Don't blame them

My wife and I were talking last night about people who go on vacation (not just cruising) and get upset at the cruise line, resort, hotel...for something they had no control over.

For example, a few years ago I told a lady that my wife and I are going back to our favorite Sandals resort in Jamaica. This woman then explained that she would never go back to a Sandals because when she was there it rained everyday and they did nothing about it. Not a hurricane mind you, just a little nuisance afternoon tropical shower. It just ruined her expensive vacation.

I bring this up for a reason, to possibly help those who don't realize that things happen that no one has any control over. And it is how you deal with it that makes your trip. Actually that goes with any speed bumps that you encounter on your vacation, and there almost always is one or two.

We always take a positive view to what we do and that includes our travels. We are just thankful we can travel and do what we can do. Life is short.

Keith

Way back in Sept. / 1999, we booked our first cruise on Carnival. Yeah, we knew it was hurricane season, and there was a possibility of missing a port (or two) because of bad weather. But the prices were too good to pass up. Sure enough, when we got to Grand Cayman, there were 10 - 12 foot swells, and the Captain said it was too dangerous for tender boats, so we ended up with an extra sea day. It was disappointing, but understandable. I heard several people say "Why can't we just come back a different day? I'm never cruising on Carnival again!" I just shook my head and didn't bother to make a comment.

I tend to turn off people who ae complainers.

I suppose it all comes down to point of view, some people accept that there are things outside of anyone's control and make the best of it and some people don't (or can't) accept that.

Totally agree. My husband took his daughter on her first cruise last year as a college graduation gift. They chose a five-day itinerary on Carnival. My husband had never cruised on Carnival before (only RCL), but it was a decent itinerary and a good price. (My first cruise...my first 5 cruises...were on Carnival - it's where many people start out.)

It was western Caribbean in January. I've done that itinerary several times and I know it can be a bit rocky at that time of year. They hit a major storm. This wasn't a case of trying to determine if the person staggering down the hall was intoxicated or being knocked around by the motion of the ship. This was a people getting sick in the elevators kind of storm.

The cruise was supposed to visit Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios. My husband had spent some time in Grand Cayman many years ago and was excited to return. He thought Jamaica would sound wonderfully tropical to a 21-year-old girl. And so they sailed...

They visited neither of those ports. They had to scramble to cancel private excursions booked in advance and identify replacement excursions, all while the itinerary was a constantly moving target. While at sea, they dealt with uncharacteristically chilly and windy weather. It wasn't what his sun-worshiping daughter had envisioned.

That said, Carnival did an incredibly good job of dodging rain on the sea days and identifying replacement ports of call where the weather was decent. The five day trip still included two ports of call - just two DIFFERENT ports than expected. (Cozumel and Freeport)

It wasn't the ideal vacation that they anticipated, but under the circumstances, still a good trip. It's always a shame when stuff like that happens on a person's FIRST cruise. His daughter heard from many experienced cruisers that it was NOT the norm. Still, I suspect she'll never cruise again. First impressions are often difficult to overcome.

In 2013, we got caught in fog coming back into Tampa from our weeklong cruise. They opened phone lines and internet for those who needed to change travel plans, served us drinks and lunch. We were delayed 8 hrs from 8am till 4pm. We heard all kind of complaints from other travelers who "would never cruise Norwegian again"!

Funny thing about that...there was also a Carnival ship, Royal ship and a couple of barges stuck out in the bay as well. My husband joked that they were welcome to jump overboard and swim back to port if they'd like....I mean what are you going to do at that point? LOL

My wife and I were talking last night about people who go on vacation (not just cruising) and get upset at the cruise line, resort, hotel...for something they had no control over.

 

For example, a few years ago I told a lady that my wife and I are going back to our favorite Sandals resort in Jamaica. This woman then explained that she would never go back to a Sandals because when she was there it rained everyday and they did nothing about it. Not a hurricane mind you, just a little nuisance afternoon tropical shower. It just ruined her expensive vacation.

 

I bring this up for a reason, to possibly help those who don't realize that things happen that no one has any control over. And it is how you deal with it that makes your trip. Actually that goes with any speed bumps that you encounter on your vacation, and there almost always is one or two.

Speed bumps enter all our lives, not just our vacations (sometimes). O f course i t helps if one is reasona ble in the assignment of 'blame'. If THEY can con trol the weather, why don't they shut off the RAIN ? If they cannot why do they think the cruise line, hotel, resort can? :) LOL :D

On my expedition cruise through the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, there was one lady who was never satisfied. The polar bears weren't beary enough. And how dare the guides point out one that had a fresh seal kill! The weather was cold. Her cabin was too small. The food wasn't good enough. She actually got online and lodged a complaint with the main office because the ship was too slow when going through pack ice. Oh, and there was too much nature stuff and not enough shopping.

Everybody started avoiding her as much as possible, because we were having an incredible time. Which, of course, led to her complaining that the other passengers weren't friendly.

For the record, I would happily bundle up and take that cruise all over again. High seas, cold, lousy weather, pack ice, and all. I'd even take another polar plunge. It was an extraordinary trip.

