It's Cheap Ship Week

Over the past decade or more, cruises have become a lot less expensive. In fact, at the point it is now, it is more affordable for a retired couple to cruise all year long than pay to stay in a retirement home. I’m not one to say that social class has an effect on who people are as individuals and I definitely don’t think financial success determines the amount of respect one should garner, however, it speaks volumes for behavior when in an environment where “spoiling” yourself is a norm.

As crew, when people come on holiday, we observe them as individuals prepared to lather themselves in luxury. Now, cruises appear to be all inclusive, but they are not. You pay one price, you get a cabin and food. If you have a few more cruises under your belt, you might get a few more benefits such as laundry and internet time, but for the most part you can guarantee the amount you paid for a cruise is only about half (minimum) of what you can expect to spend in total. I’m not evening talk shopping and tours, I mean basics. Beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), the odd latte, tipping your room steward and waiter, bottles of water for going ashore, internet time. No matter what angle you look at it from, if you come cruising for a holiday, you’re putting out a pretty penny.

Now, when prices for cruises were high, companies still chose to nickel and dime everyone. All the same charges applied. But the people were different. The prices determined that they  were people who could very much afford to be on holiday. People who don’t live paycheck to paycheck, or who have at least saved frugally so they could spend it all on their holiday, prepared for the extra expenses.

What we have now is people who can barely afford the cruise. They come on unknowing of the costs required. They get stressed about money. They get angry at the company for charging on such silly like things such as orange juice. They see workers as part of the company and (while not mindfully, but emotionally) hold them responsible for the company’s lack of initiative to provide extras at no cost. And believe me, this is the fastest way to make a crew member give you the bare minimum in service. The next thing you know, they’re stressed, they dislike the company, and they think the employees are useless and unpleasant. Sounds like a horrible vacation to me, too. Not to mention, that with the decrease in cruise charges, the quality of everything has begun to erode (food, entertainment and staff budgets to name a few areas). 

So, yes, I blame the cruise line. No, I don’t think people who are less financially fortunate are more rude or disrespectful. Yes, I do believe that people who can’t really afford to cruise should have the pleasure of what could be a fantastic holiday on board the vessel.

All I’m saying, is that come that first formal night, when I look around the ship and see that over half of the passengers are dressed in dark denim blue jeans, or a skirt so short the only thing you can look at is the cellulite shaking, I know there was a big sale on this cruise, the complaints are soon going to come flying in the door, the scores are going to be low, and it’s going to be a rough week for me and the rest of the gang.