Fight breaks out: security almost nonexistent, any experiences?

[sissymaryuk]

Fact is when you're dealing with people from the US, a lot of these trouble makers are looking for any excuse to sue for something. Ordinary members of staff are therefore not allowed to intervene. They will lose there jobs.

Security staff also have to be very wary. Chances are the 2 staff seen would've been the only members of security on night-shift on a ship that size. The rest are easily contactable if things really got out of hand.

Security's presence at this incident does seem to have diffused it as no further violent incidents seem to have taken place after people went back to there cabins. When people start making loud threats to people in public, generally you'll find they're all talk. Why would you confess the crime before you did it?

There is no such thing as plain-clothes security on RCCL cruise ships.

[aqhacruiser]

I don't know about this story. The Explorer is crawling with security in plainclothes so either the OP's mother didn't see all the security staff on the Empress or something is fishy. When any incident happens they do shield the passengers from the details. This story will show up on their roll call and if not, Carnival will stop at nothing! :D

[Iamthesea]

Sadly, it also causes early-onset Parkinson so I have never taken it.

Why is it sad that X causes Parkinson's? What's sad is that someone would be stupid enough to take it in the first place. I hope Parkinson's is not the only reason you haven't taken X. :rolleyes:

 

There was a group of four of us (2 couples mid to late twenties) sitting around eating in the promenade the last night at around 2am.

And another reason why my mother always said "nothing good happens after midnight." :D I wonder where the parents were of those teens?

 

These stories are very frightening!:(

[Schplinky]

Why is it sad that X causes Parkinson's? What's sad is that someone would be stupid enough to take it in the first place. I hope Parkinson's is not the only reason you haven't taken X. :rolleyes:

 

It's sad because not too many of the stupid choices kids make cause irrevocable damage, even if they drop the habit. The early onset Parkinsons is a result of the first instance of x.

 

and no, Parkinsons is not the only reason I don't take drugs but neither is the chiding of a stranger on the internet. :)

[Host Karen]

We sailed AOS a few years ago and a fight broke out in one of the bars on the Royal Promenade. The parade was going on and apparently one guy bumped into another in the doorway and the second guy shoved the first. The next thing we knew, they smashed into the table next to ours, which knocked ours over along with our drinks -- which of course landed on all over us before the glasses broke on the floor. After several minutes of scuffling at our feet, two security people came and separate them. After a short discussion, they dragged the first guy out leaving the guy who started the fight in the bar with all his friends. We complained to the security that either both guys should be thrown out for fighting or the guy who actually started it should be the one to go. They ignored us, and when we went down to guest relations to get vouchers to have our clothes cleaned, we complained. The woman behind the desk was more concerned about the fact that security hadn't reported it to her than she was about our concerns. (I might also add we had to ask for a bar manager in order to have our drinks replaced -- the staff in the bar said they couldn't do that. :eek: )

 

The next day, we saw both guys still milling about the ship. Our conclusion was that security is relatively useless when it comes to a fight between passengers. It also apparently helps if you are with a group who will say "the other guy started it," as the guy who got shoved and removed was there only with his wife/girlfriend.

 

We wrote Royal Caribbean to request clarification on their policies for dealing with fights onboard its ships, but never received a response. Of all our cruises on Royal Caribbean, this was the only one that left us truly disappointed and feeling unsafe.

[Iamthesea]

It's sad because not too many of the stupid choices kids make cause irrevocable damage, even if they drop the habit. The early onset Parkinsons is a result of the first instance of x.

 

and no, Parkinsons is not the only reason I don't take drugs but neither is the chiding of a stranger on the internet. :)

I'm sorry! Didn't mean to "chide" you, but you have to admit your statement did not sound too good. ;) I just don't understand anyone getting involved with drugs and glad that you are not!

 

Interesting study about the first use instance causing Parkinson's. Now that is sad, especially for those that don't know a drug may have been slipped into their drink. :(

[shadowtiger]

