Lighten Up, You're on a Cruise

[walnut99]

I agree and thank you for putting into words what many of us think.  

[cormike1]

Thanks for those great thoughts!  I do wish people would lighten up.  If I hear a rude person talking down to someone or complaining, I speak up...I just can't let them speak like that.  The staff work so hard to keep us happy on a cruise and to listen to some of these people complain makes me angry.  I am so fortunate to be able to cruise and I appreciate all their hard work!

[dchip]

Very well said! We also thought watching the Love Boat was as close as we would get to a cruise. I feel excited, blessed and thankful every time I set foot on the gangway to begin a cruise. 

 

The crew work so very hard to make our cruises memorable. I thank them every way I can. Crew polishing the railings, a quick “thank you for all you do” brings the most brilliant smiles. You get several chances every day to make someones life a little brighter. Shine your light on them. 

 

Cheers, Denise 

[luvn2cruzzz]

This was a brilliant post!  Thank you for putting into eloquent words what I have often thought.  As my children would say, these are first world problems and how grateful we should be.

[510picker]

Excellent post! Many people lack true joy in their lives, and that reflects in their character.

[llbz327]

THANK YOU!!!!

[foodsvcmgr]

Well said, couldn’t agree more.

[Wonderingabout]

All these me too replies.  Ugh.

 

When I am on holiday, I should be able to do whatever makes ME happy.  I pay a fortune for the cruise and I should be able to do, say and wear whatever I want.  When I am not on vacation or holiday I have restrictions on what I wear so I should be able to wear whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want.  Its my vacation and If you do not like it then you are just being judgmental.  Further I have to be pleasant and nice to everybody at work so when I am on Holiday I should be free to be as grumpy or nasty or demanding as I want to be without being judged by my fellow cruisers.   I paid for the cruise and if you do not like it then you should pay my fare.  There are just too many judgmental people on this board,  that is people with opinions of their own..

[taba]

You may want to try Carnival. Why pay extra to be grumpy?

[jimmy2x]

@Wonderingabout. I’ll be generous and assume that your post was intended to be tongue in cheek. 

[MISTER 67]

21 hours ago, pstoker said:

My wife and I love cruising. We've never really had a horrible cruising experience with HAL. We have taken some pleasure in the hobby of people watching. Many people forget the fact that they are on a cruise, which only a small portion of people ever get to do in the first place. Some people take pleasure in treating the cooking staff on the Lido with audible contempt. Some people enjoy complaining about everything they encounter with respect to the cruise ship. Some people complain about the fact that one conglomerate has taken over the line and that HAL is just a puppet of a larger company. Regardless of the veracity of their statements or  perceived justifiability of their behavior, they seem to forget that not everyone gets to enjoy being on a cruise. I grew up in a very poor middle class family. Cruising was never an option I even dreamed about. Watching the Love Boat was about as close as I dreamed I would come to a cruise. Thanks to hard work and a bit of luck, I get to enjoy it now but I never forget where I came from. 

 

The people who serve you on these ships are far away from their homes and families for months at a time. The staff that cleans your rooms, cooks your food, and handles the ship, in most cases do it for a salary you and I would never consider as acceptable. They work enormously hard to please the guest and they absorb quite a bit of verbal abuse by people who frankly have it pretty good in life. Maybe it's my 21 years of military service, or maybe its the fact that I I still have calluses on my hands, I never overlook the hard work people do. The best thing you can do as a cruiser, whether you're a first time cruiser or an experienced cruiser, is to lighten up, take in the ocean air, and just enjoy the fact that you have the privilege to cruise. If your sheet isn't folded quite as perfectly as you would like, remember that you didn't have to make that bed. If you're treated rudely, by all means report that treatment, or don't tip as much. Before you decide to go an a rant ask yourself this question. Would you do what these people do for the pay they receive? 

 

I recognize that there are some truly bad things that may happen on a cruise. Back in January 2017, I was on the Nat Geo/Linbad cruise that threw a rod in the middle of the Drake passage and had to return under emergency power. But even then, the overall cruise was a great experience. I'm happy go lucky person. I love being on ships. Yes, I've noticed some changes in services, but I'm smart enough to realize that have a zero defect mindset is unrealistic. To keep myself grounded, though I'm retired,  I work part time in an industry that is woefully under paid (EMS). Many of my colleagues work multiple jobs to make ends meet. So remember, if you have a stable deck beneath your feet, don't have to do the dishes after dinner, or make your bed, you've got it pretty good in life. Enjoy yourself. Leave the grump monster locked up at home where he/she belongs. 

 

 

Excellent post!

[MJSailors]

pstoker

      Thank you for your post and your outlook on life. I totally agree with what you wrote. 

       You must be a grounded,pleasant person and your wife,family ,friends and coworkers are blessed to have you present in their lives.

         I wish you many more enjoyable travel adventures with your wife. Something tells me that you certainly will !

[Lady Arwen]

56 minutes ago, Wonderingabout said:

All these me too replies.  Ugh.

 

When I am on holiday, I should be able to do whatever makes ME happy.  I pay a fortune for the cruise and I should be able to do, say and wear whatever I want.  When I am not on vacation or holiday I have restrictions on what I wear so I should be able to wear whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want.  Its my vacation and If you do not like it then you are just being judgmental.  Further I have to be pleasant and nice to everybody at work so when I am on Holiday I should be free to be as grumpy or nasty or demanding as I want to be without being judged by my fellow cruisers.   I paid for the cruise and if you do not like it then you should pay my fare.  There are just too many judgmental people on this board,  that is people with opinions of their own..

