Flame suit on...just a few gripes

[JackieB]

First, I must say some good things about the Brilliance Med cruise that my wife and I went on:(6/29, yes, the murder cruise):

1) The ship and crew are outstanding.

2) The food is great, especially the speciality restaurants, but the dining room and the windjammer are also very good.

3) The itinerary (we went to Greece, not Venice) and the port excursions (we took only RCI tours) were well worth the money and gave us peace of mind that we would make it back to the ship ok.

4) The cabin was in great shape and serviced well twice a day.

 

Here are a few things I must mention about the cruise and travelling in general:

1) Why are people trying to get on elevators before they let others get off?

2) The first few days in the Windjammer were crazy because the "stations" are all over the dining area and people just "cut in" in front of you. Or, in my case, a big, tall guy reached over me to get food from a buffet platter.

I make a point of not holding people up, but many, in general, are just plain rude! They will pop in front of you to see what looks good and then pop out and cut in front of someone else as well.

3) Speaking of forming lines, no one will allow this to happen. They push to the front and will do anything to get ahead...whether or not you've waited for awhile and they've just gotten there. This happens with tender tickets and even at the airport. People seem to be "in line" but they are simply forming a line while waiting for theit seat numbers to be called. Meanwhile, you are in the back behind people WHO HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED YET!

4) Our dining time was 6:30pm. Once, after a late arrival back from a tour, we got there at 6:45 and were mortified that we may have held up our table.

We had tablemates who arrived one night at 7:20 and we noticed many people arriving at 7:30 ON A SEA DAY! They weren't delayed on a tour, just rude.

5) I was on a treadmill about 10:30am one morning when a wife approached her husband on the treadmill next to me. "Where are our poolside lounge chairs?" she asks. He describes what's on them. She says, "Any problem getting them?" No, "it was like fish in a barrel at 7:00 this morning."

3 1/2 hours later, of course, they must have been in the pool or getting something quick to eat, etc.

 

As many posters have said over the years, you can't let things bother you. Enjoy your vacation and all of the good aspects. We did. But, someone has to be the voice of reason to the rude people: "I'm sick of your antics and I am not going to put up with them any more!!" Your parents, had you really had any, didn't do anything but raise cretins who should no longer be tolerated among those who have manners.

 

Other than that, I may someday let you know how I really feel.

[as41shots]

5) I was on a treadmill about 10:30am one morning when a wife approached her husband on the treadmill next to me. "Where are our poolside lounge chairs?" she asks. He describes what's on them. She says, "Any problem getting them?" No, "it was like fish in a barrel at 7:00 this morning."

3 1/2 hours later, of course, they must have been in the pool or getting something quick to eat, etc.

Once you knew what their stuff looked like you should have run up there and tossed it overboard.

[debandbill]

The elevator thing is a pet peeve of mine. I have been known to put my hands up and say "STOP and WAIT" to those barging on...seemingly the only way to handle it. Our first Explorer cruise there was a large contingent of non-English speaking passengers who were notorious for doing this...I used the hand "signal" a lot! Jeez, I know I am sensitive to this but for God's sake people, you are on a cruise...what is the rush!

[hdawson]

JackieB. Very well said and it's about time someone did that collection of everyone's thoughts as well as you did.

[Cruising89143]

Here are a few things I must mention about the cruise and travelling in general:

 

It is very sad that we now live in the "me" generation where people could give a damn about others and I believe that as time goes by it will only get worse. I think that it comes down to how one was raised as a child to respect others. The family unit is going to hell in a hand basket and with it goes morals, character, and respect. Welcome to the future.:(

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I agree with everything you have posted, especially the elevators and rude people in the windjammer.

 

Thanks for losting the things that have also bothered me on every cruise we have been on!! :D

 

***

[kenandlaura06]

It seems like a few of your complaints have to do with the general rudeness of people. I would agree 100%. People seem to behave worse and worse every day.

[joeyancho]

It is very sad that we now live in the "me" generation where people could give a damn about others and I believe that as time goes by it will only get worse. I think that it comes down to how one was raised as a child to respect others. The family unit is going to hell in a hand basket and with it goes morals, character, and respect. Welcome to the future.:(

 

 

WELL SAID!!! I AGREE 1000%

[TEXASMUNK]

Any idea where most of these folks were from?

