Discounting is going too far!

[LongTimeTvlr]

I am very judgmental and always have been.

 

I love this board for that reason.

 

Most everyone posting here is judgemental, that's why they call it cruise CRITIC.

 

What's wrong with being judgmental?

 

Why would you blast someone for not liking rude people?

 

Seems logical to me that if the fares get so low they attract people whose primary interest is getting the most food for their dollar, that you will end up with more rude people than if you have those who would select the cruise because they think it is pleasant and relaxing way to spend a few days.

 

It does seem there is a correlation between cheap (most often shorter) cruises and bad behavior. It has been mentioned many times on this board.

 

That is far cry from saying that poorer people are ruder. It says that cheap fares tend to attract more rude people than high fares. Seems to me like they do just based on reading this board frequently.

[fridayeyes]

Add me to the camp who believes that 'class' has nothing at all to do with money. Class means comporting oneself with dignity, grace, compassion. Class means abiding by etiquette and social norms. Class means avoiding hypocrisy and not not calling undue attention to one's wealth or others' lack of it.

 

Let me give you a few examples. I worked my way through college waiting tables in a locale supposedly known both for Southern graces and the birth of rock n' roll. I had the opportunity to wait on people from virtually all walks of life, laborers with dirt under their nails, middle class teachers and postal carriers, bank executives in suits, retirees and quite a few celebrities. Here are my observations.

 

Carl Perkins - unfailingly kind, polite and patient. Never spoke rudely to the staff, never flaunted who he was or asked for special treatment in any way. The man had class.

 

A famous female actress - shrill and demanding. After she berated a waiter, she overheard a fellow patron mutter that she was a b-. She turned around and said , "I can *afford* to be a b-." Her parents once ordered us to tell a family to move in the middle of their meal because the family was sitting at their favorite table. We didn't and they stopped coming. No class.

 

A famous TV pastor - mixed bag. Very polite for the most part, but expected special treatment. Demanded that the lime in his diet Coke must not be taken from the tray of sliced fruit at the bar. It had to be individually retrieved from the refrigerator, sliced in the kitchen, and placed in his drink without transiting the bar area. One special request isn't so bad, but he liked to do this little ritual over it. "I'd like a diet Coke with a lime, please." The server would bring it. "Where did this lime come from?" A confused server would usually answer by indicating the fruit tray at the bar. "I can't have that. Please take it back and bring me one that has never touched the bar." I'm sympathetic to the notion of alcohol as sin, but he was getting some good mileage out of flaunting his holiness. He could very easily have asked the server to slice him a fresh lime in the kitchen when he ordered the drink to begin with.

 

That pastor's flock - While there were a couple of stand-outs on the good side, by and large they were wretched. They were pushy, demanding, complainers and rude. As they walked in, they made snide comments about how "This would be such a nice place if it didn't have a bar." They also made snide remarks to the waitstaff about how we certainly couldn't have much moral worth if we were working on Sunday. This one just floored me. They certainly expected to be waited on, didn't they? If they were so concerned about the eternal salvation of our souls for working on Sunday, shouldn't they go home and cook their own food instead of coming to a restaurant and forcing people to...work?? My roommate at the time, an African American, had a table from the church in question who wouldn't speak to her. Not a word. As she left the table, one of them leaned over and loudly whispered, "I can't believe they gave us a g-d n-word on a Sunday." Zero class no matter how nicely they were dressed.

 

See, part of the notion of class and etiquette is how one responds to a breach committed by someone else. There's a story about a state dinner in the White House where a male guest picked up his soup bowl and drank from the lip. The First Lady immediately drank from hers as well, not only covering the gaffe but forcing the rest of the guests to follow suit. It is hypocritical to demand that others follow etiquette (e.g. dress code) while breaking it oneself with a rude response. Snide remarks and dirty looks are breaches of etiquette even when directed at the under-dressed, the loud talkers, the chair hogs, etc. All of us should keep that in mind when we find ourselves confronted with manners that fall short of the mark.

