UK-v-US culture/customs (also on =x=)

[Johnthed0g]

As =X= Eclipse is sailing out of the UK (Southampton) this year, I though it may be a good idea to ask anyone who has travelled on both UK &US lines for the differences in practices/cultures to prepare the UK market.

1st thing for me is the tipping & % put on drinks.

[Adammara]

JTD

 

Last year we did the overnighter on Equinox as guests of Celebrity, and 2 cruises on IOTS.

 

My wife was not keen to leave the P&O style of cruising, and took some persauding to try another line. The result, no more P&O cruises booked at the moment.

 

We were not on Equinox long enough to fully appreciate it, but we found the staff 'can do' attitude even better than P&O's. Tips and drinks were included, so can't comment on that. We had already booked one cruise on Eclipse, and after the visit booked another one.

 

We did the Cork trip on IOTS at the end of August, and the Canaries in November. On both cruises we opted for pre-paid tips, which the staff seem quite happy with, we also tipped cash to some of the staff who gave us exceptional service.

 

No % was added to the drinks prices, and, yes, the prices are higher than P&O but no higher than a good 4 or 5 star hotel, also the measures were generous. IOTS does thing differently to P&O, and frankly we prefer it, there was a more international mix of passengers.

 

Again, we enjoyed the cruise so much, despite a force 11/12 storm, to go on IOTS again next January, to try the Med in January.

 

Again we found the staff seemed to that 'extra mile', and as we missed Maderia, they refunded the port fees! P&O take note!

 

Richard

[KenAndJulie]

The inlaws are great Celebrity fans (they ar ein the top loyalty tier). They used to only cruise RCI but felt standards had slipped as it pushed itself more towards the family market and switched to Celebrity (unless it was a very good deal they would be unlikely to go onto RCI again). Anyhoos, we talked them into trying P&O.

 

They really liked P&O and thought the food and entertainment were better and the transfer system to/from the ship (including baggage) was far better (with Celebrity they have to collect their bags going to and from the ship). They thought the the service and cabins were better on Celebrity though. The 'ambience' was split between the two .. they preferred some things on Celebrity and somethings on P&O

 

They found the onboard costs on P&O (including tips) were much lower then Celebrity. However this had to be offset against the fact that they got less discount and perks on the basic price than they would have got with Celebrity (due to their status in the Celebrity loyalty progam).

 

However the one thing they preferred about Celebrity was that it was more cosmopolitan and was not 'full of brits'.

[KenAndJulie]

PS: I should add they got a free upgrade from P&O which moved them from a lower deck balcony to an upper deck balcony (after umpteen cruises I have never had an upgrade .. goes off to sulk)

[bee-ess]

We have been on Princess Celebrity, RCI and Holland America in the last few years and have found all 4 to be at least as good as the UK cruises and some are better.

 

There are obvious changes such as tipping which although added to the daily account can be reduced or removed if you are not happy with service. But with current exchange rates are more expensive daily than the British lines.

 

Another difference is the price of drinks which are more expensive on the US lines and have the service charge added on to the price. One point to note though is that is you drink spirits the measures are much larger and effectively cheaper.

 

One point the American lines are not so good at is Port Shuttles, where particularly in the Med, these can be expensive.

 

Another point that the American lines are not quite so keen on is Formal nights and we found this particularly on the RCI ship where there was a general apathy to formal dressing.

 

One point I would certainly side with the US lines on is Customer Service - they have a much more 'can do' attitude than the UK lines, particularly P&O. While I cannot fault the experience aboard the P&O ships I find their Customer Service sadly lacking - we have had many dealings with them recently on various items (catalina Island, luggage allowances etc) and feel about 4-0 down at the moment.

 

Taking everything into account at the moment my order of preference when looking for a cruise would be

 

1. Celebrity - (Summit - Superb Ship, Food and Service)

2. Princess (Diamond - Again v.good)

3. Holland America (Eurodam - very under-rated, good all rounder)

4= RCI (Radiance - generally good though a bit 'dumbed down')

4= P&O (for the reasons mentioned above)

[Norfolk Brit]

However the one thing they preferred about Celebrity was that it was more cosmopolitan and was not 'full of brits'.

 

This is something that has long puzzled me about those who always cruise with P&O for 'British style cruising'. Is the attraction the fact that one is travelling abroad without the perceived disadvantage of sacrificing British food/values/whatever one holds dear? It's something that has always rather put me off P&O, and there seemed to be quite a bit of that rather parochial attitude on my one venture onto the line.

