Ultimate Cruise Snob Stories

[SargassoPirate]

Most Cruised...Super Elite....yep, those are some real accomplishments to be proud of. Yessireee. What it tells me is that their life must be pretty pathetic if they had to spend hundreds of thousands dollars with a business to garner some sort of recogition from that business so that they could wave that recognition around like it's eally something.

 

The true snob never rests; there is always a higher goal to attain,

and there are, by the same token, always more and more

people to look down upon.

- Russell Lynes

[SiBreeze]

I completely agree with you Pam. One person on CC springs to mind, always bragging and boasting about who he knows. I know a lot of people at Princess also, as Im sure you do too. I get perks etc when I am on board. But would never dream of bragging about it on here or on the ship.:eek:

 

:D:D

 

 

You just did. :rolleyes:

[guxu]

My kids always use lanyards. They have small pockets or no pocket. And my son lost his cards several times before we gave him the lanyard. At least they do not have to worry about the color. Kid's card is always blue no matter how many times they sailed.

[Wehwalt]

On cruises in Australian waters the vast majority of pax bring or buy a lanyard and hang the cruises card around their neck. When we did a couple of cruises out of FLL I noticed the custom wasn't as prevalent with U.S. based ships. Maybe it's just an Aussie thing. Anyway cruise cards are not coloured to denote status on P&O ships over here. When we did our first Princess cruise we had the blue one and we had some friends who were Elite. One day we heard the wife telling the hubby to flip over his cruise card on the lanyard as the black face wasn't displayed.

What worries me is that now we are up in the lofty echelons I might be thought of being a bit of a wanker for hanging it off a lanyard.

 

I have a little holder for my card that I hang around my neck with a Princess lanyard I won at trivia. It always hangs on the inside of my door when I am in my cabin. I tend to keep the white side up so it can be scanned through the plastic. I'll be platinum next cruise (single travelers get it faster). I don't expect to change which side I show even when it's black.

[TNTLAMB]

There are some people who make a big deal about who they know at Princess, like to boast about the special perks and attention they get because they know someone, say, "Email me and I'll get you the insider's info," etc. I find people like this very sad, very "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee" attention-seeking. There are many others who know people at Princess or on the ships as well or better and don't brag about it.

 

That's because if you actually know somebody, you sign a contract when you go on board saying you won't tell anybody........

[sherryf]

On one of first cruises, there was a big snob on board, and it seemed like we ran into him everywhere. I don't know if he was travelling with a large group of newbies or if he just like to make friends with the newbies on board so he could brag to them. Every time we saw him he seemed to be explaining things to someone and telling them how he could get anything he wanted by showing his black card. He saved a whole row of seats in the theater one night, as if that black card gave him privilege to do so. We tried so hard to avoid this guy, but he seemed to be everywhere and was so loud in his bragging that you could hear him even if you weren't near.

 

One other cruise we decided to go to the wine tasting, for something new to do on a sea day. We drink wine, but we are not wine snobs and had never been to a real wine tasting before. I pretty much know what I like and buy almost all my wine at Trader Joe's. I know nothing about oak or cherry or whatever. We really just went to the wine tasting for fun and if we learned something, that was fine too. Well, we got seated with this couple who apparently always went to both wine tastings on all their cruises and belonged to some wine club at home. They were so snooty about the whole thing, despite the fact that everyone else at the table was just there for a good time. They could have been friendly and helpful, but instead they made us feel like total idiots. Not sure if I'll ever be able to drag my husband to another wine tasting after that experience.

[CPA92]

Ooh go on - linky please...

 

 

No link, looks like the moderators have taken it down. ( rightly so!) It was about the " white trash" in the concierge lounge. The OP's language, not mine!

[Pam in CA]

That's because if you actually know somebody, you sign a contract when you go on board saying you won't tell anybody........

Who you know is far less important than who you are as a person. Bragging defines you in a way that isn't attractive.

[Doug R.]

Was her name Hyacinth Bucket?

 

I would rather cruise with Onslow :D

[toberman]

No link, looks like the moderators have taken it down. ( rightly so!) It was about the " white trash" in the concierge lounge. The OP's language, not mine!

 

In all honesty - I've had my chuckles and giggles reading through this thread, but really... are we not being as rude and judge-mental of other people as the people are who are reportably being 'rude' here on this forum?? Don't criticize others til you've walked in their shoes. All is fun in life - if you let it.

I've cruised a bunch - but have never met anyone who offended me to the point where I want to publicize it on a public forum. I just let it go, and relax... Hell, I'll never see them again!

Everybody has a bad day.. or made a bad decision on which cruise line to go on - but that's their problem, not mine.

I actually liked the 'blue card' - I could easily say.. 'Where's the dining room?' or 'How do I find.....??' Everybody was soooo helpful. :)

[southwinds]

Could this be reverse snobbery? :confused:

Frequently when on board you '' hear'' of somebody who claimes he paid £500 for the cruise ( normally 14 nights or more)

who boasts of paying so very little for a cruise...? is this reverse snobbery?