[frito58]

LOL! Add the phases "manipulative", "devious" to the list of arrogant, elitist, snob, etc I've been called for posting my experience summary.

 

Maybe I should choose a different line. You guys can fight over the soggy waffles.

 

OP Out!

 

 

You finally said something I can agree with the waffles were nothing to brag about :D:D

[CathyCruises]

The OP's major point of contention is that he believes last minute, steeply discounted cruise fares are changing pax demographics on Celebrity cruises (or at least on his recent X cruise) to the point where in his opinion, the product is being adversely affected. You can agree or disagree with his hypotheis but that's the issue in a nutshell; not how much his cruise cost per diem, not how much he spent onboard, not what category of accommodation he purchased or how he 'manipulated' the numbers. So what if he equated X to a Ritz-Carlton instead of a Marriott? How can you argue that the OP's expectation that he and his family would be sailing with polite, respectful and well-behaved fellow pax "wasn't in line with reality" because though he might have thought he was booking a Ritz-Carlton, in actuality he was booking a "nicer" Marriott and thus, he was "bound to be disappointed?" I should think one would expect nothing less than acceptable behavior from fellow passengers - even on "a nice middle-of-the-road, not too rowdy, nor pretentious, modestly elegant cruise line [despite the fact] it's niche is not Ritz Carlton-type cruisers."!!!!

 

I totally understand his post and his complaints and he is entitled to them. If you re-read my post, you will see that I was saying that I found it interesting that he compared Celebrity to a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons, and that I did not think THAT COMPARISON was valid--and that if he was expecting the Ritz, he was bound to be disappointed--that's all. We are all entitled to expect to cruise with well behaved, respectful fellow pax--that is not in question, at least in my book.

 

Cathy

[meow!]

I'm sympathetic to the notion of alcohol as sin, but he was getting some good mileage out of flaunting his holiness..

Just curious on the validity of what you have said, I thought one of the Biblical miracles was Jesus turning water into wine, and what is in the Eucharist today?

[meow!]

P.S. Other than that, you have made excellent points.

[hcat]

Add me to the camp who believes that 'class' has nothing at all to do with money. Class means comporting oneself with dignity, grace, compassion. Class means abiding by etiquette and social norms. Class means avoiding hypocrisy and not not calling undue attention to one's wealth or others' lack of it.

 

Let me give you a few examples. I worked my way through college waiting tables in a locale supposedly known both for Southern graces and the birth of rock n' roll. I had the opportunity to wait on people from virtually all walks of life, laborers with dirt under their nails, middle class teachers and postal carriers, bank executives in suits, retirees and quite a few celebrities. Here are my observations.

 

Carl Perkins - unfailingly kind, polite and patient. Never spoke rudely to the staff, never flaunted who he was or asked for special treatment in any way. The man had class.

 

A famous female actress - shrill and demanding. After she berated a waiter, she overheard a fellow patron mutter that she was a b-. She turned around and said , "I can *afford* to be a b-." Her parents once ordered us to tell a family to move in the middle of their meal because the family was sitting at their favorite table. We didn't and they stopped coming. No class.

 

A famous TV pastor - mixed bag. Very polite for the most part, but expected special treatment. Demanded that the lime in his diet Coke must not be taken from the tray of sliced fruit at the bar. It had to be individually retrieved from the refrigerator, sliced in the kitchen, and placed in his drink without transiting the bar area. One special request isn't so bad, but he liked to do this little ritual over it. "I'd like a diet Coke with a lime, please." The server would bring it. "Where did this lime come from?" A confused server would usually answer by indicating the fruit tray at the bar. "I can't have that. Please take it back and bring me one that has never touched the bar." I'm sympathetic to the notion of alcohol as sin, but he was getting some good mileage out of flaunting his holiness. He could very easily have asked the server to slice him a fresh lime in the kitchen when he ordered the drink to begin with.

