Incident on Britannia

[AndyMichelle]

A clown in a punch up in the buffet in the early hours...

Who said the entertainment on P&O has gone down hill!!😀

Andy

[bodgerday]

Sign of the times I am afraid. I have lost count of the times I have been in an hotel and witnessed bad behaviour.  Never fighting, but very close. I have seen on occasions on P&O bad manners towards people dressed in their finest on formal nights.  On the Ventura last year a man and woman sat at the bar and took the p*** out everyone that went past.  Later on in the theatre he dressed even further down, in shorts and shirt opened to the waist. He then preceded to lounge in the most provocative way.  He was trying to provoke a response. 

 

It is a case of everyone being tarred with the same brush.  It is not down to the cost, it is down to the changing attitudes of modern day society.  More and more people lack basic manners, and do not know how to conduct themselves in a more refined situation. Sad I know.

[dgs1956]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Nor me. We’ve all become accustomed to the Butlins on Sea jibes. Now it’s becoming Magaluf or Ayia Napa on sea. British holidaymakers are hated across the world for their appalling behaviour, and now they’re finding cruising within reach.

Odd how English people always refer to England or English when really they mean Britain but definitely manage to say British when they are talking about this sort of thing but I do agree with your statement. We as a country are well noted for our bad behaviour.

Edited July 27, 2019 by dgs1956

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

I hope this incident puts enough people off P&O to force them to drop their prices, especially for a particular cruise I have my eye on 😏

[dgs1956]

23 minutes ago, picsa said:

Alcohol, big ships, patriotism, all irrelevant, it is just people being aggressive morons which is more common these days.

 

I have seen a punch up on Oriana at 11am in the morning over a comment made about reserving seats for a lecture - no alcohol, small, ship, and a (dull) subject. Just two 'peacock' middle class, middle aged men, one making a snide remark, the other taking umbrage, and off we go.

 

It happens everywhere. A few weeks ago in the cinema watching Yesterday, another two middle class, middle aged men get into an argument with pushing and shoving in the middle of the film when one asks the other (quite strongly) to stop talking.

 

The best you can hope for is it ends up like this with a few cuts and bruises. The worst you end up like Lee Pomeroy who chose not to walk away from an argument.

………………. and that is the reality. Sadly!!

I saw two middle aged guys fighting at the local waste depot because someone parked in front of the other. Crazy !!

[dgs1956]

18 minutes ago, bodgerday said:

It is a case of everyone being tarred with the same brush.  It is not down to the cost, it is down to the changing attitudes of modern day society.  More and more people lack basic manners, and do not know how to conduct themselves in a more refined situation. Sad I know.

I agree. Its common place nowadays. Cruises are no different.

[Harry Peterson]

23 minutes ago, dgs1956 said:

Odd how English people always refer to England or English when really they mean Britain but definitely manage to say British when they are talking about this sort of thing but I do agree with your statement. We as a country are well noted for our bad behaviour.

You’re probably right. It’s usually the English that are responsible for the worst behaviour.

 

Me?  I see myself as British and very much European.

[Presto2]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

A clown in a punch up in the buffet in the early hours...

Who said the entertainment on P&O has gone down hill!!😀

Andy

 

Sounds like Cluedo ---- the Major in the Library with the lead piping

 

Ha ha ha ha

[Josy1953]

2 hours ago, daiB said:

Don’t believe all you read in the gutter press.

 

I have yet to see a fight in 40+ cruises including the one before this Britannia cruise. A friend who just came off knew nothing about it as I suspect was the case for most people.

Like you Dai we have never seen an actual fight on any of the 46 cruises that we have done, that said I did donate a pint of blood on Ventura following a call for volunteers who had the required blood group and could prove it with their donor card.  I was told by the ship's doctor who took the blood herself that there had been a knife fight during the night so I do believe that there are fights that occur on ships that we as passengers never hear about.  I also don't believe that this is restricted to P&O but I do think that over the last few years that P&O's pricing structure has encouraged a different sort of passenger who seem to drink more than their traditional passengers.

