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Comments (11)
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Save/ShareThis Saturday morning, Peter Greenberg, a.k.a. The Travel Detective, chatted with me on his national radio show about our recent post on "A new cruise trend: Disegalitarianism."
In case you missed it, "disegalitarianism" is a word to describe how cruise passengers who splurge on the swankiest cabins on a cruise increasingly want to have exclusive perks and preferential treatment as they wander the ship. Perks include reserved poolside seating, the option to "jump the line" and get on and off a ship faster than everyone else, special access to dining halls, and—in some cases—private elevators, separate lounge areas, and near-exclusive bars.
I shared with Peter one of the most interesting comments from a reader, namely, Tony Vitanza:
I'm hardly wealthy…I'm very much the budget traveler and cruiser. BUT...if cruise lines would enact and actually enforce the rules designed to make everyone more comfortable, then a lot of the demand for this kind of thing would disappear. For example, enforce rules about diapers in pools, smoking in no-smoking areas, and the prohibition against "saving" lounge chairs. And actually enforce dress codes. Make sure people know BEFORE they book that they can't put their diapered baby in the hot tub or show up for dinner in flip-flops and a tank top. If EVERYONE, including the people who are perhaps wealthy or who perhaps have foregone other things and scrimped and saved for that special stateroom, could count on not being subjected to the general bad behavior that is so apparent in every facet of public life, maybe they wouldn't have to demand to be kept away from it.
Peter made a great wisecrack about this: "Forget about first and second class. I think the cruise lines should add a new class to their ships: Etiquette class."
You can play a recording of the segment here.
Another reader, Dee Nevares, had provocative comment worth spotlighting, too:
Dee has sailed on 30 cruises and she suggests that the staff on cruises have slacked off from their duty to enforce the rules and to provide exceptional service. She blames the decision by cruise lines to force passengers to tip everyone by credit card in a single gratuity payment, instead of the traditional way of giving cash handouts at each moment of superior service.
That's interesting, if true.
What can you do about this trend toward disegalitarianism if it upsets you?
Choose a cruise where everyone gets treated like royalty, no matter what social status they have. Pat, in Charleston, S.C., suggested that you consider...
"taking a river cruise with Viking or Amadeus Waterways. See Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Russia with less than 200 other people, all of whom you'll meet at some point in your journey. You might even make a new friend or two somewhere along the way and keep in touch by phone and e-mail. The cultural experience is amazing and guess what! Only one dining room."
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It all comes down to one thing here. We all put our pants on one leg at a time whether you be a man, women, boy or girl. No one is really above one another. We just act like we do when we come into more "tools" then someone else has. I agree. Let the cruise lines treat everyone like everyone else and maybe the snobbiness (sp) will go away and we might all enjoy a cruise that everyone can have some fond memories of.
Posted By Maureen Zuerner on October 6, 2008, 12:21 PM
I generally book mini-suites rather than full suites, and am a well traveled past passenger on several cruise lines, (not to mention a cruise travel consultant), and I thoroughly agree that what is REALLY needed is for the stated rules to be enforced. We just returned from Alaska about two weeks ago on a mid-premium cruise line, and I think some of the passengers deserved to be "sent to their rooms and told not to come out until they could learn to behave and abide by the rules."
From the pushing, shoving, line jumping, chair hogging and other miscellaneous behaviors, you would have thought it was a ship full of ten year olds. If I could afford to travel on Seabourn, or Crystal, or Silversea all of the time, where a modicum more discretion seems to be displayed most of the time, I would. But I can't. So either they enforce the rules, or they come up with some giant version of "Sanctuary" for those of us who do obey.
Posted By Karen Day-Lyon on October 6, 2008, 1:26 PM
TIPPING.
I DISLIKE A CRUISE DIRECTOR ,ON A SHIP WHICH SPECIFIES TIP PER DIEM, SAYING IF YOU GET SOMETHING SPECIAL TIP TO THE PERSON. MOST SHIPS SAY THAT ALL SERVICE IS SPECIAL..... SO WHAT IS SPECIAL .EITHER DEDUCT OR NOT..I GO WITH THE FLOW BUT DISLIKE THE ATTITUDE.
Posted By PATRICIA ARMSTRONG on October 6, 2008, 2:52 PM
When passengers book directly and think they are "experts" they cheat themselves by not using the important assistance of a travel agent, who can counsel them to select the cruise line that best fits the passenger's lifestyle and wishes.