 

That pastor's flock - While there were a couple of stand-outs on the good side, by and large they were wretched. They were pushy, demanding, complainers and rude. As they walked in, they made snide comments about how "This would be such a nice place if it didn't have a bar." They also made snide remarks to the waitstaff about how we certainly couldn't have much moral worth if we were working on Sunday. This one just floored me. They certainly expected to be waited on, didn't they? If they were so concerned about the eternal salvation of our souls for working on Sunday, shouldn't they go home and cook their own food instead of coming to a restaurant and forcing people to...work?? My roommate at the time, an African American, had a table from the church in question who wouldn't speak to her. Not a word. As she left the table, one of them leaned over and loudly whispered, "I can't believe they gave us a g-d n-word on a Sunday." Zero class no matter how nicely they were dressed.

 

See, part of the notion of class and etiquette is how one responds to a breach committed by someone else. There's a story about a state dinner in the White House where a male guest picked up his soup bowl and drank from the lip. The First Lady immediately drank from hers as well, not only covering the gaffe but forcing the rest of the guests to follow suit. It is hypocritical to demand that others follow etiquette (e.g. dress code) while breaking it oneself with a rude response. Snide remarks and dirty looks are breaches of etiquette even when directed at the under-dressed, the loud talkers, the chair hogs, etc. All of us should keep that in mind when we find ourselves confronted with manners that fall short of the mark.

 

All nice stories which I enjoyed....

 

However, I did not appreciate being pushed by someone looking to buy a $5 trinket on the cruise I spoke about way back in this thread--The general behavior was aggressive & deplorable from a large segment of the cruisers...It was not my role to defer to cultural crudeness or other deficiencies in their civility.....I booked a nice cruise with a good cruise line & expected other cruisers to comport themslelves properly...

[Jade13]

You also seem abnormally concerned with your fare. You agreed to this fare when you booked, correct? If you can't afford it, then perhaps you should attempt to book for less money. Celebrity is a mass marketed line, and is in NO WAY exclusive. What in the world makes you believe it is? We've cruised with them twice and they in NO WAY compare to the Oceania's and Silversea experience. If you want that, then you are the ones who'll need to pay for that, not passengers who paid very similar rates to what you paid.

 

Wow! The level of pompousness in this thread is amazing! X is NOT an exclusive brand. It never has been, nor will it ever be. An extra 500/1000 dollars isn't going to keep RCI, Princess or Carnival cruisers from booking with X, so why are you pretending as though it does and then acting upset when it doesn't? Simply amazing!!

 

I'd place this thread in the....bovine scatology category.

 

I would consider $5,700.00 for 4 persons on the less expensive side, but it depends on the location and length of the cruise. So, peoples perceptions of cheap vs expensive vary.

 

Celebrity is a mass market line.

[fridayeyes]

Just curious on the validity of what you have said, I thought one of the Biblical miracles was Jesus turning water into wine, and what is in the Eucharist today?

 

I said I was sympathetic to it, not that I agreed with it. ;)

[bobbyleduck]

Add me to the camp who believes that 'class' has nothing at all to do with money. Class means comporting oneself with dignity, grace, compassion. Class means abiding by etiquette and social norms. Class means avoiding hypocrisy and not not calling undue attention to one's wealth or others' lack of it.

 

Let me give you a few examples. I worked my way through college waiting tables in a locale supposedly known both for Southern graces and the birth of rock n' roll. I had the opportunity to wait on people from virtually all walks of life, laborers with dirt under their nails, middle class teachers and postal carriers, bank executives in suits, retirees and quite a few celebrities. Here are my observations.

 

Carl Perkins - unfailingly kind, polite and patient. Never spoke rudely to the staff, never flaunted who he was or asked for special treatment in any way. The man had class.

 

A famous female actress - shrill and demanding. After she berated a waiter, she overheard a fellow patron mutter that she was a b-. She turned around and said , "I can *afford* to be a b-." Her parents once ordered us to tell a family to move in the middle of their meal because the family was sitting at their favorite table. We didn't and they stopped coming. No class.

