Extremely Poor behavior in Oceanview Cafe

[Stateroom_Sailor]

We just witnessed a man walk up to an Eastern Indian family, and call them a bunch of racial slurs, pointing his finger into the wife's face.  The husband shouted for this man to leave their table, walk away, which he refused.  Eventually the husband stood up, silverware flying, and told him to leave his wife alone, or they were going to have to go to blows.  Eventually as the crew came over, the family explained what was happening, as the instigator wobbled away (extremely obese).

 

Of course I don't know what transpired before that, but found the family to be sincere.  They claimed that this guy had been using the same tongs to grab multiple entrees, which went against their culture and/or dietary needs.  The wife pointed this out to the guy on the buffet floor, and he followed her back to her table, calling her an "F* Indian".

 

We've noticed less severe bad manners, such as my wife getting stepped on this morning, and another big guy looking at her like it was her fault.  One of our table mates confronted a pizza line cutter, and was told, "eh? You must be from Canada.  I don't listen to Canadians."

 

The last time I saw this kind of behavior we were on a 14 night Carnival Journeys cruise.  I have to wonder, if this is just how some people get on longer itineraries, no matter the cruise line.  I also wonder, if overpricing the cruise for too long, and then have a clearance sale ($649 for an inside cabin, 12 nights Hawaii) attracts people from budget lines.

 

 

[Bo1953]

Quite unfortunate.... and sad.

 

Sorry I was not there or possibly rather happy as there would be at least one of us being confined to cabin until we hit the island...

 

That behaviour is not acceptable in my code of ethics.

 

Hopefully those who witnessed this will rally around that family to let them know it is not okay to behave like this under any circumstances and to let them know that they are safe.

 

bon voyage

Edited April 26, 2019 by Bo1953

[Floater4life]

You assume people with limited funds are the ones with bad behavior. Poor assumption.  Bad manners knows no socio economic class, race, gender or cruise line.

[AuroraRose]

That is appalling and heart breaking on so many levels. I hope that family has a peaceful vacation for the rest of the cruise, and that enough others show them kindness and support. 

 

And if that man was using the same tongs on multiple dishes, I also would have had words for him. Due to a food allergy, I have to be careful around buffets because of idiots like these people who don't think about why each dish has its own set of tongs. 

Edited April 26, 2019 by AuroraRose

[Stateroom_Sailor]

4 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Quite unfortunate.... and sad.

 

Sorry I was not there or possibly rather happy as there would be at least one of us being confined to cabin until we hit the island...

 

That behaviour is not acceptable in my code of ethics.

 

Hopefully those who witnessed this will rally around that family to let them know it is not okay to behave like this under any circumstances.

 

bon voyage

 

Initially I didn't know what was going on, just heard profanity and the man being told to leave.  I was considering getting up and insist the same, because no one deserves to be harassed at their dining table, even if they were in the wrong before that.

 

Good idea, I'll see if I can make a witness report.

[jelayne]

It’s unfortunate that many don’t have a understanding of food safety or cross contamination of foods.  

Personally, these days , I wouldn’t correct someone’s behavior but would notify a manager or Chef in theOV so that the food could be removed.  There are just some angry people who lash out.  

 

By the way, I doubt that the price of the cruise was a factor.  There are some very wealthy jerks in the world.

 

 

[Marelaine]

What a shame! Let us know if you're able to file a report. That behavior is inexcusable and can quickly escalate to someone getting hurt.

I hope they confine the bully to his cabin and put him off at the next port. 

 

 

[florisdekort]

This gentleman should be disembarked. There’s no excuse for racism, ever.

 

That said - the number of passengers that openly polices other passengers on what they wear, for how many minutes they leave their sun lounger, whether they dare to eat a few french fries before having sat down at their table, whether they accidentally stick a thong in a second serving dish, whether they wash their hands or use hand sanitisers is getting totally ridiculous.  Just relax and enjoy YOUR vacation. No need to go on a power trip policing other people.

 

Floris 

[Stateroom_Sailor]

14 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

You assume people with limited funds are the ones with bad behavior. Poor assumption.  Bad manners knows no socio economic class, race, gender or cruise line.

 

Strawman argument. 

 

I have been on 3 prior Celebrity cruises, and not once noticed a single instance of bad behavior.  I've been on 2 shorter Carnival cruises in the Fall, and could say the same exact thing.  Now turn that Carnival cruise into 14 nights (which no doubt raises the socio economic class of the passengers), and we had chaos in the buffet by day 14.  Literal pushing and shoving, line cutting, shouting, and even plate throwing.  People that started out eloquent on day 1, sneezing into their hands, and grabbing food, by the end.

