Pet Peeve, King Bed Request

[RuthlessBoss]

One area that I saw great sensitivity was by the staff photographers - perhaps they can share their training with cabin crews?

 

What training? A photographer "sees" immediately they are a couple. A steward deals with inanimate objects until people show up.

[tmac04]

The bed in our cabin is always wrong! I travel with my mom and 3 kids and we always have 1 bed. We just request it pulled apart and it happens.

[Havingfun2010]

Just a correction for you, I might be a minority but I don't choose to be gay any more than you choose to be straight. I'm feeling the truth lies somewhere between how the room was set-up last, with a slight judgement call by the steward to not change the twin setup until that request is repeated.

 

So you don't think they made an educated guess that 2 males with different last names would want the bed separated since the majority as stated would prefer it that way. This is the same thing as when a waiter/waitress hands me the check instead of the female. Assumptions are always made in the service industry, until asked to be different. Those assumptions are made based on the majority since the guess would be mostly right. So they put the beds together, and make a mistake 95% of the time, or separate the beds, and only make a mistake 5%. I don't believe this is a "gay" issue, but rather an issue that you may feel because the assumptions would always be opposite of what you would want.

[asalligo]

I certainly understand why you would be sensitive to this matter and wonder if this is on purpose, but I have had to ask the same thing on several of my cruises with my opposite sex wife of 21 years.

[ScottsSweetie]

Just some corrections. First, many people do not even realize about the selection of bed can be prearranged. Most guys in particular would not even notice until they entered the room and request a change.

 

Most guys traveling together and when I say most, I mean the super majority or around 95% would not want the beds together, so it would be logical that they would set the room up that way. Although I would not be offended if I saw my bed made up incorrectly, I would just ask, just like you should be aware that your choices are in the minority, so asking for a change should not be a pet peeve.

 

Just a correction for you, I might be a minority but I don't choose to be gay any more than you choose to be straight. I'm feeling the truth lies somewhere between how the room was set-up last, with a slight judgement call by the steward to not change the twin setup until that request is repeated.

 

I understood his comment differently - I thought he was referring to your choice of bed selection being in the minority (when traveling with same sex), not your choice of being gay.

[evandbob]

So you don't think they made an educated guess that 2 males with different last names would want the bed separated since the majority as stated would prefer it that way. This is the same thing as when a waiter/waitress hands me the check instead of the female. Assumptions are always made in the service industry, until asked to be different. Those assumptions are made based on the majority since the guess would be mostly right. So they put the beds together, and make a mistake 95% of the time, or separate the beds, and only make a mistake 5%. I don't believe this is a "gay" issue, but rather an issue that you may feel because the assumptions would always be opposite of what you would want.

 

I agree that assumptions are made when there is a lack of info.

 

However, the OP stated he made his request for a king, which was then ignored by the cabin steward.

[evandbob]

I don't think it is over looked. I think the one thing that can be put off until later is changing the beds around.

 

Plus as you can see even in this thread, some people just accept the way the beds are and never request a change.

 

Say you have thirty rooms to get ready for the new pax. You cannot get around the cleaning, you have a short time to get things done. You can put the beds arrangement off until the new pax are on. A lot of the rooms are going to be like people want just by chance, there are going to be a few that will just accept how things are, so you now have a few that needs to be changed. And they can be changed in the afternoon, evening when you have more time to get it done.

 

Like I said, only a big deal if you want to make it one.

 

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And the stewards job is made even more difficult by passengers rushing to their rooms prior to the cabins being officially opened.

[summersigh]

We're a hetero married couple with the same last name. In our paperwork we request a king-sized bed. Two or 3 times they've been set up as twins. I just can't see the big daggone deal about it. We saw the steward ... asked it be changed ,.... it was changed while we were at dinner. Done deal.

 

This seems to go along with all the other "I'm sooooo offended" stuff that really doesn't matter in the bigger scheme of things.

