Complainers

[Hilary]

Has anyone ever noticed that the biggest complainers usually have reasons to complain? What I mean is that every cruise we've been on we've run into people who complain about everything to any staff they can snag. After awhile, they can't seem to find staff anymore, which gives them something new to complain about.

 

I remember one particularly nasty couple on our Mercury cruise a few years ago who complained about everything. We had run into them several times complaining to 2 different bartenders, the matre'D at lunch (twice), a drink server on deck, and in the lounge where they were complaining to eachother. They even complained at one point that the sun was too hot!!

 

Anyway, I remember seeing them about mid-cruise in the buffet line (complaining about the food again), and when it came time to be escorted to their table, there wasn't one staff member to be found!! They had to carry their own trays, yet not a minute later when my DH and I were ready to find a table, staff appeared to carry ours.

 

I can tell you that this Mercury cruise was nearly perfect IMO. The food was excellent, the service was wonderful, and the staff couldn't have been more helpful or friendlier. I'm sure when this complaining couple returned home that they talked about what a horrible cruise it was and picked it to death.

 

I always remember this couple when I read the "doom and gloom" reviews that some people post (about all cruise lines). I think to myself that some people are just negative about life and look for things to be wrong, and perhaps bring poor service upon themselves by alienating the staff with their constant complaints. That doesn't mean that there are no "less than stellar" cruises, just that I feel there are more negative cruisers than bad cruises.

[RodPat]

Hilary, I total agree that if you walk around with a bad attitude it will definitely backfire on you. I find that if you treat the staff with respect you will get that same respect back. To me life is too short to waste your time on anger. Too many people think they are more important than someone else and with that attitude they will always be dissappointed. Pat

[JNLROSE]

You are SOOOO right! Some people will NEVER be happy with anything! I always take each review with a grain of salt as to what I need to know or not.

 

My hubby has always had a saying that really makes sense I guess--"One man's floor is another man's ceiling!":D I guess it's the old optimist vs pessimist!

[alpal1993]

Smile and the world smiles with you cry and you cry alone.Why complain when there is nothing to complain about.Most problems can easily be changed without complaining.

[gracecarmo]

One theory is: that people who complain want to be noticed, and that makes them feel important and in control.

We had tablemates once that were in the "complainer mode". We just brushed it off and changed the subject.

[Danno]

I will give some creadance (sp?) to a complaint if it is balanced with a compliment...I know not every cruise is perfect and I also know not every cruise is great.

 

Any review that is a rant about how bad the cruise was, in every aspect, doesn't deserve my time to read...nor do I give much of a look to a review that proclaims EVERYTHING was perfect.

 

An objective and fair review has a mix of high, and less than high, points delivered in an unemotional way.

[CruisingChick]

On our very first cruise there was a women in the dining room at the table directly in back of us that complained about EVERYTHING. Each and every night we would look at each other in amazement at how she could complain because to us the food and service was impeccable. That's how we got hooked on cruising. Some people just love to complain and aren't happy if they are complaining. My husband always asks me how come I never complain on a cruise, because at home I'm always complaining, I told him there's nothing to complain about on a cruise.

 

Anne Maria

[mmp13]

I am a nurse and work in a long term care facility. i will be the first to agree that not everything where I work is perfect but it is a mostly wonderful place. we have a few residents that complain about everything under the sun and I can tell you that the staff memebers do tend to spend as little time as possible with these constant complainers. Surprise the complainers complain that nobody pays attention to them! It is really sad that there are people who are their own worst enemies. I do beleive that if you are having a problem and address the issue without attacking the person you are complaining to you will get your problem addressed. Some people are just born miserable!

[tbelian]

Smile and the world smiles with you cry and you cry alone.Why complain when there is nothing to complain about.Most problems can easily be changed without complaining.

 

True True....

