will develop fairly long lines and waiting will be inevitable. Please respect the fact that everything moves in a more efficient manner when order is maintained, even if it means you may have to wait a few extra minutes to accomplish your objectives.

 

Follow the suggested dress codes.

I’m sure you heard it before, “it’s my vacation and I dress however I want”. This may be true, but there are also thousands of other people onboard with whom you chose to share your vacation. If you choose to dine in the Main Dining Room there are many people that look forward to formal dining nights and it’s really selfish to ruin it for them because it is “your vacation”. Read the daily program to find out what the appropriate attire is for each evening and dress accordingly or dine in a more suitable venue.

 

Keep your “little darlings” under control.

While you may find it entertaining to watch your kids do cannonballs into the hot tub other people will not be amused. Just because you are on vacation does not relinquish you from your parental responsibilities. For everyone’s safety and well being keep your children under control and please, never leave them unsupervised.

 

Do not be a Chair Hog

This is exceedingly selfish behavior. I will never understand what makes someone think they have the right to selfishly deny others the right to use the public amenities they also paid for. It’s a pitiful sight to see the ship’s pool deck being held hostage by chair hogs.

 

 

It’s pretty simple, if you’re considerate of others and exhibit some common courtesy, you’ll enjoy your trip more and so will the people around you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know what you are talking about.

 

Have watched the changes over the years -- and we are not enchanted by cruising as we once were.

 

Today's generation show's that they were not raised as we were -- i.e. -- both parents had/have to work -- the children are left to do their own thing. Many families don't even sit down to eat together any more. The schools haven't been teaching etiguette for well over 20 years now -- at least where we live they haven't been teaching it.

 

Each year we find we are cruising less.

 

We are tired of the buffet pushers, the chair hogs (by the pool -- in the show lounge), people who can't (and won't) follow instructions for disembarkation, can't (and won't) follow dress codes, etc.

[sail7seas]

Respect.

It's only about, it's all about

 

Respect.

 

 

 

 

[paul929207]

Unfortunately, the people yo are writing to KNOW that those rules only apply to others, not to them

[klfrodo]

Your post is also too properly written, formatted, and uses too big of words for most of THEM to understand.

 

"A" for effort though :D

[mr green]

At school I was taught 'Manners maketh man'.

To-day we are told 'Clothes make the man'. Both true, if we dressed a little better, might we not have better manners too?

 

john

[cruisemom42]

Might I add one more thing?

 

Elevator usage

Use the same rules for using elevators that you would use on land: wait for others to get out before you get on. Move to the back of the elevator if more people need to get on. And if people in the back need to get out, please step out and let them get by, then step back in.

[cruisemom42]

Today's generation show's that they were not raised as we were -- i.e. -- both parents had/have to work -- the children are left to do their own thing. Many families don't even sit down to eat together any more. The schools haven't been teaching etiguette for well over 20 years now -- at least where we live they haven't been teaching it.

 

I think etiquette on cruise ships has definitely seen a downturn, but I disagree that it is related to the factors you list. At least, not precisely.

 

I was in school 30-40 years ago and certainly etiquette wasn't taught then either! Both of my parents worked, but that did not preclude them from having sit down dinners with us (their kids), nor did it hinder them teaching us manners, checking our homework, and generally keeping tabs on us.

 

I'm not only a working parent, but a single parent (divorce, not choice). Yet I've managed to instill manners in my son, helped him to do exceptionally in school, taken him traveling with me, and in general put in the hard work necessary to PARENT.

 

I think it's about time to stop blaming "working parents" and instead blame parents who don't take responsibility for raising their children. As a society, we have more leisure time than has ever been possible in other eras. But what do we do with it? We watch TV (and not just regular programming, we TiVo what we can't watch and watch it later, or watch DVDs), we waste time on the computer, we play video games, we spend time on the phone with our friends, all while our own children are ignored.

