Complaints: What's Valid, What's Not?

[kicker]

I don't think there's been a thread on here recently about this topic: I was just reading a review that mentioned a cruiser having a loose mirror in his cabin; he told the room steward; nothing was done to it and the next day it fell and shattered - he got a glass sliver in his foot. His review mentioned he complained at the Courtesy Desk but wasn't offered any "renumeration"

 

Do you think he should have been compensated? I don't personally, but I'm interested in hearing others' opinions about what constitutes a "renumerable" problem, as opposed to what's just bad luck or unfortunate circumstances.

 

PS: IMHO, many of the complaints posted on these boards have no validity, but everyone looks at things differently.

[uppitycats]

I don't think there's been a thread on here recently about this topic: I was just reading a review that mentioned a cruiser having a loose mirror in his cabin; he told the room steward; nothing was done to it and the next day it fell and shattered - he got a glass sliver in his foot. His review mentioned he complained at the Courtesy Desk but wasn't offered any "renumeration"

 

Do you think he should have been compensated? I don't personally, but I'm interested in hearing others' opinions about what constitutes a "renumerable" problem, as opposed to what's just bad luck or unfortunate circumstances.

 

PS: IMHO, many of the complaints posted on these boards have no validity, but everyone looks at things differently.

 

I think if there is a real safety hazard -- and I'd call a loose mirror a safety hazard, this is a legitimate complaint. I didn't read the review, but if it were me, I would have told the steward, and if it wasn't taken care of by the end of the day, I'd be calling the head of the housekeeping department to report it. And if I were injured (at least injured enough to need some sort of medical attention), I'd expect no charges for that, and maybe something like a free drink, chocolates...SOMETHING, to say "sorry we didn't tend to that right away!"

 

He's lucky he only got a glass sliver..could have been much worse.

 

But indeed there are other complaints on here that are much less consequential, in my view.

[G'ma]

I'd certainly report a loose mirror to the steward.....AND to the Purser's Desk who actually is the one to notify maintenance.

 

If the mirror broke and I got a sliver in my foot, I'd remove the sliver, slap a little Neosporin on it, cover it with a bandaid and move on.

 

An accident is just that....an accident.

 

I had a large can of tomatoes fall on my foot in the supermarket, badly bruising my little toe....making it painful to walk for a couple weeks..in shoes anyway.

 

I reported the incident, filled out the papers they required - and moved on. I wasn't permanently damaged in any way.

 

Now, if it had hit me on the head, knocked me unconcious and required a trip to the emergency room, I would have expected the store to pay all my medical bills - and lost salary if I missed work, etc.

[FEMH]

I'd certainly report a loose mirror to the steward.....AND to the Purser's Desk who actually is the one to notify maintenance.

 

If the mirror broke and I got a sliver in my foot' date=' I'd remove the sliver, slap a little Neosporin on it, cover it with a bandaid and move on.

 

An accident is just that....an accident.

 

I had a large can of tomatoes fall on my foot in the supermarket, badly bruising my little toe....making it painful to walk for a couple weeks..in shoes anyway.

 

I reported the incident, filled out the papers they required - and moved on. I wasn't permanently damaged in any way.

 

Now, if it had hit me on the head, knocked me unconcious and required a trip to the emergency room, I would have expected the store to pay all my medical bills - and lost salary if I missed work, etc.[/quote']

 

 

How is it the store's fault that a large can of tomatoes fell on you? If it was a poorly constructed display made of cans of tomatoes, and it toppled on you, maybe I can see this, but a can of food falling off a shelf is definitely not the store's fault. Maybe they would be nice and help you out with your expenses, but in no way, are they responsible.

[paul929207]

I am with G'ma. No harm, no foul.

[njhorseman]

I'd certainly report a loose mirror to the steward.....AND to the Purser's Desk who actually is the one to notify maintenance.

 

If the mirror broke and I got a sliver in my foot' date=' I'd remove the sliver, slap a little Neosporin on it, cover it with a bandaid and move on.

 

An accident is just that....an accident.

 

I had a large can of tomatoes fall on my foot in the supermarket, badly bruising my little toe....making it painful to walk for a couple weeks..in shoes anyway.

 

I reported the incident, filled out the papers they required - and moved on. I wasn't permanently damaged in any way.

