Inconsiderate Cruisers

[Club Disney Chandler]

This topic intrigues be because I love to know what goes through peoples minds. First and foremost----No one is perfect! With that being said I do feel that many lack common courtesy. Many have the "I am on vacation and my family will do what we want." I think cruises and any Disney type vacations usually has more people around and therefore certain behaviors are more obvious. I have had many experiences on our 3 cruises that amaze me how rude people can be. But, I keep booking cruises.
My biggest pet peeve on the cruises, I have been on, has been more with what I perceive as bad parenting or lack of parenting. As a mother of 2 boys 15 & 10, I admit I am not perfect and there has been times that I was embarrassed at something my boys did. Specifically.....My sons & I were on the ferry to go to The Baths in Tortola, I was enjoying the ride until I noticed my 15 year old with his GoPro camera....He had it on a long pole (think selfie-stick) and had it behind us, between people seated in the back. OMG! I was mortified! I yelled at him, apologized to the people behind us and made him apologize. I can just imagine what they were thinking about my parenting!

If I was sitting behind you and this happened, I would say good job Mom! You took the proper action when you noticed what your son was doing and did the adult thing and actually acknowledged the people behind you and apologized for his actions. That's how people learn from their mistakes and it shows maturity and common decency on your behalf.

 

[Tasmen]

Inconsiderate cruisers - ignoring the rules and taking kids into the Cove Cafe.. (And taking advantage of the meek staff members who dont chase them out quick)...

I always felt horrible even walking my kid through the adult area to get to our cabin. I cannot imagine taking your children into the Cove Cafe.

 

[truck1]

So let me recap, and see if I got this right. Im a little hazy on some things and Ill be the first to admit that I thought that you were supposed to leave your room service trays in the hallway. Could have sworn I saw somewhere that we were supposed to, but I could be confusing a hotel with the ships. (We dont order room service very often. Maybe 3 times in 11 cruises.)
Room service trays- Call room service and ask them to pick it up.
On deck, fast food, take your empty trays to the trash with the trash if the crew members don't get to it first.
Cabanas-bus person gets it.
Table service- push your chairs in when you leave, don't treat the wait staff as your personal slaves. Try and arrive on time for a meal. If you know your going to be late the next meal, tell your wait staff so they know when to expect you. Its called courtesy. We tell our staff all the time, if we are going to be in Palo the next night.
Stateroom- try and at least be orderly and somewhat clean. They too are not your salves.
Seat Saving. No. Except in the case of restroom break, medical needs etc. Should be limited to less then 3 seats. Give or take. No whole row saving.
Attitudes. Leave them at home. Unless you are looking for a fight. In which case please feel free to disembark the ship at the next port, and don't bother getting back on.
Children, if you cant control them, or unwilling to, don't expect someone else to. And don't be surprised if someone does.
Ships crew are there to assist you on your vacation. Not to be berated because something didn't go your way or they are below you.
Dream Class adult areas. Since the forward elevators empty out into the adult areas, don't hang around the area if you have kids. Walk thru to the appropriate area. And if you happen to see someone with children walking thru the area, and they are behaving themselves, leave them alone. Like the aft elevator that open into Cabanas, its a bad design. Unfortunately we have to deal with it.
Language-Just because you use certain terms and words at home, doesn't mean that everyone else will approve of your choice of words. This applies also to the volume of conversations and the volume of tvs and games in or around the ship. Especially in the hallways near cabins. No knock and runs either. Unless you know the occupants then all bets are off.
Drinking- Please drink responsibly. See above. If not please lower your head and watch your step and if you cant lower your head and watch your step, at least lower your voice and watch your language.

 

[JW9DVC]

I've been on 6 cruises and never had an issue with chair savers until this past cruise. My son liked the front left row of Buena Vista theater so we sat there each night. On one of those nights, probably wednesday, we took our usual seat and a lady behind us said "Oh I'm sorry but we have that row reserved" (not a single person was sitting in the row). I chuckled b/c I thought she was joking... but she wasnt joking. She asked us to move! I politely said "No, there is no one sitting here and this is where my son wants to sit. Plus you can't save seats." She huffed and puffed and made a big scene of moving herself and her daughter a row back and then tried to tell another family they couldnt sit in the row in front of them b/c it was saved. She got another "You can't save seats" response.