 

 

 

Mary

[thranite]

Writing as one who has cruised/crossed with P&O, Princess and Cunard, my take on this is that the unaceptable face of US "culture" is the mentality that neither understands nor accepts the world outside the US. Thankfully, the US friends that I am privileged to have made within the Cunard environment have proven to be some of the most interesting, well travelled, humourous and friendly people one could hope to meet.

Please do not judge all Americans by the archetypal gun-toting single minded moron any more than you would like to be thought of as Essex man/girl or village idiot.

 

:)

[Johnthed0g]

Thanks for the replies so far...I am just trying to get a few opinions to prepare for this summer, I think some will be unprepared for any differences, particularly the tipping situation...I know WE all know but some others may not.

[Slipper of the Yard]

1st thing for me is the tipping & % put on drinks.

 

That happens on Cunard, which flies the Red Ensign. I don't believe that P&O are British Registered, are they?

[Johnthed0g]

That happens on Cunard, which flies the Red Ensign. I don't believe that P&O are British Registered, are they?

Bahamian I think, but the British customs were more what I had in mind, I think the typical P&O cruiser may be a bit set in their ways.

[thranite]

Bahamian I think, but the British customs were more what I had in mind, I think the typical P&O cruiser may be a bit set in their ways.

 

Surely that is more of a statement against the typical P&O cruiser? To be set in one's ways is not an attractive trait. One must always be prepared to learn from other cultures. I know that I tried to in places as far flung as Brazil, Polynesia and Chingford.

 

:)

[Johnthed0g]

Surely that is more of a statement against the typical P&O cruiser? To be set in one's ways is not an attractive trait. One must always be prepared to learn from other cultures. I know that I tried to in places as far flung as Brazil, Polynesia and Chingford.

 

:)

No offense intended, just that I think some may try =X= out of Southampton & find it a bit of a culture shock, that's all. The point of this thread is to find out more & hope people read it.

[patience32]

Firstly I would imagine any Celebrity ship sailing out of Southampton will have a large majority of Brits on board.

 

Secondly I would hardly describe British and American passengers as having a huge cultural difference ! I've certainly never noticed one. There are many nationalities that have cultural differences but America is not one of them .

[LibraLass41]

CelebrityRCI

minus:

bacon horrible - very greasy fatty streaky bacon - no back bacon

Tea - yuk very weak

 

plus:

 

 

Steaks - great melt in the mouth.

[silver service]

john, as you in the same area as myself, you may have read, i think in the echo, they are puting things in cabins for us british people. namely kettles and tea/ coffee making facilities. also for ex southampton cruises

they are making the entertainment uk friendly. just a thought. mike:)

[tom_uk]

Secondly I would hardly describe British and American passengers as having a huge cultural difference ! I've certainly never noticed one. There are many nationalities that have cultural differences but America is not one of them .

 

I think that the differences can creep up on you unexpectedly. If you're on an Italian ship - Costa or MSC,say - you're not surprised by the fact that "they do it differently on this ship". But when I'm on an american ship (three cruises on Celebrity) I sometimes find that I get lulled into a false sense of familiarity; then something will happen that reveals the cultural gulf.

 

Something of this ilk happened on our Solstice cruise in the autumn. We went to the MDR for lunch one day, and were sat at a table for eight with strangers. The conversation flowed pretty well, until it strayed onto the subject of Obama's performance in office. We made non-committal remarks ("not right for us to say as he's not our President"); and then one of the americans responded by saying that she didn't think he was hers, either: that his plans for extending subsidisation of health care were the work of the devil. (Really - that was what she said.) This was followed by the sound of dropping jaws hitting the table. After a while, as the News of the World used to say, "we made our apologies and left".

 

Probably only a few americans are *that* opposed to that particular policy, but clearly some are. This seemed in sharp contrast to the general UK cultural attitude about the NHS, which would be generally positive about it, while often delighting in recounting its failures. However I've never heard anyone in the UK claim it was the work of Beelzebub....

[mike x ftc]

I read this thread with interest as I did my first long cruise on P&O last year (Ventura Transatlantic) and was quite disappointed, mainly with the attitude of the staff. They were all very unfriendly which I couldn't believe - a far cry from the staff on RCI. I would far prefer to pay a little extra for a drink and not have to drink pints of lager out of a plastic cup!! I was put off P&O by the whole 'British' thing, I enjoy more of a mix of cultures. I have booked the Eclipse for this year and just prey that they don't make it too British...

[tom_uk]

I was put off P&O by the whole 'British' thing, I enjoy more of a mix of cultures. I have booked the Eclipse for this year and just prey that they don't make it too British...