 

To quote (with apologies to Ella Wheeler Wilcox)

 

"Laugh and the world laughs with you,

Weep and you weep alone;

For the sad old earth must borrow it's mirth but has trouble enough of it's own.

 

Rejoice and men will seek you, grieve and they turn and go...

They want full measure of all your pleasure

But they do not need your woe

 

There is room in the halls of pleasure, for a long a lordy train

but one by one we must all file one

through the narrow aisles of pain"

 

The complete poem can be found here:

 

http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/display/poem2885.html

[ivylane]

It could be worse. On our first cruise, the complainer you've described was in our group! We were six (all family) and my DH's cousin complained about absolutey everything! The food, the service, the ports, the ship, the music, the drinks, you name it. My DH and I went with the attitude that everything doesn't have to be perfect, we were going to have a great time and enjoy it no matter what, and we did. The cruise was fabulous, but a lot depends on your attitude. For the record, this cousin who complained about everything went on the same ship a year later for a longer cruise! And I've told DH if he ever takes me on a trip with her again I'll leave him!!!:p

[DUCK33]

i hear what you are saying but sometimes things arent up to snuff. like ...i cant stand treads about complaining , i hate poetry, sometimes the sun is too hot. i hate wet water....hello anyone hear me out there?

 

i hate when no one listens to me. these boards S*#K

[RSteele]

Try being on the first cruise after 9/11(actually leaving on 9/19)....it was hard enough not feeling guilty that I was taking a cruise while others were suffering. But the whole atmosphere on the ship was ? well, I really can't think of the right word. We loved the cruise and most of the people on the cruise that we met but it still was hard to talk to those people who were "mad they came, should have stayed home, would have stayed home but couldn't get their money back". ...for a lot of people it was all the cruise lines fault.

[mr green]

:) I find that most persistant complainers, are,in the main unpleasant persons to begin with, and should be avoided. We should all try to be as cheeful as possible.:D john taylor

[Longboysfan]

I was wondering why people avoid me on the ship. After meeting me one time. :confused: ;)

[chessbriar]

This falls right into my motto on cruising. If you have a bad cruise, you have no one to blame but yourself. You have 2000 people on the ship there to have a good time. You have 1000 crew memebers who want nothing more than for you to have a good time. If you don't have a good time, think about it. Are you expecting too much. I went on a Carnival cruise and had a rotten time. It was my fault. I had always cruised X and expected every line to be that good, they are not. But I spent my time comparing to X and never relaxed and couldn't wait to get off. I expected too much. I should have relaxed and taken the cruise for what it was. I have some good memories from that crusie and need to focus on them.

[ldparker]

I remember a few years ago reading two different reviews of the same cruise and the same excursion.

 

Apparently, on one of the Caribbean islands, the excursion was a hike into the rain forest on the one day of the year that the butterflies escape their cocoons. You guessed it. One review described the experience as a privilage to witness such wonderful natural beauty. The other described it as an insect infestation.

 

To each his own.

[brigittetom]

The other described it as an insect infestation.

 

To each his own.

That's sad. :)

[bkgadget]

On our very first X cruise we came away with very mixed impressions. We were on the Summit when she was brand new. (only her 4th sailing)

 

Our cabin attendant was the best we ever had, absolutly fabulous. Our table waiter and bus boy were the absolute worst. Our food was usually served cold, coffee was always late, the service was awful. My DW and I both thought "What's so great about Celebrity?"

 

After we thought about it for a while, we realized that our table mates, whom we did not know prior to the cruise, were downright horrible to the staff everywhere they went.We didn't particually like our tablemates either but the ship was full and we couldn't change tables. It was a table for 6 and four of them treated the staff like their own personal servants and belittled them every chance they got. It wasn't long before we realized that we were being tarred with the same brush.

 

The upside was that we loved everything about the ship other then the dining experience so we are going back to X in under two weeks for a 14 night cruise on the Zenith.

 

We have always found that if you treat the staff decently you are rewarded with great service and smiles.

