Just off the Magic - The Great, The Good and the Horrible - Serious Problems Onboard W/ Fighting & Kids

[Stick93]

9 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

@Stick93The problem is that "Carnival Security" are generally small guys from the Philippines...who are not trained law enforcement officials.... and Carnival passengers are very often drunken extra large Americans.  Not a physical challenge at all..........

 

They can't even enforce anti-chair hogging rules....

 

For me, Carnival is good for longer sailings when schools in session.

I was crossing my word carefully and did want to bring any race, religion or ethnicity into the mix. I think we all understand the problems with the crew VS the passengers - EXCEPT for the executives at Carnival. 

[Sagittarius traveler]

Seeing the posts I see all cruise lines be having craziness not just carnival 

 

but I’m still going to act civilized and enjoy my time on vacation and get away from the crowd when I can

[nc762shooter]

7 hours ago, tonit964 said:

I remember years ago, like 15 or 20, reading here on CC, the security Carnival employed were from India and trained in some form of Martial Arts, I don’t remember the specific name for them but it was something like Gurkas? 
 

I guess they don’t do that anymore, 

I know this was the case about 10 years ago, I chatted with a couple security guys back then and they said at the time a majority of Carnival's security were from India and were prior military. They didn't mention anything about Gurkhas (they are predominantly from Nepal and are part of the British Army) but I suppose they could have undergone training with or from them at some point.

[nydney1]

It’s really not overly complicated. 
 

if Carnival started enforcing its rules and expelling passengers that break the rules in port, things would change. 
 

You would hear all the crying on Cruise Critic and Facebook. 
 

The bottom line is these folks spend allot of money and it’s all about $$

[MsTabbyKats]

6 minutes ago, nydney1 said:

It’s really not overly complicated.
 

if Carnival started enforcing its rules and expelling passengers that break the rules in port, things would change. 
 

You would hear all the crying on Cruise Critic and Facebook. 
 

The bottom line is these folks spend allot of money and it’s all about $$

But people who spend more $$$ to book probably spend more money on board.  

 

I have to admit (and I said it elsewhere) I was very happy with our last Carnival cruise (9 days in Jan 2024)  and we are doing the same trip again this November.  But if I witnessed the behavior the OP and others talked about....I'd never sail with them again.

 

DH is going to be 90 in 2 weeks....and uses a cane.  Last Jan the staff and passengers went out of their way to help him out (carrying things, holding doors, not getting upset when he cut in line at the buffet etc).  Everything was much better than expected!  

 

Bottom line....don't book during school vacations and don't book short inexpensive cruises.

[nydney1]

No argument from me. 
 

In my book if you’re 90 you get a free pass to do about anything (especially if you have a cane!)

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

So...I gotta ask.  What is the point in achieving that goal (getting to Platinum) if you aren't going to exercise the (rather meager) perks by switching lines?  Just so she can say "I did it"?

Frame the silver card???😉

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, Sagittarius traveler said:

Seeing the posts I see all cruise lines be having craziness not just carnival 

 

but I’m still going to act civilized and enjoy my time on vacation and get away from the crowd when I can

As we all should

[jimbo5544]

10 hours ago, aborgman said:

 

Statistics actually... support that premise.

 

Not that they are inherently less behaved - but that income and numerous anti-social behaviors pretty strongly correlate.

It's why a lot of insurance companies use credit reports in determining rates - people who make less money are a statistically higher risk.

 

They get in more accidents, they get in more expensive accidents, they are more likely to make insurance claims, their average claims are bigger, and they are more likely to be committing insurance fraud..

Actuaries at insurance companies use tons of data to qualify applicants.  Probably a WHOLE nother topic....

Edited August 30 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, nydney1 said:

It’s really not overly complicated. 
 

if Carnival started enforcing its rules and expelling passengers that break the rules in port, things would change. 
 

You would hear all the crying on Cruise Critic and Facebook. 
 

The bottom line is these folks spend allot of money and it’s all about $$

Agree the whining would be extreme, from there we disagree.  They have to enforce at some level.  Where, when and how are the tough questions.

[tscoffey]

The Caribbean has very little attraction to us. It’s too hot 10 months out of the year. The ports are all very similar. We have mostly avoided it.

Not cruising there also means that our chance of encountering any fighting passengers is about zero.

