Why I Sail Celebrity

[Keith1010]

Very glad you enjoyed the experience.

 

Thanks for taking the time to share information about the cruise.

 

Keith

[cruzeluver]

Thank you for your review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

 

Mr Steves owes people nothing. To say yes to one request would mean having to say yes to more of them. It would never occur to me to call a total stranger's to ask for an autograph. Seems invasive and quite rude. He could have been sleeping, working etc.

[IamJo]

I am sorry to hear your bad experience with Rick Steves as we had the complete opposite!

 

My husband and I, with two other couples who met via this forum, had dinner at The Lawn Club Grill one evening. My husband noticed Steve behind me and after one of our group "fangirled" him, he came over and took photos with us and went back to his table. When he finished his dinner and his crew left, he returned to our table and hung out for awhile. He was fascinated that we met through Cruise Critic, met up in Rome pre cruise, traveled to the port, and scheduled a few excursions together. He invited us to join him at the pool for the party his crew was filming. We did, and danced with him until the congo line started going up the stairs. I couldn't keep my hands on his shoulders because he is so tall! I left at that point but honestly, Rick couldn't have been any nicer.

 

The Lawn Club Grill was outstanding if anyone decides to go. The Porch not so much. Blu not so much.

 

The ship is lovely, and the crew must take a nice pill every day. I have never been anywhere where the staff was so consistently accommodating.

 

Jo

[Wiseask]

Thank you for your comments. I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the cruise as much as we did and that you share my appreciation for the ship and the crew. I’m also pleased that Mr. Steves was not “too busy” for you. Maybe he had taken a pompous jerk pill the day I asked him for no more than a minute of his time, and of course you’re entitled to your opinion as much as I am to mine, but the guy’s a bum in my book. :)

[cl.klink]

Someone is most certainly a pompous jerk; but it is not Mr. Steves. And contrary to your opinion, the man is recognized everywhere he goes where there are Americans or those of other nationalities, who have for nearly 40 years read his books or watched his TV series, or used his website. In other words, he IS a household name to millions of people. I have had the pleasure of meeting him twice by happenstance in Europe. On both occasions he was charming, and friendly. On neither occasion did I interrupt him while he was working, dining, or engaged with other people.

 

You, on the other hand chose to invade his personal space (his stateroom). You have no idea what he was doing with his time when he called. Apparently you are still ignorant of the fact that that particular cruise was a working cruise, and he had his usual filming crew on board with him. He could very well have been in the midst of a production meeting when you called. Frankly, you should count yourself lucky that he had the courtesy to politely refuse your request, and not tell you off for being the importunate jerk that you were/are. Had you, instead, politely approached him while alone in a public place such as the OVC, I think it more than likely that he would have happily signed your book for you. As it is you were out of line.

 

Alas, I agree.

 

Move on ...

 

- Joel

[mek]

Thank you for your comments. I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the cruise as much as we did and that you share my appreciation for the ship and the crew. I’m also pleased that Mr. Steves was not “too busy” for you. Maybe he had taken a pompous jerk pill the day I asked him for no more than a minute of his time, and of course you’re entitled to your opinion as much as I am to mine, but the guy’s a bum in my book. :)

 

I'm just amazed that you think a person who was not working or doing a book promotion owed you anything. What gave you the right to intrude on his privacy? I have never understood why people think celebrities are fair game - it makes me cringe when I see it happen.

[A Sixth?]

Maybe Wiseask could post his or her phone number so some or all of us could call just to talk about this further ;p

[Ma Bell]

Thank you for your comments. I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the cruise as much as we did and that you share my appreciation for the ship and the crew. I’m also pleased that Mr. Steves was not “too busy” for you. Maybe he had taken a pompous jerk pill the day I asked him for no more than a minute of his time, and of course you’re entitled to your opinion as much as I am to mine, but the guy’s a bum in my book. :)

 

Wow, your screen name "almost" describes you to a T. Sounds to me like he was very polite in telling you that he was very sorry but too busy. You have no idea what he may have been in the middle of when you so rudely called his cabin. Unless you were spying on him how could you possibly know whether he was busy or not. That's his private space. If he were out in public and not busy you probably would have had a different response.