[IDB37]

Is this much/any different from the occasional (but too frequent) alcohol fuelled 'age rage' incidents that we see these days ?

 

Alcohol & a lack of self control don't mix.

 

As for the above statement that  "it’s usually the English that are responsible for the worst behaviour", perhaps that should more accurately read "it's usually glib and often ignorant generalisations that lead to conflict".

[Mickb]

I think one of the problems is the number of bed nights P & O now have to sell. Probably around 15000 per night. The only way they seem to be able to do that is by discounting the entry level price. Unfortunately this can attract a clientele which is new to cruising who might previously have chosen a lively Mediterranean resort. Alcohol packages do not help this. I suspect that Iona will only exacerbate this problem.

[Bazrat]

i find it a bit depressing reading some of the comments on here first one regular poster seams to think it because of the drink package,another believes it to be because of the sail away party and the patriotic jingoism and told us a story of him being abused trust me it happens to the English as well,because P&O as lowered the prices and lesser class of people are now cruising etc.

There was a tv program when cruises go bad showing fights in the bars even fights in the pool it happens get over it of course its not nice but it happens.

 

[majortom10]

5 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

i find it a bit depressing reading some of the comments on here first one regular poster seams to think it because of the drink package,another believes it to be because of the sail away party and the patriotic jingoism and told us a story of him being abused trust me it happens to the English as well,because P&O as lowered the prices and lesser class of people are now cruising etc.

There was a tv program when cruises go bad showing fights in the bars even fights in the pool it happens get over it of course its not nice but it happens.

 

And is nothing new and not only confined to big ships on P&O as some posters would lead you to believe.

[billsat]

May be an idea P&O introduce an "into the sea" experience for these problem customers known as " walking the plank " !!

[daiB]

25 minutes ago, Mickb said:

I think one of the problems is the number of bed nights P & O now have to sell. Probably around 15000 per night. The only way they seem to be able to do that is by discounting the entry level price. Unfortunately this can attract a clientele which is new to cruising who might previously have chosen a lively Mediterranean resort. Alcohol packages do not help this. I suspect that Iona will only exacerbate this problem.

Not sure where you get the idea of “discounting” entry price from. This was a school holiday cruise with high prices. The cheapest being when first on sale  2 years ago. All of Iona’s cruises to the Fjords are showing now the prices holding up amazingly well with all insides well above the £100 pppn. So not heavily discounted at all.

[daiB]

7 minutes ago, billsat said:

May be an idea P&O introduce an "into the sea" experience for these problem customers known as " walking the plank " !!

Unfortunately the next port was Southampton or they could have been ejected in Norway.

 

Walking the plank may be a bit harsh. Perhaps some stocks by the pool for daytime entertainment for the rest of the passengers. And make them eat nothing but green beans

[fairliered]

It seems to me that the problems arise not from people that identify not as English, Welsh, Scots or Irish, but as British. It seems to be exacerbated by Brexit, but affects particularly organisations that sell on their Britishness. Unfortunately this affects P&O along with less savoury organisations.

[tartanexile81]

I have read this whole thread and 

 

1. If the trouble is due to people having drinks packages then the fact that there was a GBS would have made no difference whatsoever - another reason being blamed for the trouble. Passengers intent on getting the most out of the package could have stayed onboard the ship in the afternoon and been drinking for potentially 12 hours. 

2. There was an ITV journalist onboard who was IMO paid well for his sensational story. had he not been onboard, we'd have been none the wiser. Who's to say this didn't happen on Crown Princess last night too? Or MSC Magnifica? - to name just 2 ships with UK passengers onboard now

3. My friend disembarked Britannia today and knew nothing about it till I asked her if she'd heard anything.

4. Only 6 people were involved. How many people do you think were in the buffet at 2:00 a.m? the story implied crowds. I've been there at 1:00 on Ventura and there were less than 10 people there.