 

Now, if it had hit me on the head, knocked me unconcious and required a trip to the emergency room, I would have expected the store to pay all my medical bills - and lost salary if I missed work, etc.[/quote']

 

While I'm not suggesting anyone should go ballistic over a minor injury, an accident is not "just an accident" if negligence is involved. If the cruise line was warned of a hazardous condition and failed to take steps to correct it, they were negligent. Had a serious injury resulted, the cruise line could have been found liable for significant damages in a court of law.

[njhorseman]

How is it the store's fault that a large can of tomatoes fell on you? If it was a poorly constructed display made of cans of tomatoes, and it toppled on you, maybe I can see this, but a can of food falling off a shelf is definitely not the store's fault. Maybe they would be nice and help you out with your expenses, but in no way, are they responsible.

 

Cans are inanimate objects. They don't fall unless something causes them to fall. What caused the can to fall may or may not have been the store's fault, but it definitely didn't fall on its own.

[Bonnie J.]

How did he know it was loose? Was the ship rocking like crazy?

If I found a loose anything on the wall, I would just take it OFF the wall. I would notify the purser's desk that I did that & why. If I saw my room steward I would also tell him.

Once this fall we complainted to the purser's desk that our cabin was too hot. When we got back later we had a 'note' saying someone had been there and looked into our complaint. (It was Carnival's Glory.)

[navybankerteacher]

In my experience, most legitimate complaints concerning shipboard maintenance are taken care of fairly promptly. The habit of people expecting compensation every time something happens that they do not like is something else. Too many of the complaints we see here involve expectations of compensation -- of course if someone suffers real damages as a result of negligence, they should be made whole-- if it's because of bad weather or unanticipated minor events, they should just suck it up.

[trish1c]

A legitimate complaint is something that can be fixed or one that acknowleding that it's nobody's fault something that changed your enjoyment.

For example, a loose mirror is a legitimate complaint & I do think the passanger deserved something for his trouble. By something I mean a free visit to the ship's doctor to assure that he didn't have an infection & that all the glass was out plus maybe $100 OBC & a complementary bottle of wine. Not a free cruise or thousands of dollars.

I complained & am still whining about the fact that it was cool & rainy for our entire cruise 3 weeks ago. The weather was awful & as a result most of my vacation expectations were thwarted. I think my complaint is absolutely legitimate but it's certainly not anybody's fault.

[kicker]

A legitimate complaint is something that can be fixed or one that acknowleding that it's nobody's fault something that changed your enjoyment.

 

For example, a loose mirror is a legitimate complaint & I do think the passanger deserved something for his trouble. By something I mean a free visit to the ship's doctor to assure that he didn't have an infection & that all the glass was out plus maybe $100 OBC & a complementary bottle of wine. Not a free cruise or thousands of dollars.

 

I complained & am still whining about the fact that it was cool & rainy for our entire cruise 3 weeks ago. The weather was awful & as a result most of my vacation expectations were thwarted. I think my complaint is absolutely legitimate but it's certainly not anybody's fault.

 

Gee Trish, some people probably think you deserve a free cruise! How dare the Cruise Line not provide better weather for you! (tongue-in-cheek, of course).

[trish1c]

Stella -- are you a law student by any chance? Welcome to the real world. Alas while that is the standard, litigation costs being what they are some times deep pockets settle b/c it's cheaper.

Kicker -- I kept asking the CD to improve the weather. At least he didn't make that stupid "liquid sunshine" joke.

I think I deserve another cruise. Now I just have to convince DH that 3 vacations in one year is reasonable (see Stella's post for legal definition of reasonable :)) and within the budget.

[room010]

Our litigious and over-entitled society means that if anything "bad" (and that's totally subjective anyway) happens even if it's accidental, unavoidable or *shock* your own fault (a) it's always someone else's fault and (b) you are automatically a victim and entitled to financial compensation, preferably a lot of it.

 

Reading some of the ridiculous things people whine about that "totally ruined the cruise" - unripe fruit in the buffet was a recent example - I think a lot of people need to get a grip and get a life.

[Cruisin_on_th_net]

Luckily I'm not from such a litigious society - however, if I was on a cruise that cost squillions, and marketed as being worth squillions, and another pax was on the same cruise having purchased that cruise for significantly less (with the perception and belief they are on a discount budget cruise) then the pair of us would have extremely different expectations of the same cruise.

