Just off the Magic - The Great, The Good and the Horrible - Serious Problems Onboard W/ Fighting & Kids

[Pyrate13]

7 minutes ago, DeniseTr said:

Its not just cruising.

 

Exactly, it's not just cruises and it's certainly not just Carnival as some on this thread seem to think.

Edited August 31 by Pyrate13

[jimbo5544]

28 minutes ago, Pyrate13 said:

Exactly, it's not just cruises and it's certainly not just Carnival as some on this thread seem to think.

Some look for opportunities to bash...

[jimbo5544]

36 minutes ago, DeniseTr said:

Its not just cruising.

I go to a hot springs resort 3-4 time/year, and I've learned to avoid holiday weeks and spring break.

The college kids go down for a skiing week, and spend the nights partying in the hottubs.

Thankfully the resort has a adult only area, so kids cat get in those areas, but college age partiers are an issue.

 

Anytime alcohol is available in volume, people will behave badly. 

It is more than that, have a theory it is covid (and all it entailed) 

[Joanne G.]

15 hours ago, Bollycats said:

OP-was there a white party one of the nights on your cruise? Just wondering if the Magic has them so we come prepared.

Off topic, but there was a white party one night on my Magic cruise last April.

 

On topic, it was 8 nights out of Miami, and there were no fights or outrageous behavior that I was aware of.  🙂

[kangforpres]

I'm assuming Carnival and other lines have a "No Sail List" where violent offenders and repeat behavior code offenders can be banned from future sailings? With the minors you can find out what adults they are sailing with and put them on the list.

[ahahn078]

14 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

I'm assuming Carnival and other lines have a "No Sail List"

 

I'm not aware of any cruise line that does NOT have a "No Sail List". Usually if a cruise line breaks up a violent fight (and sometimes we end up seeing them on social media), they do tend to ban them from future cruises.

[nc762shooter]

23 hours ago, angelsfort said:

 

yes, you'd hear all the crying on all social media platforms BUT...  things absolutely would change.  Folks KNOW how to act right...  but tend to waive that knowledge when they get on a cruise ship for some reason.

One side of my family is a great example of this...  there is no way in heck (insert a stronger word here!) that I would cruise with them.  They are rowdy, unruly and would totally be the ones fighting both amongst themselves but also ganging up on other passengers.  As you can imagine, I don't generally have much to do with them.  There is, however, one cousin whom I adore and while she fits right in with the rest of them, when she's hanging out with me she shifts her behavior and is actually fun to be with.  She behaves herself and doesn't yell at people, she is more patient, and she is respectful to everyone.  

 

If Carnival began enforcing all of their rules - I think these folks that act like lunatics when on board would learn quickly that they need to curb their behavior.  I also think that while the cruise line may suffer IN THE BEGINNING, people want to cruise and they'd eventually come back and start spending their money again.   

what's that saying?  No pain, no gain?   this applies here!  Carnival needs to go through some of the pain of "bad press" from all these miscreants that don't want to behave themselves...  but they will, in the process, gain in other areas.  Folks that have begged off of Carnival because of these people will come back and give it another chance...  and eventually even the miscreants will stop complaining and start sailing again as well.

Enforcing rules isn't necessarily bad press in my opinion, although I can appreciate Carnival not wanting to advertise these types of incidents occurring in the first place. However, if it becomes widely known they won't tolerate foolishness it may cut down on the number of people booking who exhibit said behavior on a regular basis if they know they will be kicked off the ship with no refund and forced to pay their own way home.

[Sagittarius traveler]

Well I’m still going to wear my fancy dresses and go to their little tea time and enjoy the vacation maybe when others claiming they won’t cruise with carnival the prices drop 😂🤣 (wishful thinking)

[Esmerelda]

Thank you for posting your thoughts, I am glad some things were positive. Unfortunately in the past (like 2000, 2005), I got to witness fights on Carnival. My first cruise ever was on the Sensation. I had my two young sons with me and they were at the kids club before we were going to a show. I was sitting at the casino bar when a married couple (the only other people there) got into a verbal then physical fight, I was flabbergasted.Then the next cruise was 5 years later on the Valor. It was either at the pool or pool bar and I unfortunately was close by. I have not sailed on CC since 20+ years ago. I have cruised on many other lines and not witnessed any fights. This October, we will be on the Horizon. We are traveling with friends and this was his pick, Praying I do not get to witness this again. I think the parents who let their kids run wild should be booted off the ship. If you take kids with you,YOU are responsible for knowing where they are at and what they are doing. They should not be causing issues for other cruisers. JMO

Edited August 31 by Esmerelda

[MJSailors]

@UPNYGuy I agree with the points you have made in your posts.

