Posted on 02/24/2013 7:40:22 PM PST by willk
I had a GREAT time on my first cruise!! And yes...I was on the Triumph!! It was NOT THAT BAD!! It was akin to camping in one's own backyard as a kid. The crew was great, we were well treated, food was plentiful, water was restored quickly and the toilet issue was a minor inconvenience.
To expound a little on the camping analogy......Imagine camping in the backyard as a kid, the septic tank has a little bit of an issue on the other side of the yard, and mom hasn't been to the store in a couple of days. You could avoid the "squishy" part of the yard, and you may not have found what you wanted in the pantry...but there was food. Make sense?? There was NEVER any solid waste in the floor (unless someone defficated there on purpose somewhere) . There were some spots with some grey water overflow, but most was due to people not managing their water use considering the angle of list on the boat. We were never out of toilet paper....nor was anyone that we spoke to (which probably numbered well into the hundreds over the course of 5 days). We ran out of towels and all we had to do was (gasp) ask for more. Those that made the DELIBERATE DECISION to IGNORE the directions to NOT USE the toilets were susceptible to overflow when they pressure tested the system while trying to repair it. Those incidents were a DIRECT RESULT of people doing what they were specifically told NOT TO DO...but they thought "oh....it'll be ok just this once" and as a result of THEIR actions...they suffered more than others.
Addressing the food situation, there was AMPLE food. Even with the hoarding that some were doing, there was plenty of food available 24/7. Lines were lengthy for things like hamburgers, hot dogs and desserts,..... but the lines for sandwiches and fruits/veggies and things were very reasonable. As for the "they were making us eat onion and cucumber sandwiches" story.....yes, there were onion and cucumber sandwiches AFTER other passengers had come along and REMOVED THE MEAT FROM THEM for themselves!!! If you are gonna tell the story....tell it in it's entirety!! There were people walking around with trays of juice and water constantly. Servers were EVERYWHERE! It may not have been in a bottle, but it was bottled water served in cups and it was readily available at EVERY SINGLE BEVERAGE STATION and from a dozen or more servers at any given time!
I fully understand that not everyone goes camping and there are people that are a bit more emotionally sensitive than most, but it was not the emotional travesty it is being made out to be. If anyone has ANY sense of self preservation, it was no big deal. To those that have become nothing more than a "social dependent"... It was probably a bit more of a shock. There were some elderly that were having a hard time with all of the stair climbing that was necessary, but they come from a different generation....one that wasn't steeped in the "entitlement" mentality that recent generations seem to have. The elders on the boat, although having a hard time, were some of the most positive people I encountered!!
I would get back on another Carnival boat tomorrow, and I FULLY intend to be on the Triumph as she makes sail for the first time after her repairs are completed! Kuddos to Carnival staff, all the way from the bottom of the ladder to the top for making every effort to handle this incident as best as possible.
What a moron...Why pay many thousands when you could buy a pup tent and cook some hotdogs in the back yard for 20 bucks...
Bet the rent this idiot is on the payroll, one way or another.
From what I understand they could easily have lost the ship if they had failed to quickly control the fire.
I’d say they’re pretty lucky.
Likely a Carnival employee, as this contradicts the others interviewed, actual video etc.
the international association of whining lawyers is not in your corner on this one. Neither is the amalgamated association of permanent victims and those otherwise inconvienced by natural happenings....so sad!
“Bet the rent this idiot is on the payroll, one way or another. “
Or maybe he just see things in perspective and doesn’t get bent out of shape about everything.
Been on one cruise, but not sure will ever go with Carnival again due to numerous passengers saying this cruise ship has had known engine problems lately in online review sites.
It looked like a lot were making the best of the situation unlike the ones who stole what wasn’t theirs. Sound familiar?
Yeah, I enjoy sleeping in sewage.
A client’s son was on the ship, and was interviewed by CNN. He also didn’t makd it out to be that bad.....but I did note he was a ‘platinum’ member...so maybe he got better treatment.
