Catwell

'We met a ton of great people on this trip but there were also some really really crappy human beings onboard."

 

Our last cruise out of Bayonne was on the Quantum. Fantastic cruise with wonderful people but I have to agree with you about other

guests that were terrible. We have not encountered this behavior on any of our FL port cruises.

Personally, I have encountered horrible people on every cruise from Boston to FL.

its only the #1 network so why would cruise lines pay attention to what their customers WANT

It is the number 1 cable network channel - overall the most watched channel is NBC

We were on the NCL Epic a couple years ago with my dad who is an episcopal priest, he performed Sunday service for them, so they knew he was on board. A man died, and they called my dad to help comfort the widow. The Epic has a morgue on board (one of the nicest my dad has been to). What I gleaned from his conversation with the crew, is that on large ships people die quite frequently (enough to have a morgue).

For anyone who thinks that the cabin staff are overpaid, I would suggest thinking about the following:

• Even assuming a steward is responsible for 24 cabins on a cruise, I believe their gratuity amount is shared with their assistant, at least that is what some have told me. I thought the "additional staff" gratuity went to the head housekeeper, etc.
  
• $61,152 may sound like a whole lot of money for someone in a third world country (even if split in two) and it appears most staff send the majority of their money home. However, those on the ship still need to pay for internet, transportation while in port to purchase personal items (at an inflated tourist cost at most ports), phone calls home, etc. Not to mention, most cabin staff fly home for a few months each year or else they don't see their family at all. Many of them have children - can you imagine not seeing them for nine months? Can you imagine working 12 hour days without a full day off for months at a time?
  
• While working, cabin staff have very little free time. If they have a split shift and a few hours off in the afternoon, many just have a nap. Most rise very early and retire very late. There's a reason you don't see many older cabin staff - it's a very tough job with little time off. You have to be young, strong and energetic to be able to handle it
  
• Those that stiff the staff when it comes to gratuities also affect the income of shipboard staff and I'm guessing it happens more than we'd like to believe.
  

 

The bottom line is, if the job were that great and the opportunity better than what hotel staff on land could expect, unemployed people from North America would apply in droves. I think most of us would just not have the energy, nor the demeanor to tolerate spoiled, entitled tourists without ever losing their cool.

 

My heart goes out to all of the staff on board, as not even the most glorified job on the ship is easy. I had several dinners with a cruise director on Azamara, and her phone was going off every 5 minutes. She could barely eat a bite before someone needed her to go off and do something. Someone I worked with at home used to work in Human Resources on a ship, and she said while on board, she never got more than 4 hours of sleep in a row.

 

I have to admit I keep a few 10's and 20's at the end of a cruise and slip them to people vacuuming the stairs, manning restrooms or cleaning the deck chairs. For the little that money means to me, it could mean a lot to someone exhausted and missing their family.

I agree! Compassion for those who work under the ship conditions is important. BTW, the cabin stewards also clean the crew cabins...

No, they don't take them from the dining room. But you can let him eat, when he gets antsy the fun factory reopens (non paid time dinner is 5-7) at 7. One of you can excuse yourself and walk him up to the fun factory. Then return and finish your dinner. We did that in the past. Got to have dinner with my children, but they got to go have fun while we got to relax.

It sounds like the main difference is that the kids have the option to stay at the Kids Club for dinner. RCCL has some paid lunches, but meals are generally reserved for parents. Thanks for the feedback capsoncc and RCKM43! We used to cruise Celebrity before our little darling was born, so our experience since has been with RCCL. The Kids Club folks always work hard to make sure its a fun time for the kids : )

Hi,

Just got back from Reflection..which was great:)

Have several copies of the Fun Factory dailies and will try and scan them onto this thread in next day or two. I did ask about Easter week at the Fun Factory and, as the above poster stated, she said "they have many special activities, games, candy and the bunny " . The staff is wonderful as well.

I have a couple questions We are going to be on the 3/28 cruise with my 7 year old son. Did they have enough "boyish" activities? I'm hoping he will be worn out.

RCCL picks the kids up at the MDR after dinner for the Kids Club. Does Celebrity do something like that, or do they take them to dinner? My son gets antsy with the long dinner...

Any feedback is appreciated : )