 

I agree with you, Mike - american passengers seem to have an unfailingly positive attitude, while service on Celebrity is certainly more 'in your face' than on P&O. That said, I've sometimes found service on Celebrity a little too much in my face.

 

Basically we seem to be alternating years between P&O & Celebrity at the moment. We may well book on Eclipse (or which ever ship they base in Southampton) in 2011.

[patience32]

Obviously I can only speak from my own experiences on American ships. Having done 20+ cruises 75% which were on 'American' lines, I have never noticed any real cultural differences, but then I may have been very lucky with my table companions over the years. Obviously there are some subjects best avoided just as we would avoid them in this country.

 

If we are classing food as a cultural difference than I agree with Sue yes the bacon on American ships is horrible.

 

If I had to mention the biggest difference I have found it would have to be the service, American ships seem to just offer a far superior product over any English ships I have been on. Yes the drinks and tips are more expensive but I have no problem with this. Worth the extra IMO.

[senior lady]

It's no different for us "Canadians". Can't count the times we've had to sit and listen to Americans complain about our medical system, living in a "socialized" country etc:eek: Then they wonder why they are so disliked around the world. I do have great American friends and I'm sure that most of the opionated people are in the minority!!!! I just seem to get stuck with them all the time:rolleyes:

[terrierjohn]

Yes, the ship will have a large proportion of Brits on board, that is precisely why I am canvassing for opinions on the differences likely to be encountered by the aforesaid Brits when cruising US style...for instance tips. Any suggestions?

Hopefully the Brits wanting to sail on an American ship out of Southamton will be those that are happy to experience other cultures, even where the language is the same. At least that's my wish, I hope the loud lager lout types will stick with P&O or maybe go back to Benidorm.

Personally I like the American service, a waiter always lurking to top up my breakfast coffee, but not too concerned about bartenders knowing my drink preference, and I am not prepared to be bamboozled by the sommelliers into buying expensive wine.

They will probably find that the entertainment staff has a high proportion of Brits, and wait & cabin service staff will be just as foreign as on P&O.

Food is apparently going to be tweeked to British tastes, however if there is anything they want that is not on the menu all they need to do is ask the waiter and I expect it will be provided, within reason of course.

Any Americans on board are likely to be Anglophiles and probably keen to enjoy British company, but you will find that they are much more conservative than you expect, and they don't necessarily want to become your friend for life.

As for tipping, do what you want to do and don't worry what the Americans would do. That being said we normally leave the auto tip in place, and I have even been known to tip a dollar or two to the room service steward, (but then only if she is attractive) no, that's not really true.

Bar staff have a 15% service charge added to the bill so you don't need to give them any extra, and if I have free lemonade or iced water on deck I don't bother to tip, normally because I am unlikely to have any dollars in my trunks.

Any other titbits you desire to know.

[jeanlyon]

Goodness I am amazed. I have never had anything but wonderful service from P&O Staff, which would include my cabin steward, the bar staff and our waiters. I have never been bamboozled into a bottle of wine by the sommelier. As for being foreign, thank goodness they are not British! LOL

 

Why if you travel with P&O does it mean that you are not interested in foreign cultures and food>? I have had some wonderful "foreign" food on P&O, curries, Thai food, Chinese food, not to mention Spanish , French and Italian.

[navigator0709]

I'm not British (live in the states, parents European born) but I must say in response to the person who had to go through the annoying American complaining about the possibility of socialized medicine in the States:

 

1) I've learned to TRY not to talk about religion or politics at dinner/parties. It never works out well...

 

2) Over the last 8 years I've had to endure Europeans critique/criticize/ complain, and be in utter shock about G.W. Bush and the fact that he was President. It goes both ways with people (Americans complaining about socialized medicine that they don't have and Europeans complaining about a president that is not theirs), so I refer back to point #1.

 

All that being said, I love Europeans and would live there in a minute if I could match my pay over there! I love meeting people from different countries and hearing about their cultures. I will keep TRYING to stick with rule #1, but sometimes, it doesn't happen.

 

Curiosity... why would you want the tea kettle in the cabin? Do Brits drink tea throughout the day? Or is it there for that before bed warm drink? Just curious. I would think the cruise line would have a coffee/tea station available all day (like hotels do)... I haven't cruised in a while.

[Johnthed0g]

Most hotels in the UK / Europe have tea/coffee making facilities, we are used to being able to make a drink when we want, especially in the mornings. Seems too small a deal to ask room service for.

[navigator0709]

Here in the states most hotels also have a 24 coffee/tea station downstairs also. I wonder if RCI or Celebrity has that also....