Rude guests on the rise?

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erickbeehive

Earning My Ears
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Aug 21, 2025
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Just got back from a sailing on the Dream. This was our third annual cruise. First two on Magic, all concierge level.

This trip, I noticed way more blood-boiling behavior I witnessed and/or experienced from other passengers. Besides the usual nonsense, like pushing and shoving and cutting ahead in line, walking in a cluster blocking traffic flow in a hallway rather than walking single file, a group stopping in a doorway for a discussion, people who expect to have an entire bench to themselves and overreact if anyone sits or stands near them, etc. However, here are some specific scenarios. For example:
A. A father yelling at a lifeguard for telling all of the children to exit the kiddie pool for cleaning. He did not like anyone restricting his son's pool use. A supervisor told the passenger to stop, or security would be called next. The supervisor replaced the lifeguard at that station.
B. Two teenagers get on the elevator. One keeps holding his hand out to prevent the door from closing. After that fourth time, something is said. When the two teens get off, the same teen ducks back inside to push all of the buttons between the current floor and the other selected floor. The teen runs away laughing, 'Have fun...'
C, in the theater, one guest sits in the wheelchair companion seat, front row. A wheelchair guest wanted to use the area and have the companion sit next to them. The able-bodied guest refused to move, saying 'Tough. The companion requested a cast member's help, but they refused to do anything about it. The wheelchair guest and companion had to find other chairs.
D. Since we were concierge, we got into the theater early and chose seats in the second row. A few minutes before the start of the show, a man, a woman, and a child entered the second row since there were four open seats. As the man sits down, I inform him that two of the seats were reserved for my wife and child, but the other two were open. The 'invading' male asks to know where my wife and child were. I told him it was none of his business and I did not owe him an explanation, and to get up from the seats. He sits down anyway. I informed him again that my wife and child were in the bathroom and would be returning shortly. He continues to sit. The female and child sit down too, so now the whole is taken except for one seat next to me. He replied that he would sit there until they returned. I raised my voice at the male to get his butt out of the seat. He just sits there with this wide-eyed smile. Then my wife and child return. standing at the edge of the row. My wife tells the threesome to move since those seats were taken. He still sits there. I tell him again to get his backside out of the seat now. He leans over and tells the man 'Don't be a D***. Now, my blood is boiling. I raise my voice at him and tell him to get the F out of the seat. This guy leans over a second time and replies again, 'Don't be a D***'. I balled and raised my fist, and now I yell at him to get the F out of the seat now. The entire area for rows in every direction is silent, listening to this. My other daughter, seated to my right, started shouting since she was scared. She was hanging onto my forearm, trying to get me to drop my fist. Finally, the threesome gets up and leaves.

Not a single cast member moved in to intervene. Based on scenario C, they would not have done anything. Afterwards, several other guests said that they supported what I did since they would not have stood up for themselves.

Am I wrong to expect better behavior on a super-expensive family-oriented Disney cruise??? WTH??
 
Just got back from a sailing on the Dream. This was our third annual cruise. First two on Magic, all concierge level.

This trip, I noticed way more blood-boiling behavior I witnessed and/or experienced from other passengers. Besides the usual nonsense, like pushing and shoving and cutting ahead in line, walking in a cluster blocking traffic flow in a hallway rather than walking single file, a group stopping in a doorway for a discussion, people who expect to have an entire bench to themselves and overreact if anyone sits or stands near them, etc. However, here are some specific scenarios. For example:
A. A father yelling at a lifeguard for telling all of the children to exit the kiddie pool for cleaning. He did not like anyone restricting his son's pool use. A supervisor told the passenger to stop, or security would be called next. The supervisor replaced the lifeguard at that station.
B. Two teenagers get on the elevator. One keeps holding his hand out to prevent the door from closing. After that fourth time, something is said. When the two teens get off, the same teen ducks back inside to push all of the buttons between the current floor and the other selected floor. The teen runs away laughing, 'Have fun...'
C, in the theater, one guest sits in the wheelchair companion seat, front row. A wheelchair guest wanted to use the area and have the companion sit next to them. The able-bodied guest refused to move, saying 'Tough. The companion requested a cast member's help, but they refused to do anything about it. The wheelchair guest and companion had to find other chairs.
D. Since we were concierge, we got into the theater early and chose seats in the second row. A few minutes before the start of the show, a man, a woman, and a child entered the second row since there were four open seats. As the man sits down, I inform him that two of the seats were reserved for my wife and child, but the other two were open. The 'invading' male asks to know where my wife and child were. I told him it was none of his business and I did not owe him an explanation, and to get up from the seats. He sits down anyway. I informed him again that my wife and child were in the bathroom and would be returning shortly. He continues to sit. The female and child sit down too, so now the whole is taken except for one seat next to me. He replied that he would sit there until they returned. I raised my voice at the male to get his butt out of the seat. He just sits there with this wide-eyed smile. Then my wife and child return. standing at the edge of the row. My wife tells the threesome to move since those seats were taken. He still sits there. I tell him again to get his backside out of the seat now. He leans over and tells the man 'Don't be a D***. Now, my blood is boiling. I raise my voice at him and tell him to get the F out of the seat. This guy leans over a second time and replies again, 'Don't be a D***'. I balled and raised my fist, and now I yell at him to get the F out of the seat now. The entire area for rows in every direction is silent, listening to this. My other daughter, seated to my right, started shouting since she was scared. She was hanging onto my forearm, trying to get me to drop my fist. Finally, the threesome gets up and leaves.

