The “entitled” vs the crew

[UUNetBill]

On 9/6/2024 at 10:16 AM, GMIAC said:

Here's an idea. Let's all carry a couple of $20 bills with us, and when we see someone being a jerk to a crew member, send a little love their way. I know I'm going to.

It'd be a lot more fun - and probably more effective - if we could also carry cattle prods to, uh, 'remind' the boorish guests about manners and how to treat everyone like a human being.

 

On 9/7/2024 at 2:55 PM, kevingastreich said:

It seems to me that all the "free" booze only contributes to the problem.  Some people turn nasty when they drink alcohol.

I think alcohol is more of an amplifier than a cause.  If you're a good person sober, you're generally a good person drunk.  But if you're an ass sober, you'll be an ass to the third power when you're drunk.

 

I tend to drink more when I'm on a cruise, and not once in 120+ nights on board have I EVER talked down to crewmembers or caused a scene.  I know that for a fact because if I had, my wife would remind me of the fact incessantly.  🙂

 

But fortunately, these people are relatively rare.  Do the math - in like 13 cruises, with 600-700 pax per cruise or so that's around what, 8,000-9,000 people we've sailed with?  And I can think of maybe 5 or 6 who I wanted to punch.

 

Pretty good odds.

 

[GMIAC]

2 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

It'd be a lot more fun - and probably more effective - if we could also carry cattle prods to, uh, 'remind' the boorish guests about manners and how to treat everyone like a human being.

 

It'd be worth at least $50 per incident if I could use the cattle prod. Now to figure out how to get it through airport security.  😜

[RachelG]

40 minutes ago, GMIAC said:

It'd be worth at least $50 per incident if I could use the cattle prod. Now to figure out how to get it through airport security.  😜

I wonder if George's would fit in his checked bag. 

[GMIAC]

1 hour ago, RachelG said:

I wonder if George's would fit in his checked bag. 

Unlikely. But maybe a mousetrap hidden in the breadbasket offered to the offending guest would work. 

[exlandlubber]

It’s been about two weeks since we’ve been home and never in a million years would I have predicted such a varied and large number of responses. Please know that it was only one “lady” who was a jerk and as most of the online community has mentioned, the vast majority of Regent cruisers are very well-mannered, which is why we always enjoy the cruises so much. Happy cruising, fellow travelers!

[GMIAC]

On 9/2/2024 at 10:57 AM, KenzSailing said:

 

Office etiquette seems to be off the clock, with people complaining about stolen lunches, spandex attire, a lack of hygiene and more"

 

Oh well, at least they didn't mention deck chairs.

 

They're probably the ones who wear jeans to Compass Rose.

[ChucktownSteve]

When I was selling B2B, I was also polite and friendly to receptionists and secretaries.  Many times they were promoted to decision making capabilities. 

The same is true on cruise ships. How many times have you seen this occur?  What goes around comes around. 

[Port Power]

On 9/6/2024 at 12:31 AM, Dolebludger said:

I don’t know about others, but we have always been friendly with the crew. We walk down the hall, they smile and greet me, and I smile and greet them. Maybe it is the environment we come from, but here in the Rocky Mountains, almost everybody deals with all others as equals. I go to our Elks Lodge and multi millionaires treat minimum wage people with respect — usually they were once one of them. And it goes both ways. Last month on the Splendor I accidentally sent some slacks to the laundry, with my wallet still in the back pocket! Got a call from our stewardess. She told me what happened and brought me the wallet — and all the contents were intact — even the $200 in cash. Enough said.

I still do not understand why men carry their wallets around on a ship? You cannot use cash and don’t need anything else from a wallet.  Key card is it!

 

But your post about being friendly with crew members and relating to any other person is spot on.

[Dolebludger]

1 hour ago, Port Power said:

I still do not understand why men carry their wallets around on a ship? You cannot use cash and don’t need anything else from a wallet.  Key card is it!

 

But your post about being friendly with crew members and relating to any other person is spot on.

 I never carry a wallet onboard. You are right. There is no reason to do it, and it creates a bulge in the pocket. My slacks that were accidentally sent to laundry with wallet were last worn on an exhausting shore excursion, after which I went to bed with the wallet still in them, and put them out for laundry without removing the wallet by my mistake. 

