Unbelievable Complaints

[Orlandocruiser]

DH and I met a couple on their first X cruise - they usually sail on Holland America. They were very upset that there are no laundry facilities on the Silhouette. They didn't bring enough changes of clothing for a 12 night cruise. They said it took days for socks to dry. Socks! Also depended on the use of an iron during the cruise.

We explained that no X ships have laundry facilities , but that didn't make them any happier. They saw this as a way for X to make money at their expense (pun intended).

Another example of "read your brochure" prior to taking your cruise!!

 

The funny thing is only the older HAL ships have launderettes - the newer ones don't. So they weren't even correct in their complaining!

[Astro Flyer]

We missed Christchurch NZ by being stuck overnight in the port for Dunedin due to severe winds & a narrow harbor entrance. A lady was very upset about this & made it very clear to the captain that missing Christchuch was unacceptible. His calm, British reply to this angry lady was great..."Madame, if we had sailed last night not only would we have missed Christchurch but every other port because of a damaged ship". Some people just don't belong on a ship & should remain on land instead. :rolleyes:

[Birdie1410]

On our first and only cruise, there was a lot to complain about-hubs and I both have some disabilities that make elevators a necessity but on this cruise, only half of them worked-literally half the time. There's a lot more, including rude staff but that being said, there were many, many things I especially enjoyed-the moonlight on the water, our great wait staff and our room steward who managed to clean our room between our dinner prep time and bedtime. Just being on a cruise for the first time in my life was exciting. Ah well, some people just have to complain or they can't breathe. lol

[bakcd]

It was wonderful meeting you and your daughter. The person who gave the "lecture" at the cruise critic gathering spoke to the Hotel Manager and voiced his concerns prior to his public statement. I remember him giving the same speech on another cruise. If you read his post on the roll call thread it appears that he might want to be promoting his own business. I would commend Jamie, the HotelManager for allowing us to ask specific questions at the Cruise Critic gathering. I found him to be teriffic.

 

The person who spoke up at the CC gathering is not the same person that posted the explanation on the roll call thread. I do not believe the poster was doing more than trying to explain why the request at the gathering was unreasonable. His intentions were not to drum up business but rather to explain how things work in order that we compare apples to apples.

[ratbin]

I was on a cruise that had the ship anchored near Cabo San Lucas. We were enjoying breakfast on the rear deck behind the buffet when two whales emerged some distance away. One very cranky woman was snapping at one of the waiters because she couldn't see the whales properly. "Make them come closer! Go tell the Captain to make them come closer!" I couldn't hear what the waiter was saying to her - I suspect he became temporarily unable to speak English - but I ended up with smoked salmon snorting out of my nose. And my table mates were not in any better shape.

[Sail Girl]

The funny thing is only the older HAL ships have launderettes - the newer ones don't. So they weren't even correct in their complaining!

 

Ah ha! Haven't been on a new HAL ship, so didn't know they don't have self serve laundries either.

Won't that couple get a shock when they book on a newer HAL ship!!

[AviGirl]

Last year while sailing on Solstice I was in the solarium pool and there was a group a five older women all huddled up comparing and complaining about all the cruises they've been on (and there were a lot of cruises!)... I found it so comical that they would complain and complain and complain about this ship and that cruise line yet kept on booking cruises! :rolleyes:

 

I thought to myself that there are some people that just have to find fault in everything and how sad must their lives be...

 

We on the other hand had such an amazing time on that cruise... so much so that dh and I booked the same itinerary on Eclipse... only 10 more days to go!!! :D

[miXterOB]

Could not agree more AviGirl!

 

We will be boarding Solstice in 11 days after doing Equinox last year...can't wait.

Have fun enjoying the weiners/whiners!

[shebawalk]

I've laughed so hard at these "complaints" that my stomach hurts. I've cruised many times and I've never had a bad one. Sure, things may have not gone exactly as planned sometimes, but there's fun to be had no matter what!