Often the passenger is more interested in the "deal" they can score than the personality of the cruise line and how well it suits them.
A trained travel consultant will brief and coach the client on what to expect, how to dress, common rules of conduct, courtesy, tipping and other expectations as well as shore excursions and even what menu items are wonderful on a particular ship.
It costs the client not one dime more to take advantage of a professional who can steer them in the right direction and greatly enhance their cruise experience.
Marti Garvin Timmons, Owner, Cruises and Vacations, Uppper Arlington, Ohio
Posted By Marti Garvin Timmons on October 6, 2008, 7:47 PM
When you are treated like a royalty, you pay two times more. I would rather be treated like a normal human being on a quality river cruise and would not want to pay for any premiums for faking how important I am.
Posted By Russian cruises on October 7, 2008, 11:58 AM
I like to travel like royalty and get a suite whenever I can afford one. It may be less on a lower priced cruise, but the perks seem good on any cruiseline. I like having a balcony to enjoy the ocean. I like breakfast, and occasionally dinner,in my room . I like not having to stand in long, crowded lines. I like special treatment. AND I will pay more to have it.
Posted By An unimportant person on October 7, 2008, 5:01 PM
We cruise often just returning from a three week cruise touring Greece, Italy, etc...we had a nice cabin with a veranda.
We have also cruised having an inside cabin as well. We have stayed in all the various configuration offered on ships.
We have never felt treated less or better by our room assignment. I feel that to receive good service you treat your server with like respect.
I do agree that the conduct of passengers as well as some of the upper managment on the ships is disappointing.
I also agree that it is time for many of the ships to enforce the policies that they have in place as well as advertised i.e. no one under 18, no children, no smoking, dress code enforced.
I do think that much of the time at least in our past experience that many of the employees do not speak well enough, understand the rules and are just intimidated by many of the passengers to enforce the policy.
That leaves the management to enforce or police however, we have noticed that many of them are usually busy talking about their latest this or that and not really observing or serving the guest.
I am greateful to be able to travel especially in these times and just always hope for the best.
Posted By Pam on October 10, 2008, 5:47 PM
Cruising never really appealed to me....I am an experienced traveller, and it doesn't sound fun to me, to be confined to a ship with thousands of rude & strange people, forced to go where the ship goes & on it's schedule. I would hate having to deal with the above mentioned bad behavior on the part of the passengers/crew, and being forced to tip someone when they don't deserve it, getting nickel & dimed for everything on a ship, and over pay for everything. I wouldn't be proud of being part of a huge tsunami of thousands of rude cruise ship tourists invading a small island /port for a day, being attacked by local hawkers, junky souvenir sellers, pick-pockets, and generally creating chaos just for being there !
I would rather be independent, go where I want to go, see what I want to see, when I want to go, and stay however long I want to. I stay in small hotels, inns, B&Bs, houses, at UNtouristy places, and try to experience a place and it's culture.
These monstrous Cruise ships have a huge negative impact that many seem to ignore. They're not really travelling. They're like a huge hurricane that blows thru, ripping everything up in it's wake.
Posted By Mike on October 11, 2008, 7:04 AM
Cruising has it's perks, with different lines and ships to suit every passenger, from 'monstrous' to small, intimate ships that drop anchor where the big ones cannot. I enjoy being pampered, enjoy visiting different places while unpacking only once, etc... It's no big trick to find the hidden 'untouristy' parts of any port city or town. Just design your own shore excursion and hire a driver, or rent your own transport. There's a cruise out there for every taste and every budget.
Posted By Duffy on March 3, 2009, 1:01 PM
Firstly we Americans should stop being so puritanical; i intend to go go on a costa cruie which caters to Europeans; sure from the cruise reports they recieve a negative ratings by Americans because of the lack of queing , smoking etc ; really now how many timed do you think maybe an adult has peed in a pool; and who wants a travel agent to dictate to anyone how to behave ona ship.
Posted By barbie45 on September 27, 2009, 11:54 AM
When people are jam packed into small spaces, and alcohol is involved, there will be frayed tempers.
Two thoughts...book a smaller (maybe even all suite) line like Silverseas or Seabourne. Shipboard ediquette is quite good. Secondly, younger passengers are going to wear denim. Dressy, and not so dressy, jeans are fashionable. Younger passengers are eagerly sought by cruise lines. We will all have to adapt to that fact although it presents a challenge.
Posted By angela on March 21, 2011, 7:45 PM