 

A famous TV pastor - mixed bag. Very polite for the most part, but expected special treatment. Demanded that the lime in his diet Coke must not be taken from the tray of sliced fruit at the bar. It had to be individually retrieved from the refrigerator, sliced in the kitchen, and placed in his drink without transiting the bar area. One special request isn't so bad, but he liked to do this little ritual over it. "I'd like a diet Coke with a lime, please." The server would bring it. "Where did this lime come from?" A confused server would usually answer by indicating the fruit tray at the bar. "I can't have that. Please take it back and bring me one that has never touched the bar." I'm sympathetic to the notion of alcohol as sin, but he was getting some good mileage out of flaunting his holiness. He could very easily have asked the server to slice him a fresh lime in the kitchen when he ordered the drink to begin with.

 

That pastor's flock - While there were a couple of stand-outs on the good side, by and large they were wretched. They were pushy, demanding, complainers and rude. As they walked in, they made snide comments about how "This would be such a nice place if it didn't have a bar." They also made snide remarks to the waitstaff about how we certainly couldn't have much moral worth if we were working on Sunday. This one just floored me. They certainly expected to be waited on, didn't they? If they were so concerned about the eternal salvation of our souls for working on Sunday, shouldn't they go home and cook their own food instead of coming to a restaurant and forcing people to...work?? My roommate at the time, an African American, had a table from the church in question who wouldn't speak to her. Not a word. As she left the table, one of them leaned over and loudly whispered, "I can't believe they gave us a g-d n-word on a Sunday." Zero class no matter how nicely they were dressed.

 

See, part of the notion of class and etiquette is how one responds to a breach committed by someone else. There's a story about a state dinner in the White House where a male guest picked up his soup bowl and drank from the lip. The First Lady immediately drank from hers as well, not only covering the gaffe but forcing the rest of the guests to follow suit. It is hypocritical to demand that others follow etiquette (e.g. dress code) while breaking it oneself with a rude response. Snide remarks and dirty looks are breaches of etiquette even when directed at the under-dressed, the loud talkers, the chair hogs, etc. All of us should keep that in mind when we find ourselves confronted with manners that fall short of the mark.

 

It would be impossible to improve upon your wise words. Thank you.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[WineDown17]

Here is a good example....

 

Mother Teresa. Penniless.. but one classy lady.

[Scotchick]

Add me to the camp who believes that 'class' has nothing at all to do with money. Class means comporting oneself with dignity, grace, compassion. Class means abiding by etiquette and social norms. Class means avoiding hypocrisy and not not calling undue attention to one's wealth or others' lack of it.

 

Let me give you a few examples. I worked my way through college waiting tables in a locale supposedly known both for Southern graces and the birth of rock n' roll. I had the opportunity to wait on people from virtually all walks of life, laborers with dirt under their nails, middle class teachers and postal carriers, bank executives in suits, retirees and quite a few celebrities. Here are my observations.

 

Carl Perkins - unfailingly kind, polite and patient. Never spoke rudely to the staff, never flaunted who he was or asked for special treatment in any way. The man had class.

 

A famous female actress - shrill and demanding. After she berated a waiter, she overheard a fellow patron mutter that she was a b-. She turned around and said , "I can *afford* to be a b-." Her parents once ordered us to tell a family to move in the middle of their meal because the family was sitting at their favorite table. We didn't and they stopped coming. No class.

 

A famous TV pastor - mixed bag. Very polite for the most part, but expected special treatment. Demanded that the lime in his diet Coke must not be taken from the tray of sliced fruit at the bar. It had to be individually retrieved from the refrigerator, sliced in the kitchen, and placed in his drink without transiting the bar area. One special request isn't so bad, but he liked to do this little ritual over it. "I'd like a diet Coke with a lime, please." The server would bring it. "Where did this lime come from?" A confused server would usually answer by indicating the fruit tray at the bar. "I can't have that. Please take it back and bring me one that has never touched the bar." I'm sympathetic to the notion of alcohol as sin, but he was getting some good mileage out of flaunting his holiness. He could very easily have asked the server to slice him a fresh lime in the kitchen when he ordered the drink to begin with.