 

We're on lovely vacation cruises - is asking for the bed configuration to be changed such a big deal when there are people in this country that don't even have a bed to go to ????

[AngAndBoys]

Just a correction for you, I might be a minority but I don't choose to be gay any more than you choose to be straight. I'm feeling the truth lies somewhere between how the room was set-up last, with a slight judgement call by the steward to not change the twin setup until that request is repeated.

 

I think he was talking about the bed choice, not the lifestyle "choice". :D

 

Anyhow, I wonder if the steward questioned you more because he thought he misunderstood you? Like it took a minute for him to grasp the situation and he just thought he misunderstood because of language, being tired or whatever? I say that because it happens to all of us from time to time, you know? Like maybe it took him a minute to make the connection that you guys were a couple.

 

I don't know. Just throwing it out there. At any rate, I hope you and your partner were able to have a nice cruise. :D

[GUT2407]

I'm annoyed by the fact that our king bed request has never been correctly honored on 4 cruises together. Of course, when I chase down the room steward he fixes it. Although twice we got the 'Are you sure?' type of response which was stupid. Yes we are gay. I'm wondering if it was correct for the rest of you, or is this some kind of judgment call they are making? Are they afraid of offending two straight buddies bunking together who might have accidentally selected the wrong bed setup? Like that happens...LOL

 

Never had it wrong.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

What's the big deal? Tell the room steward you'd like the beds changed. He's not going to question you.

[jacksmycat]

My mom and I went together in September and our beds were together. We told the room steward when he came to introduce himself and he wanted to fix them immediately.

[Rotorwinger]

When the on-line check-in is done change it there. I have done this on most of our cruises and they get it right for us.

[jellybeana]

We always request twins with online check in and our PVP knows what we want but always get king arrangement. One steward showed us the paper that said we were Mr and Mrs. We just happen to be brother and sister with the same last name. Ran into father and daughter combo that said they also get King even though they request twin. Somewhere someone is making assumptions based on the 1950s

[cruzelover55]

So you don't think they made an educated guess that 2 males with different last names would want the bed separated since the majority as stated would prefer it that way. This is the same thing as when a waiter/waitress hands me the check instead of the female. Assumptions are always made in the service industry, until asked to be different. Those assumptions are made based on the majority since the guess would be mostly right. So they put the beds together, and make a mistake 95% of the time, or separate the beds, and only make a mistake 5%. I don't believe this is a "gay" issue, but rather an issue that you may feel because the assumptions would always be opposite of what you would want.

 

You hit the nail on the head! Assumptions! I had a friend that was 13 years older than me. She had a "boy toy" younger than me. It annoyed her, when the 3 of us went out to dinner, that they gave the wine to her, first, in order to taste. They "assumed" she was mama, and we were the couple.:)

[BeachChik]

So you don't think they made an educated guess that 2 males with different last names would want the bed separated since the majority as stated would prefer it that way. This is the same thing as when a waiter/waitress hands me the check instead of the female. Assumptions are always made in the service industry, until asked to be different. Those assumptions are made based on the majority since the guess would be mostly right. So they put the beds together, and make a mistake 95% of the time, or separate the beds, and only make a mistake 5%. I don't believe this is a "gay" issue, but rather an issue that you may feel because the assumptions would always be opposite of what you would want.

 

It's funny that you mention a restaurant check. I comment to my husband all the time about how the server (most of the time) will put the check next to him instead of the middle of the table, assuming that he will be paying. I don't get offended it just gives me a chuckle.

 

I personally don't see the big deal about the beds. If they accommodated your request then all is good. Maybe he just wanted to make sure before he went through the hassle of making the change before he did it. I'm sure they wouldn't want to change it and have to change it back again.

 

I do think we live in a society now where people are quick to say they are offended. Every little thing seems to offend someone. Given their goal is to get tips I doubt he was trying to offend anyone. They aren't trying to tick off a guest.