Things that impact unacceptable behavior on a cruise:

Low budget fares- usually for short cruises under seven days,aka booze/party cruise situations.

Drink packages- Individuals who view the drink limit as a challenge to be accomplished ,not necessarily a suggestion. Fights and disruptive behavior are often fueled by alcohol. Fifteen drinks per day- wow!

Lack of security- people think they can behave a certain way because,obviously, ship rules are not enforced.

Cruise offerings of kids sail free- Not sure if Carnival offers this, but other lines do and the offers lead to fully booked cruises with some,not all, children running amok.

Not necessarily the kids fault, but lack of parent/grandparent attention.

Expectation of passenger behavior by the cruise line. - Some may dispute this, but when Carnival chose to have ultra casual dress codes, no tablecloths in the MDRs and not enforcing passenger behavior per guest guidelines, reports of  unacceptable behavior escalated.

Most people want to enjoy their cruise vacations without being privy to unacceptable behavior and language from fellow passengers. Most, IMO ,want a pleasant,safe experience for their vacation.

Given the present times where people seem to have little regard for others and only consider their own pleasures, it may be time for various cruise lines to reconsider their policies and adjust them so that the majority of the passengers can have an enjoyable experience on the cruises that they offer.

All of this is my opinion and outlook. My DH and I began cruising in 1987. We have seen many changes in the cruise product. Some changes for the better,some not so much.

MJ

 

 

 

[pc_load_letter]

On 8/29/2024 at 4:05 PM, nydney1 said:

It’s really not overly complicated. 
 

if Carnival started enforcing its rules and expelling passengers that break the rules in port, things would change. 
 

You would hear all the crying on Cruise Critic and Facebook. 
 

The bottom line is these folks spend allot of money and it’s all about $$

 

Ah no, the trash that have been having fights are NOT spending any money. Why do you think they are on Carnival.

 

Instead, Carnival wants to blame the drink package and come out with some press release that says they are coming down on drinkers. Yeah, that will do it.

 

Just look at what OP said about the kids on board. Remember when CHristine Duffy did that whole song and dance about behaving on cruises? One of the items was children 17 and under needed to be escorted by adult or in their rooms. Surely seems like they are failing in that regard.

 

Funny, you take a higher price cruise from the likes of NCL and they offer UNLIMITED drinks and when was the last time you saw a video from a fight on NCL.

 

ETA - Even on my Firenze cruise earlier this year, the colorful guests right next to us, were smoking weed right there on their balcony. I took pictures and went right to guest services and showed them the pics. Security comes up and asks them to not smoke in their room while the pot smoke pours out of the room. They remained on the cruise for the entirety. 

Edited August 31 by pc_load_letter

[UPNYGuy]

1 hour ago, MJSailors said:

@UPNYGuy I agree with the points you have made in your posts.

Things that impact unacceptable behavior on a cruise:

Low budget fares- usually for short cruises under seven days,aka booze/party cruise situations.

Drink packages- Individuals who view the drink limit as a challenge to be accomplished ,not necessarily a suggestion. Fights and disruptive behavior are often fueled by alcohol. Fifteen drinks per day- wow!

Lack of security- people think they can behave a certain way because,obviously, ship rules are not enforced.

Cruise offerings of kids sail free- Not sure if Carnival offers this, but other lines do and the offers lead to fully booked cruises with some,not all, children running amok.

Not necessarily the kids fault, but lack of parent/grandparent attention.

Expectation of passenger behavior by the cruise line. - Some may dispute this, but when Carnival chose to have ultra casual dress codes, no tablecloths in the MDRs and not enforcing passenger behavior per guest guidelines, reports of  unacceptable behavior escalated.

Most people want to enjoy their cruise vacations without being privy to unacceptable behavior and language from fellow passengers. Most, IMO ,want a pleasant,safe experience for their vacation.

