Rude Passengers

[StartrainDD]

We all have different objectives to our cruises - mine is a vacation that is relaxing above all else with romance, fun, nightlife and a mostly adult group (doesn't have to be all).

Let me ask a different question - should I be looking at a different cruise line? I've only ever been on Celebity or Carnival. Regardless of the situation - I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A GOOD TIME.

 

We've taken HAL 7 day cruises from FLL and enjoyed the romance, fun, and a mostly adult (actually, senior) group. But again, stay away from spring break! Any of their cruises that include Half Moon Cay are great. Nightlife? If you mean late-night disco; that won't be on HAL.

 

However, it's fun to be among the younger on board. I suspect you may also find the 7 night Celebrity cruises during non holiday and non spring break times to be similar.

[photomama]

I'm no expert, but usually Dennys posts are very informative and helpful. He must be in a bad mood or something, because you 're treatment by him was unwarrented. So sorry, but moving on, I agree with you that when any group of folks are obnoxious it can ruin you trip. We.ve put up with some horrible groups from PR in Orlando and I know it left a really bad taste in my mouth. They would send 1 person to hold a place in line, then the 20 or so more would show up when the entrance was in sight and let them all in line. When you tried to object, they yelled at you in Spanish and were also angry you didn't understand what they were saying. Restuarants were trashed and hotel hallways were kiddie rooms. So if by giving cheap staterooms to local residents invites this type of passagers, I'd avoid that port also. Is this everyone from Puerto Rico, absolutely not, but why risk you're vacation for which you paid full price.

[luvs2fly]

Jane, i'm so sorry that you canceled your cruise! My husband and I will be on summit mid Feb. and one of our stops will be Grenada. We booked this cruise because of the ports. Like you, we do have concerns of being on a ship for a week with a bunch of people that we no nothing about. The socioeconomics of San Juan is vastly different then what i'm accustomed to. With that being said people are people and I find that the vast majority 60% are wonderful the other 20% are o.k. and the last 20% hopefully avoidable and not traveling in A1. The great thing about aqua is that you can completely avoid the buffets and main dining room. If you like the ports you should go on your cruise. When I spoke with someone from Celebrity about switching my room they had less then a dozen rooms left in A1, I doubt they will be discounting them. When I went to dinner with my mother last week she complained about the food the service and the ambiance, I thought the dinner was fine. An opinion is an opinion I wouldn't base my travel planes on someones opinion unless I trusted that person.

[Jane2357]

??? I don't understand you problem with passengers not leaving the ship? On my last cruise, I didn't leave the ship. I'd been to all the ports a number of times before and had no interest in them. I sailed for the ship experience and had a very enjoyable cruise. Why would that have bothered you?

 

I don't have any problem with people not leaving the ship - sometimes I don't either. It was an observation - that they had so cheaply dumped the cabins and that the VAST MAJORITY then never left the ship. It made is difficult for the crew to ever really get the ship cleaned up and sadly by about day 3 - they sort of just gave up. I'm not talking messy - I'm talking garbage in the hallways and on the floor in the buffet.

[Jane2357]

We've cruised about 50 times and I think 5 times out of San Juan. Only had problems once out of San Juan and that was the last time. I decided never again just to many other ports we can go out of to chance it again. To many things happened to make it unpleasant.

South West Michigan? I live in FL now but am also from SW Michigan. Here right now and I still call it home :D

[familyofour]

My hairdresser flew his family to San Juan to cruise from that port and had a similar experience....it was terrible and the people were beyond rude...eating at the buffet line, obnoxious, selfish behavior, like cutting lines, lack of manners, etc.

[Jane2357]

I'm no expert, but usually Dennys posts are very informative and helpful. He must be in a bad mood or something, because you 're treatment by him was unwarrented. So sorry, but moving on, I agree with you that when any group of folks are obnoxious it can ruin you trip. We.ve put up with some horrible groups from PR in Orlando and I know it left a really bad taste in my mouth. They would send 1 person to hold a place in line, then the 20 or so more would show up when the entrance was in sight and let them all in line. When you tried to object, they yelled at you in Spanish and were also angry you didn't understand what they were saying. Restuarants were trashed and hotel hallways were kiddie rooms. So if by giving cheap staterooms to local residents invites this type of passagers, I'd avoid that port also. Is this everyone from Puerto Rico, absolutely not, but why risk you're vacation for which you paid full price.

Don't know Denny but I'm always willing to let differences of opinion go, so no harm done. I agree with you - this was the same experience I had the first time and had convinced myself that it was just my bad luck. Trashed is the correct term. I actually had someone in my group get their face slapped with someone's ponytail as they passed each other in the hallway. I saw it myself and it was ON PURPOSE - the large group continued on laughing all the way.

