Holidays Undercover - pure scaremongering

[Heads !!!!]

Saw the show on TV tonight and I have to say parts of it were complete and utter rubbish. The so-called "expert" on norovirus didn't have a clue and came out with some real howlers. Seems it was all about shock value and forget such minor details as facts as they obviously didn't consider them important.

 

What people do not realise about norwalk is that you can clean the ship from top to bottom but all it needs is one passenger to come on board already infected and the whole thing starts all over again. Because a ship is such an exclosed enviroment the bug spreads very easily and there is very little that can be done about it other than following basic hygeine procedures and confining those already infected to their cabins. To blame the cruise company the way they did on this show is crazy but does make for good TV so they ignored the facts and showed blatant scaremongering. Truth is it is usually passengers with poor hygeine standards that spread the virus, failing to wash their hands or use the alcohol gel. It really makes me sick to see such misinformation when I know full well how seriously the companies and the crew on board the vessels take an outbreak. The virus is VERY common and most people suffer with it at least once every couple of years but you wouldn't think it when you see the media frenzy every time there is an outbreak on a cruise ship which they blow up out of all proportion.

 

I have to admit that the report on crimes at sea, 178 sexual assaults and people vanishing from ships was worrying but having seen how they misreported the norovirus outbreak on the Sea Princess later in the program it makes me wonder how much of it was true and how much was just made up for dramatic effect. I can't speak for P&O Australia but I know that in the UK fleet the security staff are top-notch and take bad behaviour very seriously. I also know that underage drinking is a no-no and something the bar staff do not allow although this program made it sound like all the cruise ships will serve alcohol to kids. They interviewed an obviously disgruntled ex-crewmember who came out with some real rubbish which may have been true 10 years ago but certainly doesn't hold true now.

 

The first ship they had on the program where they tested for cleanliness wasn't even a cruise ship, just a riverboat by the looks of it yet the show (and the review of it in my paper) makes it sound as though all cruise ships are dirtier than your average cesspit.

 

I suppose I'm ranting a bit here but to see such irresponsible journalism makes my blood boil. Anyone else see the show and want to comment?

[Lightsluvr]

...what you're describing is pretty typical for a TV "news magazine" these days...

 

They waltz right up to edge of bold face lies and do a little side step...

 

LL

[mystte]

I can totally sympathise with you Heads, are you in the UK? I assume the program you watched was there, I usually miss out watching everything as I work evenings. But I DO understand and even though I have yet to get on board I do get angry with so much hype and misrepresentation.

 

In my industry, I present holidays and cruises to clients daily and it't amazing how over the last few months the amount of negativity that has occured is amazing. I have never had anyone criticise cruises unless they thought they may not like being on board a ship, but now so many underhanded quips and laughing, it really is demoralising for anyone who is getting on board or thinking that it would be great.

 

I think that they are really ruining it for a lot of people as most times 90% of the people say they would love to do it one day but now you get the smart ones making horrible remarks. Yes I am angry too.

 

And Lightsluvr - I love that, SO true!!

[Heads !!!!]

I can totally sympathise with you Heads, are you in the UK?

 

Yes, I'm in the UK and work for P&O UK (although I'm off at the moment following a serious illness). I know from first hand experience what a complete load of rubbish the vast majority of that show was.

[alibail]

It was to be expected, for some reason I actually thought it might have been interesting, but it looks like theve gone the way of the american tv programs and decided to go for as far from the truth as possible to get more people to watch.

 

Clearly they didn't research much of it, or they'd have descovered most cruise lines employ ex royal navy staff as their security officers!

 

And the best bit "the railings on cruise ships arn't even waist high, its so easy to fall over them" from some other apparent expert.

 

On the bright side, they did at least point out that alcohol was involved in the 'overboard' cases so hopefully most persons with comon sense will realise that possibly it was that to blame, not the cruise lines :)

[Heads !!!!]

Clearly they didn't research much of it, or they'd have descovered most cruise lines employ ex royal navy staff as their security officers!

 

That or very experienced ex-police officers. P&O UK employ ex-gurkhas as well and, while they are really nice guys despite them hardly ever smiling, you do NOT want to get on the wrong side of them. I had a security officer on one ship I worked on who was ex-anti-terrorist squad complete with two bullet wounds in his shoulder.

 

And the best bit "the railings on cruise ships arn't even waist high, its so easy to fall over them" from some other apparent expert.!

 

That was the obviously disgruntled ex-employee I mentioned. Did you notice how all the photos of him in uniform and on ships that they showed were at least 10 years old. Personally I thought he looked like he had a real alcohol problem going by his appearance but I could be wrong.

 

On the bright side, they did at least point out that alcohol was involved in the 'overboard' cases so hopefully most persons with comon sense will realise that possibly it was that to blame, not the cruise lines :)

 

Yes but the cruise lines will still get blamed no matter what. It's the same in everything - a passenger comes on having been worshipping the porcelain god the entire day before but feels fine now and doesn't want to miss out on the cruise so they lie on the health form they are given before they get on. They then go on to spread the virus all over the ship, ruin hundreds of people's holidays, cost the company tens of thousands in extra cleaning costs and yet the cruise line still gets the blame.

 

Programs like this one really make me sick. The sooner P&O UK do a "fly-on-the-wall" documentary the way easyjet did so passengers get to see the truth the better. Until then the public will continue to suffer the garbage that so-called "investigative reporters" put on our screens and get a totally false impression of a great way to take a holiday. I love my job and I love working for P&O and it really makes me sick that people can get away with lying on TV and presenting it as "fact".

[alibail]

The sooner P&O UK do a "fly-on-the-wall" documentary the way easyjet did so passengers get to see the truth the better.

 

I'd certainly watch it! ITV (or Sky Travel I forget) did one a few years back now following Island Cruise's when they first started - unfortunatley they had lots of problems the first few weeks while they were filming, but at least most of the passengers where very happy with the free booze!

 

and the BBC did 'The Cruise' years ago - it brought us Jane McDonald :-)

 

Both a slightly different class from P&O UK's ships though.

 

Can I ask what you do on the ships? I'm just starting out training as a deck officer for Island Cruises - well I start in September, so im interested in everything about cruise ships right now :-)

[Heads !!!!]

I'd certainly watch it! ITV (or Sky Travel I forget) did one a few years back now following Island Cruise's when they first started

 

Ah yes, the good ship Island Mistake. Someone I know was featured quite heavily on one episode of that series which unfortunately went right to his head and swelled it out of all proportion.

 

Can I ask what you do on the ships? I'm just starting out training as a deck officer for Island Cruises - well I start in September, so im interested in everything about cruise ships right now :-)

 

I do as little as possible ;-) Actually I work in the entertainments department and love it to bits. Cruising is a great life as long as you can deal with being away from home for so long and you're going to love it.