Golden Princess causes offence in New Zealand

[BrissieB]

This morning we returned to Brisbane on the Sea Princess and our ship was in port the day after this occurred.  Our tour guide was quite unimpressed and informed us that the cruise ships have the option of local Maori people providing welcoming services for all incoming ships.  It is unfortunate Princess did not access the resources available to them.

[lyndarra]

3 hours ago, Beanb41 said:

Cruise ship photographers on the quayside are at best tacky. They consider it funny or appropriate to dress up to entice passengers to have photographs taken with them. Whist many on the cruise wouldn't be aware of the insensitivity of the actions by the photographers it is fair to say that if a blond Norwegian photographer painted his face black in New Orleans and tried to take photos of passengers all hell would break loose.

Whilst Princess have been caught out in this instance they are not alone in the crass acts carried out by the photographers.

Ever tried to get a photo of the lifebuoy stating which port you are in with your own camera , if not try it and watch the them go ballistic over what they see as their intellectual property.

The sooner they stop this crap on all cruise lines the better.

You've used two words in there which I had thought summed up the event - "insensitivity" and "crass".

[The_Big_M]

14 hours ago, Brisbane41 said:

Yeah may not be offensive or racist but it does effect us all.

 

It effects those passengers who travel and pay money for a genuine experience in a foreign country. Now if you take racism away then those passengers on Golden Princess were first greeted to New Zealand by people who were fake and not even Maori. Too bad if you wanted a genuine experience. I am sure they will get it elsewhere. What this essentially is a cruise line profiteering and replacing genuine experiences with artificial ones. Soon enough the ship wont have to dock in a port. Lets start implementing virtual reality goggles and keeping them on the ship while touring the port. They would make a fortune.

 

If your concern is about artificiality, you wouldn't be taking a cruise at all. Pretty much everything about a ship is artificial. The food isn't genuine, the service is debatably so, but often more false than not, and the entertainment and attractions are often copies of other things.

 

It's just a money making venture around artificiality.

 

 

[Bpos]

8 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

If your concern is about artificiality, you wouldn't be taking a cruise at all. Pretty much everything about a ship is artificial. The food isn't genuine, the service is debatably so, but often more false than not, and the entertainment and attractions are often copies of other things.

 

It's just a money making venture around artificiality.

 

 

 

So true, I even take my artificial aorta valve and hip along with me when cruising!

 

[mr walker]

On 12/8/2019 at 5:38 AM, oskarNZ said:

There’s nothing wrong with being offended on behalf of someone else.  It’s part of empathy and social understanding. 

 

 

Feeling for someone who has been wronged is empathy, being offended on their behalf is something different.

[Brisbane41]

11 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

If your concern is about artificiality, you wouldn't be taking a cruise at all. Pretty much everything about a ship is artificial. The food isn't genuine, the service is debatably so, but often more false than not, and the entertainment and attractions are often copies of other things.

 

It's just a money making venture around artificiality.

 

 

Totally wrong. The food is much better than you would get at your average bowling club, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and any suburban pub.

 

What I enjoy is the sea days and moving along the ocean, the fresh air, the stunning sunrise and sunsets, the scenic cruising, port visits, the bars on board. The whole sea life and activity is what I enjoy. It is an experience you cannot get on land.

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, Brisbane41 said:

Totally wrong. The food is much better than you would get at your average bowling club, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and any suburban pub.

 

What I enjoy is the sea days and moving along the ocean, the fresh air, the stunning sunrise and sunsets, the scenic cruising, port visits, the bars on board. The whole sea life and activity is what I enjoy. It is an experience you cannot get on land.

 

Your responses don't demonstrate it is totally wrong. And saying something is "better" against such low benchmarks is hardly a ringing endorsement and doesn't address any authenticity.

 

Sea days are one thing, but you don't need a cruise ship to achieve that. If you look at modern cruise ships they're moving away from that experience in any case... as that's not a revenue opportunity for them. More enclosed/interior design, smaller/non-existent promenades and enclaves and walls to be more about the experience onboard than what's outside.

[oskarNZ]

4 hours ago, mr walker said:

 

Feeling for someone who has been wronged is empathy, being offended on their behalf is something different.

How so?

Are you suggesting that those of us who are Māori were fine with what Princess staff did and everyone else was feeling annoyed when we weren’t?   If so, that is not the case.  
 

Or are you suggesting that empathetic feeling can only include sadness, not annoyance or offence?  If so, again not the case.  
 

Perhaps I missed something in the stream of the thread and a different incident to the Princess one was being referred to? 

 

 

[Brisbane41]

3 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Your responses don't demonstrate it is totally wrong. And saying something is "better" against such low benchmarks is hardly a ringing endorsement and doesn't address any authenticity.

 

Sea days are one thing, but you don't need a cruise ship to achieve that. If you look at modern cruise ships they're moving away from that experience in any case... as that's not a revenue opportunity for them. More enclosed/interior design, smaller/non-existent promenades and enclaves and walls to be more about the experience onboard than what's outside.

What you say will never happen. There will always be sea days. Look at Australia for example. It is impossible to have a cruise to the Pacific Islands without them.

 

For me being on a cruise ships is paradise. I do not need the best to be impressed. I could not care less that others find the food dissatisfying. Too bad for them. I have always enjoyed every meal I have had on a cruise ship, enjoyed my time on them and after 17 years of doing so could not fault it.

