Inconsiderate Cruisers

[truck1]

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.

Some one earlier in the thread, posted on DCL on the room service menu, to return the room service plates etc, you should call room service and they'll come get them.

 

[Skiton]

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.

It's funny how a background in service or retail shapes your impressions later. I worked restaurants when I was younger and I was so appalled by some of what I saw. Kids with no manners, parents who thought it was OK for children to treat the restaurant like their own personal playground. Not only was it rude, it was dangerous. A server carrying a tray of hot food is not looking to avoid someone who comes up to his hip. I'm nuts about my kids being polite and acting appropriately, now.

 

[Sytrace]

It's funny how a background in service or retail shapes your impressions later. I worked restaurants when I was younger and I was so appalled by some of what I saw. Kids with no manners, parents who thought it was OK for children to treat the restaurant like their own personal playground. Not only was it rude, it was dangerous. A server carrying a tray of hot food is not looking to avoid someone who comes up to his hip. I'm nuts about my kids being polite and acting appropriately, now.

So true. I once had a friend (no longer friends but long story) who when we finally had lunch together, let her two boys run wild in the restaurant.
My kids were the same age (5 and 6) and would sit there at the table staring at the two boys in amazement as they played "dodge the waiter with the hot food on his tray" and "Can we make the other guests cringe" games.
Her boys told my kids to get up and "play with them" and mine (so proud of them for this) said No with not an ounce of hesitation that these kids were certainly having more fun than they were with the crayons and kids menus.

My friend did nothing about it and when I told her precious snowflakes to sit down and behave she got upset with ME for correcting them and for calling her out and her lack of consideration for other guests. She used the old...Well, I am paying for my meal so we can do what we want. My response, was to ask her if she would be okay with paying mine and everyone elses bills as well since she felt it okay to interfere with our dining pleasure. Of course she declined.

Oh my goodness, what a heated argument which resulted in our friendship cooling off and no more playdates for the kids. That was the first and last lunch with them.
The lasting impression that my kids have from that experience is still something we refer to when they see children behaving badly. "Hey Mom, do you remember when" ...

And yes, when we go into stores they bring out unwanted clothing items and put them on the go back rack or I have them put them away where they got them. Neatly, with the hangers going the correct way of course. lol

 

[Hundredacre]

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

You see where that child got his/her manners.

 

[MunFam]

On our WBPC cruise, I made it a point to compliment kids/teens that were acting respectful to other passengers. In particular, there was this one boy, maybe 10-12 years old and he was always so kind. He would hold elevator doors, throw trash away etc and we happened to be in the elevator with him and a lady (his mom), so I asked her if it was her son and she said yes and I told her how many times I saw him around the ship being an awesome kid. She was relieved and proud. I think its important to always compliment kids for doing right.

On the other hand. There was this woman and her husband who were in our "cruise meet up group". They were the biggest tools I ever encountered in my life! Her husband was a good 6'2+ and they always pushed their way to the front of the shows right as they were starting and then he would put their 4 year old on his shoulders. People were always so irritated with them. Then...they ended up infront of us at a character meet and greet. We were in line 45 minutes early and were the 2nd family in line. About 3 minutes before the character showed up, 5 other families cut in line with them. I asked her if they were doing a group picture. She said no. So I said, so all these people are just hanging out here, or are they cutting in line? She refused to admit that they cut in line. Then they did individual kid pictures, family pictures, all the kids, all the adults, etc photo ops. No joke...we were the 2nd family in line and it took almost 15 minutes to get our turn. I was soooo mad.

 

[bcwife76]

On disembarkation morning of our first cruise, we were waiting....and waiting.....and WAITING for our luggage group to be called. There were tons of people waiting with us. I had to use the washroom at one point. Long lines, of course. By the time I got out of the washroom, I'm going to walk ouf the doorway and there is a kid (maybe 10yrs old) sitting on the floor, in the doorway, pretty much blocking it. People are stepping over and around this kid to get in and out of the ladies room. Are you kidding me? So I bent over and said to him "can you move please? You're blocking the doorway and it's hard for people to get in and out." He just looked at me, didn't say a word and went back to his game.

Well it had been a LONG morning already (up at 6am for the clusterf*ck that was customs on the ship in San Diego) so I said rather loudly to all the women waiting in line to use the bathroom "Who's kid is this? He's blocking the doorway and being VERY rude!" His mother ended up standing quite nearby to me and quickly hissed at her kid to get up.



Awesome parenting mom. You are standing RIGHT THERE and see your little darling BLOCKING the doorway.

 

[DahliaRW]

On our WBPC cruise, I made it a point to compliment kids/teens that were acting respectful to other passengers. In particular, there was this one boy, maybe 10-12 years old and he was always so kind. He would hold elevator doors, throw trash away etc and we happened to be in the elevator with him and a lady (his mom), so I asked her if it was her son and she said yes and I told her how many times I saw him around the ship being an awesome kid. She was relieved and proud. I think its important to always compliment kids for doing right.

As a mom, I love it when others compliment my kids. It means more to them and leaves a bigger impression than when dh and I compliment their behavior.

 

[Lesverts]

This conversation is interesting. I have yet to be on a Disney Cruise, but have been on a number of Celebrity ships. I honestly cannot tell you if I ever saw a trash can besides one at crew busing stations in the dining room or at the buffet. On the pool deck there are always roaming 'pool butlers' that look after towels/chairs, beverage servers that look after all drinks and empties and general custodial staff that pick up plates/dishes etc. In fact the one time I did try to take my dishes somewhere it took me awhile to find the very well hidden busing station.

