Culture Shock - HAL Penthouse to Carnival Inside

[iceman93]

I just had to share with you all this rather humerous anecdote...

About two weeks ago my family and I returned from our Maasdam cruise to the Caribbean. We (my wife and I, our 2-year-old daughter, and our Japanese aupair) were in the penthouse suite. This was the first cruise our aupair had ever been on, in fact she had never even heard of the CONCEPT of cruising before this. She was quite nervous before the trip, but she quickly "caught on" and really embraced the experience. She enjoyed all the elegance and fun of a HAL cruise right along with the rest of us.

She enjoyed it so much, in fact, that she told her aupair friends about it and now they've decided to book their own cruise at the beginning of May. The only difference is that the four of them are cruising on the Carnival Inspiration in a bare-bones standard inside cabin. We've tried to help her understand that their entire cabin will be roughly the size of the bathroom and closet we had on HAL, but she simply doesn't seem to understand that any staterooms can be that small. We've also explained that the four of them will have to share two beds that were designed for single people, but again she thinks they'll be "bigger than website, right?"

I do realize that they're going to have a great time. They are four young girls off on an adventure, and they probably won't spend much time in their cabin anyway. But I have to laugh when I think that it was a HAL penthouse experience that got her to want to take another cruise, and how different virtually every aspect of her Carnival cruise will be. The food, the entertainment, the ambiance, the clientele... all will be different.

I'll post again when she returns, to let you all know what she thought!

[lougee1043]

keep trying to get your point across --they will be terribly dissapointed-

how about brochure pix showing both rooms and the sq footage---good luck

[dosi]

Why on Earth would you think they would have to share two beds??? Is that how it is done on HAL? Because all other major cruiselines provide one bed per paying customer. They will have two beds on the floor of the cabin and two that fold out from the ceiling.

The cabin will be 170 sq feet which should be more than adequate for four young women. In Japan many of the hotel rooms are very very small and so are the apartments. I think she will have a great time. Yes it will be a different kind of time, but it usually isn't the cabin that makes the cruise, it is the company you are with.

[Lee77]

My thinking is she may have picked Carnival for a reason.
Maybe she has heard that it is a younger crowd, less expensive and what difference does the room make?
She is probably happy just to be on a vacation.
I'm sure she will have a great time!

[katybird]

I thought this was a belated April Fool Spoof but guess not???

[peaches from georgia]

They're young, going on a real vacation, they'll be by themselves on a 'FUN SHIP' that they can afford, and will have the time of their lives. Their priorities are entirely different than yours and they probably will have a lot more fun than being in the Penthouse on HAL. Plus Carnival is not going to book 4 pax into a room with only 2 single beds.

[klfrodo]

I just had to share with you all this rather humerous anecdote...

About two weeks ago my family and I returned from our Maasdam cruise to the Caribbean. We (my wife and I, our 2-year-old daughter, and our Japanese aupair) were in the penthouse suite. This was the first cruise our aupair had ever been on, in fact she had never even heard of the CONCEPT of cruising before this. She was quite nervous before the trip, but she quickly "caught on" and really embraced the experience. She enjoyed all the elegance and fun of a HAL cruise right along with the rest of us.

She enjoyed it so much, in fact, that she told her aupair friends about it and now they've decided to book their own cruise at the beginning of May. The only difference is that the four of them are cruising on the Carnival Inspiration in a bare-bones standard inside cabin. We've tried to help her understand that their entire cabin will be roughly the size of the bathroom and closet we had on HAL, but she simply doesn't seem to understand that any staterooms can be that small. We've also explained that the four of them will have to share two beds that were designed for single people, but again she thinks they'll be "bigger than website, right?"


Someone please tell me that the OP is NOT an indicator of the types of attitudes of the people who sail on HAL. :eek:

[Himself]

She will certainly be in for a culture shock! Her friends will probably rave about it and she will say "this is terrible" after experiencing HAL

[as41shots]

Someone please tell me that the OP is NOT an indicator of the types of attitudes of the people who sail on HAL. :eek:
Not at all. When we cruise on HAL this summer, we are leaving our au pair home to fix the roof.

[bookworm0911]

She will certainly be in for a culture shock! Her friends will probably rave about it and she will say "this is terrible" after experiencing HAL
Why do HAL cruisers think the HAL "experience" is the be all and end all of cruising and no one can enjoy another cruiseline once they have been on HAL?! It might suit you, it might suit me, but I would NEVER select HAL if I was young and single and cruising with a bunch of girlfriends.