That lady glared at me every time she saw me on the following days. I just smiled and waved

Yeah. That's crazy, maybe she could have said they were in the restroom at least. I will save seats when the family uses the restroom, that's fair. Just to save though and especially an entire row.

I was once told you can't save seats. I said it's already taken and the person was in the restroom. They still sat. That's rude.

I was happy at the end of it though. I can get to another level when needed and I'm ok with that.

JW

 

[ahain]

Nice summary, truck1

I would add to your note about children, ".....but don't be upset if someone else DOES correct your child(ren) if you will not!"

 

[Hundredacre]

So let me recap, and see if I got this right. Im a little hazy on some things and Ill be the first to admit that I thought that you were supposed to leave your room service trays in the hallway. Could have sworn I saw somewhere that we were supposed to, but I could be confusing a hotel with the ships. (We dont order room service very often. Maybe 3 times in 11 cruises.)
Room service trays- Call room service and ask them to pick it up.
On deck, fast food, take your empty trays to the trash with the trash if the crew members don't get to it first.
Cabanas-bus person gets it.
Table service- push your chairs in when you leave, don't treat the wait staff as your personal slaves. Try and arrive on time for a meal. If you know your going to be late the next meal, tell your wait staff so they know when to expect you. Its called courtesy. We tell our staff all the time, if we are going to be in Palo the next night.
Stateroom- try and at least be orderly and somewhat clean. They too are not your salves.
Seat Saving. No. Except in the case of restroom break, medical needs etc. Should be limited to less then 3 seats. Give or take. No whole row saving.
Attitudes. Leave them at home. Unless you are looking for a fight. In which case please feel free to disembark the ship at the next port, and don't bother getting back on.
Children, if you cant control them, or unwilling to, don't expect someone else to.
Ships crew are there to assist you on your vacation. Not to be berated because something didn't go your way or they are below you.
Dream Class adult areas. Since the forward elevators empty out into the adult areas, don't hang around the area if you have kids. Walk thru to the appropriate area. And if you happen to see someone with children walking thru the area, and they are behaving themselves, leave them alone. Like the aft elevator that open into Cabanas, its a bad design. Unfortunately we have to deal with it.
Language-Just because you use certain terms and words at home, doesn't mean that everyone else will approve of your choice of words. This applies also to the volume of conversations and the volume of tvs and games in or around the ship. Especially in the hallways near cabins. No knock and runs either. Unless you know the occupants then all bets are off.
Drinking- Please drink responsibly. See above. If not please lower your head and watch your step and if you cant lower your head and watch your step, at least lower your voice and watch your language.

You should send that to dcl with ahain's addition so they can give it to every guest with their first navigator!

 

[JW9DVC]

Nice summary, truck1

I would add to your note about children, ".....but don't be upset if someone else DOES correct your child(ren) if you will not!"

Depending on how severe. Be forewarned that some parents will come to the defense of the child. If you can dish it. You better be willing to take it.

JW

 

[jiminyC_fan]

We've noticed this behavior before but last time was the worst. People line up outside the Walt Disney Theater at night before the shows which is 100% fine. There are always the families that have to get the front row seats so they can be picked to be in the shows so they push and shove the guests to get ahead of them. We happened to be the first ones in and 3 tweens darted in between the 6 of us. One pushed my husband to get in front of him. He twisted his ankle on the steps going down and was out of control for like 4 or 5 steps. Do you think the kids and/or their parents stopped to check on him? Nope. They had to get front row seats. So my husband had to deal with a sore and swollen ankle for the rest of the cruise just so they could get their precious row. Funny thing is, we never want front row seats so we would never have been their competition anyway.

 

[phinz]

I paid my way through college doing room service. SOP for when you are done with your plates is to put the tray out in the hall. This is both when you're at a Holiday Inn (where I worked) and at the Ritz Carlton. Room service is supposed to walk the halls where they've delivered occasionally and pick up the trays to return them to the kitchen. I can't imagine it's much different, if at all, on cruise lines.