[olemissreb]

We've cruised twice out of San Juan and have not had any problems. The first time was on the Connie in March '05. Went to Grenada on that trip and absolutely LOVED it! Second time was 2 years ago in April (Spring Break) and still had no problems. I think San Juan may just be hit or miss. There are still so many islands in the Southern Caribbean to see, that I know we'll be cruising out of there again sometime in the future.

[PNW Traveler]

Rude cruisers - there are always a few. We try to book long cruises during shoulder or off-seasons. It's a way to cruise with few children and fewer "party-hardy" loud adults. It does make a difference.

Regarding Puerto Rico - long cruises (>10 days) out of San Juan have been some of our favorites.

[Denny01]

Photomama, you are right, I overreacted.....Jane, I apologize, and I mean that, not the backhanded way I used that word earlier. I agree that issues with large groups that are so loud that it seems they are doing it on purpose can be a major problem on a ship...I avoid another Line because of that, and here I am trashing you, and even worse, inferring there is a bias involved....I am sorry.

 

There have been threads in the past on issues with San Juan...yup, a different culture with some who at times are more demonstrative than what many are use to. The threads start that way and then turn inevitably into stereotypes of 'those people', and then the list of OK Nationalities and regions, and those that aren't like us...you know, the wrong Nationalities. And of course, no one is ever biased or a racist/biggot, we are just pointing out that "they are that way".

 

And I know, I just tried to excuse my reaction and bad manners. Sorry, I've got to get off my highhorse and remind myself I stereotype also.....I've lived in the South most of my adult life and I'll never understand grits!

 

Den

[shipshape sam]

You need to cruise when most children are on vacation, take a longer cruise and/or off season if you want to avoid a lot of young children.

 

 

I would tend to echo the above, but I do not think you can guarantee NOT seeing someone being rude on a ship or for that matter most public places on or off a cruise. Trust me, there are rude adults on the longer cruises in off season too, so I would not automatically convict kids.

 

 

I do think most people on Celebrity are older and grew up/taught to be polite and thus tend to say 'excuse me' when doing something unintentionally, etc. I do find younger people, in general-not all, missed at least part of social interaction 101. Not that they are deliberately rude, but do not seem to see 'what is the big deal'.

[amyr]

As long as you stay away from school vacation times, you should be okay. The suggestions of first week of December (also a great time to visit Disney) and last week of January/early Feb are good ones.

 

We took our first holiday cruise last year - it was an extended family trip and couldn't be helped - and it was a madhouse. It wasn't the demographics necessarily, or all the kids (though there were mobs of them) but rather the capacity strain. Every cabin that had a third and fourth bunk had a body in it. The crew said there were an extra 500 passengers that they're not used to having on board. We were on HAL, and you could see the effect it had on the crew and all the public areas. Half an hour to get a burger at the grill, cannonballs in the adult pool, the usually quiet Crow's Nest bar with a hundred kids camped out playing board games. It was nice to see large families having a good time together, but I don't want to do it again.

 

As you and your husband move towards retirement you're going to love transatlantic cruises! Long and restful, cheaper, and all the third and fourth bunks tucked up into the ceiling :)

[New Hampshire]

I've sailed out of San Juan twice with no problems, but that was years ago, and before Celebrity's policy of slashing prices to the home port residents to fill a ship. I've read enough on these boards in recent years that echo the OP's issues that we no longer even consider sailing from San Juan.

 

I am a retired teacher and have been an avid cruiser for many years. During my working years, my cruises were always on my school spring break and of course there were always families onboard, mine included. Since retiring, we never cruise during school breaks. We have done many cruises on Celebrity, including seven day itineraries, either in early March or April, staying away from the week before or after Easter, and we have encountered few families with school age children.

 

My advice is to choose a Celebrity cruise out of a Fl port in Jan, Feb., early March or April (eliminating those pre and post Easter weeks) and you will be fine. We did a seven night on March 5, 2011 and a 12 night on March 5, 2012. Both cruises had very few children.

[Lastdance]

When you pay good money to cruise, why not do your homework and stay away from the mobs and ships that allow them to act the way they do. Pick a ship and line that curtails this and respects you as a customer. Life is just too short!:) I have never had this experience and hope that I never do.

[pier]

I should have asked this question before I bookend and then canceled. It is only my 5th cruise so I am not that experienced but I have learned a valuable lesson.

We all have different objectives to our cruises - mine is a vacation that is relaxing above all else with romance, fun, nightlife and a mostly adult group (doesn't have to be all). I don't dislike children, raised 3 myself but if I wanted to cruise with a very large population of little ones - I'd go on Disney.