 

That pastor's flock - While there were a couple of stand-outs on the good side, by and large they were wretched. They were pushy, demanding, complainers and rude. As they walked in, they made snide comments about how "This would be such a nice place if it didn't have a bar." They also made snide remarks to the waitstaff about how we certainly couldn't have much moral worth if we were working on Sunday. This one just floored me. They certainly expected to be waited on, didn't they? If they were so concerned about the eternal salvation of our souls for working on Sunday, shouldn't they go home and cook their own food instead of coming to a restaurant and forcing people to...work?? My roommate at the time, an African American, had a table from the church in question who wouldn't speak to her. Not a word. As she left the table, one of them leaned over and loudly whispered, "I can't believe they gave us a g-d n-word on a Sunday." Zero class no matter how nicely they were dressed.

 

See, part of the notion of class and etiquette is how one responds to a breach committed by someone else. There's a story about a state dinner in the White House where a male guest picked up his soup bowl and drank from the lip. The First Lady immediately drank from hers as well, not only covering the gaffe but forcing the rest of the guests to follow suit. It is hypocritical to demand that others follow etiquette (e.g. dress code) while breaking it oneself with a rude response. Snide remarks and dirty looks are breaches of etiquette even when directed at the under-dressed, the loud talkers, the chair hogs, etc. All of us should keep that in mind when we find ourselves confronted with manners that fall short of the mark.

 

HEAR HEAR!!!

 

You should never lower yourself to someone else's level. Always keep your dignity.

[grace504]

fridayeyes, I like the way you think. Bravo!!!:)

[TomBeckCruise]

Add me to the camp who believes that 'class' has nothing at all to do with money. Class means comporting oneself with dignity, grace, compassion. Class means abiding by etiquette and social norms. Class means avoiding hypocrisy and not not calling undue attention to one's wealth or others' lack of it.

 

Let me give you a few examples. I worked my way through college waiting tables in a locale supposedly known both for Southern graces and the birth of rock n' roll. I had the opportunity to wait on people from virtually all walks of life, laborers with dirt under their nails, middle class teachers and postal carriers, bank executives in suits, retirees and quite a few celebrities. Here are my observations.

 

Carl Perkins - unfailingly kind, polite and patient. Never spoke rudely to the staff, never flaunted who he was or asked for special treatment in any way. The man had class.

 

A famous female actress - shrill and demanding. After she berated a waiter, she overheard a fellow patron mutter that she was a b-. She turned around and said , "I can *afford* to be a b-." Her parents once ordered us to tell a family to move in the middle of their meal because the family was sitting at their favorite table. We didn't and they stopped coming. No class.

 

A famous TV pastor - mixed bag. Very polite for the most part, but expected special treatment. Demanded that the lime in his diet Coke must not be taken from the tray of sliced fruit at the bar. It had to be individually retrieved from the refrigerator, sliced in the kitchen, and placed in his drink without transiting the bar area. One special request isn't so bad, but he liked to do this little ritual over it. "I'd like a diet Coke with a lime, please." The server would bring it. "Where did this lime come from?" A confused server would usually answer by indicating the fruit tray at the bar. "I can't have that. Please take it back and bring me one that has never touched the bar." I'm sympathetic to the notion of alcohol as sin, but he was getting some good mileage out of flaunting his holiness. He could very easily have asked the server to slice him a fresh lime in the kitchen when he ordered the drink to begin with.

 

That pastor's flock - While there were a couple of stand-outs on the good side, by and large they were wretched. They were pushy, demanding, complainers and rude. As they walked in, they made snide comments about how "This would be such a nice place if it didn't have a bar." They also made snide remarks to the waitstaff about how we certainly couldn't have much moral worth if we were working on Sunday. This one just floored me. They certainly expected to be waited on, didn't they? If they were so concerned about the eternal salvation of our souls for working on Sunday, shouldn't they go home and cook their own food instead of coming to a restaurant and forcing people to...work?? My roommate at the time, an African American, had a table from the church in question who wouldn't speak to her. Not a word. As she left the table, one of them leaned over and loudly whispered, "I can't believe they gave us a g-d n-word on a Sunday." Zero class no matter how nicely they were dressed.