 

I don't think everyone from the fun ships can handle longer itineraries, even on their own ships, without getting bored and irritable.  That's where I stand, disagree if you will.

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Stateroom_Sailor

[Floater4life]

Lets just leave it we agree to disagree. 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Floater4life

[AuroraRose]

14 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

This gentleman should be disembarked. There’s no excuse for racism, ever.

 

That said - the number of passengers that openly polices other passengers on what they wear, for how many minutes they leave their sun lounger, whether they dare to eat a few french fries before having sat down at their table, whether they accidentally stick a thong in a second serving dish, whether they wash their hands or use hand sanitisers is getting totally ridiculous.  Just relax and enjoy YOUR vacation. No need to go on a power trip policing other people.

 

Floris 

 

I understand your sentiment, but cross contamination can directly affect others' vacations. I certainly would be upset if I had to spend 3-4 days confined to my cabin (or evacuated to a hospital with the vacation cut short) due to an allergic reaction because someone couldn't use tongs properly. I do take precautions, but it's not exactly fair to people on board with allergies/dietary restrictions who can't eat the foods they want/at the venues they want/at the times that fit their schedules when other venues aren't open because of others' selfishness. 

Edited April 26, 2019 by AuroraRose

[GoHoward]

13 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

...whether they accidentally stick a thong in a second serving dish...

 

Now a thong in a serving dish is simply unacceptable, first or second!

 

😉

[sbt518]

48 minutes ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

...Eventually as the crew came over, the family explained what was happening, as the instigator wobbled away (extremely obese).

 

...

 

 another big guy looking at her like it was her fault. ...

 

 

 

Cross contamination is a serious issue and should be addressed in the proper channels and no one should be stepped on but I’m just wondering why your opinion of these people’s weight is relevant? There’s no need for discrimination on race or weight.

 

 

[Stateroom_Sailor]

7 minutes ago, sbt518 said:

 

Cross contamination is a serious issue and should be addressed in the proper channels and no one should be stepped on but I’m just wondering why your opinion of these people’s weight is relevant? There’s no need for discrimination on race or weight.

 

 

When my wife is wearing flip flops, and is stepped on by someone in sneakers, it honestly hurts more when someone is extremely overweight vs normal overweight, or thin.  I hardly see how describing these situations is similar to shouting someone down, sticking your finger in their face, using profanity.

 

 

[SeasideMemories]

6 minutes ago, sbt518 said:

 

Cross contamination is a serious issue and should be addressed in the proper channels and no one should be stepped on but I’m just wondering why your opinion of these people’s weight is relevant? There’s no need for discrimination on race or weight.

 

 

I agree! The situation that the OP described really was pretty horrible and should not have happened. But I must also say I don’t get where weight is relevant at all! Bad manners and rudeness really doesn’t follow any weight, age, ethnic, gender, etc lines! Bad manners is just that... Bad manners! And rudeness is just that... Rudeness!

[cruiserchuck]

Since many food trays are very close together, I suspect there would be a lot of cross contamination whether or not tongs are used in more than one tray.  I would be very surprised if traces of food from one tray do not travel to other trays, when hundreds of people are scooping food out of the trays.

 

We also have witnessed bad behavior on both expensive and low cost cruises.

[GUT2407]

One reason not to take matters into your own hands, tell a crew member (preferably a supervisor of some sort) you never know who you are talking to when you decide to chastise a total stranger, could be a Mafia hit man as far as you know).

[Stateroom_Sailor]

5 minutes ago, SeasideMemories said:

I agree! The situation that the OP described really was pretty horrible and should not have happened. But I must also say I don’t get where weight is relevant at all! Bad manners and rudeness really doesn’t follow any weight, age, ethnic, gender, etc lines! Bad manners is just that... Bad manners! And rudeness is just that... Rudeness!

 

I envisioned the man loading up his plate quickly, too lazy to change out the tongs, which was completely silly conjecture.  We are overweight ourselves, trying to cut out white flower.  I do not believe that weight has anything to do with bad manners or rudeness, and shouldn't have posted this on CC.

[cgolf1]

1 hour ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

We just witnessed a man walk up to an Eastern Indian family, and call them a bunch of racial slurs, pointing his finger into the wife's face.  The husband shouted for this man to leave their table, walk away, which he refused.  Eventually the husband stood up, silverware flying, and told him to leave his wife alone, or they were going to have to go to blows.  Eventually as the crew came over, the family explained what was happening, as the instigator wobbled away (extremely obese).