[Himself]

I doubt that I would ever choose Carnival even if I was young and with friends.

[babyher]

I think back on some of the motel rooms my buddies and I would bunk up in when we went to Spring Break or Cape Cod when we were in our 20s. *LOL* An inside cabin would have been the Waldorf to us *LOL*

God knows they were not an S suite, but the great times we had and the memories we have and still laugh about......like the commercial says ......PRICELESS.

The girls will have a great time :)

[Lee77]

UPGRADE them!

[CruisinGrams]

I hardly think an au pair makes enough money to afford a penthouse on any cruise line, and although HAL is great for those who love it, it is also great to experience other cruiselines until you find the one that is right for you. Good for you for giving her a taste for cruising, and good for her for deciding to cruise with a line more likely to welcome young people, with smaller wallets. She will be fine and will make memories much different from looking after a two year old in a penthouse suite.

[WNYCRUISER]

Last time we packed for a cruise, I spoke with DW about some new shoes, and she said nah, just bring your au pair!!!!:p

[S.S.Oceanlover]

keep trying to get your point across --they will be terribly dissapointed-

how about brochure pix showing both rooms and the sq footage---good luck

how old are the girls? If they are young enough they probably have a ball. While the suite is probably about 600 sq ft and the inside is only 185 sq ft they'll probably just go with the flow.

Bill

[localady]

I remember my honeymoon first time around at age 21, it was a package deal in a 2.5 star hotel off the Waikiki strip. It was more than we could afford and we ended up running out of money 4 days into it.:rolleyes: Despite that, I was just thrilled to be travelling!!! :D

My guess is that your Nanny will have a blast on this trip but may appreciate the time she spent in that lap of luxury in your Penthouse a bit more!:cool:

[the2ofus]

I think I understand what the OP was saying to us, and I think some posters have mis-construed his concern and labeled it snobishness. The young lady was introduced to cruising in a spacious accommodation with a lot of amenities that most of us "ordinary folks" will never experience either.

I think his aim is to make sure she understands that those cabins are not the norm, nor was this cruise the norm in the industry. He has no way of knowing what her expectations may be except that he fears they are based on her one experience. She will be in a very different situation and he is trying to prepare her. As another poster said, her friends, all neophytes will probably love it, but the cruise may not live up to her expectations based on prior experience.

Will she adapt? Probably. If she is adventurous enough to have left her home country and come to another country to work, she has already proved herself to be adaptable. If she fell in love with cruising, not just the accommodations, she will be fine. She will have a good time if she wants to have a good time.

That said, I like the suggestion that they be given a "surprise" upgrade to a larger cabin.:) BTW, I can't even begin to imagine four young girls trying to get ready for dress-up dinners with one tiny cabin bathroom to share. But then, it's a long time since I lived in a college dorm!

[peaches from georgia]

[QUOTE=the2ofus]
I think his aim is to make sure she understands that those cabins are not the norm, nor was this cruise the norm in the industry. He has no way of knowing what her expectations may be except that he fears they are based on her one experience. She will be in a very different situation and he is trying to prepare her. As another poster said, her friends, all neophytes will probably love it, but the cruise may not live up to her expectations based on prior experience.
[QUOTE]


Somehow I suspect that she noticed, just walking around the Maasdam for 10-11 days, that all the other cabins were a lot smaller than the PS she was in and is very much aware that her experience on Carnival is going to be different. Different doesn't necessarily mean less enjoyable for her. I'm sure there are other factors that might make this Carnival cruise even more fun.

[I Luv Crusin]

[quote=iceman93]I do realize that they're going to have a great time. They are four young girls off on an adventure, and they probably won't spend much time in their cabin anyway. But I have to laugh when I think that it was a HAL penthouse experience that got her to want to take another cruise, and how different virtually every aspect of her Carnival cruise will be. The food, the entertainment, the ambiance, the clientele... all will be different.

quote]

I've sailed the same type of ship as the girls will be on. They should do fine with an inside, although I understand the concern. As for the food, IMO, there is not that much difference, entertainment also about the same if you cut out the "hairy chest contest" on Carnival and I do enjoy the many more opportunties to ballroom dance on HAL, ambiance is nicer on HAL, the ships decor is much nicer. As for the clientele I look at it as "Carnival lite", not as many kids and teens(at least on this cruise) but there are enough complaining adults to help make up the difference. There seem to be a fair amount of those not choosing to follow the dress "suggestions". The above is base on my experience. I'm on the Veendam as I type!:D

[Lee77]

"I just had to share with you all this rather humerous anecdote..."
QUOTE from original post!

