Mark-Sheffield

Been on 3 cruises and we as a family really try to avoid the buffet. When we have been in there we have ended up getting in the wrong queue or the wrong way and seem to be constanly apologising for our lack of knowledge with the appropriate etiquette.

But the most annoying thing is when we taken taken more than 2 seconds to decided on what food we are having and you can hear people tutting as well as the next person pushing their elbows into you !!!

We did a Christmas cruise in the Caribbean a few years ago on the Azura and it was fantastic. I recall that there was 4 formal nights with one being New Years Eve

Hmmm - well there was also the guy on the QM2 TA who had obviously been to Burberry's and bought a cap and there was no way he was going to be parted from it - he wore it in the Jacuzzis and even the MDR!

 

I guess Cunard like to consider them eccentric rather than anything else!

LOL, that made me chuckle,

A few years ago we stopped in a suite on Independence of the Seas and at dinner we was sat next to large family group of about 8 or 10 with siblings, children and the parents who were also in a suite, but I don't the rest of the family was. The reason why we knew this is that they never missed an oppotunity to talk about their Gold Sea Pass Card (as opposed to Blue on RCI for other cabins). They were demanding of the waiters to the point that you knew it was just making a point and it served no purpose.

In the shops and bars they would talk very loudly about their suite and how the concierge would be booking various trips for them.

My point from this story is you will always find rude people with over inflated egos, whether that be in a concierge lounge or on the sun decks when they feel they have a God given right to save a lounger just in case they might use it at sometime during the day !

manners maketh man

That's what we thought. I know we shouldn't make sweeping generalisations, but it did make us all chuckle thinking well if we have to get up at 7am, God knows what time the Germans get up !

I choose to start this thread on P&O due to the fact that it was our last cruise, but i am sure that it would be true on all the cruise ships lines. From my experience bad manners stretch across all social groups.

I have certainly looked at Cunard and the Med itineraries are quite good. We have booked a suite with RCI for next year and they have a separate seating area near the main pool which is never crowded.

On our last cruise in the Caribbean a German ship berthed alongside us. The thought crossed my mind. I wonder what time an all German ship get up to reserve a lounger ?

I am sure there will be seat savers on Cunard ? In the higher grade suites they will get somebody else to save it for them !!! LOL

A few years ago we was told about an incident by a fellow passenger who had been on the Ventura the year before. Apparently somebody removed belongings from a lounger and about 2 hours later the passengers turned up complaining why their stuff had been moved. The new occupants said that they had waited 30 mins and after no one had showed up they took the loungers. What followed was a very heated exchange between the two men and one picked up the lounger and threw it overboard !! Saying if we can't have it then you can't either !

The two men were detained by security and off-loaded at the next port along with their partners !!

We did see heated exchanges between fellow passengers about moving personal items off loungers and on the Azura, there didn't appear to be attendents around to enforce the 20/30 min rule about unattendend loungers, just bar waiters.

We have been on three cruises, 2 with P&O one with RCI and just wondered what fellow cruisers experience was with Seat Savers / Chair Hogs ?

Our last P&O cruise was in January and the first few days we would go up on the pool deck after breakfast and guess what on sea days no loungers near the pool. Only row upon row of towls and books and no passengers !! Grrr.

I'm afraid our solution was to join them in getting up early to secure a prime location !

However, we soon discovered that even though we was normal early risers by 7.30am all of the good seats were gone, so we had to get up there for 7am, which is nuts I know !!! Then breakfast and then up on the pool deck. I always felt guilty because we had gone for breakfast before going on deck for about 8.30am, but then other passengers would wander to their saved seats around 10 to 10.30 !!! At lunch times we moved our stuff and took our chances in the afternoon, most of the time we would get a lounger, sometimes not.

What are other cruise critic views/opinions ?

We have been with P&O twice , but departed from Bridgetown in Barbados. It seemed to us that on embarkation they were pretty relaxed about people taking alcohol on board and we never saw anybody having alcohol taken off them. Unlike RCI who appeared very strict in taking bottles off passengers at every port.

We are booked into a suite next year and we will look at the cost of the Internet when on board to see what offers may be on

I know thst P&O do various offers when on board to encourage purchasing internet mins. However on our last RCI cruise a few years ago the prices were extortionate and we decided to use Free WiFi when ashore to send messages. I am trying to remember if RCI did any offers whilst on board and i cannot recall that they did, it was a fixed price.

I quite agree. The wearing of life jackets would need to be compulsory and handed out on the stairs by suitably qualified stewards :)

Very true they are a broker as such. But the same applies to cruise companies.

Before i book anything either with them or another company i want to be certain of the service i will get. I have seen a mixed bag of reviews about this company. ?

Many thanks for your response.

I have to say that this thread is making me smile and titter at work!

Many thanks for the advice.

Many thanks for that.

The company Cruising Excursions.com has been recommended to me by my travel agent. There prices are considerbly cheaper than the cruise company. Which is fine if the tours are the same or better quality. Clearly you do expect a certain standard from the Cruise company's.

So my question to cruise critic members is :

Has anyone used this company for trips in Spain ?

Many thanks

The company Cruising Excursions.com has been recommended to me by my travel agent. There prices are considerbly cheaper than the cruise company. Which is fine if the tours are the same or better quality. Clearly you do expect a certain standard from the Cruise company's.

So my question to cruise critic members is :

Has anyone used this company for trips in Monaco & Nice ?

Many thanks

The company Cruising Excursions.com has been recommended to me by my travel agent. There prices are considerbly cheaper than the cruise company. Which is fine if the tours are the same or better quality. Clearly you do expect a certain standard from the Cruise company's.

So my question to cruise critic members is :

Has anyone used this company for trips in Italy ?

Many thanks