Edited December 4, 2015 by BeachChik

[glassman352]

There is a process in place that takes the room steward's assumption out of the mix. I don't see posts about Carnival mixing up eating times because you make the choice at booking (along with bed arraignments) and I assume they will entertain my choice unless I'm on a waiting list. If Carnival is allowing me to make a choice of bed arraignments, that choice should be given to the stewards so no assumptions have to be made.

[summersigh]

I personally don't see the big deal about the beds. If they accommodated your request then all is good. Maybe he just wanted to make sure before he went through the hassle of making the change before he did it. I'm sure they wouldn't want to change it and have to change it back again.

 

I do think we live in a society now where people are quick to say they are offended. Every little thing seems to offend someone. Given their goal is to get tips I doubt he was trying to offend anyone. They aren't trying to tick off a guest.

 

I agree with you here. The assumption on bed configuration (ie leaving them as they were the cruise before ) isn't intended to be hurtful.

 

The outraged responses in some of the previous posts seem manufactured to get a fight going about the sexual preferences of one group or another.

[Sparky2]

After several cruises in various (marital) situations, I've decided on my theory: that what you indicate as a preference is not viewed by the Room Steward. I firmly believe that they are so busy when trying to turn the rooms over from one set of guests for the new arrivals that they leave the bed as it was. It's easier and faster for the steward.

 

Yes, they will change it when asked after departure. I tip the harried Steward to have it done. I imagine in some cases, people just accept it/learn to live with it.

 

There is decidedly a more spacious feel with twin bedss against the wall than a "king" in the middle of the room.

 

I agree with you. One year my DH & I requested twins for the same reason you mentioned. When we got to the room it was King. We left it as is.

[brendrek]

There is a process in place that takes the room steward's assumption out of the mix. I don't see posts about Carnival mixing up eating times because you make the choice at booking (along with bed arraignments) and I assume they will entertain my choice unless I'm on a waiting list. If Carnival is allowing me to make a choice of bed arraignments, that choice should be given to the stewards so no assumptions have to be made.

 

 

Bingo!

[DHnDWplus2]

I think they just leave the bed arrangements aa they were for the previous cabin occupants. Gives them a 50/50 chance....

 

No worries, they always correct if necessary

 

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[FloridaGram]

I have the opposite problem! We prefer the twins because one of us likes the sheet only to cover with and the other likes the duvet. I request it every time and it has never been correct. The room stewards do get a list but I think they are so busy they just don' check. It seems it would be easier to do it right the first time but in 5 cruises it was never right last year.

 

I would say nothing personal about it!

[okgirl]

It has been known for a long time that the bed request on the website frequently doesn't work. I've seen numerous posts that after making the selection for king the website will revert it back to twin the next time the documents were checked.

 

Since the vast majority of same sex people traveling together aren't gay, I think the steward simply looks at the guest list and makes the assumption that the beds should be separated. Or that the beds are probably left in the previous configuration.

[Kittybork]

There is a process in place that takes the room steward's assumption out of the mix. I don't see posts about Carnival mixing up eating times because you make the choice at booking (along with bed arraignments) and I assume they will entertain my choice unless I'm on a waiting list. If Carnival is allowing me to make a choice of bed arraignments, that choice should be given to the stewards so no assumptions have to be made.

 

You choose to vacation on an economy line that hires stewards from third-world countries because they will work for low wages, yet you expect service and understanding of customs as if you were sailing on the Queen Mary.

 

For goodness sakes, you're on vacation. Lighten up and have fun.

[MalibuBoi804]

This has happened to us on both cruises but once we asked the room steward they quickly fixed it. On my most recent cruise I did notice it was much harder to track him down, so I pushed them together myself to give a hint. Then I ran into him and he apologized and said he would fix it right away. I know it can be frustrating but it's vacation so relax and have a great time...at least it's a problem that can be fixed.

 

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