The OP thinks this is rather HUMEROUS...[I think he means humorous but we all understand the point]

This is suppose to give us a good laugh???? I guess that is the reason for the post.:eek:

[Coolcruise02]

Well, we just had a great cruse on the Zuiderdam, but we have had equally GREAT cruises on Carnival, including the Inspiration. Which by the way had a larger inside stateroom than HAL.

One advantage in not "being loyal to one line" is the ability to see that you can have a great time on any ship! :)

[mountainmare]

My first cruise was with a girlfriend in an inside cabin for a 4-day on the Fascination. This was right after I retired and I've been hooked on cruising ever since. For my next cruise I talked DH into a cruise, moving up to the new Destiny-then we discovered HAL and never looked back.

I think that a group of young people will have a great time--I did at the young age of 50!!

[GOLDENBONNY]

Someone please tell me that the OP is NOT an indicator of the types of attitudes of the people who sail on HAL. :eek:

WHATS WRONG WITH HIS ATTITUDES?:confused:

[Timmys_mom]

We've also explained that the four of them will have to share two beds that were designed for single people,


WHATS WRONG WITH HIS ATTITUDES?:confused:

Perhaps it is not his attitude, but the above quote either demonstrates a significant lack of knowledge regarding Carnival or is elitist, I'm not sure which. Ignorance I can handle, but elitism would scare me away from HAL.

[ryansmemom]

I think some of us are being a bit hard on the OP. Let's take the names of the cruise lines out of the equation. This would read very differently if you do that, it has nothing to do with particular cruise lines anyway.

Many people comment on how difficult it can be to go from one level of accommodation to another especially if there is an "downgrade" involoved. Something like, "Once you've had a balcony, it's tough to go back," for some people. Or, "If I were to book a suite, I might get spoiled and want one all the time."

My interpretation of the OP was that he was wondering if his aupair would be expecting her next cruise to be like the one experience she had on a cruise since this was her only experience. He was concerened because her one experience had set the bar high, a suite. He seemed to want her to have a good time and wanted to prepare her for a different experience.

How many of us have our first cruise branded into our brains, at least at first, and use that as a standard to judge our second or third cruises on.

He may have worded it poorly, or misread the ability he had to communicate the humor he meant to communicate in this limited medium. I don't think he meant to be offensive or he would not have posted what he posted. Give him a break.

Linda

[GarySuzy]

I have not read this whole thread but, you may explain to your Aupair that the size of the cabin will be approximately 8 tatomi mats that equals about 200 sq ft. I believe they will have fun no matter what.

GarySuzy (Suzy stands for Suzuko (Japanese))

[kimmeesook]

my thoughts exactly. i think the responses that follow the OP speak more about the person responding than it does anything else.

I think I understand what the OP was saying to us, and I think some posters have mis-construed his concern and labeled it snobishness. The young lady was introduced to cruising in a spacious accommodation with a lot of amenities that most of us "ordinary folks" will never experience either.

I think his aim is to make sure she understands that those cabins are not the norm, nor was this cruise the norm in the industry. He has no way of knowing what her expectations may be except that he fears they are based on her one experience. She will be in a very different situation and he is trying to prepare her. As another poster said, her friends, all neophytes will probably love it, but the cruise may not live up to her expectations based on prior experience.

Will she adapt? Probably. If she is adventurous enough to have left her home country and come to another country to work, she has already proved herself to be adaptable. If she fell in love with cruising, not just the accommodations, she will be fine. She will have a good time if she wants to have a good time.

That said, I like the suggestion that they be given a "surprise" upgrade to a larger cabin.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I think some of us are being a bit hard on the OP. Let's take the names of the cruise lines out of the equation. This would read very differently if you do that, it has nothing to do with particular cruise lines anyway.

Many people comment on how difficult it can be to go from one level of accommodation to another especially if there is an "downgrade" involoved. Something like, "Once you've had a balcony, it's tough to go back," for some people. Or, "If I were to book a suite, I might get spoiled and want one all the time."

My interpretation of the OP was that he was wondering if his aupair would be expecting her next cruise to be like the one experience she had on a cruise since this was her only experience. He was concerened because her one experience had set the bar high, a suite. He seemed to want her to have a good time and wanted to prepare her for a different experience.

