Inside Edition - Story on Cruise Ship Drinking

[tlund]

With thousands of cruises going on a year, the problems are far and few between.

 

That is what aggravates me. The media only covers the problems. When I talk about cruising to people that otherwise haven't been (and try to convince them to go), the first response is always about the latest problem covered by the news media. That is why some people are so down on cruising.

[lori450]

They have to sensationalize it to make people watch. Does anyone remember the term "yellow journalism"? I'm disgusted by it too

[praline3001]

The fact that they covered a large aspect of cruise ships doesn't bother me.

What bothers me is the lack of information about any other tourist destination and the problems with drinking.

 

Most vacation spots have issues with drunk guest. I would like to see cruise ships compared to Vegas or my city of New Orleans or any land resort or casino in the Caribbean. I am sure the ships are average or below average on the number of drunks. ;)

 

Living in a city known for its booze ~ what you see on ships is nothing compared to what you see in our French Quarter lol

[tlund]

This is a difficult topic to debate. On the one hand I totally agree with the cruise lines not at fault as it is the person's responsibility to drink maturely.

 

On the other hand if everyone practiced personal responsibility there would be no need for laws, police, the court system... you get the idea.

 

In most states there are laws concerning bartenders who serve people who are obviously intoxicated. Each state has a different law but the bar and bartender can be charged for serving a drunk person. However cruise ships are a country on their own when out to sea. I don't see how the US can enforce the drinking regulations on a non American ship in International waters. Its not going to happen.

 

They do push the drinks too hard. They do have way more bars then any other type of entertainment. Most of the evening entertainment revolves around booze .. the trivia games, dances, parties, the wine tasting, the speak easy prohibition party.. if you want to do any of these things you will be bombarded by the booze servers.

 

I do drink and have no problem with booze. However there have been times/events I chose not to drink as I am not a big drinker. I have had servers show up to me every 2-3 minutes since my hand was empty during Quest or the Sexy legs contest or karaoke. I find it offensive and embarrassing to have to tell each server NO 3 or 4 times before they get the idea I do not want to drink at that event. I have a pretty strong personality but there are those who have trouble saying no that many times. It becomes too much of a temptation.

 

So I do agree with personal responsibility but also think there should be regulations that they can not overly push the booze on ship. How do you do that? Its impossible and won't happen due to the ships in International waters. It comes down to this debate being a moot point as there is zero way to fix the problem drinkers.

 

I hear you, but I don't find it a problem with saying "no". The cruise line makes it easy for you to drink during entertainment events, however I haven't found it overly pushy. I don't drink that much. We usually choose one or two evenings to drink. The other nights, it didn't even bother me when they asked if we wanted a drink, and, in fact, I didn't even think twice about it. The fact that they have drinks available at events didn't make me feel as if I had to drink to take part in those events. However, if I want to drink, it is nice for the convenience of it being readily available.

[ryano]

. That is why some people are so down on cruising.

 

Yes this is very true. My stepdad gives my mother a hard time every time we go on a cruise because he thinks they are all just one huge sick tank full of Norovirus :rolleyes: Thats because he watches the news networks and thats all they ever cover about cruising.

 

He doesnt get the fact that Norovirus is actually #2 only to the common cold as far as illnesses go and that millions of people get it on land every year. Its just the only industry that has to report it is the cruise industry

[MichelleChell]

I saw it and thought it was nuts the way they were making a huge deal out of it. Kinda like thats the only thing to do on a cruise. My 9yr old daughter even watched it and said they are not even showing what is cool about cruising. I had to record it so dh can see it.

Also they showed a couple of different people sleeping in chairs around the ship. Saying they were to drunk to make it back to there room. HELLO I can walk around the ship at about any time and find people relaxing in a chair taking a little nap.

[praline3001]

Yes this is very true. My stepdad gives my mother a hard time every time we go on a cruise because he thinks they are all just one huge sick tank full of Norovirus :rolleyes: Thats because he watches the news networks and thats all they ever cover about cruising.

 

He doesnt get the fact that Norovirus is actually #2 only to the common cold as far as illnesses go and that millions of people get it on land every year. Its just the only industry that has to report it is the cruise industry

 

Isn't that the truth! We go to Disney once or twice each year. Let me tell you that place is a germ cesspool! It seems one of my kids would come down with some cold/flu/ stomach issue on our way home or shortly after arriving home.