Some people always look for someone else to blame, regardless of the cause of the issue. They don’t seem to understand that you can’t control nature, the weather, etc. The cruise lines usually try to re-route and / or compensate for issues, but in most cases are not obligated to do anything based on the fine print that cruisers agree to when purchasing a cruise. This is another reason to look into a good Travel Insurance policy that may compensate you in some cases.

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There are people who are not happy unless they are unhappy. What makes them happiest is sharing their unhappiness with everyone. They deserve open ridicule and are otherwise best avoided.

I think some people focus more on negative things and other people either don't pay attention to them or let it roll off of them and focus on something else. I've never taken a bad cruise. I often read reviews and some of the things mentioned would bother me and some things wouldn't. But most things would not bother me longer than the time it took to notice them. When I think back to my cruises, there were only three things in all of my cruises that were disappointing. I still had a great time. I am sure there were other small issues, but I can't remember them so they were insignificant.

I think going with reasonable expectations helps. If I don't like something, I will try something else, go somewhere else, do something else, or focus on something else. Life is too short to stay upset unless the issue is very bad. Cruises have so many options that it's easy to refocus and find something pleasing.

I tend to turn off people who ae complainers.

I know what you mean. I'm married too.;)

Never had a bad cruise. We have had rough seas, rain, canceled ports, long-g-g-g lines at embarkation when one of the cameras quit working and there was 2000 people ahead of us, but have never had a bad cruise. Hey, it beat work.

I remember reading about a woman who cruised to Alaska and complained because it was too cold to use the pool. She wanted the Captain to do something about it

I met a couple who booked an Arctic cruise and then complained because they hadn't brought thick coats, and it was the travel agent's fault for not warning them it would be cold. On an Arctic cruise!

I met a couple who booked an Arctic cruise and then complained because they hadn't brought thick coats, and it was the travel agent's fault for not warning them it would be cold. On an Arctic cruise!

But it's so easy to confuse "Tropic" and "Arctic".:')

Ya..like friends of ours will never fly on American Airlines again because the last time they did their flight was canx because there was a blizzard!

On the flip side. A few years ago we booked a family cruise in August out of PC. The week leading up the weather was not good at all. There was a tropical storm working its way up towards Florida. As we were driving from Orlando to the port you couldn't miss the wall cloud moving in. As soon as we got on the ship it started to pour. The sky was a nasty green.

I tried very hard not to, but for several days before our trip I was becoming a negative Nelly. The weather just was not going to work and I (the person who booked the cruise) was going to be the one to blame. I was negatively affecting the rest of the family as well.

But then, 'poof'. We pulled out of port and it was fantastically clear. The storm kept moving north, we went south. It honestly was one of the calmest, most clear cruises I have ever been on. Locals on the islands made comments about how it was so clear, that they could see 'such and such' island and that almost never happens.

FYI: I was told that strong storms suck all the energy and dirt particles out of the atmosphere as they build and that was why it was such calm & clear cruise.

Ya..like friends of ours will never fly on American Airlines again because the last time they did their flight was canx because there was a blizzard!

Believe me, there's NO shortage of ignorant idiots (regardless of wealth, or class) w/o a particle of common sense.:eek: I had a friend who was a private pilot on a Lear Jet for one of the richest businessman ( president of the region's EMC) in this area. My friend said they were SUPPOSED to fly (mid April, that year) from Atlanta to Miami BUT due to a line of tornadoes coming through the South, the FAA had grounded ALL air traffic till weather had improved. My friend said he was shocked at the EMC president's stupidity when he bitterly complained 'What good does it do, when you PAY millions of dollars for an aircraft but can't FLY it in all conditions !' My friend said he just shook his head, considered just how stupid even some of the ubber rich can be when it comes to common sense.

Mac

I met a couple who booked an Arctic cruise and then complained because they hadn't brought thick coats, and it was the travel agent's fault for not warning them it would be cold. On an Arctic cruise!

now THAT is an IDIOT !!! How do some people manage to get from Monday to Tuesday without a 'keeper?

:eek: I would run from them out of fear that kind of idiocy could be contagious.

On our last cruise we encountered some people who complained about everything, while we thought the ship, crew, service, etc. was great! Made me wonder if we were on the same ship! Lol.

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Ya..like friends of ours will never fly on American Airlines again because the last time they did their flight was canx because there was a blizzard!

I love it.

Wouldn't they be happier if the flight took off and crashed.

Crazy people.

Keith

Face it folks. S**t happens. Wreck on the highway makes you late for work, store runs out of a special item, doctor makes you wait, unexpected flat tire on the car or dead battery, weather, rain, etc., etc., etc.

The list goes on and on. So many people go thru their lives with their class half empty. I keep mine at least half full. If it falls below half, I just order another one.

There is always more good on a cruise than bad. Get a grip on life and enjoy it while you can.

I don't get bothered by a lot of things. However, people who complain about everything are just the worst type of people. "I will never use X again" because I didn't get my way. Somehow a different company will be able to prevent weather.

You can tell who these people are by trying to talk about fun stuff to do and they are immediately negative. They are miserable people who should just stay at home.

A happy sailor is a b**ching sailor.

As someone who used to be in the Navy I remember that quote well. Was true then and is true now. ;p