How many of us have our first cruise branded into our brains, at least at first, and use that as a standard to judge our second or third cruises on.

He may have worded it poorly, or misread the ability he had to communicate the humor he meant to communicate in this limited medium. I don't think he meant to be offensive or he would not have posted what he posted. Give him a break.

Linda

Linda, very well said I think that was exactly what the OP was trying to communicate to us and I did not take it any other way. But I also do agree that they will have a blast. I would guess the others going with her have not been on a cruise and as long as she has been told that the cabin will be much different then let her go and have fun.

[Katz A Prowl]

People, people....I am about to take my first cruise and I'm excited. Not just about getting on a very big boat but about the fact I'm going to meet new people, I'm going places I have never been and I'll be traveling!!! To me, traveling is amazing, fun, and educational. I think of cruising the same way I think of traveling any place. I have been to Europe several times, once I did the fancy hotels, the nice restaurants and all that. I loved it!!! But my most memorable trip to Europe was with a backpack and staying in hostels......met lots of wonderful people and really "saw" the places I was going, not a nice shiny version of it but the real deal.

Any trip you take will be awesome if you remember a few things:

open yourself up to new and different experiences
don't expect things to run smoothly, always plan for mishaps
smile and treat people well and they will do the same for you, if it is not, move on and get over it.
See what you can, laugh, enjoy friends or people you meet along the way, explore the world and try your hardest to remember you are just a speck on the planet......not the most important person on it!!

Now go have fun, whatever line your on, whatever your income level, travel, learn, explore. It's amazing if you let it be.

[Katz A Prowl]

Linda, very well said I think that was exactly what the OP was trying to communicate to us and I did not take it any other way. But I also do agree that they will have a blast. I would guess the others going with her have not been on a cruise and as long as she has been told that the cabin will be much different then let her go and have fun.


or if she has been doing a great job then upgrade them. She was working during the last cruise with you so upgrade them and ensure she has a wonderful vacation!!!

[Gardendog]

My very good friend took her kids on a business trip with her husband. They were put up in a very nice hotel, a Ritz Carlton. This was the kids' first htel stay ever.

A year later the family went on their own dime and stayed at the Motel 6. The kids had no idea that a hotel could be that way.

The kids were not spoiled brats, they had never experienced a hotel before, and the first one was a 5 star. That was their expectation of a hotel. No other references to hotels, since their experiences were limited to one hotel.

They slept just fine in the Motel 6. My friend commented that the kids were taken back, but of course they were fine. Just not what they expected.

I guess that the OP was trying to convey that very same message to the Au pair.

I have traveled in different cabins, but I never see the inside of a different category state room. How would one do that? Does one knock on the cabin door and say to complete strangers, "may I see your cabin"? I would have no idea how big or small the others were. I base my experience on my room alone.

The only time I saw someone else's cabin was when all three kids were in an inside cabin on RCI. We splurged and stayed in an outside cabin. The kids were old enough to be by themselves.

[WillK]

My guess is that they'll have a wonderful time. The best part is that she won't be at work, it'll be a REAL vacation. Give me an inside cabin any day versus a penthouse full of children.;)

[peaches from georgia]

I have traveled in different cabins, but I never see the inside of a different category state room. How would one do that? Does one knock on the cabin door and say to complete strangers, "may I see your cabin"? I would have no idea how big or small the others were. I base my experience on my room alone.


Just walk down any deck during the day or on your way to dinner while the stewards are working and many of the doors are open. And, no, we don't go 'looking' to be nosy, but going to breakfast walking to the aft elevator from our suite we will pass mini-suites with the doors open and walking to the tenders you are on a very lower deck and can't help but see the smaller cabins. The stewards leave the doors open as they are going in and out changing linens and towels, bringing in cleaning supplies, etc.

[Scottish Cruiser]

I understand OP's concern about the differences in the experiences, but I really laughed when I read it. A few years ago we drew into a turnout in the Rockies to have a quick lunch in our fifth-wheel RV. As we entered from one side, a tour bus of Japanese tourusts drew in from the other. They were curious about our unit and my wife invited them in to see it. In minutes we had 40 people getting a guided tour of our relatively small RV. The thing that fascinated them the most was that there were 2 of us, but our stove had 4 burners!