 

This may also contribute to what peoples expectations are - ie the unripe fruit in the buffet. If you've paid top dollar with the belief you are buying a top dollar experience, then you would be bitterly disappointed. You have also purchased something that wasn't as described, and would have an expectation of compensation / refund etc.

 

Whether it's legitimate or not, and whether it gets settled the way you expect are quite possibly two very different outcomes ! :)

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I believe that minimum the ship "owes" the person injured by a falling mirror is a free trip to the infirmary to check the injury and treat it to guard against infection.

 

When one books a cruise, one does so with the fair and reasonable expectation that the ship will be in good repair and ship's furnishings will not fall on them or shatter into peices or cause bodily injury of any degree.

 

The stewart had been alerted about the loose mirror, yet nothing was done...at least according to the OP. The injured party, rather than complaining to us here at Cruise Critic would have served his case better by trying to resolve this issue while still on board. The main thing he should have received was medical attention at no cost.

 

I believe the best policy is always to resolve issues of this nature at the place and time they happened in so far as possible.

[jbknits]

The cruise line is at fault here. Free medical attention should be provided. In a show of goodwill, the cruise line would be smart to send a free bottle of wine or plate of chocolates or some other sort of apology, but I don't think it's required, just good business sense. I don't believe any monetary compensation is necessary.

[room010]

For me a sincere apology and prompt attention to fix the problem is all that's required. No amount of money is going to change the fact that I accidentally have a piece of glass in my foot. And by all means send me a basket of fruit - just make sure it's ripe :)

[Gathina]

If it were me I wouldn't have made a big deal about it. I wouldn't have been happy, either but as long as it was fixed eventually and I received an apology and I was not hurt, what's the point in complaining?

[Andee]

My mother fell the first evening of a cruise, breaking her shoulder and shattering her elbow. She and I were shocked at how many people suggested she sue the cruiseline. She didn't trip over a hazard that they should have removed or repaired and an employee didn't push her down the stairs! Her friend went back the next day to check and see if the carpet was ripped--but only so she could tell the cruiseline in case anything needed attention.

[Gathina]

Isn't it amazing how some people think that "their rights replace their responsiblity". Those people are "sue happy". Your mom recognized that! Fortunately she wasn't hurt worse.

 

My mother fell the first evening of a cruise, breaking her shoulder and shattering her elbow. She and I were shocked at how many people suggested she sue the cruiseline. She didn't trip over a hazard that they should have removed or repaired and an employee didn't push her down the stairs! Her friend went back the next day to check and see if the carpet was ripped--but only so she could tell the cruiseline in case anything needed attention.

[soozles]

I think a loose mirror that fell and broke into my foot is a legit complaint since the person notified the steward and nothing was done about it. I know I certainly wouldn't be taking down a loose mirror on my own, those things are huge and look heavy, I think it would be much more likely that it breaks while I'm trying to take it down. Would I sue the cruise line? No, but I would think they would at least offer a free trip to the infirmary and if any treatment was needed, it would be covered.

[G'ma]

How is it the store's fault that a large can of tomatoes fell on you? If it was a poorly constructed display made of cans of tomatoes, and it toppled on you, maybe I can see this, but a can of food falling off a shelf is definitely not the store's fault. Maybe they would be nice and help you out with your expenses, but in no way, are they responsible.

 

Jeez......that's a lot of "big deal" over a theoretical situation, isn't it?

[G'ma]

While I'm not suggesting anyone should go ballistic over a minor injury, an accident is not "just an accident" if negligence is involved. If the cruise line was warned of a hazardous condition and failed to take steps to correct it, they were negligent. Had a serious injury resulted, the cruise line could have been found liable for significant damages in a court of law.

 

The buzzword here is "serious injury"...... Getting a sliver in ones foot isn't a serious injury.....last I heard anyway.

[G'ma]

The fact is that people who want "compensation" for every mishap in their lives are those who believe society owes them a living.

 

They are always looking for the fast buck...and always looking for "someone" to blame for their misfortune...or, in this case, a sliver in the foot being totally disabling and forever effecting his life and leaving such a trauma that he simply MUST sue---for he will be permanently disabled.

[njhorseman]

The buzzword here is "serious injury"...... Getting a sliver in ones foot isn't a serious injury.....last I heard anyway.

 

And I didn't say the injury was serious. I was explaining the concept of negligence.