Our last cruise in Oct ended up with a huge fight in the casino early into the morning. Most people were unaware of it until others mentioned why we were so late getting off the ship the next morning and why there was so much more security than normal. It seems one or more of the suspects had a knife. I can't answer to how it was handled because we only heard from some passengers who happened to be in the casino at the time and left as soon a they saw the knife. It was Carnival but could have been any ship. We were on NCL a few years back and someone threatened to kill everyone in the spa because of an argument he got into over his wife buying spa items and not being able to return them the next day. I actually was so scared I walked into the men's sauna and told my husband to come out with me. No one could leave as he stood in the doorway threatening to kill us all. Security acted fast and took him away, however, the next day at one of the ports this same man was getting off the ship with his wife and daughter. They were 3 ahead of us and we took their photo without them knowing it because I felt he could still hurt someone and we would at least have his photo. When we came back later that day I told security that threatening to kill people on a ship was a serious threat and should be reported to the authorities, especially in light of all the heightened security measures put into effect since 911. I was told it had already been reported to officials and they were handling it. They had my name as well as my husbands but neither of us were ever called after returning home so I don't know if they didn't need our version as there were many people and staff in the spa and we all gave a statement to the security staff on board at that time. In my opinion a threat at sea to multiple people is a terrorist threat and should have been handled that way. But, in the ship's defense, they might have waited till he left the ship and then detained him to avoid a scene in front of the passenger while still at sea. In that case we would not have known they did this. I do know I did not see him again the rest of the week so he could have been detained. So yes, these things can happen at sea. Unfortunately we can only leave so much behind, some will still follow us.

[TinkyPatz]

Well thank you for sharing these experiences, it will certainly make me be more careful when around people that seem drunk or are acting weird.

 

Apparently then it looks like it wouldn't be so hard to smuggle some drugs onto the ship :confused:

 

I haven't talked to my mom today so I have nothing new to report, maybe tonight.

 

I do believe that these were isolated incidents that shouldn't put people off of cruising. Maybe just make them more aware of their surroundings. However it does scare me that security has been ineficient on most of these cases. If someone was threatening to kill me I certainly wouldn't want to be trapped on a ship with said person knowing that they're coming and going as they please.

I understand about the staff being afraid of losing their jobs and will certainly rely this information to my mother.

[TinkyPatz]

I found this on wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine), most commonly known today by the street name ecstasy (often abbreviated to E, X, or XTC) is a semisynthetic entactogen of the phenethylamine family, whose primary effect is believed to be the stimulation of secretion—as well as inhibition of re-uptake—of large amounts of serotonin, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, inducing a general sense of openness, empathy, energy, euphoria, and well-being. Tactile sensations are enhanced for some users, making physical contact with others more pleasurable. Contrary to popular belief, MDMA does not necessarily produce aphrodisiac effects. Its reported ability to facilitate self-examination with reduced fear may prove useful in some therapeutic settings.

[bknapple]

I found this on wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

 

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine), most commonly known today by the street name ecstasy (often abbreviated to E, X, or XTC) is a semisyntheticentactogen of the phenethylamine family, whose primary effect is believed to be the stimulation of secretion—as well as inhibition of re-uptake—of large amounts of serotonin, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, inducing a general sense of openness, empathy, energy, euphoria, and well-being. Tactile sensations are enhanced for some users, making physical contact with others more pleasurable. Contrary to popular belief, MDMA does not necessarily produce aphrodisiac effects. Its reported ability to facilitate self-examination with reduced fear may prove useful in some therapeutic settings.

 

 

 

 

I wanna see some facts behind the sentence that the first instance of x causes an early onset of parkinsons. we all agree x is bad , but your telling me my girlfriend, who had x slipped in her drink, will now get parkinsons in the future? hardly. anyone who goes to school in medicine or has studied it at all knows this is just rehtoric used to scare people off of drugs like mdma. thats fine though, scare away the less users the better. but im sorry i have to step in when i see a bold faced lie

[Iamthesea]

It was Carnival but could have been any ship. We were on NCL a few years back and someone threatened to kill everyone in the spa because of an argument he got into over his wife buying spa items and not being able to return them the next day.

The cruise lines must have listened, because when I came in with a bag full of spa products, my DH took them back the next day and got a refund. :D

 

the next day at one of the ports this same man was getting off the ship with his wife and daughter.

Are you sure he and his family were not being escorted off the ship at that stop?

[CubsFan1856]

I agree that during the day and into the evening there are plenty of staff and security walking around making for a very safe environment but later on in the night (especially after midnight when some of us are at the disco) there is no one to be found.

 

I myself was involved in a dangerous incident after leaving the disco with some people I met that night and a strange guy (about 6'6" 250lbs) folllowed us. I confirmed with everyone in the group that no one knew who this guy was and it was obvious that he was beligerent. Had there been ANY security or ship staff around I could have notified them but since there was no one I told this guy to get lost. He then proceeded to rant and rave and tell me how he was going to beat me up..etc...(it was much more voilent than that!!)

 

The point here is that there was no one around to intervene and make sure this guy didn't start throwing punches or worse, follow someone back to their cabin.