AHHH, I think he is probably right. He went on a cruise, but ended up having a FREE camping trip, a GRATIS free Cruise in the future, at least $500 cash, and a good story to tell. He is a winner with a positive attitude.
hey!!!!when the Greyhound bus with 26 passangers slid on the ice and bumped a guardrail, you were the 967th "passenger to file an injured back claim....pathetic.
Or maybe he just see things in perspective and doesn’t get bent out of shape about everything.
I should start a boat tour, buy some rusty boat, set up porta-potties in the rooms and get some drunk to make salami sandwiches for dinner...
Promise elegance and wink and nod while taking reservations from people like you.
I saw a few of the people who were interviewed after getting of the ship who kind of shrugged their shoulders about it not being pleasant but no big deal.
I also saw drama queens who had obviously spoken to their attorneys about the lifetime of mental anguish they’re sure to suffer.
I camp in a tent so inconvenience isn’t a major hassle to me.
Oh yeah, what a deal...Get one vacation a year and spend it slipping and sliding on human waste..Cool...Tell all your friends and ask the wife how impressed she is!
Well, my family and I were on the Concordia, before it sank, and it was fantastic!
All I would ask is for my money back and possibly the pay for the lost vacation time. I certainly wouldn’t be whining about pain and suffering.
Make sure you tell him to not get bent out of shape about it.
While he's on the trip, have people steal all the stuff from his house so he can keep things in perspective. After all, it could have been worse.
It does make me wonder if the passengers that paid more and had better accomodations might have had an easier time.
Years ago, the cruise I was on was diverted from the Dominican Republic because of potentially bad weather. A couple I met got their noses out of joint and threatened to sue. Some people can’t adjust when things go wrong. Probably Obama voters.
I was on a tour in Greece many years ago. The farmers went on strike, and blocked the main roads. We took an alternate route through some scary mountain roads. Our tour bus was followed by three busloads of Italians trying to get to Athens to see Italy play Germany in the world cup. If we didn't get to Corinth in time for the last ferry, they would miss the game. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, there were another group of farmers blocking the road. The Italians, 150 of them, got off the bus and literally picked up the tractor blocking the road and threw it on its side. An unexpected, but great memory.
I really can't believe that any time on a curise ship could be that bad. Yes,you expect perfection. But seriously, nobody wants to hear about a perfect cruise. They will have memories for a lifetime.
“From what I understand they could easily have lost the ship if they had failed to quickly control the fire.
I’d say they’re pretty lucky.”
Yea. Fires have a way of doing that if they are not put out promptly.
“From what I understand they could easily have lost the ship if they had failed to quickly control the fire.
I’d say they’re pretty lucky.”
Yea. Fires have a way of doing that if they are not put out promptly.
What surprised me was that everyone getting off the boat looked like they were freshly showered, hair clean and styled, and wearing clothes that looked very clean and neat.
If not so, why would so many of them choose to immediately get on a bus for a very long drive back to Galveston? If it was all that bad, they would have insisted on getting to a nice hotel in Mobile for a shower and a very good meal.
Here's a pic of all those people enjoying their camping trip, sleeping and sunning themselves on the deck.. ...What a blast!
If a person from Haiti were on board, they would have thought that they just died and went to Heaven.
“A client’s son was on the ship, and was interviewed by CNN. He also didn’t makd it out to be that bad.....but I did note he was a ‘platinum’ member...so maybe he got better treatment.”
Probably not. But I bet Platinum gave him priority boarding, 10 minutes free internet with the purchase of 120 minutes and a robe for their personal use while on board.
Take a cruse and end up eating lunch meat in a Mobile hotel...oh yeah...
A cruise even Haitians would enjoy...
Lets book!
I’m not a Carnival employee, but post the youtube links of sewage and waste flowing in passageways. I found one 2-3 second clip with water coming out of a cabin’s bathroom door. Not good if your cabin but adapt to situation, overcome and be prepared with contingencies.
I’m a platinum Carnival member & we mostly cruise Carnival because they are the FunShips. We are looking to book the Legend in October out of Tampa. We were on a noro-virus cruise (Celebrity CL) and though not as difficult as being dead in the water as the Triumph was, we still enjoyed ourselves, stayed virus free and as with the Triumph no one died.