 

Some nationalities tend to be rude, just as some regions of the US are rude...

 

Just curious, also hoping you will reply and we can both get flamed by folks from those regions, countries or states.

[Happy ks]

I guess we're in the minority, as we have taught our children to wait their turn, hold doors, say please and thank you.

 

The elevator thing is a mystery. I work with special needs kids, many of whom are in wheelchairs. It is unbelievable how many people won't wait for us to get off elevators, won't hold a door for us and get annoyed with us if we are blocking their way if they are in a hurry. Not to mention how many people will not wait until after we clear a cross-walk with a parade of wheelchairs.

 

Whatever is the hurry? All the above mentioned stuff is just poor manners and a lack of graciousness.

[shan&steve]

I am hoping that the majority of the pax on my cruise are Texans, and therefore well-mannered....:D

[BJane]

I sure do agree with the elevator situation. On our recent cruise to Alaska it was especially bad. After a few days I could not contain myself any longer. Whenever I was nearly knocked over by incoming passengers as I was trying to exit I just used my stern I raised four children voice to say "just wait a minute!!" It may not have improved their manners in the long run but it sure got their attention at the time. Another elevator thing I found was that because they are quite spread out on the Radiance class ships and you always seem to be at the far end when the opposite end car arrives you might as well not try to get to it. When the door opens the people already inside fail to look to see that folks are scurrying toward them and push the close button which doesn't even give us a fighting chance to get on.

[ladylawyer]

No flame thrower here. I thought I was the only one who did the "Stop and Wait" hand signal. Unfortunately, I don't think the guilty parties read CC ...

 

One more thing about the Windjammer: When you're finished, get up and let someone else sit down. On our last cruise, I heard a nearly-daily announcement over the loud speaker, for people to vacate their tables when they were finished. Honestly, there are a lot of places to sit on the ship, elsewhere. Please don't make people walk the length and breadth of the Windjammer, with a tray of food and drink, looking for a table.

 

Ahhhhh, I feel much better now ;)

[Max Circus]

Please don't misunderstand my comments below. I'm not giving the "elevator people" any excuses for their behavior. I think part of the problem is that many people aren't familiar with "elevator etiquette" since they don't use them frequently. The only time they use them might be when they stay in a hotel or cruise. I know my parents taught me to hold doors for people and other general "manners" but since they grew up in a virtually elevator-free world, I never was shown proper elevator behavior. It was something I learned on my own having worked in several high-rises in Boston and New York.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Off topic - Anyone still remember elevator operators? I remember them from Filene's department store in Boston when my mother would take me with her when she shopped. A throwback to the past.

[Fritz265]

It is amazing how rude people are in general. If someone reaches over my shoulder to grab food at a buffet, they better be wearing armor on their arm otherwise they'll be wearing a fork in it. Rude bastards.....

[PartyHearty]

A lot of people in general are rude to the core. On top of the elevator bargers and line cutters & lounge chair hogs are the seat savers at the shows in the theatre. Along with them are the hoi palloy that insist that each and every man must be in a tux and each and every woman must be in a gown on formal night.

 

You also have the people who use the exercise equipment and do not wipe thier sweat off of the apparatus after they are done.

 

Another is people who do not arrive back to the ship on time at a port of call.

And I am not talking about people who are delayed in a ship organized tour. I'm talking about the last minute Annies who are sprinting to the ship as the ship is about to depart.

 

On one of our cruises my wife and I saw a tender roar up to the ship AS the ship was leaving. They had to stop the ship to allow these 2 people aboard.

Of course they were loaded with packages.

[fanofseas]

I have never been on a RCI ship but we do have the freedom booked for Oct 06. In the windjammer is the buffet in straight lines or in little stations? If they are stations how do you know when to jump in without cutting someone off? I know that it's rude to reach over anyone or to grab something someone else wants. I was just wondering because I don't want to come back from my cruise and read on the CC boards that I was being rude.LOL

[Jen & Kim]

The elevator thing is not limited to cruise ship elevators. I work in a 10 story office building and it happens every day...and these people use the elevators every day.

 

I think all the things you mentioned are part of that ever-growing "me-me me" mentality that is sweeping across the country. People have become so self-absorbed that they don't even stop and think about how their actions affect others. It's really sad.