I am sure the girls will have a great time, in spite of the culture shock - oriental to western, NOT HAL to Carnival:) :) :)

[zaandam_2]

I hardly think an au pair makes enough money to afford a penthouse on any cruise line, and although HAL is great for those who love it, it is also great to experience other cruiselines until you find the one that is right for you. Good for you for giving her a taste for cruising, and good for her for deciding to cruise with a line more likely to welcome young people, with smaller wallets. She will be fine and will make memories much different from looking after a two year old in a penthouse suite.

most people don't make enough for a penthouse on HAL, or any other line for that matter. i certainly don't begrude those that can. they help subsidize the rest of us!

[iceman93]

Thank you to those who cut me some slack and who interpreted my post in the spirit in which it was intended. Of COURSE they're going to have a great time! She had a great time on our cruise, too, just a different kind of great time.

I have wonderful memories of days back in college (and the lean years shortly afterward) of making the most of every cheap meal, night in a motel, etc. It was the friends I was with and the experiences we shared that made those times magical.

Had I stayed with family friends in the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf--Astoria, then a few weeks later booked a room for me and my buds at a local Comfort Inn, I would have been in for a culture shock too! (And yes, I know that's not a perfect analogy.)

And for those who have suggested getting them a surprise upgrade, I did look at doing exactly that. It costs a surprisingly small amount of money to jump significant cabin categories on Carnival! The problem is that the only upgrade available is to an outside guarantee, which is the same size and configuration as their inside (so it wouldn't do much of anything significant for them). There are very few balcony cabins on that ship, and they are sold out. As for the beds, I was going by the Carnival website when I said the room will only have two single beds--that's what it shows!

[celmed]

Perhaps people were put off by use of the term "au pair." It does sound rather snobbish. I think "nanny" would suffice.
Shouldn't someone with an au pair be on Seabourn anyway? just kidding...

[Brandis]

I did a cruise on Carnival with 4 friends of mine a couple of years ago. As funds were limited, we booked the least expensive inside. There were 2 lower and 2 upper beds, plus Carnival put in a rollaway bed. It was a bit cramped but we still had a great time.

Since then I cruised with Carnival again, but also Royal Caribbean and HAL. Stayed in Insides, Outsides and even a Suite once. I have no problem going back to an inside. The only difference for me is that with an outside or even balcony cabin, I probably spend more time there, whereas in an inside, I spend more time in public rooms.

Having stayed in japanese business hotels, I can say that some rooms there were even smaller than the smallest ship cabins I ever stayed in. I think your japanese Au Pair will be fine.

Marc

[iceman93]

Perhaps people were put off by use of the term "au pair." It does sound rather snobbish. I think "nanny" would suffice.
Shouldn't someone with an au pair be on Seabourn anyway? just kidding...

Ah! Now I understand, at least a little better. The funny part about that is that au pairs are for those of us who can't afford a nanny!

Seriously, the au pair program is a cultural exchange regulated by the State Department to give foreign youths a chance to experience life in the United States. In exchange for providing child care, we give them a place to live, food to eat, a small weekly stipend, six credit hours of college courses, and time to enjoy being here. The weekly stipend is a whopping $139.05--35 hours at minimum wage. Au pairs come for a one-year contract (kind of like cruise ship employees in that regard), and can extend for one additional year if both parties agree. Nannies, on the other hand, are professional child care providers who generally have formal training and years of experience. They are paid much more handsomely and can stay with a family indefinitely, but can also be expected to work longer hours and/or help with other household chores.

So not only would "nanny" be inaccurate, but more snobbish than au pair! :cool:

[grest]

I'm leaving tomorrow on the Veendam...just an outside cabin on the main deck, certainly good enough for me. I've been in inside cabins in the past, other times standard outside, and always enjoyed my cruises no matter where our cabin has been. Actually, the culture shock for me would be in the penthouse!...I wouldn't mind trying it, though:)....

[Indea88]

Ahhh brings back those memories of my early twenties, working and experiencing the finer things. I cruised Carnival, but always came back to the finer things, had beautiful memories doing both,but still always cruise in a suite and only on some lines!!!! www. cruisecrates.com;)

[Copper10-8]

Last time we packed for a cruise, I spoke with DW about some new shoes, and she said nah, just bring your au pair!!!!:p

Good one! :D

[elmorejj]

Perhaps people were put off by use of the term "au pair." It does sound rather snobbish. I think "nanny" would suffice.
Shouldn't someone with an au pair be on Seabourn anyway? just kidding...