 

Aside from that, I'd also like to point out that the worst behavior I've noted on cruise ships has been from cruisers older than me. Including a physical fight between two 50ish men in the show lounge over the saving of seats, and an elderly woman who refused to let anyone in the elevator with her because she didn't want to "make any extra stops" enroute to her cabin....:rolleyes:

[BosoxI]

Many good points mentioned. Manners no longer matter to many, and mentioning the problem frequently arouses derisive comments in response from those who either don't know proper behaviour or don't care to exhibit it. My favorite is the flaunting of proper dress codes, and I blame the cruise lines for not enforcing their own rules. I have others, too, but I don't want this to become a rant about little things like holding a knife and fork properly. :)

[footzz]

At school I was taught 'Manners maketh man'.

To-day we are told 'Clothes make the man'. Both true, if we dressed a little better, might we not have better manners too?

 

john

Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be the case as evidenced by lot of the Pop Culture Icons, Elected Officials and Sports Figures. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Unless it’s Miss Piggy of course, now that’s a class act.

[uwishufish]

I was once on a Princess cruise and it appeared to me that those with many years had lost the concept of manners. To name a few use of doorways, upon passing through a doorway , wheather an elevator door or dinning room door, this became an immediate stopping place for conversation thereby blocking the passage. Stairways, as three ancients were ascenening astride one looks at the other and says "Hey let's stop and look". At this point I took it upon my self to scool these Ancients in proper maners on a staircase ne. A couple of words is all it took.

[simplelife]

It has also spurred the emergence of a new demographic of people who are choosing a cruise vacation. There are now passengers onboard that come from a multitude of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. . . some of them do not realize that a little etiquette is order.

 

The lack of etiquette is rampant in our society, regardless of culture or socioeconomic status. There are selfish people who don't wait their turn, don't take responsibility for their children, hog chairs. etc at ALL levels of society, just as there are considerate and generous people. When I was a child, my family was poor and both my parents worked, but we were taught (by their words and their model) to be kind and considerate of others.

[PennyAgain]

There have been zillions of posts on CC from people who either have gotten around rules on cruise ships or want to know how to do so.

Many of these posts seem to be very popular.

 

Don't blame elders for not having manners.

 

Don't blame young people.

 

It seems that being rude is very popular now and a lot of people seem to enjoy it.

[gertz]

To me this is just too big a brush. You will always find some rude, inconsiderate people today, tomorrow, ten years ago and ten years from tomorrow.

But in general most people we have cruised with have been very nice and polite. We don't cruise on overcrowded ships after learning our lesson or in the Caribbean anymore so chair hogs are never a problem nor is the HC or PT.

We are choosy but it is our money.:eek:

[cheggy]

I know it is annoying to be around these people but just keep using your best manners maybe they will pick up on them. That will be their only chance since teaching them didn't work or someone never cared enough to do so in the first place. Sometimes it is better to just step back and let them go first . Remember it is your vacation ! Don't let ill mannered people ruin it for you.

These problems all of you have mentioned do not bother me. It is the BODY ODER that chokes me up! Really! :eek:

[ikelmay]

Etiquette and manners are certainly not age related. Our dining companions on our most recent cruise were in their early 20's and had immaculate manners and were a pleasure to spend time with.

 

Conversely, the dinner jacketed senior in the theater sitting next to us who decided to spill his full glass of wine over us, managed to grudgingly offer a USED handkerchief and then left us to our own devices. The words "I'm sorry" or anything resembling an apology never crossed his lips or his wife's.

[DonMar]

The lack of etiquette is rampant in our society, regardless of culture or socioeconomic status. There are selfish people who don't wait their turn, don't take responsibility for their children, hog chairs. etc at ALL levels of society, just as there are considerate and generous people. When I was a child, my family was poor and both my parents worked, but we were taught (by their words and their model) to be kind and considerate of others.

 

Ditto! Manners do not cost anything. Money or no money, there is no excuse for bad manners!

[bplazo]

I blame it on cell phones!

[mr green]

Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be the case as evidenced by lot of the Pop Culture Icons, Elected Officials and Sports Figures. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Unless it’s Miss Piggy of course, now that’s a class act.

 

True, in away, but clothes DO help.