 

Inspector Gadget

[brigittetom]

BK, We had a simular but better dining experience. We had very rude tablemates also and a few days into the cruise, whenever someone attempted to give the waiter their order, he would always come to me and say "I'm taking the lady's order first". You would have thought that they would have gotten the message as there were three other women at the table.

[themommy]

On our cruise last year an elderly lady at an adjoining table complained to a passing officer because he passed the time of day with her. She reminded him that he should not address her and must go about his business.

We were appalled at her behavior and felt very sorry for the officer. She had her young grand daughter with her who looked very uncomfortable.

 

This is the worst kind of bad behaviour. The officer was obviously taken aback but he showed far better manners and upbringing than the woman when he simply smiled at her and her grand daughter and bid them have a lovely day. - Good for him.

[mmp13]

Duck you are sooo funny. I know what you mean about that wet water....ugh...

[Blazerboy]

I sometimes worry that I complain too much, or am too critical, and thought that might be the case with my review of the Constellation Transatlantic this Fall. (I had a great time, but things weren't perfect) Then I read another person's review of the same cruise. For her, the choice of a different port (Belfast) was a poor substitute, and she had a bad time, whereas for me, it was an opportunity to explore. For her, a plane buzzing the ship off the coast of Canada seemed to ruin her cruise, for me it wasn't worth mentioning, because the ship DID let us know what was going on immediately, and had I not heard the announcement and I was worried, I would have preceded to the purser's office. Guess it's all a matter of perspective. Usually when I'm stressed and feel like complaining, I try to realize the energy it takes to be constantly upset is far greater than the energy it takes to have fun! :)

 

And, as is often said, if you're cruising, HOW BAD CAN IT BE?

[mr green]

I was wondering why people avoid me on the ship. After meeting me one time. :confused: ;)

Longboysfan. You can't be all bad, or you would not have replied.:D john taylor.

P.S. Who knows, you may be quite nice. Just kidding.:rolleyes: :D j

[davehau]

On our cruise last year an elderly lady at an adjoining table complained to a passing officer because he passed the time of day with her. She reminded him that he should not address her and must go about his business.

 

That's hilarious... I always love getting around one of these types, because I am the direct opposite with the crew. I always figure it's probably only chance that I ended up on the cruise and they ended up working it, and I also remember that if any crew member were to get off the boat in my city, and call my work number, they'd become my boss, and I'd be hustling to meet their needs and requests.

 

My last cruise, somehow the waiters and I got to joking about napkin folding, and the waiter showed me a fold, and told me he wanted me to be able to do it the next dinner, even though he said it was a harder one.

 

So, the next day, I am sitting in the buffet area practicing and trying to remember this fold, when the assistant waiter from my first cruise sees me. He comes over, we talked a bit about my son and some other things, and he showed me a few tips on the fold, including one to make it easier.

 

All the while, this older lady at the next table is looking on, obviously not happy. She didn't seem to need anything, so it wasn't that my activities were cause her poor service. Once the assistant waiter left, she continued to glare in my direction, as I practiced with my napkin.

 

Finally, I glanced over at her, explained my dinner waiter had given me homework, and I didn't want to chance it by not having it down right. The look I got in response made it clear I was directly responsible for the decline in Western civilization ;)

 

Of course, I seem to always get great service from the folk in the crew, they always seem genuinely happy to see me on a later cruise, and I love cruising. I'd imagine the only joy the crew feels in respect to the ladies we've both encountered is watching the go down the gangplank at the end of the cruise :D

 

Dave

[Chick's pal]

Davehau,

 

I LOVE your description, "The look I got in response made it clear I was directly responsible for the decline in Western civilization."

 

What all of these comments really come down to is: if you're well enough to cruise and wealthy enough to cruise, then HOW BAD CAN LIFE REALLY BE?! Even my "worst" cruise was better than most days at home or work.

 

HAVE FUN everyone!