 

See, part of the notion of class and etiquette is how one responds to a breach committed by someone else. There's a story about a state dinner in the White House where a male guest picked up his soup bowl and drank from the lip. The First Lady immediately drank from hers as well, not only covering the gaffe but forcing the rest of the guests to follow suit. It is hypocritical to demand that others follow etiquette (e.g. dress code) while breaking it oneself with a rude response. Snide remarks and dirty looks are breaches of etiquette even when directed at the under-dressed, the loud talkers, the chair hogs, etc. All of us should keep that in mind when we find ourselves confronted with manners that fall short of the mark.

 

Wonderful, thank you!. To be honest this thread is disturbing to me. the message I hear is be like me or be wrong.

Reminds me of the cruise mates from the Netherlands that we had the privilege of dining with a few years back. they actually ate using their knives to cut and push food on their forks. Yep, they ate with both hands. Subsequent trips to Europe reveled that many if not all of them eat that way. Geeez! We don't do that in the USA although it is damn practical. Such fantastic folks. We still miss them.

 

I have a business partner who will not fly or get on a boat. Neither will his wife. They will drive to Disney World. they complain about the people who stand too close to them in the lines, and the people from China, japan, Korea, etc. who look up at the rides etc. , and do not look where they are walking. How rude can one be?

Maybe we should be more tolerant of different cultures.

 

OTOH, I had old fat guys wearing Speedos. YECH!

[natalie2]

It's funny how so many people jumped right up to call the original poster "snob", "elitist", "judgmental" and so forth... Isn't it judging, too? Why all these people are so eager to defend rude people? They don't ask you to defend them. Rude people take what they want and would push over all of you.. Soon they will call the original poster a racist, maybe they already did and I missed it. Being politically correct went way too far....

[J & G]

We just booked Alaska for September, drawn by the discounted prices and the great itinerary. I hope we can behave ourselves and not offend......

[brazilgirl]

I have always been a bit of a "snob"...I like nice restaurants , good shoes and luxury fabrics. I am very picky about hotels and I find particular color schemes visually disturbing. I study the photos of every hotel or ship I plan to stay in before hand with the utmost care in order to have a relaxing stay.

 

I am a very fortunate person . I own a beautiful house , which I have decorated with care . I am able to travel frequently with my family . I live in a country where having help in your home is part of the culture (cook , maid , gardener..). As I said , I am a very fortunate person , and believe me , I recognize that.

 

Planning our vacations is something of a very serious hobby. Usually it takes me a year to plan. Therefore , my expectations are high. I want to have an unforgettable time. I know I share that with most people on these boards.

 

All of that being said , I´d like to register my feelings about some of what has been said in these 140 posts.

 

Firstly, I being in any venue with large groups of friends , business associates , members of clubs , family reunions etc can be complicated when you are not part of the group in question. People have a "pack" mentality which is not very conducive to a relaxing environment.

 

But , I don´t think that is what is really being discussed here. Maybe my reading comprehension powers have wanned since I took the SAT many moons ago , but I think what the bottom line is people are upset because discounting in San Juan has lead to too many non-Americans being on the big boat ....it is just like the discussion about the rude , pushy Italians who talk loudly on the MSC boards (which is an ITALIAN company , based in Europe) or the rude Spanish citizens from Barcelona (as someone previously mentioned).

 

I am not being "PC" here. I would just like to register my distaste in that people are making subtle (or not so subtle) arguements that Americans are the only ones well -mannered enough to sail. Or that only people with a certain income level are "classy" enough to be allowed on board.

 

I don´t like rude people . I don´t like foul language , slovenly dress , drunks , loud music and garish colors. I NEVER travel anywhere on major holidays (i.e Spring Break) as I prefer to avoid crowds and lower standards of service.

