Crew does nothing to stop bad behavior

[Cirdan]

So now the crew should be also a bahaviour and good manner police? What a time to live!

 

 

 

I think there is not much crew can do, but to mark down the name and to "blacklist" them like it is done on airplanes. Complaining is often just backfiring: they will look for the worse just to show that they are the "strongest".

 

 

We need a passport of good manner as strict requirement to travel (not just to travel abroad).

[Bo1953]

We were also on this cruise and it was probably the worst cruise we have been on for rude and badly behaved individuals. None of it too serious but enough to be noticeable.

 

Examples would be:

 

The elderly lady who demanded that I should save seats for "her and her people" her exact words and I would have to move when she got back. The lady promptly dumped her bag next to me on the bench seat in the OVC where I was sat eating my food with my family on embarkation day. She came back 2 minutes later complaining that she could not find her people and wanting to know why we had not moved she then grabbed her bag and stormed off.

 

My wife came in from the FV balcony cabin deck 7 we had to tell me kids were throwing pizza from one of the FV balcony cabins on deck 9 I came out and saw two kids throwing bits of pizza and shouted at them. I phoned guest services explained what had happened as there was pizza on our balcony and several others as well as quite a lot on the penthouse balcony below. Guest services sent some one up to our room who then went up to deck 9. 10 minutes later I received a phone call telling me they had spoken to occupants of the room and and the kids had " accidentally dropped pizza" I told her this was a lie as I had seen the kids throwing pizza. Guest services said they would get back to me but never did.

 

Full moon party night by the pool, kids were dive bombing into the pool splashing the people sat on the port side of the ship by the pool. The kids parents where sat starboard side of the pool. The ED came over to stand and glower at them but they ignored him after all their parents did not care what they were doing. After about 3 minutes he called some one on his radio 2 security arrived and all the kids moved into one of the hot tubs. Not one word was said to the kids or the parents or by the parents to the kids, we were watching this unfold from the mast bar.

 

 

These were probably the 3 most notable events but there were lots of other incidents of poor and rude behavior.

 

None of the incidents by themselves where that bad but cumulatively enough that we will have to consider whether we sail out of Bayonne on Celebrity in the future.

 

 

Nomad,

 

Sorry to hear of the issues your family faced while aboard!

 

Please remember, this situation can happen on most any sailing, yet it need not to were their parents around.

 

Also, sorry that we did not interact more as well... it was great to meet you and I trust we will sail again together..

 

 

Hello to DW...

 

bo1953

[TeeRick]

Sadly, some of the rudest and crudest are also the wealthiest. Spending a lot of time in NYC I have met homeless people who were polite and kind and I have met wealthy people who seem to think that because of WHO they are, everyone else should step aside until THEY have what they want.. Proves the old adage about wealth not meaning class!

 

Just because somebody paid for a suite does not necessarily mean they are wealthy. This is a very common misconception on these boards. Maybe a higher percentage of suite passengers are wealthier - agree with that. But classless and clueless comes in all economic categories.

[lisiamc]

To those who preach a physical response: Remember the referee usually misses the first foul, but usually sees the retaliation. The retaliation usually gets the flag, or the card, or the visit with the Staff Captain and HD.

 

A big yes to this. If I was in Luminae and saw a confrontation that turned loud or physical, I would not be happy with either party. It takes one person to start something, but it takes the second person to escalate it. Best to seethe quietly, even though right is on your side. Unfair, but kinder to others in the restaurant.

[AmberCascades]

After our first cruise people asked me about the experience. I said "I met the nicest, kindest, classiest bunch of people you'd ever want to meet.....unfortunately I cannot say the same about my fellow passengers." We've always enjoyed the crew the most.

 

We still cruise (it's only been 5 years - we're not burned out yet :) ) and for the most part our fellow pax are okay. There was one guy who got very shovy in the security line at the end of a port day and when my husband asked him to be careful about our bags because we had breakables he screamed into my husband's face to shut up or something. So I hollered as well and asked him if he wanted to get violent because his azz would be kicked off the ship in a minute. The crew asked if we wanted them to do something about it. The man said sorry (but not sorry) and we said to leave it. Fortunately we didn't see him again. You hope people will be on their best behaviour...maybe that was his best behaviour?

[CruisingChick]

None of the incidents by themselves where that bad but cumulatively enough that we will have to consider whether we sail out of Bayonne on Celebrity in the future.

 

Unfortunately 7 night cruises in July and August always have a lot of families on board and I know from personal experience it only takes 5-6 kids who are behaving very badly to ruin a cruise,

 

It's really too bad as that is the only time most families can go away. Once our son left the nest we starting cruising when the kids are in school.

 

Having said that we did the 9 night Summit cruise last July out of Bayonne and I was worried about too many families and kids on board but I really didn't witness any bad behavior.