Not a single cast member moved in to intervene. Based on scenario C, they would not have done anything. Afterwards, several other guests said that they supported what I did since they would not have stood up for themselves.

Am I wrong to expect better behavior on a super-expensive family-oriented Disney cruise??? WTH??
Issue B is another reason why we saw Virgin Voyages BAN anyone under 21.

You are absolutely not wrong to expect good behavior. This new generation DOES NOT GET what being well behaved in public is all about. They think them and others can shrug it off since they're glued to Roblox and gaming almost 24/7 with no IN PERSON socializing and the likes. When they are out in public, many of them don't mentally switch from virtual to reality. This is what those young people need to learn... is how they're SUPPOSED TO ACT in public (not playing with elevators, using indoor voices, not swearing at CMs, etc).

If I were CEO of Disney Cruise Line, I would have enforced a 5pm curfew shipwide for any guest under 21 for a couple of nights on longer cruises and if there were no incidents by that point, I would lift that said curfew. If there parents (in my definition 25 and older) with those aforementioned aged guests on those first couple of nights or if they are causing trouble in those first couple of nights, they will be locked in their stateroom for the rest of the cruise.

If those under 21s were then responsible after those couple of days' initial curfew, I would not only resume it, but also enforce a ban on ALL guests under 21 from leaving the ship for non-emergency reasons (minors would not be able to go to Castaway Cay, Lookout Cay, Cozumel, etc-refunds would be provided if minors were in the excursion reservations). Furthermore, Vibe would be closed for the rest of the cruise. Those who caused it specifically would be sent to the ship's brig and get banned for life on both Disney cruises, Disney Springs, Flamingo Crossings and Disney parks/resort hotels.

How about that for an incentive for the young guests to WISE UP AND BEHAVE.
 
Yes, passenger behavior has been on the decline for years. We witnessed a fight on the Fantasy at Satellite Falls in 2021, so this isn’t anything new.

I will say, I would never have yelled for someone to get the f—- out of my seat and raised a fist at them. I would just have found another seat. If someone is so obviously rude, I get away from them and don’t let them drag me to their level. Especially with my child there. And other people’s kids within earshot.
 
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On my last DCL on the last day I was waiting for an elevator and when it opened there was a group of teenagers and I saw all the buttons were pressed and I looked at them and said Nah and they all just bust up giggling but then I also started laughing and I got another elevator that was empty pretty quickly. I thought it was odd because it seemed like something much younger kids would do....so maybe it's a trend and I don't understand teenagers anymore
 
Let's be clear, this has nothing to do about kids on DCL. You are responsible for your own attitude and actions. As a DCL lifer, father and concierge only sailer,, I am appalled at your behavior. Your choice of language and escalation is what needs to be reprimanded. This is what has no place on DCL. Might I suggest you try a cruise line that more aligns with your behavior and tolerance of others...perhaps Carnival?
 
Interesting first post, but to answer your question no I haven't seen rude behavior on a DCL Ship. I going to assume you won't be back to explain why you almost punched someone over a seat. 🤣
 
I would say that overall rude, entitiled and horrible behaviour is on the rise everywhere these days.

And adults are often just as bad as kids. Sometimes worse.

This....100% this.

Everyone - everywhere, not just DCL - these days just has this mindset that they are entitled to do whatever they want to satisfy their wants and desires in that particular moment. And if doing so has any negative consequences for other human beings...the attitude is "who cares? as long as I get mine!". It's sad. Then the worst is when people on a cruise use something along the lines of "well, we paid a lot of money for this trip" to justify their actions and behavior. Well guess what? So did everyone else on the ship - down to the family in the "cheapest" interior stateroom. So that doesn't fly.
 
I absolutely agree with a previous comment that rude behavior is on the rise everywhere and I saw some appalling stuff on the Celebrity cruise I took a few years ago but honestly what you did in the theater was awful and trashy. That is absolutely not how you should've acted in that situation. Seriously, threatening to punch someone over a seat on a Disney cruise?
 