 

NOW after years of hearing this a friend of ours thought it was her turn for such a cruise so booked a fully booked cruise and was on the famous ' wait list' for what she thought would be a £500 cruise... ( 35 nights southampton to Caribbean and back)... they packed and took the christmas decorations down and were ready well on the day of the cruise, 5th Jan she got the call a cabin was available... YES :D she said '' That will be £1699 each'' came the reply...'' WHAT '' she replied.. I thought these late cabins sold for £500? she said '' NO way'' thats just a rumour we never sell them that cheaply... why would we when we have a wait list.... ;)

 

Lesson to everyone Dont believe everything you hear on a cruise ship.

[Babewho]

On our first cruise we encountered a woman who was probably one of the most pretentious people I've ever run across. She loved to make a grand entrance,swooping in and making everyone aware of her presence. During the daytime she always wore a jogging suit made of what they called "parachute fabric", so she also rustled when she moved. She wore her hair pulled back into a bun, so we dubbed her "The Bun Lady". She seemed to be everywhere we were, including excursions. At first we found her annoying, but then we began to enjoy watching her make a total fool of herself. She definitely was a diva.

 

We and the couple we were traveling with enjoyed playing the trivia games for a fun and interactive experience, with winning being the last thing on our agenda. She and her group, on the other hand, treated the trivia games as if they the Super Bowl. If someone in the group gave the wrong answer, they'd get seriously lambasted by the others in the group. On the final sea day there was a "big" trivia tournament. I think the prize package might have even included a deck of playing cards. The stakes were high! Amazingly, our group was holding their own and ended up tied with the Bun Lady's group. The final question had an obvious, easy answer that was actually wrong. My husband, who has more useless information floating around in his brain than anyone I know, knew the obscure, correct answer. The Bun Lady Group went for the obvious answer, so we ended up being the winners. The Bun Lady couldn't believe it! She questioned the staff members and said that it was unfair! She and her posse stormed out in a huff. Did I say that winning wasn't important to us? I have to admit that this victory was sweet! And my son, who is a magician, really enjoyed getting that deck of cards!

[Amuse Bouche]

Who is Hyacinth Bucket? Undoubtably notorious...

 

This thread is funny, unless you are getting ready to sail, then it's depressing.

 

I try to look at the other side of everything, including how unpleasant people are unpleasant for some sad reason...but I swear, I'm not going to be nice or quiet if I come across people like the ones we are talking about. I don't think I will be enjoying the perks when I reach elite status.

 

As far as the boards, It's pretty darn easy to tell which people drop that they are elite status in a comment to let you know that you can trust what they say because they have the time in. I think that's wonderful, and I appreciate knowing who these people are. I DEPEND on you wonderful people!! Thank goodness you are kind enough to share!

 

Then there are the ones who drop that they are elite in a comment just to announce that they are elite, without offering any kind of helpful insight.

 

If you are in the latter...guess what Cookie, we know what you are about. So be helpful or shut up. Spending more time on a ship doesn't make you smarter...that's what University and good genes are about. :D

[poncho1965]

I had an 11 year old in the hot tub with me and a friend and we were just chatting between ourselves....and the kid piped up and said to us " you two will be old ladies before you even get close to the status that I have and im only 11. Im Elite on princess you will never get that.....

 

Not sure but I think 11 year old kids don't accrue any sailing days, so cannot be elite or any other status :D Have to be 18 or older. I'll be an old man before I'm elite! :p

[shellbeachjim]

Who is Hyacinth Bucket? Undoubtably notorious...

 

"Keeping Up Appearances" from the BBC...

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098837/

[cruisequeen4ever]

We've had 2 cruise snob (or rather, cruise grumps) encounters...

 

1) On our Hawaii cruise, this cute elderly couple sat at a table across from us one night. The gentleman ordered lamb. When it was delivered, he made a loud fuss, saying, "it's supposed to FALL OFF THE BONE!" using pinched fingers with hands raised in the air. The server was so nervous, but he graciously took the cut of meat and brought back a new one that was more to his liking. My hubby and I still say this story as a joke to each other. :D

 

2) On a Caribbean cruise, we were in the buffet late at night (back when the buffet was open late at night). It was peaceful, with hardly anyone was around. Then, a lady a few tables over lost it with a buffet stewardess, saying, "This crap is crap!". The poor stewardess looked so troubled but remained composed and subservient the whole time. Here it is late at night, and most of us are just thankful to be able to grab a quick snack, not expecting perfection at the late night hour. We will say this story line as a joke, too. :)

[room010]

I think the whole "status" thing and some insecure people's apparent obsession with it is in itself very snobby and divisive. I know that loyal customers are rewarded with various perks but bragging about it, or expecting preferential treatment just because you have more cruises under your belt causes friction, resentment and a totally unjustified sense of entitlement as far as I can see.