 

Of course I don't know what transpired before that, but found the family to be sincere.  They claimed that this guy had been using the same tongs to grab multiple entrees, which went against their culture and/or dietary needs.  The wife pointed this out to the guy on the buffet floor, and he followed her back to her table, calling her an "F* Indian".

 

We've noticed less severe bad manners, such as my wife getting stepped on this morning, and another big guy looking at her like it was her fault.  One of our table mates confronted a pizza line cutter, and was told, "eh? You must be from Canada.  I don't listen to Canadians."

 

The last time I saw this kind of behavior we were on a 14 night Carnival Journeys cruise.  I have to wonder, if this is just how some people get on longer itineraries, no matter the cruise line.  I also wonder, if overpricing the cruise for too long, and then have a clearance sale ($649 for an inside cabin, 12 nights Hawaii) attracts people from budget lines.

 

 

 

We had our first Celebrity experience in January and the line cutters, entitled, and subtly rude people were far more noticeable than on other lines we have sailed. Thankfully it was a small amount of people and nothing to the level you witnessed, but it was definitely there. There is no place for the guy going after the family like that, hopefully Celebrity had some form of punishment. 

 

We can’t say it was a Celebrity thing, but it meshes with things I have noticed on land too, so who knows. 2021 is our next Celebrity cruise and likely some more after that to do some more research:)

[SeasideMemories]

8 minutes ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

I envisioned the man loading up his plate quickly, too lazy to change out the tongs, which was completely silly conjecture.  We are overweight ourselves, trying to cut out white flower.  I do not believe that weight has anything to do with bad manners or rudeness, and shouldn't have posted this on CC.

No worries at all from here! I get that we all view/describe a situation differently and the situation you described was not acceptable at all

. PS... while not hugely overweight I could stand to lose a few myself 😉

[MJSailors]

Good advice here about referring a problem to a crew member or officer rather than talking directly to a fellow passenger who is causing a problem.

The brief description of this confrontation in the buffet causes me to consider that the person who perpetrated the verbal attack may have a behavioral or mental health issue.

This would  not excuse his behavior,but could explain it.

I do hope a representative from the proper department on the ship (ie.medical,security guest relations) addressed this man and his traveling companions about his behavior and possible consequences if such behavior continued on the cruise.

Also, I hope that the affected family was addressed by a representative of the guest services or security to give them some reassurance that the remainder of the cruise would be more pleasant for them.

 

 

 

[luvcdays]

1 hour ago, GoHoward said:

 

Now a thong in a serving dish is simply unacceptable, first or second!

 

😉

Agreed!  🤣

[Stateroom_Sailor]

6 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

Good advice here about referring a problem to a crew member or officer rather than talking directly to a fellow passenger who is causing a problem.

The brief description of this confrontation in the buffet causes me to consider that the person who perpetrated the verbal attack may have a behavioral or mental health issue.

This would  not excuse his behavior,but could explain it.

I do hope a representative from the proper department on the ship (ie.medical,security guest relations) addressed this man and his traveling companions about his behavior and possible consequences if such behavior continued on the cruise.

Also, I hope that the affected family was addressed by a representative of the guest services or security to give them some reassurance that the remainder of the cruise would be more pleasant for them.

 

 

The crew were asking the family questions as we were leaving, not sure if they were Oceanview cafe staff or security.  I wanted to thank the guy for standing up for himself and his wife, but they were busy.  In hind sight, I should have stayed to offered an immediate witness.  We left our cabin # with guest service in case security needs additional testimony.

 

The perpetrator seemed a bit tonedeaf to what was taking place, awkwardness stepping away, then returning to the family to reengage, yet never overly expressive emotionally.  As crew walked up, he had a blank stare, before turning to walk away.

[OnTheJourney]

Nature of our society today unfortunately. Road rage, former disgruntled employees coming back to their place of employment to kill a few people as an act of revenge, all manner of domestic violence....all symptomatic of a decline in civility, good manners and the like. This guy may simply have had too much to drink. 

[DebInAntigua]

2 hours ago, sbt518 said:

 

Cross contamination is a serious issue and should be addressed in the proper channels and no one should be stepped on but I’m just wondering why your opinion of these people’s weight is relevant? There’s no need for discrimination on race or weight.

 

 

 

I was thinking the EXACT same thing. The OP went out of their way to point out weight as a defining factor. Ironic when they were appalled by discriminatory behavior due to race, and then it clearly shows up in their own writing that they have prejudices against fat people. 

 

“Wobbled away” = completely unnecessary for the purpose of the post