[FlyingPhotog]

I have never been on a RCI ship but we do have the freedom booked for Oct 06. In the windjammer is the buffet in straight lines or in little stations? If they are stations how do you know when to jump in without cutting someone off? I know that it's rude to reach over anyone or to grab something someone else wants. I was just wondering because I don't want to come back from my cruise and read on the CC boards that I was being rude.LOL

 

You just get at the end of the line. No jumping in. That's the polite way to do it.

[Fritz265]

The elevator thing is not limited to cruise ship elevators. I work in a 10 story office building and it happens every day...and these people use the elevators every day.

 

I think all the things you mentioned are part of that ever-growing "me-me me" mentality that is sweeping across the country. People have become so self-absorbed that they don't even stop and think about how their actions affect others. It's really sad.

 

Not just the US. It's a worldwide issue. I won't generalize as I think there are fragments of every nationality that have their rude people. Some more than others, however.

[FlyingPhotog]

The elevator thing is not limited to cruise ship elevators. I work in a 10 story office building and it happens every day...and these people use the elevators every day.

 

I think all the things you mentioned are part of that ever-growing "me-me me" mentality that is sweeping across the country. People have become so self-absorbed that they don't even stop and think about how their actions affect others. It's really sad.

 

It's not limited to just elevators, anyone ever been on a London subway at rush hour? (and I'd imagine most other subway systems) You basically have to push to get off the train unless you're standing by the door when it opens because new riders push their way on. My family had to devise a plan if we got separated from each other to just meet at the next stop.

[Frequentfloater]

These same self centered people live and work around us too.

 

I see them while driving, as they cut other people off for no reason. They speed past 200 yards of traffic in a lane that ends, only to cut in right at the front. They are the first to honk at you, for just being alive and in their way. (Don't you realize they have somewhere important to be??)

 

In theaters, they talk to each other during the movie and kick the backs of other people's seats. They even take cell phone calls and let their kids run wild in the aisles.

 

At Wal-Mart or the grocery store, they take a basket load of stuff to the express line. They try to return, obviously well used items, as either brand new or defective (and with no receipt).

 

These are the same people that cruise among us, and cause all the problems. They are either so self centered that they think the world owes them an endless supply of favors, or just so ignorant that they never even notice the way they treat others. I guess the worst part of all is that they are raising children to be just like them.

[Roliver704]

"1) Why are people trying to get on elevators before they let others get off?"

 

I live in NYC and even there we wait until people get off the subway before boarding (for the most part). its unbeleiveable that the people that call new yorkers rude are the ones that do this....

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

You just get at the end of the line. No jumping in. That's the polite way to do it.

 

I don't agree entirely about the Windjammer line process. At the pasta station or ommelet station, definitely. You MUST wait in line to order your special food. But the other stations are approached from all directions. Even the dishes, spoons and napkins are at both ends of the stations. Plus folks are eating in every area, front and back of the Windjammer.

 

It is a matter of expediency. If everyone is in a long line waiting while someone cannot make up their mind, has lenghty questions of the cooks behind the station, fumbles with their platter, etc., why should five hot trays of food stand idle while a line backs up behind the slowest diner? It just takes longer for folks to take up a table, because family members are sitting, waiting while you are backed up in a line.

 

In a longer station such as the meat and casserole station, the main meat carving is at one end, with folks approaching from both sides, but from different directions. Everyone standing in line will just back up the entire process. Believe me, there is always some one in line who is taking a long, long time to decide what food to choose. Are they to hold up dozens of folks while trays of food sit idly with space for faster folks to get at them? I don't see it.

 

I don't approve of folks elbowing people or pushing or shoving or reaching over shoulders. That is rude, arrogant and thoughtless. But I just don't see the sense in having a line back up behind a slow person when the faster, more decisive people can move ahead comfortably without interfereing with the slower ones. It speeds up the entire Windjammer during rush hours. During slow hours, there isn't much of a log jam, so there isn't a problem. We are talking about expediency, not rudeness.

 

As aguest at a family buffet or a small gathering or church pot luck, I can see the wait in line rule. But at a caffeteria with hundreds and hundreds of diners, I feel that if you can move ahead without interfereing, do it.

[shirlmac]

Some people are just more important than others.....in their own mind!