[bayonnejoe]

A big yes to this. If I was in Luminae and saw a confrontation that turned loud or physical, I would not be happy with either party. It takes one person to start something, but it takes the second person to escalate it. Best to seethe quietly, even though right is on your side. Unfair, but kinder to others in the restaurant.

 

Don't seethe at all. Walk away with the waiter or maitre d' and sit at a different table. Your meal won't taste any different, the staff will recognize the fact that you were the sensible ones, and you will be treated like family.

[eileenover]

We still laugh about this one:

 

On a Princess ship, some years ago, we went to the top deck restaurant (Horizon Court) and found a table free. On it was a cruise card. We handed it in to a steward, got our food and started eating. An American (sorry, no offence!) woman came up to our table and asked if we had seen her cruise card. We explained that we had handed it in.

She yelled and screamed at us! The card had been placed there because she wanted to reserve it! The woman would not accept that she had left an 'open cheque' for a thief. Instead, she sat down at our table, ate her food and growled at us!

 

On another cruise, a X one, our MC concierge was thumped by a passenger: all he was doing was letting us move to our own disembarkation route! Poor Lawrence!

[jagoffee]

I never said that I expected bad behavior "EVERYWHERE" onboard. But it is impossible to go anywhere including a cruise with 2-4 thousand passengers over 7 days and not see some bad behaviors. These cruise critic threads are full of testimonies. I find the vast majority of passengers to be polite, well behaved and a joy to be around.

 

 

My point is that the crew, specifically the maitre'd could have handled the situation in a polite and tactful manner. He could have ask us if it was ok to move to another table and then told the rude man that people are seated in the order they arrive at the restaurant and no tables can be reserved in advance. Instead he stood there waiting for us handle the situation ourselves. Many have bravely suggested that they would have gotten physical with the man sitting at the table, but I do not believe that standing up to a bully is worth being kicked off our long awaited vacation and losing our $7,000 fare. Particularly when there are other equal or better tables. By the way if he did not interact with the bully because he was afraid of not getting a tip, it backfired because I definitely did not tip the maitre'd as I usually do.

 

Well said. I agree with your reaction. You showed proper and great restraint.

 

IMO the maitre’d behavior toward your wife was just as rude as the passenger’s behavior. Unless he asked her if it was OK for both of you to move to another table.

 

I would have been inclined to fill out a comment card concerning the maitre’d behavior. Sorry, you do not pull out a chair for a lady to sit and then refuse her the seat.

[LA_CA_GAL]

I would have probably sat down in the open chair and told him that I'm sure we will have an enjoyable dinner together. Being a woman, I doubt he would have done anything other than get up.

 

That is exactly what I would have done.

[Zoedokey]

I'm surprised by some of the answers. These tough folks, "I'd put him in his place, etc.". Really? At dinner on a ship? Who cares. It's not that important. There's a time and place for everything. Sometimes the adult thing is to just look the other way - you don't always have to tell people when they are behaving badly.

 

Remember, when he wakes up, he's still himself. He can't get away from being a jerk. We have a choice.......

 

Completely agree. Just think that days or weeks later people are still hot or angry about these encounters, but I guarantee you the person causing the reaction hasn't thought a thing about it. They are feeling just fine and its the other folks who are still effected. For me, life is too short to be bothered by jerks. I just feel sorry for them and move on with my lovely day.

[Champagne Cruiser]

We were on this cruise and saw the behavior of the kids jumping into the pools at the Moon Party. We didn’t stay long. We specifically booked an AQ cabin since you can only have 2 passengers per cabin in order to enjoy dining without kids. This cruise was a last minute booking and we did manage to keep clear of the kids eating lunch in the MDR on sea days. If I decided to cruise to Bermuda again I would do it in May or early June to avoid all the kids.

[bermadu22]

To those who preach a physical response: Remember the referee usually misses the first foul, but usually sees the retaliation. The retaliation usually gets the flag, or the card, or the visit with the Staff Captain and HD.

 

We love cruising, have been on a fair share on several lines. Love it. That being said, yes sometimes there is boorish and downright abominable behavior. I've seen a couple of fights and confrontations, usually over petty small stuff. My husband and I had a discussion of what to do if we were ever the target of someone's misplaced entitlement and wrath. If physically struck, we would defend ourselves. Other than that, it's not worth lowering ourselves to the jerks level, just to make a point. I think we might resort to smirking and laughing at them, to make them feel small - like a green light to act superior. But getting into a fight over a chair just brings you down to the other persons level, and I'm not going there for anyone, and definitely not going to let them ruin our cruise. Sure, steal my seat at the table/place at the bar/deck chair, and enjoy your rotten Karma. I hope that your Karma is instant, and I get to see it happen. :evilsmile:

[dkjretired]

Should also be remembered that this is not behavior that is exclusive to cruise lines.