[EV2008]

While I may agree some of the story is probably not quite accurate I have yet to be on a cruise where the drink of the day is not heavily pushed. The WJ and pool to name just two areas is full of servers pushing them.

 

I have to disagree about the pushing - yes they come around and offer the drink of the day - but - I just say no and they go on to the next person - you can say no and they move on - people need to take impressibility of their own actions and be adults

[praline3001]

I have to disagree about the pushing - yes they come around and offer the drink of the day - but - I just say no and they go on to the next person - you can say no and they move on - people need to take impressibility of their own actions and be adults

 

I understand and agree with you for my own actions and those of my family. However as i said earlier, if everyone had personal responsibility we would have no need of laws, police, jails or court systems. Just because you practice personal responsibility not everyone does and reason why our jails are so packed.

 

Groups such as AA would also not exist if everyone drank responsibly. As we know every small town has its own chapter of AA and many times several groups. :cool:

[iuki]

My hubby and I just watched the same show. We just got back from a cruise last week. When we were on Coco Cay, they would ask whether or not we wanted alcohol in our drinks on the beach. Only then, did they pour the rum into the drink.

 

Also, whenever we told the servers we weren't interested in having a drink, they just said okay and walked away. We were NEVER pressured into having a drink. With the high cost of drinks on the ships, if THAT doesn't slow people down on drinking, NOTHING WILL!

 

Because there is a lawsuit from that young man's family, we believe the story was played in the media to "help" the family win the lawsuit with the bad publicity.

[Puffinater]

I have to disagree about the pushing - yes they come around and offer the drink of the day - but - I just say no and they go on to the next person - you can say no and they move on - people need to take impressibility of their own actions and be adults

 

Change the word pushing to selling they are selling all over the ship thus "pushing" their product. Yes, say no and they move right on.

[lori450]

My hubby and I just watched the same show. We just got back from a cruise last week. When we were on Coco Cay, they would ask whether or not we wanted alcohol in our drinks on the beach. Only then, did they pour the rum into the drink.

 

Also, whenever we told the servers we weren't interested in having a drink, they just said okay and walked away. We were NEVER pressured into having a drink. With the high cost of drinks on the ships, if THAT doesn't slow people down on drinking, NOTHING WILL!

 

Because there is a lawsuit from that young man's family, we believe the story was played in the media to "help" the family win the lawsuit with the bad publicity.

 

Geez, I am so sick of the media and their agendas. I remember when you had to have two corroborating sources and the media was supposed to be impartial. ugghhhhh. Sorry. Just had to let it out.

[MommaOf3Princesses]

Although i have to say in all honesty i see a few of those 'cant walk on their own' people on every cruise i go on...that definitely is not the majority. And its also the case when we go to Mexico AIs, as well as Vegas.....so why pick on cruises?

Inside Edition is always overly dramatic anyways! Credible reporting...lmao!

[kevinsgirl88]

i must been one of the "drunk" ones sleep in a chair :rolleyes:! i dont drink! lol but i have not seen anyone to drunk to walk or do things on a ship! this makes me sad that they are "reporting" this type of story!

[alexkrn46]

It was sad to see the young man jump to his death. And I agree if you do not want to drink you don't have to.

[reallyitsmema]

Just watched an Inside Edition story about a cruise on the Liberty of the Seas. I was disgusted at how they made the story to appear as if the only reason people cruise is to over consume alcohol and put themselves in danger. They started out the story talking about the travesty that people start drinking as soon as they get on the ship, and the cruise line starts pushing the "drink of the day" right away. They were appalled that people would consider drinking before muster considering the Costa Concordia. They also talked about how people not only over indulge on the ship but at the port as well (Cozumel).

 

Now, they probably took a cruise during spring break on a 4 day cruise. Most of us stay away from those cruises, but they made it sound as if this happens on every cruise and that the cruise line should be responsible for these people. They showed kids that couldn't stand up themselves or were passed out around the ship. At the end, they showed some kid that was drinking late at the bar, ended up on the outside promenade and jumped over the railing to his death. Now, tell me why the cruise line should be responsible for that.

 

I was so upset about the story since this is not what happens on the typical cruise. I might consider starting my vacation with a drink. How can that be such a travesty. It happens on land and sea. People will drink too much. The people that over indulge should be responsible for their own actions. Thus, the term "drink responsibly".