 

What you are saying is all wrong. Enclosing the design does not change a thing. It will not change the ability to go to a bar and enjoy a few good drinks while at sea as the ship glides through the ocean. That experience can never be changed.

 

Then you say I base my benchmark on low expectations, well take one look at the Australians that do cruises and that's all you get the KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds crowd. None of them know how to dress up and dress like bogans. I could not picture people like that in anything fancier than a Burger King or McDonalds or an ironed T-shirt at the local bowling club.

 

Cruising will never be artificial. It is an awesome experience. It will always have its up and down moments but I can guarantee one thing that in the 17 years I have been cruising the ones that enjoy it will always get they way. It is the way of the cruise business. I have seen enough about it in my 17 years and heard enough about it from family who have had 40 years experience before me. You can never say that the cruise industry will be artificial.

[The_Big_M]

Not saying that sea days themselves will never exist, just that the cruise line look to make money so public areas like promenades are closed off/reduced and more exciting spaces are built - typically that they can make money from on those sea days.

 

The emphasis is not about the sea, but about all the entertainment onboard the ship.

[MicCanberra]

I am often offended by the photographers imposing their revenue driven quota's for taking photos of people who do not wish them taken but are too hassled to keep walking. Recently had numerous shots taken without permission but they snap away anyway.

[Hawka]

i am sure when i was on golden i was greeted by a real Maori i think it was the one and his partner that did cultural shows on the ship , i think they left at Auckland maybe or next stop but i did see them leave but also had them both greet us as we left the ship

, sad the photographers did this instead of getting the genuine ones 

[lyndarra]

19 hours ago, Brisbane41 said:

Totally wrong. The food is much better than you would get at your average bowling club, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and any suburban pub.

 

What I enjoy is the sea days and moving along the ocean, the fresh air, the stunning sunrise and sunsets, the scenic cruising, port visits, the bars on board. The whole sea life and activity is what I enjoy. It is an experience you cannot get on land.

Geez, oh how I wish I had bowling club or pub grub on my recent MSC cruise. It would have been better than almost anything that was dished up in  the MDR.

Edited December 9, 2019 by lyndarra

[mr walker]

13 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I am often offended by the photographers imposing their revenue driven quota's for taking photos of people who do not wish them taken but are too hassled to keep walking. Recently had numerous shots taken without permission but they snap away anyway.

Maybe you guys shouldn't be so photogenic 🙂

[Brisbane41]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Geez, oh how I wish I had bowling club or pub grub on my recent MSC cruise. It would have been better than almost anything that was dished up in  the MDR.

Well serves you right for going with MSC! If you pay for mediocrity then you get mediocrity. Personally I wouldn't find MSC suitable to board a dog. I wouldn't cruise with that line even if it was for free and I was paid to go with them.

[lyndarra]

54 minutes ago, Brisbane41 said:

Well serves you right for going with MSC! If you pay for mediocrity then you get mediocrity. Personally I wouldn't find MSC suitable to board a dog. I wouldn't cruise with that line even if it was for free and I was paid to go with them.

It was one of those situations where I read the reviews, I liked the itinerary/price (even though I had to pay single supplement), and, I was prepared to make my own assessment. Unless they lift their game substantially I don't expect I'll be cruising with them again. The sad thing is that it wouldn't take much effort to bring MSC up to standard.

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, mr walker said:

Maybe you guys shouldn't be so photogenic 🙂

Can't help being so good looking (and modest).😏

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, lyndarra said:

It was one of those situations where I read the reviews, I liked the itinerary/price (even though I had to pay single supplement), and, I was prepared to make my own assessment. Unless they lift their game substantially I don't expect I'll be cruising with them again. The sad thing is that it wouldn't take much effort to bring MSC up to standard.

I would still give them a go, despite the reviews, as long as the itinerary is what I want..

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I would still give them a go, despite the reviews, as long as the itinerary is what I want..

That's precisely my reasoning. It's really the only way to find out for sure if you want it on your list or not.

[The_Big_M]

4 hours ago, Brisbane41 said:

Well serves you right for going with MSC! If you pay for mediocrity then you get mediocrity. Personally I wouldn't find MSC suitable to board a dog. I wouldn't cruise with that line even if it was for free and I was paid to go with them.

 

Your loss.

[Brisbane41]

4 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

That's precisely my reasoning. It's really the only way to find out for sure if you want it on your list or not.

 

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I would still give them a go, despite the reviews, as long as the itinerary is what I want..

Do you need to personally attend a brothel to know that its services are not for you?

 

I am of the belief that with a good amount of judgement that one can determine what is for them. For example I am almost 40 and no kids of my own and I would never consider a Disney cruise. That is fairly normal.

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, Brisbane41 said:

 

Do you need to personally attend a brothel to know that its services are not for you?

 

 

I suppose there could be many who would ask themselves that question and possibly try it out to see if it does indeed suit their need/s.

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, Brisbane41 said:

 

Do you need to personally attend a brothel to know that its services are not for you?

 

I am of the belief that with a good amount of judgement that one can determine what is for them. For example I am almost 40 and no kids of my own and I would never consider a Disney cruise. That is fairly normal.

Not sure why you are quoting me as you can do as you wish. And while I agree that I do not need to go to a brothel to know if I want it's services., I do  know that I like cruising and interesting places so a cruise line that offers that is worth a try.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

I suppose there could be many who would ask themselves that question and possibly try it out to see if it does indeed suit their need/s.

If someone was willing to give me a free go, I could always see if I would like it.