[bEwAbG]

I'd be freaked out if someone I didn't know called my cabin and knew who I was. Can you imagine the thoughts racing through his head? For all he knew, you could have stalked him to find out his cabin number so that now he has to worry about the intrusive weirdo who may now be camped outside. Highly inappropriate for you to have called him directly. Even more inappropriate that the ship staff patched you through. Hopefully someone got a stern reprimand. I cannot imagine in what world you thought it appropriate to call him. You're simply wrong about this.

[N 2 Sun]

I have read this thread with a combination of fascination, sadness and dismay.

 

Calling a stranger, even if it is someone prominent, in their private cabin to ask for a favor is always wrong.

 

In the best of times it is rude, boorish, selfish and naive behavior.

 

In the world we live in now with stalkers, insane people with weapons, etc, it is dangerous.

 

Just because you are on a ship named celebrity, you do not have the right to hound a celebrity and calling someone in their private cabin to ask for a favor is hounding.

 

My second issue is a deeper one....what is the point of celebrity autographs anyway? Does it raise your own value in the world? Could the constant attention and requests from non celebrities be part of the reason many celebrities really are arrogant and feel we should bow to their thoughts and opinions?

 

If an autograph is so important to you, why don't you do what a comedian once told Johnny Carson he had done.....he personally "autographed" every book in his book cases beginning with the Bible. He and his friends really got a kick out of the fun things God, William Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln and others had written to him.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cruisinclined]

Great to hear about the party atmosphere which reminded us of our Equinox cruise out of Athens last summer.

We sailed on Eclipse this September from Southampton and were disappointed in the absence of any buzz or party feeling.

On only one night out of fourteen did the ship come to life when the deck party had to come indoors due to weather. Out of the season for children we were an older crowd, but when the opportunity was there really ready to dance and have a good time. Perhaps the ship misjudged the demographic because when the over 50s go cruising they are often the first to party!

We doubt we will do the Southampton route again because we have had great S Class cruises out of Med ports and the Caribbean. They have a totally different feel.

Food and service as good as usual but we go on holiday for more than that.

Sorry to have to post my first critical comments on what is our preferred cruise line by a margin.

We might try HALs Koningsdam next year for a change of scene.

[HS2BS]

Yes, Steves is a pompous what ever!

We were on the Ruby a few years ago and he was sitting in the sky lounge reading. My wife walked over to him and asked if he was Steves which he said no to. I also had a copy of one of his tour guides with his picture on it.

Positive Id. Saw him getting off the ship in Ireland with a film crew.

 

Hal

[richard1s]

Yes, Steves is a pompous what ever!

We were on the Ruby a few years ago and he was sitting in the sky lounge reading. My wife walked over to him and asked if he was Steves which he said no to. I also had a copy of one of his tour guides with his picture on it.

Positive Id. Saw him getting off the ship in Ireland with a film crew.

 

Hal

Just because someone didn’t want to be interrupted by a total stranger doesn’t make them a pompous anything. At one time or another, everyone has gone out of their way to avoid someone, for a variety of reasons; calling someone a name for doing it is childish.

To me, the OP’s behavior is over the top. Invading someone’s privacy is bad enough; but then publicly berating them afterwards because they weren’t receptive to the intrusion is inexcusable. I would be embarrassed to even admit I did something so absurd.

[mek]

Yes, Steves is a pompous what ever!

We were on the Ruby a few years ago and he was sitting in the sky lounge reading. My wife walked over to him and asked if he was Steves which he said no to. I also had a copy of one of his tour guides with his picture on it.

Positive Id. Saw him getting off the ship in Ireland with a film crew.

 

Hal

 

Why did your wife think it was OK to invade his privacy? Good for him saying "No." Get it through your heads people - unless they are providing a service on the cruise ship and are contracted to do something on the ship, they are private passengers and don't need to talk to anyone they don't want.

[teltrainer]

For those who want to know more about Rick, here is his website: https://www.ricksteves.com/about-rick/social-activism-philanthropy