In general, having worked in restaurants etc. I try to be as considerate as possible. But my experience on cruises is that there is always some close at hand that will take away towels/dishes/garbage before you even have a chance to think about it.

 

[phinz]

Some one earlier in the thread, posted on DCL on the room service menu, to return the room service plates etc, you should call room service and they'll come get them.

And others have been told to put them out in the hallway and somebody will pick them up, which means people getting upset by seeing trays in the hallway are merely reacting to what Disney has made SOP.

 

[truck1]

And others have been told to put them out in the hallway and somebody will pick them up, which means people getting upset by seeing trays in the hallway are merely reacting to what Disney has made SOP.

True. It is the inconsistentces that annoy people. I'll be the first to admit I did it on the rare occasion we ordered room service. Never noticed on the menu it said call for pick up. Unless it's a relatively new thing which would explain why some are told hallway and others call.

 

[squirk]

True. It is the inconsistentces that annoy people. I'll be the first to admit I did it on the rare occasion we ordered room service. Never noticed on the menu it said call for pick up. Unless it's a relatively new thing which would explain why some are told hallway and others call.

I am not sure it's the putting in the hallway in and of itself that's the problem. I think it is when the trays sit there for a long time, and we have seen some trays sit out for a very long time.

 

[ahain]

And others have been told to put them out in the hallway and somebody will pick them up, which means people getting upset by seeing trays in the hallway are merely reacting to what Disney has made SOP.

I'm guessing that part of the issue might be people putting their trays in the hallway (like you do at a hotel), but NOT necessarily calling room service to request the tray is picked up. So, if room service isn't made aware, it is possible that the tray could sit there a loooong time.

 

[Bishoparc]

I'll be the first to admit I did it on the rare occasion we ordered room service. Never noticed on the menu it said call for pick up

It would definitely be an easy mistake to make. How many of us actually read every word on every piece of paper we look at? In most hotels they just tell you to leave it out in the hall. We stayed at Boardwalk a few weeks ago and ordered room service. When they dropped it off they said just leave it out in the hallway when you are done.

 

[mcd2745]

I'm surprised this whole room service plates discussion has gotten so much traction. Mainly because I find it surprising that so many people order room service on a cruise. We make it a point to spend as little time as possible in our stateroom. Plus, eating in such small confines is very far from ideal IMO. With food generally available at all times somewhere on the ship...I don't see much of a need for room service (the exception for me was, when on RCCL's Oasis of the Seas I came down with the flu and was quarantined to the room {that was fun...not} and had no choice but to get room service if i wanted to eat). I understand, during overnight hours, room service is the only option on DCL. However, if you're putting plates out in the hall at say 1am, I'm sure they'll have picked them up by 6am, so very few if any people are actually going to see the dirty plates then.

 

[squirk]

I'm guessing that part of the issue might be people putting their trays in the hallway (like you do at a hotel), but NOT necessarily calling room service to request the tray is picked up. So, if room service isn't made aware, it is possible that the tray could sit there a loooong time.

True, but it seems you cannot ever walk down a stateroom hallway without bumping into one or more stateroom attendants at any given time. I've seen trays left untouched for hours with attendants bustling about.

I wonder whose responsibility it is to get those out of the way. Is it the SA assigned to that particular room, or is every SA tasked with collecting a tray they see in the hallway regardless of whether it's from one of their assigned rooms or not? Or is someone else supposed to pick these up?

 

[ahain]

True, but it seems you cannot ever walk down a stateroom hallway without bumping into one or more stateroom attendants at any given time. I've seen trays left untouched for hours with attendants bustling about.

I wonder whose responsibility it is to get those out of the way. Is it the SA assigned to that particular room, or is every SA tasked with collecting a tray they see in the hallway regardless of whether it's from one of their assigned rooms or not? Or is someone else supposed to pick these up?

I thought earlier someone posted that it was NOT the stateroom's attendant's job to deal with the trays - that there were room service attendants that should handle this.

 

[FloridaBabe]

Not a fan of the half eaten cold food in the hallways either. I am a bit of a tidy freak and I nearly died when I walked past a couple of the cabins and saw what the steward had to deal with, I am the sort of tidy around before they come in sort of gal! Some people are just pigs!

 

[Googelibear]

What really gets me is people who wander into dinner whenever they feel like it, throwing off the poor servers' rhythm. That's just disrespectful!

That is rude. I thought everyone had firm seating times.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I thought earlier someone posted that it was NOT the stateroom's attendant's job to deal with the trays - that there were room service attendants that should handle this.

When I worked in the industry, there was a thing called "ownership". If you are in engineering and you see a tray in the hallway, you pick it up and leave it in the service landing. If you are a server and a guest tells you their TV is broken, you need to call engineering (or whoever handles that). Ever see Disney management walking through the parks with their trash picker upper claw? Ownership.
I understand that you can't pick up ten trays in a corridor and still do your own job, but I would hope that DCL followed this practice.

 

[wcw57]

when we last sailed during Presidents week the ship full......capacity.....no more cabins available. Full.

I wander around EARLY before my family wakes and, before most families it seemed. Of course, we traveled the halls during normal hours and until late evening. I didn't see a single tray anywhere. I dunno. Maybe things have changed or maybe my cataracts were acting up.......