 

There absolutely needs to be more security around!!

[TinkyPatz]

I wanna see some facts behind the sentence that the first instance of x causes an early onset of parkinsons. we all agree x is bad , but your telling me my girlfriend, who had x slipped in her drink, will now get parkinsons in the future? hardly. anyone who goes to school in medicine or has studied it at all knows this is just rehtoric used to scare people off of drugs like mdma. thats fine though, scare away the less users the better. but im sorry i have to step in when i see a bold faced lie

 

Read this article:

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/26/health/main523423.shtml

 

Apparently the study was done with monkeys and it is pretty far-fetched that X will cause Parkinson's. And, btw I'm a med student :) and IMO these studies suggest that there could be some relation but it is not the case that you will get Parkinson's, it's that it's more likely. And that was with the monkeys. Nothing NEARLY conclusive has been found on humans.

[TinkyPatz]

I agree that during the day and into the evening there are plenty of staff and security walking around making for a very safe environment but later on in the night (especially after midnight when some of us are at the disco) there is no one to be found.

 

I myself was involved in a dangerous incident after leaving the disco with some people I met that night and a strange guy (about 6'6" 250lbs) folllowed us. I confirmed with everyone in the group that no one knew who this guy was and it was obvious that he was beligerent. Had there been ANY security or ship staff around I could have notified them but since there was no one I told this guy to get lost. He then proceeded to rant and rave and tell me how he was going to beat me up..etc...(it was much more voilent than that!!)

 

The point here is that there was no one around to intervene and make sure this guy didn't start throwing punches or worse, follow someone back to their cabin.

 

There absolutely needs to be more security around!!

 

I completely agree. Like in the case of cruisingteacher, they didn't do anything to provoke these girls (because if you're looking for it then don't cry about it later) there was no one around to help and even the staff saw it and did nothing.

[shadowtiger]

Are you sure he and his family were not being escorted off the ship at that stop?

No, I could not know this, as I said in my message. And as I said I did not see them again on the ship for the rest of the week so it's very possible.

[vator90]

I don't find the OP's story unbeleivable at all. Due to a previous expierience on the Brilliance. If it makes you feel better thinking there are "ninja" security gaurds onboard then go ahead. Bottom line is you're pretty much on your own when trouble occurs. There have been far too many reported and well documented occurences of violence at sea (not a sugested name for a future cruise ship,lol) to not give some credability to this person. Look at the congressional hearings that have taken place recently and you realize that this stuff does occur and the cruise lines first priority is to do damage control. Looks like the cruise lines need to look at putting visible gaurds in the discos.

[sissymaryuk]

There are no "plain clothes" security on any RCCL ship!

Whoever you thought were "plain clothes" security were not!

It's company policy that all employees have to wear a name badge and normally uniform (or the dress code of the day for some staff), when in public areas.

Normally on ships with high kid counts you'll find extra "Deck Patrol," but they are all uniformed.

What is the point of having "secret police" on a ship? It is not a police state, it is a place for people to unwind and relax and have a fun vacation!

[PhoenixCruiser]

There are no "plain clothes" security on any RCCL ship!

Whoever you thought were "plain clothes" security were not!

It's company policy that all employees have to wear a name badge and normally uniform (or the dress code of the day for some staff), when in public areas.

Normally on ships with high kid counts you'll find extra "Deck Patrol," but they are all uniformed.

What is the point of having "secret police" on a ship? It is not a police state, it is a place for people to unwind and relax and have a fun vacation!

 

How do you know this :confused: Perhaps you can share some documentation/policies with us :confused:

 

###

[sissymaryuk]

I worked for RCCL for several years, up until a few weeks ago.

Unless they hid these "plain clothes" security really well from the crew (perhaps in the engine room!?), they don't exist.

Perhaps the poster was seeing staff members, enjoying nights out? They would be wearing the dress code of the night (eg smart casual), and a name badge, but they are not members of security!

[1HAPPYCRUISER]

Well Just Like Lots Of People Have Stated Before, Cruise Ships Are Not Completely Safe...it Is Like A Small Floating City And All Cities Have Some Trouble. Unfortunate But True.

[BobBeaSea]

I worked for RCCL for several years, up until a few weeks ago.

Unless they hid these "plain clothes" security really well from the crew (perhaps in the engine room!?), they don't exist.

Perhaps the poster was seeing staff members, enjoying nights out? They would be wearing the dress code of the night (eg smart casual), and a name badge, but they are not members of security!

 

Now that you don't work for the line you just might become the most popular/requested person on the RCI board :D