Edited August 30 by tscoffey

[KaiBlue]

On our more recent cruises, we have seen more 'visible' security. And some have been bigger people that look like they can handle themselves, all of which I appreciate.  Enforcing the rules consistently, I think the word would get out and maybe quell some of this behavior.  And I think the kids curfew time is way too late - no reason for a kid to be roaming alone or in a group of kids at midnight.  

 

Not sure if it's true, but on our last cruise supposedly they were fining parents who's kids were breaking the rules of the cruise contract.  Whether true or a rumor, it would be great if parents feared this and thus took a little more care to watch their kids. 

[ahahn078]

I was on a 5 day cruise to Bermuda on the Carnival Magic back in September 2022 out of NYC. After that experience, not only was I done with that ship (in addition to fights, the balcony kept on vibrating each night, preventing us from sleeping well) but also all sailings LESS than 8 days on Carnival.

 

As with you, there was a lot of fighting on board (no knife attacks thankfully) and so-called adults acting like 13 year olds or even younger. I remember one morning the captain made an invasive announcement, summoning someone to report to guest services as soon as possible while numerous security guards were walking around with steely looks. Making matters worse, I've never seen so many people make a whole bunch of theft reports ever. 

 

My 2 Star Review

 

I went on the Carnival Legend out of Baltimore in 2023 (8 days) and Venezia out of NYC (10 days) in 2024 and didn't hear much about fights or thefts on either or. I obviously enjoyed those sailings more than the Magic. Maybe this depends on where you're sailing out of and the cruise lengths?

[ahahn078]

3 hours ago, KaiBlue said:

On our more recent cruises, we have seen more 'visible' security. And some have been bigger people that look like they can handle themselves, all of which I appreciate.  Enforcing the rules consistently, I think the word would get out and maybe quell some of this behavior.  And I think the kids curfew time is way too late - no reason for a kid to be roaming alone or in a group of kids at midnight.  

 

Not sure if it's true, but on our last cruise supposedly they were fining parents who's kids were breaking the rules of the cruise contract.  Whether true or a rumor, it would be great if parents feared this and thus took a little more care to watch their kids. 

 

I've heard on the Venezia back in April during my sailing that several kids broke rules on the ship, and as a result, they, along with their families, got kicked off in Nassau and had to find their way back home. 

[ledges1]

I was on the Glory in January out of New Orleans. A female passenger was making a lot of noise in the hallway outside of her room. A few doors down from mine. Security did come to the room and she became even more disruptive. She appeared to be confined to her room and a security person was at her door all night. I walked by the room while the security person had the door open and it was a mess. Fortunately, we returned to New Orleans the next morning. On a previous cruise from NO, I saw the Police escort a passenger off the ship in handcuffs at the end of the cruise. Also stabbings do happen on cruises, a female passenger was arrested in Mobile, AL after cutting her boyfriend with a steak knife on the hand and leg on the Fantasy in 2018.

[UPNYGuy]

17 hours ago, Sagittarius traveler said:

Seeing the posts I see all cruise lines be having craziness not just carnival 

 

but I’m still going to act civilized and enjoy my time on vacation and get away from the crowd when I can

This is 100% true. DW and I have witnessed extremely boorish behavior on NCL (as noted above) and on HAL. 

[Pyrate13]

On 8/28/2024 at 11:21 AM, ohioNCLcruiser said:

I think Carnival should mystery shop Disney and NCL to see how they do it.  

Don't kid yourself, Disney has fights as well. As a matter of fact, there was another one in the Magic Kingdom again (it's happened multiple times) just yesterday. In my opinion this shows that just because people have/spend a lot of money doesn't mean they are better behaved. It's not just a Carnival thing.

[angelsfort]

16 hours ago, nydney1 said:

It’s really not overly complicated. 
 

if Carnival started enforcing its rules and expelling passengers that break the rules in port, things would change. 
 

You would hear all the crying on Cruise Critic and Facebook. 
 

The bottom line is these folks spend allot of money and it’s all about $$

 

yes, you'd hear all the crying on all social media platforms BUT...  things absolutely would change.  Folks KNOW how to act right...  but tend to waive that knowledge when they get on a cruise ship for some reason.

One side of my family is a great example of this...  there is no way in heck (insert a stronger word here!) that I would cruise with them.  They are rowdy, unruly and would totally be the ones fighting both amongst themselves but also ganging up on other passengers.  As you can imagine, I don't generally have much to do with them.  There is, however, one cousin whom I adore and while she fits right in with the rest of them, when she's hanging out with me she shifts her behavior and is actually fun to be with.  She behaves herself and doesn't yell at people, she is more patient, and she is respectful to everyone.  