No its not getting worse. Probably getting better. This stuff used to happen all the time too. Its not new.
 
I can't get my brain around the fact you started a thread complaining about bad guest behavior and the final example is you screaming "get the F" in the middle of a Disney theater because someone called you a bad name and took your seat...
 
I absolutely agree with a previous comment that rude behavior is on the rise everywhere and I saw some appalling stuff on the Celebrity cruise I took a few years ago but honestly what you did in the theater was awful and trashy. That is absolutely not how you should've acted in that situation. Seriously, threatening to punch someone over a seat on a Disney cruise?
Agree, I was with the OP right up until the last point. If you had simply told the other passenger right from the beginning your wife and child were in the bathroom and would be right back, chances are he would have moved on. And even if he didn't threatening to beat someone up over a chair in a theater with your own child watching is boorish and disgusting behaviour.
 
Been on 16 DCL cruises. We've seen a group of teenagers do the elevator button thing or just sitting on the stairs partially blocking them any number of times. I believe it's because they're bored. Not at all surprised that some teenagers are not into the Disney thing (even if the rest of the family is) and have no interest in the group activities.
 
Just got back from a sailing on the Dream. This was our third annual cruise. First two on Magic, all concierge level.

This trip, I noticed way more blood-boiling behavior I witnessed and/or experienced from other passengers. Besides the usual nonsense, like pushing and shoving and cutting ahead in line, walking in a cluster blocking traffic flow in a hallway rather than walking single file, a group stopping in a doorway for a discussion, people who expect to have an entire bench to themselves and overreact if anyone sits or stands near them, etc. However, here are some specific scenarios. For example:
A. A father yelling at a lifeguard for telling all of the children to exit the kiddie pool for cleaning. He did not like anyone restricting his son's pool use. A supervisor told the passenger to stop, or security would be called next. The supervisor replaced the lifeguard at that station.
B. Two teenagers get on the elevator. One keeps holding his hand out to prevent the door from closing. After that fourth time, something is said. When the two teens get off, the same teen ducks back inside to push all of the buttons between the current floor and the other selected floor. The teen runs away laughing, 'Have fun...'
C, in the theater, one guest sits in the wheelchair companion seat, front row. A wheelchair guest wanted to use the area and have the companion sit next to them. The able-bodied guest refused to move, saying 'Tough. The companion requested a cast member's help, but they refused to do anything about it. The wheelchair guest and companion had to find other chairs.
D. Since we were concierge, we got into the theater early and chose seats in the second row. A few minutes before the start of the show, a man, a woman, and a child entered the second row since there were four open seats. As the man sits down, I inform him that two of the seats were reserved for my wife and child, but the other two were open. The 'invading' male asks to know where my wife and child were. I told him it was none of his business and I did not owe him an explanation, and to get up from the seats. He sits down anyway. I informed him again that my wife and child were in the bathroom and would be returning shortly. He continues to sit. The female and child sit down too, so now the whole is taken except for one seat next to me. He replied that he would sit there until they returned. I raised my voice at the male to get his butt out of the seat. He just sits there with this wide-eyed smile. Then my wife and child return. standing at the edge of the row. My wife tells the threesome to move since those seats were taken. He still sits there. I tell him again to get his backside out of the seat now. He leans over and tells the man 'Don't be a D***. Now, my blood is boiling. I raise my voice at him and tell him to get the F out of the seat. This guy leans over a second time and replies again, 'Don't be a D***'. I balled and raised my fist, and now I yell at him to get the F out of the seat now. The entire area for rows in every direction is silent, listening to this. My other daughter, seated to my right, started shouting since she was scared. She was hanging onto my forearm, trying to get me to drop my fist. Finally, the threesome gets up and leaves.

Not a single cast member moved in to intervene. Based on scenario C, they would not have done anything. Afterwards, several other guests said that they supported what I did since they would not have stood up for themselves.

Am I wrong to expect better behavior on a super-expensive family-oriented Disney cruise??? WTH??
On D it sounds like you were completely in the wrong unless you havent explained the situation properly. You are not allowed to save seats in the theatre. They say that constantly. And then you swore loudly because people rightly sat down in free seats that you were trying to save against the rules? In a theater show full of children? You should of been removed and banned from theater based on the way Im reading it.
 
Agree, I was with the OP right up until the last point. If you had simply told the other passenger right from the beginning your wife and child were in the bathroom and would be right back, chances are he would have moved on. And even if he didn't threatening to beat someone up over a chair in a theater with your own child watching is boorish and disgusting behaviour.
And even if the person didn't move, loudly swearing and threatening to punch someone is NOT the move.

In hindsight this post is most likely trolling but I could honestly see this happening. I've seen some wild stuff at Disney resorts and parks.
 
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