Edited September 20 by Dolebludger

[Pcardad]

3 hours ago, Port Power said:

I still do not understand why men carry their wallets around on a ship? You cannot use cash and don’t need anything else from a wallet.  Key card is it!

 

But your post about being friendly with crew members and relating to any other person is spot on.

When you do something everyday for 60+ years, it becomes a habit...

[GMIAC]

I don’t even carry a wallet on shore excursions, for security reasons. I’ll bring a small credit card wallet with a couple of cards and my IDs. 

[mj_holiday]

On 9/2/2024 at 8:26 AM, GMIAC said:

Has anyone seen the film Triangle of Sadness? 

This got me curious.  I checked out a copy from my local library for DH and I.  I am not sure what to say about it.  We definitely watched the entire movie to see what happens in the end.  It was very interesting with the various role reversals, etc.

Edited September 21 by mj_holiday
correction

[GMIAC]

14 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

This got me curious.  I checked out a copy from my local library for DH and I.  I am not sure what to say about it.  We definitely watched the entire movie to see what happens in the end.  It was very interesting with the various role reversals, etc.

It was definitely "out there," and makes you think twice about the crew when the playing field is leveled, no?

[mj_holiday]

3 minutes ago, GMIAC said:

It was definitely "out there," and makes you think twice about the crew when the playing field is leveled, no?

That it does, it also makes me think about getting tennis shoes on if we head to muster stations etc.  I'll never look at oysters on the half shell the same way

[GOARMY]

A recent weave on this Thread as to Role Reversals based on a shipwreck hit a chord. 

 

On a bit lighter mode, but analogous to Triangle of Sadness, consider: 

 

"The Admirable Crichton".

 

A 1957 British film starring Kenneth More and Sally Ann Howes. Based on J.M. Barrie's ("Peter Pan") London stage play by the same name. Plenty of Class satire; less very-dark, very visual aspects of the human condition.  

 

There have been numerous stage versions of "Crichton", including one a few years back performed at Village Theater, a Seattle-area (Issaquah) venue. Village's was titled:  "A Proper Place".  Our daughter, who began performing at Village's Kid Stage--then to center stage, had a lead role in that production.   

 

CCers in this neck of the Woods (Seattle Metro area) may well have attended Village productions over the years. 

 

Crichton and Place make a similar Point--without constantly rubbing our noses in--- well, you know what. 

 

Check out the movie. 

 

Best, and stay nice out there. 

 

GOARMY

   

[BuckGood]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:37 PM, exlandlubber said:

Hello Everyone!
We are coming up on the final days of our 14 day London to Oslo cruise on the Splendor and if the board audience will forgive me, I’d like to vent about some of my fellow passengers. I understand that Regent cruises are pricey and that certain expectations exist. This is our 4th Regent, third on the Splendor and all of these cruises have had one thing in common - the crew work their asses off! Perhaps because we’ve had more time on this cruise to interact with the crew and to see some of the passengers demonstrate incredibly boorish behaviour, I just felt it necessary to say, “who the heck do you think you are?” Believe me, I’m couching my language for the benefit of the forum, but geez, what’s wrong with these people? We are met with nothing but smiles and graciousness throughout our day despite the fact that these people are away from home, working long shifts with tough jobs, and are nothing but lovely. I can’t stand seeing fellow passengers treat the crew as underlings when we should do everything in our power to make their jobs more pleasant. The crew never responds inappropriately but boy, there have been a couple of times when I just wanted to slam a couple of passengers for their rude behaviour (I did with one “lady”) Thank you for allowing me my soapbox moment.

Kim

Thank you for this post! On our 4 Splendor cruises we too felt that way! We were told by staff that they are Trained in how to deal with these Nasty guests, not that they have to put up with it at all! I have No problem telling my fellow guests how I feel when they are Rude!

🤔

[ysolde]

On 9/4/2024 at 8:20 AM, UUNetBill said:

Reminds me of the 'lady' (and I use the term very loosely) who went off in Compass Rose because "They brought me the wrong spoon for my coffee.  What is wrong with people who don't know which spoon to bring with one's coffee!!"  At least one of her tablemates had the decency to try and look embarrassed for her.

