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.
“had known engine problems”
I’m amazed that a mishap in one engine room would knock out so much of the auxiliary power on the boat. Seems like not a good way to design a large boat, but then I don’t know much about this particular situation.
“Cruises are for the easily amused, shut-ins and others who what to spend their time with a bunch of strangers.”
You’re not alone, believe me. My wife & I would far rather spend a week at the beach, go for beach walks, get our own meals or go out for dinner, see local sights, come & go as we please. Dependence upon others minimized.
Went on our honeymoon cruise in 1983 on a converted passenger liner already thirty years old. Enjoyed it greatly, at least we were on board a real ship, not a floating casino/mall.
I've got five inches of snow in my backyard so it ain't gonna happen soon.............LOL!
My brother-in-law is from Honduras and I've gone with he and my sister and their family on vacations there many times. And on every trip there was a significant event where my friends would ask me why the hell I go there......LOL!
I wouldn't trade those memories for the world........
Cruises aren’t for me but if I ever do take one it will be a great lakes cruise. Partly because its different and they cater to older people who are far better company on an extended trip.
I personally have no problem listening to an old man drone on about the history of a lighthouse or little town on the shore.
We are all so spoiled today that if anything out of the ordinary and expected happens than it is a major event.
Nobody died, not even close, no passengers where injured or sickened, not even close. They simply had a bad vacation experience due to the fact that there was a fire in the ships engine room.
These things happen. Life is messy.
They where offered fair compensation, if they chose to sue, they will probably get less. All those ships are registered in foreign countries and are not subject to American courts. Maritime law is much less inclined to the whims of the crybaby spoiled American tourist.
Agree. We have been looking at river cruises. Mississippi or the Danube, it’s 100 passengers or less, pleasant company likely, and if something goes wrong with the boat, the dry riverbank is RIGHT THERE!
;^)
I love Cruises !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can;t wait to do it again this summer!!! Woot Woot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doesn’t look that bad.
There was a storm on the East Coast a few months ago, knocked out the electric. I, in Cleveland, OH close to 500 miles away, lost power for a week. This in the middle of the country, in the middle of the winter.
Some people STILL are living in tents and have no electric in Long Island and we are supposed to believe that a bunch of tourists will be permanently damaged because they had to poop in a bag and sleep on deck for a few days?
Hardly!
bttt
lol! excited much? haha! I’m glad you are looking forward to something fun, my FRiend. :)
All that fun for only about $1,200 per person. Sounds heavenly. :-)
Sounded like fun to me, glad he agreed it was.
As this thread demonstrates, cruises are very polarizing. You either hate them or love them.
That being said, cruising used to be better. They now have this “freestyle” crap where you can eat in one of several different restaurants. What they don’t tell you (before you book the cruise) is that you have to make reservations BEFORE the ship sails, or you won’t get a table. They also play down the fact that in these “restaurants” the food you would want - say lobster or steak - is extra. You can always get a table in the regular dining room or buffet, but the food choices there tend to be not quite up to the selection or quality in the specialty restaurants.
Other things that used to be free - like soft drinks and basic port tours - are also now extra.
Cruises used to offer “classes” to bring you up to speed on the port you would be visiting next. These have now turned into sales presentations to get you to go to particular stores or restaurants which, of course, the cruise line has a financial interest in.
I still like cruising, but if you don’t know what you are getting into, it can be quite a shock to the wallet.
remember who are the passengers are carnival.
old people.
drunk people looking to be laid. (ie no neighbors to rat on you)
fat people.
brats.
You also have knowitalls who think they know better than EVERYONE how to deal with an emergency. (ie drill another hold and let the water pour out of the second hole)
-generally the know it alls did not read the limitation of liability on their ticket which does bind them. AND. The do not know about the international treaties that also limit their claims.
It probably wasn't fun all the time for people on the ship; especially if they were looking forward to some down time and having fun.
But those folks need to put things in perspective. Stuff happens. Things much worse could have happened to them. They weren't being shot at, no one died, etc...
Sue Algore! He promised you global warming!
Yep.
We were on Moorea in 2000 when the entire island went on strike. Our package was w/Sofitel (not the greatest, especially considering all the French management and French workers on a subsidized vacation)and the only hotel on the island that was not struck was the American Sheraton. It seems those Americans treated their workers well.
There was no service and no hot food at the French resort during the strike. All communication was by fax to France. Not one person in management was forthcoming with anything, mainly because the time difference meant they had zero guidance from HQ.
The Americans were having a party at the pool and sharing whatever food and drink we had in our rooms, the best of it courtesy of a newly-wed couple who had gratis fruit and champagne and juice. The French were pissed and continued to ignore anyone who wasn’t French. The Germans packed their bags and sat like overdressed robots in the heat while we all waited for the bus transfer to the Sheraton.
The Sheraton was far superior to the Sofitel. We were not charged extra for a considerable upgrade in amenities. To make it even better, the Sheraton was on the site we had loved back in 1975 when we first visited Moorea.
An adventure that ended well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.