 

[phinz]

We've noticed this behavior before but last time was the worst. People line up outside the Walt Disney Theater at night before the shows which is 100% fine. There are always the families that have to get the front row seats so they can be picked to be in the shows so they push and shove the guests to get ahead of them. We happened to be the first ones in and 3 tweens darted in between the 6 of us. One pushed my husband to get in front of him. He twisted his ankle on the steps going down and was out of control for like 4 or 5 steps. Do you think the kids and/or their parents stopped to check on him? Nope. They had to get front row seats. So my husband had to deal with a sore and swollen ankle for the rest of the cruise just so they could get their precious row. Funny thing is, we never want front row seats so we would never have been their competition anyway.

I'd have lit into them, and if their parents had come to their defense I'd have lit into them too. There are very few things that make me angrier than rude children, and one of those things that makes me angrier is a parent who can't imagine that their precious little unique butterfly could ever do anything wrong.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I'd have lit into them, and if their parents had come to their defense I'd have lit into them too. There are very few things that make me angrier than rude children, and one of those things that makes me angrier is a parent who can't imagine that their precious little unique butterfly could ever do anything wrong.

You are 100% correct. We really should have stood up for ourselves but we were more focused on getting my husband off his feet at that point. The fact that the parents were behind us and saw it all was a true testimony to their character. We had to hold up everyone behind us until we got him to a seat.

 

[10SandyToes]

I agree with the common courtesy group. I am especially careful to try to pick up towels from lounge chairs, because it is hard to tell if that chair is "taken" otherwise.

 

[10SandyToes]

*

 

[Hundredacre]

I'd have lit into them, and if their parents had come to their defense I'd have lit into them too. There are very few things that make me angrier than rude children, and one of those things that makes me angrier is a parent who can't imagine that their precious little unique butterfly could ever do anything wrong.

We've noticed this behavior before but last time was the worst. People line up outside the Walt Disney Theater at night before the shows which is 100% fine. There are always the families that have to get the front row seats so they can be picked to be in the shows so they push and shove the guests to get ahead of them. We happened to be the first ones in and 3 tweens darted in between the 6 of us. One pushed my husband to get in front of him. He twisted his ankle on the steps going down and was out of control for like 4 or 5 steps. Do you think the kids and/or their parents stopped to check on him? Nope. They had to get front row seats. So my husband had to deal with a sore and swollen ankle for the rest of the cruise just so they could get their precious row. Funny thing is, we never want front row seats so we would never have been their competition anyway.

I agree and if one of my kids ever did anything like that, I would give the adult a medal who called him out.

 

[Tigger1313]

I was getting off the elevator once on board when a child ran right into me getting into the elevator before i could get off. I said in a very nice teacher voice. Hey bud wait until i get out. when they got into the elevator the Father said to me, Never tell my son what to do. As the doors were closing I said to him. "You should have". the look I got was priceless

 

[limabeanmom2003]

I was getting off the elevator once on board when a child ran right into me getting into the elevator before i could get off. I said in a very nice teacher voice. Hey bud wait until i get out. when they got into the elevator the Father said to me, Never tell my son what to do. As the doors were closing I said to him. "You should have". the look I got was priceless

The father should have apologized to you and made the kid apologize too. I know kids are excited, but manners travel too!

 

[mmouse37]

This is a repost of a post of mine from a few years ago but most, if not all, still applies onboard.

I think one post was confusing etiquette with atmosphere of the ship, where it really is more to do with personal actions.

Behave as you would anywhere else..common courtesy goes a long way!!! I have a book I got as a gift a long, long time ago called "The Essential Little Cruise Book". It is written by a cruise director and gives general cruising tips and does have a section on ship etiquette. I have listed them below...again these are general etiquette tips and I paraphrased some of them. Not everyone will agree with all of them and may feel they don't pertain to DCL but here they are.

Never go up to the Captain when you see him around the ship and ask "Who's driving the boat"?....he's heard it a thousand times and it gets old quick.

Don't leave your laundry in the machines and not come back for it.

Don't leave your personal belongings on deck chairs to save them for later. They are for everyone and unless you are ready to use them don't leave stuff on them.

Don't walk around the ship in your bathing suit without a cover up and don't walk the halls in your nightie and curlers.

Don't drape towels and clothing on the verandah railing (makes the ship look tacky).

Always be polite when asking for something from the staff. Always smile and make eye contact.