 

If Carnival began enforcing all of their rules - I think these folks that act like lunatics when on board would learn quickly that they need to curb their behavior.  I also think that while the cruise line may suffer IN THE BEGINNING, people want to cruise and they'd eventually come back and start spending their money again.   

what's that saying?  No pain, no gain?   this applies here!  Carnival needs to go through some of the pain of "bad press" from all these miscreants that don't want to behave themselves...  but they will, in the process, gain in other areas.  Folks that have begged off of Carnival because of these people will come back and give it another chance...  and eventually even the miscreants will stop complaining and start sailing again as well.

[UPNYGuy]

1 hour ago, angelsfort said:

 

yes, you'd hear all the crying on all social media platforms BUT...  things absolutely would change.  Folks KNOW how to act right...  but tend to waive that knowledge when they get on a cruise ship for some reason.

One side of my family is a great example of this...  there is no way in heck (insert a stronger word here!) that I would cruise with them.  They are rowdy, unruly and would totally be the ones fighting both amongst themselves but also ganging up on other passengers.  As you can imagine, I don't generally have much to do with them.  There is, however, one cousin whom I adore and while she fits right in with the rest of them, when she's hanging out with me she shifts her behavior and is actually fun to be with.  She behaves herself and doesn't yell at people, she is more patient, and she is respectful to everyone.  

 

If Carnival began enforcing all of their rules - I think these folks that act like lunatics when on board would learn quickly that they need to curb their behavior.  I also think that while the cruise line may suffer IN THE BEGINNING, people want to cruise and they'd eventually come back and start spending their money again.   

what's that saying?  No pain, no gain?   this applies here!  Carnival needs to go through some of the pain of "bad press" from all these miscreants that don't want to behave themselves...  but they will, in the process, gain in other areas.  Folks that have begged off of Carnival because of these people will come back and give it another chance...  and eventually even the miscreants will stop complaining and start sailing again as well.

well, in this case it would be press that says “carnival tosses pax off ship for misbehaving” 

[Bollycats]

OP-was there a white party one of the nights on your cruise? Just wondering if the Magic has them so we come prepared.

[jimbo5544]

8 hours ago, Pyrate13 said:

Don't kid yourself, Disney has fights as well. As a matter of fact, there was another one in the Magic Kingdom again (it's happened multiple times) just yesterday. In my opinion this shows that just because people have/spend a lot of money doesn't mean they are better behaved. It's not just a Carnival thing.

Bingo

[Sagittarius traveler]

11 hours ago, Pyrate13 said:

Don't kid yourself, Disney has fights as well. As a matter of fact, there was another one in the Magic Kingdom again (it's happened multiple times) just yesterday. In my opinion this shows that just because people have/spend a lot of money doesn't mean they are better behaved. It's not just a Carnival thing.

exactly it’s not a carnival thing or anything or color or religion or social class 

 

it’s a people thing some people just wake up wanting to fight on vacation smh 

[VentureMan_2000]

On 8/29/2024 at 1:10 PM, pc_load_letter said:

 

I'll gladly take a stuffy Frenchman or Guinness swilling Brit over the trash Carnival has been having on their ships lately.

 

My wife is dead-set on reaching Platinum this year. Which we will do in October. After that, I said we are switching to other lines.

 

Thankfully RCL is bringing another ship to San Pedro. Wish NCL would offer a permanent ship.

Begs the response...

Bye-Bye.

[DeniseTr]

On 8/29/2024 at 7:38 AM, 2wheelin said:

Regarding the problems with out of control kids, it has about 1% to do with income or disposable income. 99% is lack of parenting skills.

More likely it's that the parents are partying elsewhere on the boat and think it's safe and OK to let the kids run loose.

Sitting here thinking what my mom would have done if we had ever gone on a cruise, and nope, that behavior would never have happened. She would have known exactly where I was and what I was doing at all times.

[DeniseTr]

Its not just cruising.

I go to a hot springs resort 3-4 time/year, and I've learned to avoid holiday weeks and spring break.

The college kids go down for a skiing week, and spend the nights partying in the hottubs.

Thankfully the resort has a adult only area, so kids cat get in those areas, but college age partiers are an issue.

 

Anytime alcohol is available in volume, people will behave badly.