Problem when traveling single with a cabin mate:

[cr8tiv1]

Just returned from a 10 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess in a suite. Princess seems to have difficulties separating passengers in the same cabin by name. I know this is not only a suite problem because I have cruised in other staterooms categories too and had the same issues.

 

Door names were correct. Two single and separate names posted with different last names. Ms.Jane Doe/Ms. Sally Smith

 

But all other communications came in the form of:

 

Ms. and Ms. ….same last name of one passenger. (Ms/Ms Smith)

Ms. and Ms. ….first names and same last name. (Ms Jane/Ms. Sally Smith)

Ms. and Ms. ….one first name and same last name. (Ms/Ms Sally Smith)

 

I may be overly sensitive to this problem, but it happens on every cruise. I am traveling with another single lady who is in no way related to me to avoid the dreaded single supplement. We are NOT a couple, yet Princess continually pairs us as one even though our accounts are set up separately.

 

I am bringing this up because it is fresh on my mind. Knowing this would happen in a suite, I was prepared with a letter to the Hotel General Manager Officer upon embarkation to reprint our stationary as Ms. Jane Doe and a separate set for Ms. Sally Smith. That was successfully executed. You would have thought that it would filtered down that we were not a couple.

 

No…Specialty Dinner Reservations, “Good Evening Ms/Ms. Smith”. Sabatini’s for breakfast, “Good Morning Ms/Ms Smith”. Club Class Dining: “Good Evening Ms/Ms Smith”. Letters received from Hotel Manager welcoming us/thanking us for cruising with them…Ms/Ms Smith.

 

I must have addressed this almost at least half the time with the front desk and with the Captain Circle Representative. It was never resolved.

 

I would like to hear from other male and females that may have encountered the same. Maybe if enough people report this, Princess will listen and change the way they address fellow passengers.

I apologize if there are other typo errors. Cut and Paste from Word had many spaces missing. I tried to catch all, but may have missed some.

Edited November 16, 2017 by cr8tiv1

[GUT2407]

Wow a major issue I’m sure.

 

I’m often called Dr, as Mrs Gut is really Dr Gut, do either of us get upset, nope, why would we. More than once our cabin was initially set for singles even though Queen was ordered, as they figured we were two blokes. Again who cares we eventually get it sorted.

 

Well sort of sorted.

[OzKiwiJJ]

That's definitely not good. I'm sure there are quite a few people who travel with a companion who is not a family member, and even if they were a family member they may have different last names eg two sisters, one or both who have married. Also these days many women retain their birth name after marrying rather than take their husband's name. Princess needs to resolve this issue.

[Liz54]

I travel with my sister and we have completed 9 cruises. 8 on Princess and 1 on HAL. They have never made this error with us. I agree this is a problem as you described. Princess needs to up their game.

[Sirgym]

I travel with my sister and we have completed 9 cruises. 8 on Princess and 1 on HAL. They have never made this error with us. I agree this is a problem as you described. Princess needs to up their game.

 

 

 

I travelled with my husband on the Regal this summer and this was never an issue. (Though we are married we kept our last names, no hyphenation) I’m sure the crew realized that we were a couple and always treated us with respect and courtesy.

 

 

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[Coral]

I traveled with my Mom (different last names) and never had this issue. Honestly - it would not bother me. There are bigger issues in this world that if they did, I wouldn't care.

 

I don't even remember looking at the stationary when in the suites. I guess I am just lucky to be on vacation and let the small things not bother me.

[Iamcruzin]

Wow a major issue I’m sure.

 

 

 

I’m often called Dr, as Mrs Gut is really Dr Gut, do either of us get upset, nope, why would we. More than once our cabin was initially set for singles even though Queen was ordered, as they figured we were two blokes. Again who cares we eventually get it sorted.

 

 

 

Well sort of sorted.

 

 

 

That is offensive in so many ways. First of all you ordered a Queen and were set up for a single. They assumed you were two males because one of the passengers was a Dr. and the other is a Mr. They automaticity assumed your sexual preference as heterosexual and arranged the beds as singles. So accordingly to Princess the women’s place is still in the Home barefoot and pregnant and homosexuality is still in the closet.

 

 

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[Steelers36]

That is offensive in so many ways. First of all you ordered a Queen and were set up for a single. They assumed you were two males because one of the passengers was a Dr. and the other is a Mr. They automaticity assumed your sexual preference as heterosexual and arranged the beds as singles. So accordingly to Princess the women’s place is still in the Home barefoot and pregnant and homosexuality is still in the closet.

 

 

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I don't think so - and also not necessarily those assumptions. Wife and daughter just completed a five night trip on CROWN and both Personalizers requested Twin bed setup and they had Queen and had to ask Steward to fix.

 

Also, Princess is quite gay-friendly from what I have seen. They just celebrated the vote in Australia that was for same-sex marriages. I'd be a little more careful casting aspersions unless you were trying to be sarcastic.

[skynight]

cr8tiv1

Did you have separate on board accounts?

[Essiesmom]

I have traveled several times on Princess with my sister, and they have never made that mistake. Yes, on any line we occasionally have to ask to have the beds separated. We can deal with a king, often do in hotels. We grew up sharing a double bed. EM

[Meanee]

Next time I am booking Princess, I will specify my salutation as "Admiral" or "Commodore." I will either get stink-eye from ship crew or captain will ask "Admiral, would you like to drive the ship?"