[S2az]

At the risk of being off-topic, I was once on a cruise with the person who best exemplifies the fun of cruising. She and the rest of her group of four, all well-seasoned citizens, were at the bottom of the stairs one formal night, and I overheard one of them ask her what she wanted to do. Her response: "Oh, I don't care. If it's bad for us, let's do it!"

 

I darn near fell down the stairs I was laughing so hard.

[jks79]

Denny -- I loved your list! :cool: But, doesn't it make you wonder what miserable lives these folks must lead, back on land? :eek: :rolleyes:

I don't know why these type of people travel. At a Roll Call Meet and Greet I attended, one woman went on and on about the bad coffee on this ship and all Princess ships. She was quite aggressively rude to the staff present and would not shut up.

Finally I cracked ( sorry, but I couldn't help myself :rolleyes: ) and said to her,

" Pardon me, BUT you are on a beautiful million dollar ship, enjoying lovely food and being served by an excellent staff, seeing a beautiful country - NZ - and you are being rude and unpleasant to everyone. If it wasn't the coffee you would be bitching about something else !! "

Two points :

1 ) If the coffee on Princess ships is " always " horrible, why travel with them if that your base line for quality ?

and

2 ) We were in port quite frequently so why didn't she buy a cheap coffee maker to use in her room.

 

This was in 2006 and it still makes me angry now - lol

[MetroAlto]

I've been enjoying reading all the ridiculous complaints on this thread (some of them remind me of the comedy routines done by the cruise directors - but they are even funnier because they are real)! My best friend and I just returned from a lovely vacation on Carnival, and we loved every moment of the trip. Two of our dinner companions, however, had nothing but negative comments -- starting right away when they sat down and introduced themselves and then proceeded to tell us how horrible Carnival was because they had forfeited their $400 deposit by failing to make the rest of their payment when it was due. The man stated that since Carnival sent tons of e-mails trying to sell excursions, they should have been sent a reminder about the payment as well. (I'm pretty sure that such an e-mail is usually sent, but there was no arguing with this couple, who proceeded to bitch and moan about everything from the food to the stock market).

 

Leaving for another cruise in 4 days -- and I certainly hope to find more happy, grateful vacationers. I know I'll be one of them!

[gyanhumara]

Two of our dinner companions, however, had nothing but negative comments --

 

I think at that point I'd snap my fingers and say, "Excuse me, Waiter! There's whine in my soup!" :D

 

Here's hoping the passengers on my upcoming holiday cruise all choose to leave their whine & jeez at home...!

[Sloop-JohnB]

I think at that point I'd snap my fingers and say, "Excuse me, Waiter! There's whine in my soup!" :D

 

Here's hoping the passengers on my upcoming holiday cruise all choose to leave their whine & jeez at home...!

 

TO GYANHUMARA,

 

That's a funny way to make light of a bad situation...

 

BUT I surely wouldn't be *snapping my fingers* at any of the Wait Staff (hoping you were jesting here... because to do so is EXTREMELY rude & disrespectful !!)

 

The best way to handle this situation that METROALTO has described would have been to have a discreet discussion with the Maitre D'hotel after the meal... and mention that they wished a "table change" asap...

 

No sense spending day-in and day-out with others at meals (which are supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing) who are continually in a bad mood... instead of looking forward each evening to Dinners, I think otherwise I'd be dreading it... and that isn't what a cruise or vacation about !!

 

Cheers!

[gyanhumara]

Actually it's a common human fallacy to believe that other people will respect one's opinion more highly if one has only negative things to say about the topic in question -- as if one must have experienced far better, at some point, such that the current item/service/experience/whatever can only have bad things reported about it. Most commonly found in book & movie critics, and I steer well clear of such reviews. As others have intimated, it seems to be a pretty miserable way to conduct one's life. But it takes all kinds!

 

If I do have an opportunity to review my upcoming Constellation holiday cruise, I will make every attempt to make it a balanced one. I used to be a professional book, movie & stage critic, so I think I should have the hang of it...