 

Trying to return to our ship in one Greek island port (can't quite remember which one) we had Mr. Entitled try to cut the line of other Regent passengers waiting to clear port security.  When the end of the line was pointed out to him, he loudly stated that "I'm on Regent, I need to get back on board RIGHT NOW!" When every single one of us in the line pointed out that we, too, were all on Regent trying to get back on board, he sheepishly went to the back of the line.  Then the next day, on a self-driven Jeep tour on Corfu, I believe, this same self-entitled 'gentleman' (loosely again) managed to incapacitate his Jeep by overheating the clutch due to a combination of steep hills and a total lack of manual transmission driving ability..smoked the poor clutch and they needed to bring in a rescue vehicle for him.

 

From that point on he was known as "Clutchy McLinecutter" by us and several dozen other chuckling friends we'd met on board.

 

Aah, good times.  Good times indeed.

Having had our fill of the, "Must be first," types on embarkation day, DH and I have adopted a new strategy: have brunch at our hotel, check out around 1:30 pm, arrive at the pier around 2:30, check in quite leisurely, with no one else around, and be on board by 3:00 pm, at the latest.  Do we miss out on the first lunch on board?  Yes.  Does it matter?  Not one bit.

[labonnevie]

12 hours ago, ysolde said:

Having had our fill of the, "Must be first," types on embarkation day

Unfortunately, the “Must be firsts” remain on board.

They often resurface leaving the theater for excursions, leaving the bus to return on board, in La Veranda, refusing to wait in line at Destination Services and on it goes. 
It was very noticeable on our recent Splendor cruise.
Patience people!

You’re on vacation! Relax just a little. 
And, believe it or not, you’re not the most important…

Oh heck, they’re not going to read this anyway. 

[Pcardad]

21 hours ago, labonnevie said:

Unfortunately, the “Must be firsts” remain on board.

They often resurface leaving the theater for excursions, leaving the bus to return on board, in La Veranda, refusing to wait in line at Destination Services and on it goes. 
It was very noticeable on our recent Splendor cruise.
Patience people!

You’re on vacation! Relax just a little. 
And, believe it or not, you’re not the most important…

Oh heck, they’re not going to read this anyway. 

I leave the theater for excursions because I don't like being around so many people. I wait patiently in a public area out of the way but close enough I can hear our group called on crew radios. Then I go to the back of the line and wait my turn. I've never been crowded on a bus and only us deviants LIKE sitting in the way back.

[frantic36]

9 hours ago, Pcardad said:

only us deviants LIKE sitting in the way back.

🤣Good to know I might find like minded deviants onboard Regent. My husband and I always go to the back of the bus.

[Pcardad]

2 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

🤣Good to know I might find like minded deviants onboard Regent. My husband and I always go to the back of the bus.

Bring your homemade booze - we like to mix vodka and gatorade from the gym!

[GMIAC]

13 hours ago, frantic36 said:

🤣Good to know I might find like minded deviants onboard Regent. My husband and I always go to the back of the bus.

 

13 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Bring your homemade booze - we like to mix vodka and gatorade from the gym!

We like to sit in the back with the Bad Kids too.  😄

[Tsunami74]

15 hours ago, frantic36 said:

🤣Good to know I might find like minded deviants onboard Regent. My husband and I always go to the back of the bus.

 

1 hour ago, GMIAC said:

 

We like to sit in the back with the Bad Kids too.  😄

We certainly do not mind going to the back of the bus.

 

Only problem is, after disembarking, being last in line for the woman's room!

 

Very very rarely on a bus tour, the guide will say "we will unload from the back to front" Whohoo to all those who pushed to get on first.

 

[GMIAC]

5 minutes ago, Tsunami74 said:

 

We certainly do not mind going to the back of the bus.

 

Only problem is, after disembarking, being last in line for the woman's room!

 

Very very rarely on a bus tour, the guide will say "we will unload from the back to front" Whohoo to all those who pushed to get on first.

 

I like the buses that have the side entrance that's 2/3 of the way back. Easy to exit first if you're back there.

[Tsunami74]

2 hours ago, GMIAC said:

I like the buses that have the side entrance that's 2/3 of the way back. Easy to exit first if you're back there.

Agree unless the people from the front start crowding in. 

 

Once that happened, and a person from front but near the back exit blocked access from back while her large whole group who were sitting in front exited.  By the time we could get off, the guide had walked away with a group since she saw no one else exiting at front.