Couple Booted From Cruise

The Lakeland Ledger ^ | 3/29/06 | AMY L. EDWARDS

[Doc Savage]

I have never taken a cruise so I probably shouldn't talk, but it seems like this industry is headed south. No way would I drink the on-board water or eat the food. Ships seem to have an emdemic rotovirus problem. I wonder if they screen employees for communicable diseases like hepatitis B etc. Nope, not for me.

[Non-Sequitur]

What have you heard about the Disney cruises?

Very good, but very pricey.

[misterrob]

Means nothing. Ever heard of someone in a position of power being overwhelmingly arrogant? Maybe the customers (and that being the operative word here) ripped the Captain a new one for the poor service and overall experience they were having.

Bottom line is that there is nothing factual to either side's claims. Just two sides of a story.

[Rebelbase]

"What have you heard about the Disney cruises?"

I suspect it's a Mickey Mouse cruise.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

In other words, you can't think of a scenario in which this would have happened and the people werent obnoxious jerks.

The Captain of a cruise ship is not exactly like the general in an army or even the Captain of a vessel that has a mission other than to haul fat tourists from port to port while making them fatter the whole time.

You don't stay the captain of a cruise ship for long if you are nasty to the customers.

[Preachin']

I had the opportunity to ride "super cargo" on a few merchant marine ships while I was in the military to European cities.

My job was to guard equipment and sensitive information while it was being shipped.

One merchant marine on the ship (a US citizen) got extremely belligerent and the captain put him off in the morning in Brussels, Belgium.

[mainepatsfan]

I'm going to try other lines before I make a judgment on cruising all together. I loved visiting the islands.

[misterrob]

I don't say that either. I was merely pointing out that you just accepted a version of the story without being able to prove which side was, in fact, telling the truth. And, while you are quick to point out that a captain of a ship would not act that way, why couldn't you automatically assume that a combat veteran from Iraq would know a CF when he saw one? Or, why not assume that he understands how to communicate in a direct fashion and isn't going to assume some BS position from a guy who runs a glorified booze cruise?

In the end any of a number of scenarios could be true.

[WideGlide]

I've been through that terminal in Port Canaveral on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It's only tolerable because you get some interesting views of Cape Caneveral. Nassau is a craphole. Royal Caribbean's cute little "private" island is just an overpriced theme park. They can scrap the entire cruise industry IMO. Never again, it was the worst vacation of my life.

[wolfcreek]

Up until the last few years, I've always wanted to take a cruise. (even though I suffer from motion sickness) Now, I see, being on a floating disease factory just doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

[toomanylaws]

"You can provide another remotely plausible scenario that would have led him to kick them off?"

Why would you assume this captain knew how to conduct himself properly? He's probably a second rate captain to have to work for such a bad reputation cruise line. Probably can't speak very good English.
Just because someone is in a position of authority doesn't mean they do the right things. (politicians for example). I say more people should stand up for their rights and complain about bad service.

[Guenevere]

I had to wait at O'Hare Airport for 10 hours during a snowstorm.....does that count :^)

[excalibur1701]

>>About time loud rude tourists were slapped down.

Exactly my thoughts. I'm sure these tourist were very abrasive toward the crew.

[mainepatsfan]

Been on one?

[mainepatsfan]

I just took the Carnival cruise out of there. Nassau did stink.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

GET OFF!!!! AND STAY OFF!!!!

[WideGlide]

I'll be going on a Royal Caribbean one next time.

From one experienced with RC take my advice. Step away from the boat please! Go back to your car and drive home. Then thank the person that kept you from the worst vacation of your life. You're Welcome. (:^D)

[GonzoGOP]

How about this

There were a lot of complaints and this group was starting a WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK drive. So the captain kicks them off the boat and dose so in a rather dramatic fashion. No threats, no warning just gone.

Now what do you think the odds of anyone else asking for their money back.

From a psychological stand point people will complain a lot before they do anything about it. But once someone starts organizing the cruise is in danger of having to shell out some cash. Cut off the leaders of a revolt and usually there is no revolt.

P.S. This may be colored by personal experiences. Last year after 8 cruises on other lines, Mostly RCCL), my family and I took on on Carnival (Bad move don't ask). This was before Katerina and they already were understaffed and showed poor maintenance. Burnt out light bulbs all over the ship that not replaced. When people spilled drinks on the deck it didn't get cleaned up all day. All of the blenders broken at the pool bar, and nobody swapped them out for the entire week. The weighter dumped a bowl of hot gravy on my whife on formal night and they refused to pay to have here dress dry cleaned. All of these problems are symptoms of being understaffed. They are playing it cheap and paying the price.

[Triggerhippie]

Carnival = Nazi Prison Barge.

I made the mistake of doing business with them years ago.


It will NOT happen again.