[George C]

We were on this cruise and saw the behavior of the kids jumping into the pools at the Moon Party. We didn’t stay long. We specifically booked an AQ cabin since you can only have 2 passengers per cabin in order to enjoy dining without kids. This cruise was a last minute booking and we did manage to keep clear of the kids eating lunch in the MDR on sea days. If I decided to cruise to Bermuda again I would do it in May or early June to avoid all the kids.

 

Be carefull May mst likely is ok, but many areas in USA schools end at end of May

[CruisingChick]

Be carefull May mst likely is ok, but many areas in USA schools end at end of May

 

We have done end of May 3 times - Memorial Day weekend and there are not many kids. Most schools in the Northeast finish school 2nd or 3rd week of June.

[Mythbuster]

OP -- totally agree with how you handled that situation, in the moment. But, If I'm not mistaken, generally those in Luminae are suite guests. Did you mention this incident to the Michael's Club Concierge? Maybe with a request to speak with the Hotel Director? I've always found that, whenever possible, it's best to deal with on-board issues -- onboard. :confused:

Interesting you mentioned the MC concierge. We did bring it up and her answer was "I'm sorry that happened, is there anything I can get you from the bar?" There is just no interest in confrontation of any kind. Don't get me wrong we met many more really nice people than the rude ones and we did not let the rude one's ruin our cruise. My intent was to see if the passive attitude of the crew is normal and secretly hoping the rude bully also reads Cruise Critic.

[DDDONE828]

All this reminds me of a cruise we took a few years ago on a different line out of Florida in February. Lots of cranky senior citizens on a ship for a week with lots of misbehaved college students on Spring break. The seniors were worse although it was a close call (and I was borderline senior)

[m8zenblue]

SHAME !!!

I have also been on the other end of bad passenger behavior.

Last year on the Reflection my wife was run down by an elderly gentleman on a scooter.

When confronted he offered no apology and his wife came to his defense stating" you should have gotten out of the way", he hit her from the rear which brought her down to her knees.

Cruise staff witnessed this incident and did not offer assistance.

These people should be publicly shamed, but Cruise Critic for some reason does not allow this.

I won't be surprised if CC censors this post.

[hcat]

Should also be remembered that this is not behavior that is exclusive to cruise lines.

 

Unfortunately, there is more and more of it..lots of nice people in the world but overall Civility has gone by the boards.

 

Celeb has experienced a big change in passenger mix since we started cruising. Booking in Suite or AQ should not be viewed as guarantee of polite behavior in the dining rooms!

 

Rude people are rude, wherever they are!

[Mr Sea Gull]

The problem is two fold.

 

Senior management don’t back the crew and a bad review can destroy their career.

 

They rely on tips for much of their income.

 

What do you think happens to their reviews and tips from that bloke, if they stand up to people like that?

 

Too true unfortunately.

[TeaBag]

I would just like to say that the OP was a class act to just get up and go to another table therefore avoiding a nasty confrontation. This guy sounds like a bully and a me first kind of person, or he could be at the beginning stage of some sort of aggression associated with dementia.

 

 

 

What I would like to know is how was that table "his table" if this was the first meal in Luminae on a new sailing? Was he a B2B? Or did he just choose this table on earlier cruises and therefore, it was "his table"?

 

 

DH always says the thing he likes best on a cruise is the people he meets and the thing he likes least, is the people he meets. Yes, unfortunately there are two different kinds and it does not matter what kind of cabin they are sailing in.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed your cruise on Summit in spite of the poor start, OP.

[NLH Arizona]

Celeb has experienced a big change in passenger mix since we started cruising. Booking in Suite or AQ should not be viewed as guarantee of polite behavior in the dining rooms!

Don't think the rudeness has anything to do with a change in the passenger mix, since there has always been some rude and/or entitled passengers since I've been cruising with Celebrity for many, many years.

[davekathy]

SHAME !!!

I have also been on the other end of bad passenger behavior.

Last year on the Reflection my wife was run down by an elderly gentleman on a scooter.

When confronted he offered no apology and his wife came to his defense stating" you should have gotten out of the way", he hit her from the rear which brought her down to her knees.

Cruise staff witnessed this incident and did not offer assistance.

These people should be publicly shamed, but Cruise Critic for some reason does not allow this.

I won't be surprised if CC censors this post.

And jerks like that are that way no matter where they are!! :mad:

[m8zenblue]

I apologize !

I should have also stated that even though this was an isolated incident, we did meet some very wonderful people on this cruise.

We witnessed other "bad behavior" incidents, but it was more the norm that the majority of passengers were well behaved.