ChutChut

I did a 26-day cruise in L108. Felt like "Paul" rather than "George," Ringo," or "John."

I've cruise both Disney and Princess - multiple times and enjoyed both - for different reasons. When my daughter was young, she was into Disney stuff so I booked the Disney Fantasy twice (and later the Magic). The Fantasy was a lovely ship and we had a wonderful cabin but I couldn't sleep well at night because the cabins on either side were so loud with numerous children (lots of Disney cabins can hold up to 5 people, etc.). Moreover, kids were running up and down the hallways, screaming, etc. Princess cabins may not be as sparkly, but I sleep like a baby on them. Food on Disney was atrocious, especially in the buffet. Princess food is not terrific but better than Disney's. Disney's productions were spot on and always enjoyable. Princess can be hit or miss. What I didn't get on Disney was peace and quiet. Always a character meet and greet, groups of kids surrounding me, etc. On Princess, I can find quiet time to enjoy the ocean, etc. The worst cabin attendant I've ever had was on Disney. The best - on Princess. So, I found both good and not-so-good on both cruise lines. I cruised on Disney before it jacked up its prices to an ungodly amount. I won't cruise it now because, IMHO, the value isn't there. I have another Princess cruise booked next Christmas as I got, what I consider to be, a good fare.

Thank you so much for the photo review and elegantly written blog. Looking forward to more....

Well said. It's as if some repliers think we should have to prove our "innocence." This is deeply troubling.

Yep, I did and apologized to the poster.

Got it. I thought the poster suggested someone was accusing the port agent of the "crime" of racism. Too much wine......

Sorry but I don't buy it. Same thing happened to me and my daughter. It was racial - that was obvious. There's no reason to single out a person of a different color. Entirely inappropriate and outrageous.

Proof of what? Are you suggesting multi-racial families should be targeted?

My sincere apologies!

Are you suggesting that it's acceptable to single out a person solely based on race? If so, I've got lots of federal and state laws you might want to peruse and digest. They WEREN'T following the rules. They WERE ignoramuses. To suggest that multi-racial families should shut up and take the abuse is outrageous.

You're right - you can't tell from the passport itself. However, in order to obtain the passport for the child, you have to submit the birth cert., certificate of citizenship, show up with the kid to submit the paperwork, etc. So, it's already been scrutinized.

My daughter and I have been given so many side looks, stares, disapproving glances, etc. I taught her early to ignore the ignorant fools and low-IQ imbeciles. When other kids (when she was very young - doesn't happen now) would make the "slant eye" when asking where were her eyelids, she just laughed and told them she thought her eye shape was pretty cool. A cashier at Target asked me "how much did she cost?" I told her the kid was priceless and pricey! A dude in Starbucks muttered under his breath that "Chinese Commies shouldn't be allowed" in "his" country. Little did he know my kid is an unabashed Capitalist. I've learned to accept these indignities and just walk on, but, sometimes, I wonder how they have affected my daughter. She says she doesn't care, but, I think, deep down, it hurts her.

Are you suggesting that proper skin color of the parents, etc. should be part of the criteria??????

Great points!

Some replies seem to scoff at the idea that this might have been racial profiling, etc. Until you have stood there, been singled out for no apparent reason other than the ethnicity difference, and made to feel like a second-class citizen, you really don't know anything. To have to stand there and have your young daughter verify to some idiot that you are her mother, etc. It's humiliating and degrading. Now - if this was the procedure for EVERYONE - fine. But it isn't - it's reserved - it seems - for families whose children have different skin color. So, before you minimize OP's situation, place yourself in his/her/kid's shoes. It's not right and shouldn't be tolerated.

Well said. This also happened to me and my different-race daughter. It was very clear what was going on.

Of course no one knows for sure but it's quite curious that a multi-racial family was singled out among hundreds of families. Could be stupidity, lack of training, or - to a thinking person and one whose child also was singled out on a different cruise - racial bias/profiling, etc. Second question - I think the OP says he/she wants an apology and more training.

I don't see where anyone is being accused of a crime. Please explain what "crime?" Racism is not a "crime" unless it's attached to an actual crime like murder, assault, etc.

I took my then ten-year-old daughter on the Celebrity Silhouette several years back and she loved it. Celebrity is not an adult-only cruise line. There are lots of things to do for kids and adults.

I'm so sorry it happened to you. I understand the humiliation. I should have raised it at the time but was afraid the Irish authorities (onboard a Princess ship) would find some reason to prevent us from entering the country. Looking back, I should have done what you're doing - address it with the cruise line and inform others that this practice is taking place.

True - they are contracted. But if they're wearing a uniform reflecting the cruise line, then the cruise line must ensure they are trained properly, etc. I had a port authority person intentionally separate me from my then 8-year-old daughter as she descended the escalator into a crowd of hundreds of people disembarking a cruise. He refused to allow me to descend with her as he claimed I didn't have two free hands to use the escalator (I did have two free hands but envisioned both of them being around his pencil neck). He detained me for 10 minutes and threatened to call the cops. When I finally caught up with my kid, a kind couple was waiting with her. However, someone could have lured her away, etc. in that time. Needless to say, Princess compensated me for that debacle.

They demanded ORIGINAL adoption docs??? OMG - I have those in a safe deposit box. I always bring copies - just in case some id*ot gets off on authority crap and racially profiles us again. This racial profiling really is getting old. If they have reasonable suspicion of trafficking based on non-discriminatory indications - that's fine. But to single out multi-racial families and - essentially - shame them - isn't okay.

Yep and it makes the kids (and the parents) uncomfortable and feel like second-class citizens. I understand the whole human trafficking concerns, etc. but it seems that authorities have decided the way to detect it is to single out multi-racial families. When it happened to me and my daughter on Princess, I didn't pursue it because I didn't want any blowback that might impact our ability to enter the various countries we were visiting.

It happened to me and my Asian daughter (I'm Caucasian). Multi-racial families are but a small percentage of families but it seems we get this treatment a lot more often that families of one race. Unless there is some evidence or reasonable suspicion to implicate trafficking, etc. it is inappropriate and, basically, racial profiling to subject our families to this without subjecting ALL families to this.

I would bet it happens a lot more with multi-racial families though. It happened to me and my different-race daughter although we had all necessary documentation. There's a huge racial element going on and it's not okay.