Au pair is definitely not snobbish...actually, nanny is more snobbish. An au pair is just a glorified baby sitter who lives in with the family, whereas a nanny has many more obligations to the children

[babyher]

Au pair is definitely not snobbish...actually, nanny is more snobbish. An au pair is just a glorified baby sitter who lives in with the family, whereas a nanny has many more obligations to the children

adding my two cents :)

I agree au pair is hardly snobbish. We have friends who have one for their child and they are just working class Joes.

The financial and work arrangements are pretty much as Iceman93 described, and according to my friends anyway, it worked out cheaper than dropping them off and picking them up from the local day care center.

I think its the name "Au Pair" that makes people think "snobby". Give something a fancy name (especially if it is a foreign word ) and it sounds way fancier than it really is. :)

[Coolcruise02]

The OP use of "au pair" was not what I found snobbish, but that he "laughed" at the idea of her being in a HAL penthouse suite compared to an inside on Carnival.

[SDHALFAN]

Ah! Now I understand, at least a little better. The funny part about that is that au pairs are for those of us who can't afford a nanny!

Seriously, the au pair program is a cultural exchange regulated by the State Department to give foreign youths a chance to experience life in the United States. In exchange for providing child care, we give them a place to live, food to eat, a small weekly stipend, six credit hours of college courses, and time to enjoy being here. The weekly stipend is a whopping $139.05--35 hours at minimum wage. Au pairs come for a one-year contract (kind of like cruise ship employees in that regard), and can extend for one additional year if both parties agree. Nannies, on the other hand, are professional child care providers who generally have formal training and years of experience. They are paid much more handsomely and can stay with a family indefinitely, but can also be expected to work longer hours and/or help with other household chores.

So not only would "nanny" be inaccurate, but more snobbish than au pair! :cool:


Absolutely correct Iceman93. I know this for a fact since I first came to the U.S. as an Au Pair. I came for one year but fell head over heels in love with the U.S and her people and just never went home. Oh yes, and I did have a green card from day one.:)

Valerie

[celmed]

Ah! Now I understand, at least a little better. The funny part about that is that au pairs are for those of us who can't afford a nanny!

Seriously, the au pair program is a cultural exchange regulated by the State Department to give foreign youths a chance to experience life in the United States. In exchange for providing child care, we give them a place to live, food to eat, a small weekly stipend, six credit hours of college courses, and time to enjoy being here. The weekly stipend is a whopping $139.05--35 hours at minimum wage. Au pairs come for a one-year contract (kind of like cruise ship employees in that regard), and can extend for one additional year if both parties agree. Nannies, on the other hand, are professional child care providers who generally have formal training and years of experience. They are paid much more handsomely and can stay with a family indefinitely, but can also be expected to work longer hours and/or help with other household chores.

So not only would "nanny" be inaccurate, but more snobbish than au pair! :cool:

Yes, I am aware of the definition for "au pair" but it just comes across as sort of elitist -- so does nanny, I suppose, but a tad less. Not that I really care, I was just trying to get at why some people might have found your post a little condescending (which you have clearly shown was not your intention).
And I'm guessing if you can afford the penthouse you probably aren't hurting too much, so no need to explain your choice of an au pair as a more economical choice over a nanny. :)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Absolutely correct Iceman93. I know this for a fact since I first came to the U.S. as an Au Pair. I came for one year but fell head over heels in love with the U.S and her people and just never went home. Oh yes, and I did have a green card from day one.:)

Valerie

Valerie,
I didn't get an answer from the OP so I was wondering how old aupairs are. My reason for asking is that you need to be 21 to go on the cruise but since the OP said they are already booked I guess they are all of age.

CelMed,
I think you are just picking nits. :)

Bill

[katybird]

The OP use of "au pair" was not what I found snobbish, but that he "laughed" at the idea of her being in a HAL penthouse suite compared to an inside on Carnival.

Yes! This was my take on the purpose of the post as well.
Perhaps it lost something in the writing.

[Copper10-8]

Absolutely correct Iceman93. I know this for a fact since I first came to the U.S. as an Au Pair. I came for one year but fell head over heels in love with the U.S and her people and just never went home. Oh yes, and I did have a green card from day one.:)

Valerie

So Valerie; where you from originally? :)

[iceman93]

Okay, if I had said "chuckled" instead of "laughed" would it have been less offensive? ;)

My wife and I are both active duty military, so we're hardly loaded. But we do enjoy "the finer things", to the extent we can afford them, hence the PS.

Our au pair is 22, and she's the youngest of the four sharing the stateroom on Carnival. I forget the actual legal requirements, but au pairs have to be something like 18-25 (and more tend to be on the younger side).