In Barbados, where persons there are not the most affluent, I came across

a 'friendly' cricket match. All players dressed in whites, long pants, not shorts, and they were playing very very well. This is the way that they train in the West Indies, this is how small islands can compete with the likes of England, and Australia. If you look like a player, you become a player. In the same way, if you dress to look smart, ones attitude should change, for the better given time.

I may get it for this one, but in my opinion those who say, "It's my vacation I'll do, and dress how I like" are, in the main persons who may tend to be less polite. Attitude! Think about it!

 

john

[luddite]

For the OP..... everything that you ask for and want is totally out of line and unreasonable. How DARE you ask for such!? Really, this is a totally ridiculous concept!!!!!

 

Not.

[GlendaleCruiser]

There have been zillions of posts on CC from people who either have gotten around rules on cruise ships or want to know how to do so.

Many of these posts seem to be very popular.

 

Don't blame elders for not having manners.

 

Don't blame young people.

 

It seems that being rude is very popular now and a lot of people seem to enjoy it.

 

Couldn't agree more! People are people. Some are/were raised right. Some aren't/weren't

[hubofhockey]

I don't know why anyone lets cruiselines off the hook so easily on this one. Some of these ships are far too congested and create competitive situations for getting tables in buffets, waits on elevators, and seats in shows. Passengers with bad manners are part of the problem. They aren't all of it. I am not going to blame other passengers for creating congestion and making foyers impassable on my last Carnival Liberty cruise or even blame passengers for me not finding a chair in the pool area on the last sea day. I still had a great cruise and a great vacation. I did decide to look for a less congested ship and maybe pay a little more. But the truth is that the congestion (caused more by cruiselines than passengers) bothers me more than what passengers wear to the dining room.

[Doug R.]

I blame it on cell phones!

 

OK Brenda, I'll bite. Whatever do you mean? :D

[BosoxI]

I don't know why anyone lets cruiselines off the hook so easily on this one. Some of these ships are far too congested and create competitive situations for getting tables in buffets, waits on elevators, and seats in shows. Passengers with bad manners are part of the problem. They aren't all of it. I am not going to blame other passengers for creating congestion and making foyers impassable on my last Carnival Liberty cruise or even blame passengers for me not finding a chair in the pool area on the last sea day. I still had a great cruise and a great vacation. I did decide to look for a less congested ship and maybe pay a little more. But the truth is that the congestion (caused more by cruiselines than passengers) bothers me more than what passengers wear to the dining room.

 

Of course, we all know nothing is going to change as these ships have become floating carnivals with a clientele to match. I'd love to go on more exclusive cruise lines, but I can't bring myself to spend the money. Frankly, manners are not necessarily related to wealth or social status, as I'm sure we've all encountered boring behaviour from people flashing diamonds or with fancy degrees from fancy colleges. Moreover, my parents were strictly blue collar, but when it came to manners, we kids had to toe the mark ...or else. So social status don't necessarily mean nuthin'.:p Enjoy yourselves as best you can, as you apparently have done.

[footzz]

It seems that I should explain more precisely what I meant regarding my statement about the increasing number of passenger’s coming from differing cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. While it is certainly true that having good manners (etiquette) has more to do with a person’s upbringing than their social or economic status the precise behaviors involved in good manners do vary from place to place. The more a person travels the more evident this becomes.

 

 

Also, cultural traditions do play an important role in manners, as do religious beliefs, social status, and economic class. What may be good manners in the White House may be considered grossly inappropriate in the Kremlin. A standard of behavior which is perfectly acceptable in rural Mexico might be considered inappropriate in a meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada. Typically, people learn the manners which pertain to their particular social, economic, and cultural situation, and travelers should learn certain rules of conduct to adapt while in the company of people of other societies. Rude is rude in any language and social situation.

 

 

While the specific nature of good manners may vary, the underlying principles do not. Good manners involve treating people with respect and courtesy, and in making sure that other people feel comfortable in social situations. The old Biblical rule of “do unto others...” is a good illustration of how manners are supposed to work. Sadly this lesson has either never been taught, has been forgotten or has fallen on deaf ears.