[Waihekean]

I've only had one complaint on my cruises. It's those darn ship photographers. They always make me looker heavier and older than I really am. :rolleyes:

 

Agreed! Could not buy my "coming aboard" photograph, because had all of a sudden an extra chin!:eek:

[gyanhumara]

BUT I surely wouldn't be *snapping my fingers* at any of the Wait Staff (hoping you were jesting here... because to do so is EXTREMELY rude & disrespectful !!)

 

Oh heavens, yes, I was kidding about the finger-snapping. Or perhaps I would snap them in the whiner's face in the hope of waking him/her up!

 

I hear you about the table-change request, and had considered adding that to my original reply, but I do enjoy bantering with people and usually have fairly good luck diffusing an awkward situation...

[Sloop-JohnB]

Oh heavens, yes, I was kidding about the finger-snapping.

Or perhaps I would snap them in the whiner's face in the hope of waking him/her up!

 

I hear you about the table-change request, and had considered adding that to my original reply, but I do enjoy bantering with people and usually have fairly good luck diffusing an awkward situation...

 

TO GYANHUMARA,

 

... I thought so... although your comment

 

"snapping them in the whiner's face in hopes of waking him / her up!"

 

Is quite funny...

 

Cheers!

[socalguy2010]

My late father served on a battleship in the south Pacific in WWII. In later life, he and my Mom loved to cruise and did so many times. After they returned from one cruise where the weather was really rough, Dad said that there were a lot of people complaining about the weather. He said he enjoyed the cruise immensely in spite of the weather. I asked him why he enjoyed the cruise so much, and he replied that at least, on the cruise nobody was shooting at him! I don't think he ever complained about a cruise. :) Helps to put things in perspective.

[skipp_r1]

We love to cruise and have had some problems on cruses and have heard some really stupid complaints.

 

1. On a cruise to Hawaii from San Diego, round trip in May, a family was complaing because they had not brought anything but shorts and summer clothing, asking why the Captain didn't sail in the sun. We didn't have warm weather until about half way to Hawaii normal for this time of year. They were from Europe and declared they were getting off the ship in Honolulu (think Jones Act)

2. We were on the last Alaska cruise of the season when the Captain announced that the ship was going to Tracy Arm instead of Hubbard Glacier, due to 40 foot waves strong winds at Hubbard. I could not believe the number of people complaining at the desk and some of their demands.

3. A lady and her husband at our table complained about every meal saying it was inedible sending her first order back every night and ordering something else off the menu which on most nights was also sent back. Then they stiffed the wait staff the last night of the cruise by not showing up to dinner. I guess any reason not to tip someone for excellent service.

4. On a cruise From Barcelona which included Eygpt in December, we were hit by a very bad storm outside of Alexandria that caused the ship to list and broke many dishes, t.v.'s. glasses and totally wiped out the Xmas decorations. When the next day the cruise director announced we were going to get OBC $200 per cabin and $500 for suites a group of people demanded to know why the suites got $500 and they were only getting $00. Don't need Sherlock Holmes to figure that one out. (P.S. RCL reimbursed us our all cruise fare and gave us the OBC also.)

 

People expect vacations to be flawless, but like everything else in life there are going to be curves in the road. As long as I can take things out of my bucket, so in the end when I look in it and see it empty I can kick it without fear or regrets I will be elated and have no complaints, except maybe I didn't fill it all the way.

[jks79]

Loved the quote - " you can't cure stupid ".

 

In May, after we docked in Vancouver, I was standing at the front desk, picking up my confiscated dangerous weapons ( 2 ceramic kitchen knives I purchased as presents ), :o when a lady approached the staff member next to me and said, " I am ready to get off now, go and get my bags for me." No please or thankyou, just do it !

The lovely staff member replied that was not possible and that was not the procedure. She then abused him, insisting that he go NOW and get her stuff. This was 2 hours after disembarkation had started and the poor guy was nearly in tears and I turned to the woman and said,

" didn't you see all the luggage in the corridors last night or bother to read the ship's newsletter ? ". She said she had but thought that those instructions were for other people NOT her !!!