[MicCanberra]

I would rather cruise with Onslow :D

I would rather travel with Rosie (and I do - my wife is Rosemary):D

[Oscarsgrandad]

As regards the 11 year old.....as an older person ( to the child) I would have told him that old people tend to relieve themselves in the hot tubs - the little sod would have never got in a hot tub again....it worked on the last trip I made, cleared all the noisy teenagers out in one foul swoop!

 

Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced 'bouquet') is from an English comedy series about a social climbing woman who is constantly trying to rise above her own station....."keeping up appearances" from the BBC - early 90's.

 

We've managed a few cruises, enjoy them immensely and love people watching. I tend to go the other way in the sense that when people start asking personal questions I play it down and say I'm only a manual labourer .

 

The people being discussed are present in all walks of life, doesn't matter if it's a cruise, country club, supermarket or boozer it's the diversity that makes it all so interesting, just think how boring life would be if everyone was as perfect as you and I...( joke!)

[MicCanberra]

Who is Hyacinth Bucket? Undoubtably notorious...

"Keeping Up Appearances" from the BBC...

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098837/

 

Hyacinth pronounces the surname of Bucket as Bouquet to be more snooty.:D

[Mobi Cruiser]

I would rather cruise with Onslow :D

Oh, nice!

[LittleMissMagic]

The somewhat funny thing about the status bragging is that the loyalty program is a complete marketing ploy started by the cruiselines (and airlines, hotels, etc.) to make people continue to invest in their product by rewarding them for doing so. I will admit that I was once a victim of this game. I recall thinking, "Oh, only X more days til I'm X level on Royal Caribbean!" And the extra perk I got for achieving a new level? A gift basket in the room on embarkation day. That's when I realized how silly I was - dedicating my loyalty to a cruiseline so that I could get some free Internet or a gift basket - things that I don't even need or really even desire. If something is important enough to me, I'll buy it. And that's when I decided to quit feeling so loyal to any company and choose the cruise with the itinerary I want on the ship that I want which fits my schedule. That break from loyalty allowed me to try Princess and visit the Panama Canal - something I'd always wanted to do that I couldn't have possibly done (at that time anyway) with Royal Caribbean (not to say I'm not happy with Royal - I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my cruises on Royal Caribbean... and every line for that matter... it's cruising I love, not cruiselines).

[madjohn]

So are you saying that you think it is right to just be quiet and eat whatever they bring you, even if it is not what you ordered? Even if it is cooked in a way that is unpalatable for you? Even if, for instance, you ask for dressing on the side and get a salad with dressing already applied?

 

I am always very polite and specific in my requests and never blame the waiter when things go wrong (the waiters don't cook) but do believe that I should be able to have food prepared the way I like it on a cruise. Who knows maybe they just confused two different orders during the delivery process.

 

When I was younger I worked as a waitress at Disneyland (even crazier than a cruise ship) and did everything in my power to make sure that people got their food exactly the way they wanted it. There were times when the cook made a mistake and times when I made a mistake. I would much prefer that when things went wrong, my customers talked with me and gave me a chance to make it right, rather than go away unhappy with our food or service. I suspect that the wait staff of cruise ships feel the same way. Oft times the manner in which one resolves a problem will garner better reviews than even perfect service.

 

Which review would you prefer if you were a waiter:

 

1. Every night I ordered my steak rare from my waiter Raoul and it always came well done. He just didn't see to care what I wanted.

 

Or, this:

 

2. On the first night of the cruise I ordered a rare steak from our waiter Raoul. It came well done and he went out of his way to make sure it was replaced with a rare steak in rapid order. Every night thereafter, Raoul took special pains to make sure that everything I ordered was cooked to my satisfaction. I was very impressed. KUDOS to Raoul!

 

Of course, we must always be polite, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with requesting and expecting your food the way you want it.

 

Edited to add, in the case of a nonfunctional toilet, one can be polite, but very FIRM in requesting repair. :)

 

My choice not to complain and I would not eat and ( on a cruise ship) hit the buffet later if I was hungry. For a mistake once I would say nothing to no one and assume a mistake had been made and leave it at that. If it happened repeatedly I would say something at the end of the cruise. Just my opinion. Again to each there own.

[tgwabd]

My choice not to complain and I would not eat and ( on a cruise ship) hit the buffet later if I was hungry. For a mistake once I would say nothing to no one and assume a mistake had been made and leave it at that. If it happened repeatedly I would say something at the end of the cruise. Just my opinion. Again to each there own.

 

you are 100% right, I worked in food service when I was younger, rule number one, never piss of the chef, and rule number two, never complain and send the food back to the kitchen because then you are breaking rule number one and bad things can happen. I am not saying that happens all the time but I do not want to take that kind of chance. I just leave and go someplace else

[beg3yrs]

Not sure but I think 11 year old kids don't accrue any sailing days, so cannot be elite or any other status :D Have to be 18 or older. I'll be an old man before I'm elite! :p

 

My understanding is that they do accrue the sailing days but do not receive the benefits until they are 18 or older.

 

The brat possibly had accrued enough days or cruises with his or her parents but was incorrect about being elite.