Given the present times where people seem to have little regard for others and only consider their own pleasures, it may be time for various cruise lines to reconsider their policies and adjust them so that the majority of the passengers can have an enjoyable experience on the cruises that they offer.

All of this is my opinion and outlook. My DH and I began cruising in 1987. We have seen many changes in the cruise product. Some changes for the better,some not so much.

MJ

 

 

 

Not for nothing, I disagree with some of this. I don’t mind the casual vibe, like no tablecloths in the MDR. 
 

DW and I always get the beverage package, and don’t see it as a challenge. But, I can see how one could easily come to that conclusion. Other cruise lines don’t give a hard limit, whereas with Carnival, people immediately see the 15 and think they have to get the 15 to get the full value. 
 

Just to note: I have also seen ill mannered behavior on HAL. This behavior people are complaining about is *not* unique to Carnival. A couple (I’d say 20’s to 30’s) was having sex in the thermal pool on the Eurodam, on the roller-bars you use to enter. They were trying to be discreet, but it was obvious if you are old enough to know. The staff had to drain the thermal pool and give refunds for all the pass holders that week. So this behavior isn’t exclusive to Carnival. Hell, I can’t say I have ever seen a couple fornicating in public on Carnival, but I have on HAL!! Go figure 🤣

Edited September 1 by UPNYGuy

[UPNYGuy]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:20 AM, ahahn078 said:

I was on a 5 day cruise to Bermuda on the Carnival Magic back in September 2022 out of NYC. After that experience, not only was I done with that ship (in addition to fights, the balcony kept on vibrating each night, preventing us from sleeping well) but also all sailings LESS than 8 days on Carnival.

 

As with you, there was a lot of fighting on board (no knife attacks thankfully) and so-called adults acting like 13 year olds or even younger. I remember one morning the captain made an invasive announcement, summoning someone to report to guest services as soon as possible while numerous security guards were walking around with steely looks. Making matters worse, I've never seen so many people make a whole bunch of theft reports ever. 

 

My 2 Star Review

 

I went on the Carnival Legend out of Baltimore in 2023 (8 days) and Venezia out of NYC (10 days) in 2024 and didn't hear much about fights or thefts on either or. I obviously enjoyed those sailings more than the Magic. Maybe this depends on where you're sailing out of and the cruise lengths?

DW and I still sail Carnival quite a bit (currently on Celebration in fact), but just like any other cruise line, we try to avoid inexpensive and/or less than weeklong itineraries, and unless a specific sailing (Alaska for example) avoid school break periods. 

Edited September 1 by UPNYGuy

[Pyrate13]

We've been cruising on Carnival for over twenty years doing both short cruises and longer ones. Have never experienced a fight.

[UPNYGuy]

5 minutes ago, Pyrate13 said:

We've been cruising on Carnival for over twenty years doing both short cruises and longer ones. Have never experienced a fight.

Our first cruise on Carnival was a 3-day Friday to Monday on Victory 🤣. I knew better, but man was it great for people watching. I figured if the food and service were good, why not. We went with friends, and they had a cabin right near a wedding and bridal party. The groom was caught in bed with the bride’s sister or bridesmaid (can’t remember which at the moment). The cabin the friend had was directly between the bride and groom and the bridesmaid / sister. DW and I went up to get them for dinner and had pizza sent up and enjoyed the fireworks 🤣

Edited September 1 by UPNYGuy

[ahahn078]

17 minutes ago, Pyrate13 said:

We've been cruising on Carnival for over twenty years doing both short cruises and longer ones. Have never experienced a fight.

Great! You're not missing anything during the times you've cruised.

Edited September 1 by ahahn078

[ledges1]

I have over 25 cruises. I have never witnessed a fight. I hope I never do. Does not mean it does not happen. There is plenty of documentation. I have witnessed plenty of other inappropriate behavior as I have mentioned in other post. I am glad people are openly posting about it. It may be preaching to the choir, but it should not be swept under the rug.