4.  People that cruise these days are exactly the same as the people you see on your high street - all ages, genders, colours, sizes, with / without Tattoos,  in manual work / office work/ vocational employment, drinkers / teetotallers, wealthy / struggling to meet ends meet / everything in between. We are all entitled to the holiday of our choice and so many comments on this board have been judgemental.  

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

i find it a bit depressing reading some of the comments on here first one regular poster seams to think it because of the drink package,another believes it to be because of the sail away party and the patriotic jingoism and told us a story of him being abused trust me it happens to the English as well,because P&O as lowered the prices and lesser class of people are now cruising etc.

There was a tv program when cruises go bad showing fights in the bars even fights in the pool it happens get over it of course its not nice but it happens.

 

We are on holiday and don't expect to see fighting on board and we shouldn't have to.

In the middle of the ocean fights can be more dangerous especially on open decks.

Yes it happens everywhere usually after a nights drinking when some people's personalities change with excessive alcohol consumption.

We always sail in balcony cabins but there are some cheap inside cabin prices available and with unlimited food included and cheap alcohol on P&O cruising is accessible to a lot more people now than previously.

[Nic6318]

3 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Yes. It probably will put some people off, but their places will be taken by the newer, yobby types now attracted to P&O.

 

 

Hi

 

Sorry to be a bit off topic... what is a "yobby type". 

 

Even google couldn't help me. I guess it's because I'm from the wrong side of the pond, excuse my ignorance. 

 

 

[jeanlyon]

5 hours ago, majortom10 said:

What nonsense, you have admitted you dont like sailaway parties and think they are awful so you have never attended one on Oriana, Aurora, Arcadia or Adonia so you do not know if there was any misbehaving or drunken behaviour and many things happen on cruise ships that are not widely known by those on the same ship.

I didn't say I had never attended.  I said I don't like them now so don't go.  However, I think if there was violence and drunken behaviour, then it would get around like a wildfire.  I have never heard of violence and abuse on any of my cruises.

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

Sorry to be a bit off topic... what is a "yobby type". 

 

Even google couldn't help me. I guess it's because I'm from the wrong side of the pond, excuse my ignorance. 

 

 

Trouble maker, football hooligan etc

[peteukmcr]

16 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We are on holiday and don't expect to see fighting on board and we shouldn't have to.

In the middle of the ocean fights can be more dangerous especially on open decks.

Yes it happens everywhere usually after a nights drinking when some people's personalities change with excessive alcohol consumption.

I so agree with you, I don’t expect to see fighting onboard a cruise ship. Our friends who are sailing with us on Britannia for their very first cruise (at our suggestion and persuasion) are now seriously concerned and really considering cancelling due to the reports, despite us trying to reassure them. Very understandable when they’re spending in excess of £4000 for what is for them supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime to celebrate a big birthday. 

Edited July 27, 2019 by peteukmcr

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

Unfortunately the next port was Southampton or they could have been ejected in Norway.

 

Walking the plank may be a bit harsh. Perhaps some stocks by the pool for daytime entertainment for the rest of the passengers. And make them eat nothing but green beans

Dai, that really would have taught them a lesson if they had been offloaded in Norway.  I once did a flight to Norway and we had 2 drunks at the back.  The police boarded and dragged both passengers off down the back stairs of the aircraft with their feet bumping on every stair.  It was unreal.  They don't like drunkeness in Norway!!

[majortom10]

7 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I didn't say I had never attended.  I said I don't like them now so don't go.  However, I think if there was violence and drunken behaviour, then it would get around like a wildfire.  I have never heard of violence and abuse on any of my cruises.

But why should you hear it doesnt say things dont happen without your knowledge. Like tartanexile81 said in her post #101 they had friends who got off Britannia and didnt know anything about the incident. So it can happen on any ship large or small without the majority of the ship not knowing what happened.