Of course, you're kidding with us.  Unfortunately, there are some folks who fit that description and nothing makes them happy.  I've learned to tune them out and focus on how lucky I am to be on a cruiseship.  Your post makes us even more grateful, so thanks for that!

[colonialinnkeeper]

1 hour ago, Wonderingabout said:

All these me too replies.  Ugh.

 

When I am on holiday, I should be able to do whatever makes ME happy.  I pay a fortune for the cruise and I should be able to do, say and wear whatever I want.  When I am not on vacation or holiday I have restrictions on what I wear so I should be able to wear whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want.  Its my vacation and If you do not like it then you are just being judgmental.  Further I have to be pleasant and nice to everybody at work so when I am on Holiday I should be free to be as grumpy or nasty or demanding as I want to be without being judged by my fellow cruisers.   I paid for the cruise and if you do not like it then you should pay my fare.  There are just too many judgmental people on this board,  that is people with opinions of their own..

 

What a hilarious post.  Thanks for my laugh of the day.

[MISTER 67]

17 minutes ago, colonialinnkeeper said:

 

What a hilarious post.  Thanks for my laugh of the day.

I just hope he's not on the Nov.30 sailing of the Nieuw Amsterdam.

[CRu1853!!]

Very well said. Thank you.

[madera1]

I totally agree that those of us who are able to cruise are truly fortunate.

[Lovely other]

What a great post ... I grew up very poor. The type of poor where I once didn’t go to school for two weeks because my shoes wore out and there was no money to replace them. I’ve been homeless and I’ve lived in a squalid squat with no electric or plumbing that worked. Maybe this is why sometimes I feel I can relate more to the crew than some of the passengers. I know I’m incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to work my way out of poverty, and as a result I get to travel the world in comfort. I doubt I’ll ever be in a suite or flying business class, but I’m still on that ship living the dream that I was laughed at for as a child. 

[awhcruiser]

13 hours ago, baggal said:

I'm often appalled at the behavior of some passengers toward the crew, and, other passengers as well.  The only excuse for them is that they probably are that way at home too.  Its a pity.  

 

I wish HAL, and other cruise lines, would include a one page letter to passengers with suggestions for ship-board etiquette.  Especially elevator etiquette.  It would go a long way to improving everyone's cruise experience.

It's too bad that some people have to be told how to conduct themselves.

[JeffElizabeth]

Great point.  Too many cruise passengers don't know how to relax and appreciate how good they have it. 

[awhcruiser]

18 hours ago, Wonderingabout said:

All these me too replies.  Ugh.

 

When I am on holiday, I should be able to do whatever makes ME happy.  I pay a fortune for the cruise and I should be able to do, say and wear whatever I want.  When I am not on vacation or holiday I have restrictions on what I wear so I should be able to wear whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want.  Its my vacation and If you do not like it then you are just being judgmental.  Further I have to be pleasant and nice to everybody at work so when I am on Holiday I should be free to be as grumpy or nasty or demanding as I want to be without being judged by my fellow cruisers.   I paid for the cruise and if you do not like it then you should pay my fare.  There are just too many judgmental people on this board,  that is people with opinions of their own..

Sadly this is the attitude of lots of people. Thanks for making us aware.

[cate54]

I agree with you completely!

Well said!

We have enjoyed all our cruises and are grateful to be looking forward to the next one.

[turnerx3]

As the descendent of washerwomen, maids, butlers and yes,  the enslaved, I too appreciate the services provided on cruise ships, hotels and any other place where staff provides me and my family with a service.  On cruises I read the instructions beforehand which include suggested dress, gratuities and conduct.  I don't want any other people, staff or passengers,  to feel  uncomfortable because of my lack of common sense, actions or rudeness.  I'm not saying that service is always 100% positive or lives up to my expectations, but 9 times out of 10 it does.   

[Moriah]

I absolutely love this post - thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts.  You are SO right.  I have found that an attitude of gratitude goes a long way in erasing any of life's little irritations, whether on a cruise or on land.  One of my favorite things to do is make sure I think every single crew member I pass - especially the ones hard at work polishing and cleaning and scrubbing to make the HAL ships spotless and shiny and gorgeous.  When I stop on the stairs or on the deck to thank someone, they always light up and you can see in your faces how much it means to them that a guest has noticed and appreciated their hard work.  I just say "Thank you for making the ship so clean and beautiful" and then I carry on my way. That's all it takes. And here's the thing -it does more for me than it does for them! I am uplifted just by the act of appreciation!  When I see guests who are out of sorts over something, I try to be compassionate and think they must have had very, very high hopes for their vacation and really needed for things to be perfect.  If I see them abusing a crew-member, however, I will always try to speak to that crew member later to offset that.  I believe that only unhappy people mistreat others.  Oh, didn't mean to ramble on, really just wanted to thank pstoker for this very uplifting post that made my day.

 

[harryw]

Thanks to the original poster for your thoughtful comments.

And they resonate even more when I think about the extreme poverty I sometimes see minutes from the port. I have a haunting memory of seeing a child scavenging a trash can in Mexico. And ramshackle dwellings.

  But even seeing a family in a small Baltic port snapping photos of the ship made me think that they could only dream of taking such a trip.

   Juxtaposing that with overhearing a woman complaining to Guest Services about rough seas.

”Madame, we can’t control the Atlantic Ocean.”, was the reply she received.