 

Sorry, wanted to post the link but it isn't on the website yet. Probably available in the next couple of days.

I just saw this piece on Inside Edition. Did you watch the whole thing? At the end of the story, they were talking about a family who is suing RCL because their son climbed a railing and fell off a ship and was killed. They are saying the cruiseline is responsible for overserving the 21 yr old.

 

Inside Edition did not go on the ship to do a story on cruising, they went on the ship to do a story on drinking.

[waxing witch]

I understand and agree with you for my own actions and those of my family. However as i said earlier, if everyone had personal responsibility we would have no need of laws, police, jails or court systems. Just because you practice personal responsibility not everyone does and reason why our jails are so packed.

 

Groups such as AA would also not exist if everyone drank responsibly. As we know every small town has its own chapter of AA and many times several groups. :cool:

 

But because I do have personal responsibility and know when to say no, and no one else does - should I be punished? Also, AA doesn't necessarily exist only because people drink irresponsibly - alcoholism and addiction are diseases. AA isn't about someone having one too many last weekend and making a bad decision to drive home. AA is about people struggling to live with an incurable disease. /rant

[cruisekap]

I have to disagree about the pushing - yes they come around and offer the drink of the day - but - I just say no and they go on to the next person - you can say no and they move on - people need to take impressibility of their own actions and be adults

 

I agree with you. Certainly there are many opportunities to have a drink and the servers walk and try to catch your attention. I have always found that they respect your choices. When I wanted to drink, the server was always there. When I said NO they definitely never bothered me. They know how to read people.

[luvstwocruise]

I saw it and thought it was nuts the way they were making a huge deal out of it. Kinda like thats the only thing to do on a cruise. My 9yr old daughter even watched it and said they are not even showing what is cool about cruising. I had to record it so dh can see it.

Also they showed a couple of different people sleeping in chairs around the ship. Saying they were to drunk to make it back to there room. HELLO I can walk around the ship at about any time and find people relaxing in a chair taking a little nap.

 

LOL, we just off FOS in March...I was walking around looking for friends and family finally I gave up and sat in a lounger next to the pool..a hour later I woke up, mouth wide wide open and drooling...at first I coulndt believe it, then embrassed to death, then what the heck there were others around me doing the same.. Thats really could have been a story..

[K1200S]

I watched it and thought it total rubbish. That show has a habit of sensationalizing things.

[ChipLondon]

The editing of any news story is always going to be the way in which it has most impact. If we are all honest we know that what was said does happen, but only with a small percentage of passengers. Just the same as it would happen in any town on any weekend. Sure it was sad that a young man lost his life, but that could have easily have been a traffic accident in any area most weekends. Sure alot of Police action TV shows feature drunk incidents, but does this really deserve an Inside Edition story over other drink related deaths, I am not sure.

The one thing it does do is highlight why cruise companies have age restrictions on cabin occupancy, and why younger people are not allowed to cruise without an accompanying adult, who hopefully will ensure that their alcohol consumption is monitored.

Although I do think it wise that when any person regardless of age is unable to stand up after leaving any bar area, then that person should be escorted back to their cabin by security, and then restrictions put upon future consumption, and the service staff in that area should be spoken to if they had not flagged up the excess consumption to management. Lets face it even on big ships, there are only a couple of bars that remain open really late.

It must be easier for security to act to assist any person effected by alcohol, than it would be to deal with the possible situations if no action was taken.

[RedSox5]

A cruise ship is a business. You see Walmart 'pushing'/advertising their sale items and/or the items they can get the highest profit from daily- same at the grocery store, at the mall, etc. Aside from sweatshirts in the gift shop and specialty restaurants, what else are they going to 'push'? They're going to make WAY more off alcohol than anything else, so of course they advertise/'push' that the most- it's simple marketing/advertising/business practice.

 

Just my two cents.

[we like it hot]

We love to enjoy a few cocktails through out the day while onboard. We have never felt pressured.The servers have ALWAYS been very nice. My only complaint is there aren't enough walking around the pool decks on port days :D

[ready2sail40]

here is the link, you have to fast forward through some.

 

http://www.insideedition.com/videos/1410/from-the-newsroom-today.aspx

[reallyitsmema]

here is the link, you have to fast forward through some.

 

http://www.insideedition.com/videos/1410/from-the-newsroom-today.aspx

This thread is 6 years old, you might want to post to the thread about the current story, not a 6 yr old story.