[dogs4fun]

A few months ago, I posted a list of complaints I read in some reviews. Here they are along with my thoughts:

 

- the walls in my SR made crackling noises. In bad wx you could hear the crackling all around the ship.

-- Yes and the ship moves and rolls around some...it's floating in the ocean.

 

- dinner was served in the same dining room every night.

-- and they had to stay in the same SR every night too! (this may have been my favorite)

 

- no waterpark, watersides, mini-golf

-- maybe read the brochures

 

-I saw staff using the elevator

-- and staff was all over the place serving drinks, food, cleaning. Why are they out in public areas??

 

- during the entire cruise we never found a place to sit at the buffet and waited for 15min, and never a place to sit for a show half hr before the start.

-- No comment on "entire cruise" complaints that aren't plauseable.

 

- unfriendly staff. Needed an umbrella none in my room so went to the service desk and they had no more. Said had to have one so she gave him hers.

-- What was the complaint again about "unfriendly staff"?

 

- we could hear furniture being moved around on deck above and complained. Gave us free night at specialty restaurant and offered another room. The seemed 'indifferent' to our complaint.

-- Free dinner and a different room. What did they want instead?

 

- The Asst Cruise Dir was too old putting on her phony face smiling at us but smirking behind our backs.

-- always wanted to be able to see behind my back.

 

- An "Eastern European waitress" lectured me about sharing my drink package.

-- Yup, hate it when a Bulgarian lectures me. Much better if it was a Iranian.

 

-The staff was from over 100 countries and were rude and arrogant. Fellow passengers were rude and very arrogant.

-- And my wife was rude and very very arrogant and the people on our flight were rude and very very very arrogant, and.....get the picture who is rude and arrogant.

 

- I told the Casino to not give me any money but they said they would.

-- and I told the waiter to not serve me any food, and told the steward not to make up my room, and ....

 

- I really can't think of any positives.

-- Anybody just watch "The Grinch" this holiday??

 

Den

 

OMG! Unbelievable!! Kinda reminds me of the expose that Dateline ran on the "ugly american".

[babyher]

Actually it's a common human fallacy to believe that other people will respect one's opinion more highly if one has only negative things to say about the topic in question -- as if one must have experienced far better, at some point, such that the current item/service/experience/whatever can only have bad things reported about it. Most commonly found in book & movie critics, and I steer well clear of such reviews. As others have intimated, it seems to be a pretty miserable way to conduct one's life. But it takes all kinds!

 

If I do have an opportunity to review my upcoming Constellation holiday cruise, I will make every attempt to make it a balanced one. I used to be a professional book, movie & stage critic, so I think I should have the hang of it...

 

 

 

 

I agree with this 100%..... some people think being overly criticall and negative gives them the appearence of being worldly and having such refined tastes that this current situation is so far beneath their lofty selves . That they are forced to suffer this indignity.

[Lucy Tania]

We overheard two "ladies" talking at lunch and one said to the other,

 

"Well, my dear, I've looked through the passenger list and I've checked on "Who's Who" in the library and, quite honestly, there is no one worth knowing on this cruise."

 

Another "lady" going up in the elevator was carrying a towel and out of politeness we asked it she was going for a swim in the pool.

 

She turned and raised her nose and said, "No, other people use that".

 

X Lucy

[Bridge Maven]

We overheard two "ladies" talking at lunch and one said to the other,

 

"Well, my dear, I've looked through the passenger list and I've checked on "Who's Who" in the library and, quite honestly, there is no one worth knowing on this cruise."

 

Another "lady" going up in the elevator was carrying a towel and out of politeness we asked it she was going for a swim in the pool.

 

She turned and raised her nose and said, "No, other people use that".

 

X Lucy

 

Lucy, this reminds me of something that happened during the evening show on a Century cruise a few years ago. When cruise line reps were getting people from the audience to be involved in the the show, the passengers who volunteered were asked where they live and what they did. Shortly after that, a few passengers behind us were complaining that they thought Celebrity was an upscale cruise line and were disappointed to realize that they were sailing on a ship with blue collar workers.