[ExploringTheGlobe]

I've shared cabins with friends from time to time and the biggest thing I have noticed is only getting one patter. That is irritating to me since we both typically do different things throughout the day and want our own patter. After asking the room steward, it is usually resolved quickly but still irritating.

[skf]

That is offensive in so many ways. First of all you ordered a Queen and were set up for a single.

 

 

Please do not take offense if or when this happens. It is merely a mistake, as the Steward is always the last to get the word.

Steve & Pete (We kept our original family names when we got married)

[Bollycats]

My issue (not exactly the same story, but....) is I don't like how they put the full names on the tags at your door. Ms. Jane Doe, Ms. Judy Smith. I cruise with my mother every year and no one needs to know there are 2 women in the cabin. I'm not a privacy issue person, but for some reason this really bothers me. I'd prefer it say J. Doe and J. Smith.

[tcdcruiser]

That is offensive in so many ways. First of all you ordered a Queen and were set up for a single.

 

 

Please do not take offense if or when this happens. It is merely a mistake, as the Steward is always the last to get the word.

Steve & Pete (We kept our original family names when we got married)

 

DW and I share a common last name, and request a queen. Have arrived on embarkation day several times to find a twin set-up. IMHO embarkation day is always chaos for the staff, I think it amazing they disembark 3000 and embark another 3000 all with about 6 hours.

[Colorado Coasty]

Unfortunately, in our current PC world, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[cr8tiv1]

cr8tiv1

 

Did you have separate on board accounts?

 

 

 

Separate accounts AND twin beds. They got that correct.

 

 

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[grouchomarx]

I don't get why this is so incredibly offensive. It happens to lots of people. I cruise with my BF and we are not married/have different last names. We are almost always greeted as Mr. and Mrs. XXXXX in the lounges and dining rooms. Who cares. I can't even believe this would cause such an extreme reaction. I would just laugh it off.

Whoever said, damned if you do, damned if you don't is right. If you were a couple and they treated you as two single ladies, perhaps that would be offensive too. How can they know what is right?

[easyboy]

We have also not experienced the name problem for my siblings who travels with us. If mistake was acknowledged and rectified by the Hotel GM, it is really expected to be done across all area.

 

 

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[partybarbie]

I've shared a cabin with family members (all different last names) and we have never experienced this issue.

[Meanee]

Me and my girlfriend cruise together. Different last name, she's "Ms" on the door. When people refer to us as married couple, or call her with my last name, we don't mind at all. I honestly do not expect ship crew who will only see us for a week to remember "we are together but not married, so please make sure you learn both last names and refer to her by Ms and not Mrs" and so on. And I do not mind at all.

 

Same thing if let's say beds were not in a right arrangement, or we only get one patter, etc. Room stewards were always amazing with any requests we had and I am sure that they will make things right if asked. Let them assume whatever they want. Cultures and beliefs are different.

[luckyinpa]

the name thing is an interesting problem. we are all told to register under our passport names. however i never use my 1st name . yet the steward or butler always calls me by my 1st name which i hate.

 

but is that his fault? nope. i'm the weirdo that goes by my middle name. and its not worth trying to correct as you come off as a weenie.

 

i find they call my gf "miss first name" sometimes and i guess thats a cultural thing.

 

and when i show my card in the haven lounge to eat at the restaurant they will call me by my 1st name then for the entire week they say welcome back 'first name' so what can i do. they get points for remembering my name out of hundreds of people without looking at my card though :)

 

when i went on one cruise with a friend and requested beds apart , they were together. had to tell the steward and fixed quickly. but heck when her and i go out they frequently call us hubby and wife in stores and she's very quick to correct them. she says he has a gf

[BabySarge]

Dear Displaced Local Girl,

 

If that is the biggest thing in your life to worry or be upset about then you are very, very fortunate and should thank your lucky stars that your life is so good.

[WVBill]

the name thing is an interesting problem. we are all told to register under our passport names. however i never use my 1st name . yet the steward or butler always calls me by my 1st name which i hate.

 

but is that his fault? nope. i'm the weirdo that goes by my middle name. and its not worth trying to correct as you come off as a weenie.

 

i find they call my gf "miss first name" sometimes and i guess thats a cultural thing.

 

You are not alone on the hated first name. My wife has hated hers since childhood. Never used it. even on her driver's license etc. Now THAT became a major problem after 9/11 when they started wanting all official documents to match birth certificate EXACTLY - so she had to add her hated first name to drivers license, passport, etc. etc. - -- and, thus to the name on our stateroom door.

 

We've learned that a one-time correction with the room steward solves that problem and henceforth it's "Mr. Bill" and "Miss Gayle" - which, being a Southern Belle suits her just fine.

 

As to one-time encounters in the shops, etc., when they call her by her first name, she has just learned to "grin and bear it".. ;p

[luckyinpa]

You are not alone on the hated first name. My wife has hated hers since childhood.

 

i'm lucky that i dont hate it, i just dont wanna use it. nor will i answer to it.

 

now my aunt will kill if you use her first name.matter of fact i think i was into my teens or an adult until i knew her 1st name was florence. my cuz told me if you ever call her that, prepare to run.

 

also a guy i work with, ryan, got a surprise one day. in the company newsletter they listed his promotion as james ryan. we all say who the heck is james? it's his first name and no one knew it. just personnel