XRegulator was right the older passengers were the most enduring and positive on the noro cruise. And I’d cruise Celebrity again based on ports and price.
Carnival has always been the most tight-fisted CL, but they did step up to plate on compensation for this cruise.
Again, send me the links.
Passengers got full refunds for the cruise and travel expenses, a free cruise in the future and $500.
As I understand it, they were refunded their money, given a free cruise of their choice, and $500. Yes, they had a bad vacation that didn't cost them a penny. I'm sure $500 covered their airfare.
Life is not guaranteed. I wasn't there so I will never know the real challenges, but I know they will have memories for a lifetime.
I survived the Blizzard of '77 in Buffalo. I still talk about it to this day. I mention my 'perfect' vacation in Barbados about never.
“He went on a cruise, but ended up having a FREE camping trip, a GRATIS free Cruise in the future, at least $500 cash, and a good story to tell. He is a winner with a positive attitude.”
________________________________________________
Ah, the winning post on here.
What joys in life do not have some element of risk?
Ships sink, planes crash, hotels burn down...S happens.
I do not fault Carnival at all, and I think their compensation was quite fair and adequate.
The whiners, including those on this thread, should just stay in bed and never leave home.
Tough times have a funny habit of becoming fond memories.
If they didn’t we’d all be miserable all the time. I thank God that I grew up poor because it made me a much happier and satisfied adult.
I think of our men and woman in the military getting freaking shot at in some third world hellhole, on one hand..
And then compare that to someone complaining because their cruise ship ran out of hot water and beef filets.
Not much sympathy from me.
Poor babies; sitting out in a tropical climate under a umbrella. They better sue someone!
There is no contradiction between sincerely hoping that Carnival won’t make a habit of allowing such failures and wanting to see proof of that before patronizing them again, and meeting the failures with the best spirit you can muster if they DO happen.
Life without the grace of God is a bitch, please pardon my English.
Our photo was meant as a negative, however it kicked up fond memories of past cruises.
I enjoy team-building w my fellow passengers, occasionally ending in the Sports bar til 3-4-5am talking life experiences. Made some friends I would have never known otherwise. A couple times I made my way to the cabin on my own, other times I’d have the bartender call security to lead me to my cabin, one time I untied a lounge chair on a forward deck and slept under the stars until the sun woke me. In the 1-2 hours the sun was up, the crew had cleaned the deck around me but never woke me, I had a blanket over me and my head was resting on a pool towel.
The best was the pre-9/11 days when we had to queue up on the ship to go threw customs. We are talking 1-3 hours and the entire family had to be there for customs. So I told the wife I was going to bathroom and for her to wait in line for me. I followed the line to the lounge where the customs agents were sitting. I promptly laid down and slept on a two person chair like a loveseat right alongside the customs line so my wife would not miss me. My wife woke me saying that at least we’ll never see these people again and she was right. Both incidents were on different cruises and on the FunShips. Though not booked yet our Oct cruise will be #23 for the wife and I.
Hey tuber, make sure you get that valving correct.
Perhaps you can't afford a cruise? Maybe you should save up. They are great fun. Sure, there is an occasional slip up. But not everyone on a cruise is a moron. Your wife must love the cook-outs in your backyard. Such fun. So romantic. Maybe that explains why you have no children.
Me, I avoid large groups and crowds like the plague.
But feel free to spend your free time on some floating apartment building....Whatever spins your spokes katy.
Pure BS.
No one enjoys being stranded with no toilet. Ship designers who don’t think emergency power sufficient to operate the running water deserve to be and will be sued out of business. Its a 14 story hotel, folks. they could put anything they want on board, including enough back up power to run the water and a small city. If they wanted to, of course.
Carnival is just darned lucky that there was not an outbreak of cholera or typhoid.
I sure hope you are never on a cruise that I am on asshole!!!
Well, there ya go! :) All you had to say from the start is you think cruises are stupid and even a successful voyage sounds like your very own version of Kafka's hell on earth. No need to fuss with cruise lovers (like K and K) over this news story. Asking you to see the bright side of a failed cruise, considering your views, would be silly! And that's totally cool too.
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