Christmas Cruise anyone?????

[Philip217]

So we have just concluded this year's Christmas Cruise.

This is the 29th Christmas Cruise I have worked in 30 years.

 

We were quite surprised that the weather was so good and we had no mechanical issues with the ship. Very unusual for a Christmas Cruise.

 

Everything else was quite predictable.

We had a record number of people who missed embarkation due to late and cancelled flights. A few of them were able to find flights to join us later in the week.

 

We had a record number of lost bags. Of course the Airline people who normally sort out these problems are all on vacation, so most bags remain lost. Many of those bags contained critical medications. Those who lost the bags admitted that it was not entirely smart to place the meds in their suitcases. Our medical staff was very busy trying to locate exotic medications in the Caribbean during Christmas holiday.

 

We had a record number of domestic disputes onboard. A surprising number of spouses (12 cabins) wanted to injure or kill each other for the holidays.

 

Only 2 staterooms were destroyed by passengers who "went postal' on us. That is about normal for Christmas.

 

There were many fist fights over deck chairs, dining tables, theater seats, and photographs. So the number of split lips and black eyes was quite high.

 

Child abuse claims were a bit higher than last year at 7 cabins. One family claimed that their teen age daughter had physically abused them.

 

Physical assault claims (including those listed above) totaled 15.

 

Medical disembarks were very frequent. Once again this year, many people who should have been in a hospital decided to take a cruise instead. Then of course we had about 20 broken limbs, a few heart attacks, a few broken hips, and one stroke.

 

Our number one complaint was, "What are all these children doing on a Christmas Cruise?" A question that dumb does not merit an answer.

 

We stopped counting the number of drunk teenagers. Their parents were quite upset that we were unable to stop the Caribbean island merchants from selling bottles of alcohol to their children - who got drunk on the pier or smuggled them onboard.

 

Two families abandoned their pre-teen children in our Atrium, so they could go on shore excursions without the kids. The parents were quite surprised to learn that the children panicked and we scolded the parents for such irresponsible behaviour.

 

Shoplifting was a big issue this year. We detained about 15 adults and teens and turned them over to police.

 

Five passengers claimed that very expensive jewelry had been stolen from their cabins - blaming the cabin steward of course. In four cases, the missing jewelry was found in pockets, wrapped in dirty underwear (for safekeeping?), or under the bed. The final case came down to a passenger who could not afford to take this cruise, trying to commit insurance fraud by falsely claiming lost/stolen jewelry. He was quite upset with me for refusing to assist him in the fraud. He claimed that completing the fraudulent forms for him would cost me nothing. He was quite upset that I was so uncooperative.

 

And the biggest challenge for us was the number of passengers who could not pay their bills at the end of the cruise. Over 300 passengers either had their credit cards rejected, had no credit cards, or had no money at all. The only thing we could do was have them sign notes promising to pay us in future. We all know where this story is going. Most will never pay. Those of you reading this will soon be paying those bills in the form of higher fares.

 

At the end of the cruise, the FBI and Dade County Sheriffs brought 2 large vans to the pier to take away all the perpetrators and victims. I suspect that many of them didn't make that flight home as originally planned.

 

I cannot wait for Christmas next year.

[Willie T]

I'am blown away. OMG! Boy do I feel like a regular person after reading about all the irregulars. Who knew? I guess we are "head in the sand" kind of cruisers, never see any of this stuff.

[MonaCK]

Two families abandoned their pre-teen children in our Atrium, so they could go on shore excursions without the kids. The parents were quite surprised to learn that the children panicked and we scolded the parents for such irresponsible behaviour.

 

What is WRONG with people?!?

[geoherb]

I wonder which cruise line you're on. I saw very little like this on the Emerald Princess.

 

Well, there was one incident on Christmas morning when Santa came to the atrium for the children. A man and his wife were sitting in chairs pretty far away from the action. He got up and complained to anyone who dared to stand in front of them. I thought he was going to fight one guy--but fortunately did not. He would not have come out on top in that fight.

 

Until Christmas morning, I had no idea how many children were on our cruise. The youth activities staff must have worked hard to keep them out of our way. We used the adults only pools and hot tubs, ate at second seating traditional, and hardly ever ate in the buffet, preferring the dining room for breakfast and lunch.

 

I remember on some of our previous cruises a large number of passenger names being called to the pursers desk the last morning. I assumed this was for some kind of problem with their onboard accounts. I did not hear as many on this cruise.

[curiouscat]

Geoherb,

 

HI, I'm beginning to smell something fishy or should we say (trolley) about Philip217.....

 

I don't believe a senior officer would reveal such info and if they did are highly unprofessional.....

 

OMG... someone w/ way too much time on their hand.

 

Curiouscat

[Philip217]

curiouscat,

 

You are absolutely right.

In future I will deny that any of these things happened.

And if they happen to you because you were not forewarned - tough luck.

[Mary Ellen]

Geoherb,

 

HI, I'm beginning to smell something fishy or should we say (trolley) about Philip217.....

 

I don't believe a senior officer would reveal such info and if they did are highly unprofessional.....

 

OMG... someone w/ way too much time on their hand.

 

Curiouscat

OMG! This is just TOO funny. :eek: Please do a search of Philips217's prior posts. He has never revealed his cruiseline(s) or position.

 

I do know his 'real' identity and while I don't always agree with his opinions (and everyone is entitled to their own opinions), I do respect his knowledge and facts.

[RevNeal]

Geoherb,

 

HI, I'm beginning to smell something fishy or should we say (trolley) about Philip217.....

 

I don't believe a senior officer would reveal such info and if they did are highly unprofessional.....

 

OMG... someone w/ way too much time on their hand.

 

Curiouscat, there is nothing at all fishy or "trolley" about Philip217. He knows what he's talking about and is indeed precisely what he says he is. In the past he has always been up front with what he is, but has never revealed which Line he is with or his position (other than that he is senior). As such, he has protected his position, his employer, and even the confidentiality of people whose actions he has reported. In my opinion, based upon my observations, his postings here have always been exceedingly professional and I appreciate his candor (even on those occasions -- and this is not one of them -- when I have disagreed with his judgments or approach).

 

For myself, even if my profession didn't require me to work on Christmas Eve/Day I think I would still not want to cruise over Christmas due to precisely the kinds of things he described. And I absolutely believe them all ... particularly the child abandonment and violence issues. Having served a few times as a Chaplain I can affirm that these kinds of things do happen ... and it doesn't take the Christmas Holidays, either. <shudder>

[YoPhilly]

OMG, Philip, that is way too funny. Thank you so much for reminding me why I never cruise over the holidays!

[neverpar]

Geoherb,

 

HI, I'm beginning to smell something fishy or should we say (trolley) about Philip217.....

 

I don't believe a senior officer would reveal such info and if they did are highly unprofessional.....

 

OMG... someone w/ way too much time on their hand.

 

Curiouscat

 

Becareful who you call a "trolley" they may just run over you....

[dobiemom]

Philip, I miss your "Complaint of the Week." Are you still posting them? I did a search and the last I found was #26 and the "Complaint of the Year."

[Soprrrano]

:o That was very entertaining to read, and I have no doubt that it is true. (And I don't care if it isn't true because it was written so well.) Thanks! LOL. I will never go on a Christmas cruise.

 

I love this website because it has taught me about so many things to think about before I book! I've only been on one cruise to Alaska, which was very tame. Now I want to go on a baltic cruise. Any warnings there????

[LHP]

Merry Christmas, Phillip...may your New Year be better!!! ;)