Be modest in your attire, not everyone needs to see every bump and bulge.

Respect crew only areas (the ship is also their home and how would you feel if strangers were pushing their way into your living room).

Don't sit in the first row at the show and doze off....people behind you can be distracted by your bobbing head and the performers won't appreciate people dozing during the show.

Be discreet with your money and personal wealth. Nobody really cares and being ostentatious is in bad taste.

When leaving your cabin don't let the doors slam.

To be asked to dine with the Captain is an honor don't ever turn it down.

There is a reason cruise ships don't sell gum....if you bring your own don't stick it where it does not belong (like on the floor or under furniture). Dispose of it properly.

If coming back from muddy excursion, take off your shoes and carry them to room so you don't track mud through the ship

Don't block the elevators, wait until passengers leave the elevator before boarding.

If you encounter a problem seek out a crew member and discreetly explain the problem. Don't bore your fellow passengers with it.

Keep a grip on yourself, don't over indulge in alcohol and be annoying to others.

If the evening calls for formal attire don't change into shorts and t-shirt mid way through.

Never use your hand to touch food on the buffets, always use the tongs provided (or don't put stuff back if you change your mind).

Take a moment to commend the staff if you feel they have done a great job. A pat on the back goes a long way.

And my favorite:

If the sun shines smile, it is rains...smile and look for the rainbow!

And here is the actual thread it came from:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/cruise-ship-etiquette.2713199/

MJ

 

[Skiton]

My personal favorite are the parents that allow their children to run up and down the hallways outside of the staterooms yelling loudly at all hours of the morning and night. I was even awakened one morning at 3:58 a.m. by a young girl running up and down the hallway outside our door laughing loudly. Not sure what there is to do at that time of night or why she was out there.

When we sailed RCCL a year ago, I walked past a lady and her 3 year old son. It was about 8:00 a.m. The boy was racing up the hall shrieking at the top of his lungs and mom was just sauntering along behind, smiling indulgently. All of a sudden one of the cabin stewards, a pretty lady who sounded like she might have been from Eastern Europe, stuck her head out from one of the rooms and said "Madam, he cannot do that! You must quiet him, people are trying to sleep!" The mom looked like she'd swallowed a frog, she said "What...now? It's after 8:00!" And the steward said "It is VACATION, madam, people sleep late. Please ask your son to not be so noisy." And then she disappeared back into the room. I'm sure the mom didn't appreciate that attendant, but I wanted to give her a standing ovation.

 

[Sytrace]

I am the guest at restaraunts that stacks the dirty dishes in an organized, easy to pick up manner, gathers crumbs off the tables and puts them onto the dirty plates,and pushes in chairs of our table as we leave or even go to the restroom. If a space is already tightly packed with people and servers need to get around, it just makes life a lot easier for everyone. Napkins off the floor etc. It drives me insane to see the sloth by some guests in restaraunts not just on the cruise, but in day to day dining experiences. Yes, you paid for that meal, but so did all of the guests so there is no special treatment given there. Also, kids running around the place while servers are carrying trays of food (hot and cold) Another pet peeve.
At a hotel or on a cruise, I pick up dirty clothes and put them in the hamper, gather all used towels and put them in the bathtub and wipe down the sink after my son brushes his teeth (no one needs to see that)

I used to work management in a Disney company owned retail store for many years and was always amazed by what was left in fitting rooms, on top of racks and the clothes on the floor that people were too lazy to pick up. Of what I found at the bottom of the stuffed animal mound (some of you know what that was called)

I made a decision that my kids would be respectful to NOT run around at restaraunts, would be polite and respectful to those who are taking care of them whether at a restaurant or hotel/cruise and NEVER leave clothes in a fitting room. Oh and to put things back on the hanger instead of seeing it left on the floor, etc. Basically, to be nice, thoughtful and considerate people.

I am still working on the getting the dirty clothes INTO the hamper and not next to it but , hey... a new day is on the horizon...maybe tomorrow is the day.

 

[truck1]

You should send that to dcl with ahain's addition so they can give it to every guest with their first navigator!

As much as I would like to, I'm pretty sure DCL would blow it off. They seem to be taking the non confrontational road lately. Plus the majority of people this would be directed at, prob wouldn't read it anyway. That would require effort on their part.