 

But I don´t like prejudice even more than the things cited above and that is what the bottom line here is , IMHO.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

Kim

[CruisinNewb]

I have always been a bit of a "snob"...I like nice restaurants , good shoes and luxury fabrics. I am very picky about hotels and I find particular color schemes visually disturbing. I study the photos of every hotel or ship I plan to stay in before hand with the utmost care in order to have a relaxing stay.

 

I am a very fortunate person . I own a beautiful house , which I have decorated with care . I am able to travel frequently with my family . I live in a country where having help in your home is part of the culture (cook , maid , gardener..). As I said , I am a very fortunate person , and believe me , I recognize that.

 

Planning our vacations is something of a very serious hobby. Usually it takes me a year to plan. Therefore , my expectations are high. I want to have an unforgettable time. I know I share that with most people on these boards.

 

All of that being said , I´d like to register my feelings about some of what has been said in these 140 posts.

 

Firstly, I being in any venue with large groups of friends , business associates , members of clubs , family reunions etc can be complicated when you are not part of the group in question. People have a "pack" mentality which is not very conducive to a relaxing environment.

 

But , I don´t think that is what is really being discussed here. Maybe my reading comprehension powers have wanned since I took the SAT many moons ago , but I think what the bottom line is people are upset because discounting in San Juan has lead to too many non-Americans being on the big boat ....it is just like the discussion about the rude , pushy Italians who talk loudly on the MSC boards (which is an ITALIAN company , based in Europe) or the rude Spanish citizens from Barcelona (as someone previously mentioned).

 

I am not being "PC" here. I would just like to register my distaste in that people are making subtle (or not so subtle) arguements that Americans are the only ones well -mannered enough to sail. Or that only people with a certain income level are "classy" enough to be allowed on board.

 

I don´t like rude people . I don´t like foul language , slovenly dress , drunks , loud music and garish colors. I NEVER travel anywhere on major holidays (i.e Spring Break) as I prefer to avoid crowds and lower standards of service.

 

But I don´t like prejudice even more than the things cited above and that is what the bottom line here is , IMHO.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

Kim

 

Very well stated Kim.

 

 

Ron

[fridayeyes]

It's funny how so many people jumped right up to call the original poster "snob", "elitist", "judgmental" and so forth... Isn't it judging, too? Why all these people are so eager to defend rude people? They don't ask you to defend them. Rude people take what they want and would push over all of you.. Soon they will call the original poster a racist, maybe they already did and I missed it. Being politically correct went way too far....

 

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think many of the reactions here were less about defending rude people than they were about the OP appearing to display some equally rude sentiments in his/her post which made it sort of a pot/kettle/black thing for some.

 

Personal space is a tricky one. Many cultures don't have the same conceptions of personal space - or lines/queues - that Americans do. Ergo, when people from those cultures jostle and crowd around a table, while they may seem incredibly rude to Americans, the behavior is commonly accepted in their culture. On the flip side, when Americans maintain their 2 foot interpersonal distance, they can often seem rude to those where physical distance implies coldness, distrust or hostility. As with the jostling, the Americans aren't necessarily *being* rude (at least by their own standards), yet they are being *perceived* as rude.

 

This is part of why I've tried to point out that a passive-aggressive or openly hostile response is not productive. Politeness doesn't mean being a doormat or letting people walk all over you. You can be firm and polite at the same time. But countering perceived rudeness with further, often deliberate, rudeness just makes things worse for all involved.

 

Re: silverware - At the age of 16, I was at a luncheon for three years worth of Rotary exchange students. I was seated across from some Scandinavians. I picked up my silver in the classic American grip and they picked up theirs in what looked like their fists. We each stared open-mouthed across the table at each other. Almost in unison, we said, "Your mother lets you eat like that?" Then we all laughed and tried awkwardly to eat the other way. *shrug* It was the first of a great many travel-related, eye-opening experiences for me.

[fridayeyes]

I live in a country where ...