[nc762shooter]

1 hour ago, UPNYGuy said:

Our first cruise on Carnival was a 3-day Friday to Monday on Victory 🤣. I knew better, but man was it great for people watching. I figured if the food and service were good, why not. We went with friends, and they had a cabin right near a wedding and bridal party. The groom was caught in bed with the bride’s sister or bridesmaid (can’t remember which at the moment). The cabin the friend had was directly between the bride and groom and the bridesmaid / sister. DW and I went up to get them for dinner and had pizza sent up and enjoyed the fireworks 🤣

Yep, those cabin walls aren't as thick as some might hope...🤣😂😆Wife and I have heard many interesting situations on some cruises LOL. Top of the list is the guy next door late on the last night of the cruise sobbing loudly on the phone with his wife, who apparently was not the lady he was cruising with and not even on the ship, and this was after his cruising companion had laid into him as to why he never came back to the cabin the night before... you can't make this stuff up🤣

[UPNYGuy]

6 minutes ago, nc762shooter said:

Yep, those cabin walls aren't as thick as some might hope...🤣😂😆Wife and I have heard many interesting situations on some cruises LOL. Top of the list is the guy next door late on the last night of the cruise sobbing loudly on the phone with his wife, who apparently was not the lady he was cruising with and not even on the ship, and this was after his cruising companion had laid into him as to why he never came back to the cabin the night before... you can't make this stuff up🤣

Totally forgot about this one until now. DW and I did a med cruise on HAL 15 or so years ago on Noordam. Disembarkation day, there was a guy at the atrium bar (back when they still used it). Didn’t think anything of it, but he was on our airport shuttle with his (soon to be ex) wife. This was a last ditch effort to save the marriage, and he let alcohol get in the way. The entire shuttle ride to FCO he was drunkenly telling her he was h0rny and ready to go. The poor woman was mortified and kept apologizing to those of us around them that could hear it. 

[Sailor75]

I'm diamond on Carnival and use to go on 6 - 8 cruises a year with them; now it's usually 1 a year due to these issues with adults and kids (which I've seen first hand, long and short cruises) and deceptive pricing. I mostly sail with Princess now and no longer have to deal with this.

[2wheelin]

13 hours ago, DeniseTr said:

More likely it's that the parents are partying elsewhere on the boat and think it's safe and OK to let the kids run loose.

 

And that is one definition of lack of parenting skills.  Lack of common sense

[sanger727]

On 8/29/2024 at 11:34 AM, aborgman said:

It's why a lot of insurance companies use credit reports in determining rates - people who make less money are a statistically higher risk.

 

They get in more accidents, they get in more expensive accidents, they are more likely to make insurance claims, their average claims are bigger, and they are more likely to be committing insurance fraud..

 

credit scores aren't particularly reflective of income.  They reflect responsible spending habits.  Which overall reflects maturity and good decision making - factors extremely relevant to insurance risks. Plenty of high income people have bad spending habits and bad credit scores.

 

Not sure where you are getting the idea that lower income people have more accidents, more expensive accidents, and bigger insurance claims.... My experience is that lower income people have less expensive cars and are less likely to get comprehensive coverage which would make their claims a lot cheaper.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

We really don't hear about fights on the Carnival Alaska bound cruise ships.  I wonder if that type of behavior is just on cruises heading towards warm climate destinations (maybe more drinking?), or is it that Alaska is more of a intentional cruise (bucket list type), that attracts a different clientele.  

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

We really don't hear about fights on the Carnival Alaska bound cruise ships.  I wonder if that type of behavior is just on cruises heading towards warm climate destinations (maybe more drinking?), or is it that Alaska is more of a intentional cruise (bucket list type), that attracts a different clientele.  

Just like Journeys cruises, Alaska cruises skew older. That's a big factor right there. 

 

FTR I have been on over 25 Carnival cruises, including probably a dozen Caribbean cruises, and I have yet to see (or even hear about) an onboard fight. 

[shandryl]

On 8/29/2024 at 6:42 AM, UPNYGuy said:

DW and I have seen a marked difference in demographics sailing on the cheaper vs more expensive sailings on carnival. Cheaper = booze cruise. More expensive = older, more well heeled and well traveled.  

Are you sure" 🤔 booze cruise happens on the more expensive = older, more well heeled and well traveled too! 😄 Some may call it a night and go to bed earlier or are in a group sitting at one of the many lounges 😂🎉 Sure the fights or arguments are more side eye stares and little less physical but they still happen. 🎉🎤🎉👏