Let me ask a different question - should I be looking at a different cruise line? I've only ever been on Celebity or Carnival. Regardless of the situation - I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A GOOD TIME.

 

Oceania is more expensive, but they have an older crowd and great food. It's rare to see children. Also, you might enjoy the smaller ship experience.

[Jane2357]

Photomama, you are right, I overreacted.....Jane, I apologize, and I mean that, not the backhanded way I used that word earlier. I agree that issues with large groups that are so loud that it seems they are doing it on purpose can be a major problem on a ship...I avoid another Line because of that, and here I am trashing you, and even worse, inferring there is a bias involved....I am sorry.

 

There have been threads in the past on issues with San Juan...yup, a different culture with some who at times are more demonstrative than what many are use to. The threads start that way and then turn inevitably into stereotypes of 'those people', and then the list of OK Nationalities and regions, and those that aren't like us...you know, the wrong Nationalities. And of course, no one is ever biased or a racist/biggot, we are just pointing out that "they are that way".

 

And I know, I just tried to excuse my reaction and bad manners. Sorry, I've got to get off my highhorse and remind myself I stereotype also.....I've lived in the South most of my adult life and I'll never understand grits!

 

Den

Thanks Den! And I might add - I'm a Michigan girl (lives in FL now) but about 8 years ago - was living in Augusta, GA - where I was the one with the accent - LOL. I'll never forget the time that I heard someone whisper to someone else "she's a damned yankee" - uh yup.

[Pushkin]

THIS IS EXACTLY what was I was asking and now sadly - I'm going to cancel this cruise. I CAN'T go through it again. Guess it is back to the drawing board.

 

I think you made the right decision based on my experiences. However, I will say that we have taken several 7-day Caribbean cruises out of FLL or MIA (Celebrity Solstice class) during the winter and have never had a similar problem. Not sure why, but seems a world of difference to me.

[swmichigan cruiser]

Yes Jane swmichigan cruiser stands for southwest Michigan. Portage/Kalamazoo to be a little more exact. Enjoy what ever cruises you chose.

[K.T.B.]

Although many people have had good results sailing from San Juan, our experience was the worst of all our cruises. Our sailing was heavily discounted for local residents and loud families with free running children completely disrupted the normal cruise experience. This is one departure port that we refuse to revisit.

 

I certainly hope that this is not the case for my cruise in February! With school in session at that time, however, I would suspect it's be fine...

[rervousneck]

Photomama, you are right, I overreacted.....Jane, I apologize, and I mean that, not the backhanded way I used that word earlier. I agree that issues with large groups that are so loud that it seems they are doing it on purpose can be a major problem on a ship...I avoid another Line because of that, and here I am trashing you, and even worse, inferring there is a bias involved....I am sorry.

 

There have been threads in the past on issues with San Juan...yup, a different culture with some who at times are more demonstrative than what many are use to. The threads start that way and then turn inevitably into stereotypes of 'those people', and then the list of OK Nationalities and regions, and those that aren't like us...you know, the wrong Nationalities. And of course, no one is ever biased or a racist/biggot, we are just pointing out that "they are that way".

 

And I know, I just tried to excuse my reaction and bad manners. Sorry, I've got to get off my highhorse and remind myself I stereotype also.....I've lived in the South most of my adult life and I'll never understand grits!

I have lived in the South my entire life, and I still don't understand "The South".

Den

 

Thanks Den! And I might add - I'm a Michigan girl (lives in FL now) but about 8 years ago - was living in Augusta, GA - where I was the one with the accent - LOL. I'll never forget the time that I heard someone whisper to someone else "she's a damned yankee" - uh yup.

 

I suspect what you heard was "she is a damn yankee". As it goes a "yankee" is a person who comes to the south for a visit, and goes back to the north. A "damn yankee" is someone who comes from the north and stays. Like my mother-in-law who was from Owasso, MI.

I have never heard it said to be hurtful are mean spirited, although there are certainly people in the south who only like other people like them.:(

 

 

NOT Proofread

[TeaBag]

Sorry you had to cancel your cruise, Jane. We sailed out of SJ once on Oct 24, 2010 and while we did notice a lot of Puerto Ricans boarding in SJ (we were B2B), we didn't bump up against any rude people. Thank you for posting this. It is something to keep in mind when booking out of SJ.

 

We have had some experiences with rude people and it used to upset me. Now, I just remember that I can walk away from them and forget them, but they have to live with themselves and their rude ways.

 

I do hope you find a great cruise that changes your DH's opinion of cruising. Yes, try Alaska out of Vancouver. Denny is right. We Canadians are not a bad lot!!:D