 

Kim

 

Voce fala Portugues?

[hubofhockey]

It's funny how so many people jumped right up to call the original poster "snob", "elitist", "judgmental" and so forth... Isn't it judging, too? Why all these people are so eager to defend rude people? They don't ask you to defend them. Rude people take what they want and would push over all of you.. Soon they will call the original poster a racist, maybe they already did and I missed it. Being politically correct went way too far....

 

What does wanting to price people out of a Celebrity cruise have to do with being politically correct? Maybe OP would be happy on a cruise where they didn't sell inside cabins and instead used that space to hold her luggage. Nobody is defending the rude people. Am I missing something?

 

Oh, great post Kim. Sometimes americans need to learn that when they are an international cruise with 3,000 people from all over the planet that things aren't so pretty when different cultures collide.

[sasset]

What does wanting to price people out of a Celebrity cruise have to do with being politically correct? Maybe OP would be happy on a cruise where they didn't sell inside cabins and instead used that space to hold her luggage. Nobody is defending the rude people. Am I missing something?

 

Oh, great post Kim. Sometimes americans need to learn that when they are an international cruise with 3,000 people from all over the planet that things aren't so pretty when different cultures collide.

 

Here's what I think in my admitedly judgmental way:

 

Using the phrase "politically incorrect" is a dodge. Just like making a statement and then at the end of it saying "...I'm sorry, but I just had to say it..." which really means they are not sorry, since they could have edited their response if they were really sorry.

 

Regards

[Napi's Mom]

Just curious on the validity of what you have said, I thought one of the Biblical miracles was Jesus turning water into wine, and what is in the Eucharist today?

Many of this type of church's use Grape Juice instead because of their belief that alcohol is sinful...unlike the majority of Christian Church's that do indeed follow the principle that if it's in the Bible it can't be that sinful??

 

This thread sure is meandering all over isn't it?? People the world wide are rude, friendly, compassionate and some downright evil. How much money they have, or where they live has nothing to do with what sort of people they are, only their personality. Me guess I can be judgmental....but fall on the side of those who don't like snobbery rather than "slobbery". After all on the BBC comedy "Keeping up Appearances" "Onslow and Daisy" are my favorite characters. Which do you find more human, them ~ or Hyacinth??? Can guess what the reaction of OP would be:D

[velotaco]

Maybe I'm missing something, but during a major Recession (really a Depression) that has cut many people's savings in half, tanked those lovely trust funds, huge job losses and has many of us tighening our belts, I don't see people who live paycheck to paycheck suddenly jumping on a cruise vacation because of price cuts. I see US who love to cruise continuing to be able to because of the discounts. I'll own up - I was thinking about canceling at least one of our upcoming cruises, but decided we could hack it. We will cut back on onboard spending and tours and not spend much time in Rome, but will enjoy our cruising.

 

And I just got a discount and it helped sway me to stay on course (a little cruise humor).

 

Denny

 

I agree. I too think that if the slow economy is affecting all economic classes across the board, then even with discounts, the demographic mix should be roughly the same. In fact, it could be argued that many of those who were cruising when times were good were not actually affluent, but were merely using the "funny money" that comes from taking out a HELOC or treating their home as an ATM and "cashing out equity".

[sasset]

Many of this type of church's use Grape Juice instead because of their belief that alcohol is sinful...unlike the majority of Christian Church's that do indeed follow the principle that if it's in the Bible it can't be that sinful??

 

This thread sure is meandering all over isn't it?? People the world wide are rude' date=' friendly, compassionate and some downright evil. How much money they have, or where they live has nothing to do with what sort of people they are, only their personality. Me guess I can be judgmental....but fall on the side of those who don't like snobbery rather than "slobbery". After all on the BBC comedy "Keeping up Appearances" "Onslow and Daisy" are my favorite characters. Which do you find more human, them ~ or Hyacinth??? Can guess what the reaction of OP would be:D[/quote']

 

There is no place in these boards for biblcal quotaions.