or "the red dress" ...the woman who did not spend a sober moment and had trouble keeping her clothes on...her best of the best was to sign up for a 'cave tubing' trip in Belize and then upon arriving swore she would not get on that tube and ride through a cave!

I actually followed one lady who complained about everything, including the wall paper in the corridors!

The show stopper though was the loud and not too nice mouthed lady at the table next to me on a Princess Cruise. The evening of the captain's dinner she hailed one of her approaching tablemates with "Nice dress honey, saw one just like it on the whore on MASH." The entire dining room went stone silent!

I've shared a table with some very boring people in the past!

First night on the Grand Princess in January 1999, there was a group of 6 of us sitting together at a table for 10.

In comes this lady (it was obvious that she was the 'leader of the pack') with her husband, her daughter and her daughters best friend.

After introductions, she turned the conversation to cruising, and the fact that (and I quote) "we cruise EVERY January" and went on and on as to their cruising experience and little tidbits trying to impress us.

Well...that did it...I have been fortunate to cruise often (I work a part time job just to cruise) and had been on a Thanksgiving cruise in Nov 1998, and had only been back from the Sea Princess maiden voyage 4 days when I left for the Grand Princess!

We were both miserable and are looking forward to our next cruise (February 2002) ALONE

Everyone wants to cruise but not everyone should cruise!

quote:

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Originally posted by anmlhaus:
It was our first cruise and we invited a friend to accompany us...Our trip ended up being a nightmare because of our travel buddy.

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Welcome aboard anmlhaus!

Picking a travel partner is a very difficult task and you unfortunately got it wrong!

I can't believe that this woman is not a complete nightmare in many other aspects of her life? Maybe you did not know her well enough to find out before the cruise?

Two company...

During our Spring 2001 Western Caribbean cruise on HAL's Maasdam we arrived early for the lifeboat drill and when our cabin number was called - we were staying in a Suite, #002 on the Navigation Deck - we dutifully responded to the query from the crew that all in our party were present. At the same time, another gentleman responded that Cabin #2 was present. He was traveling with his son who he apparently forgot to cover with suntan lotion while in Florida prior to the cruise and the poor child was as red as a lobster.

We looked at him and informed him that we were actually in that cabin but he insisted that he was also in Cabin #2. The crew looked a bit perplexed when we told them that the four of us (my wife, myself and our two children) were the only occupants of Suite 002, but in the interest of getting the drill behind us and giving the poor chap the benefit of the doubt we all decided to drop the matter.

Later while sipping cocktails in the Ocean Bar we saw the same man and joked that he could claim to be in Cabin #2 as much as he wanted as long as he didn't charge drinks to our tab. We had previously arranged for a babysitter to come to our cabin to watch the children and were looking forward to a nice relaxing evening dinner - just the two of us. We entered the dining room, were greeted with a smile and escorted to a table in the middle of the upper level of the dining room overlooking the balcony - perfect. The sommelier had just taken our wine order when who should appear at the entrance of the dining room but the man who insisted he was also in Cabin #2 and his sunburned 8 year old son. Even though we had all four seats at our table reserved in case we wanted to bring our children to dinner, the guy told the staff that he was in Cabin #2 so they escorted him to our table and seated him and his son in the two empty seats.

For a moment I was stunned and decided that we might as well get through this one evening and then take care of the matter. But as he droned on about the number of cruises he had been on (5) and the number of languages that his sun-burned son spoke, I decided I had to do something. I made I eye contact with my wife and excused myself for a moment.

I went directly to the Maitre'd and told him we had a problem. Being the first night of the cruise they were prepared to deal with the situation and escorted me down the hall to the library where they had set up table behind an Oriental screen to take care of seating problems. I had to wait until the woman in front of me was told that she could not be moved to a different table because her table was rocking too much!

When I got to the table I explained the situation and was surprised to see that not only did they have a complete schematic of the dining room with everyone's name on the chart but they actually had notes about a number of tables. When I told him my name, he assured me that the table was indeed ours for the voyage and said that he would send someone to investigate the matter. I volunteered to return with the Asst. Maitre'd but the insisted I remain in the library to avoid any confrontation in the dining room (!).

When the Asst. Maitre'd returned, he whispered something to the Asst. Hotel Manger and the both laughed. It turned out that the gentleman who claimed to be in Cabin #2 was actually part of the staff that had been brought onboard for spring break week. He was indeed in a Cabin #2 but it was a crew cabin, forward on Verandah deck. By the time I returned to the dining room he had left our table and been escorted to his proper table.

For the remainder of the trip every time I left my lounge or deck chair next to my wife I looked around to make sure that the other guy who claimed to be in Cabin #2 didn't try to take my spot.

Yes, I did check the tab on the last night to make sure there were no extra charges. Maybe I sounded like a bit of a snob but I really was looking forward to days with the kids and evenings with my wife. A whole week of dinner with a stranger and his son was not part of the plan.

I think he may not have realized what he was getting into when he signed up for the cruise. He may have been expecting a passenger cabin and when he didn't get one he just coulnd't bring himself to admit he was really part of the crew - especially in front of his son.

On the same cruise we also met the ship's doctor who was fininshing up a 4 week tour of duty and we had a great time with him and his wife.

Then.. the spanish people not making fun but we could not understand us or we them but boy could they eat. thin couple but at least 2 entrees and two desserts each night. the rest of us at this table of 10 just looked in amazement. our waiter seemed a little annoyed because we would all be waiting for them to finish every course before he could serve the next.

Only the Rembrandt and the Pacific Princess I lucked out. All the others always had an 8 ball.

Regal Empress: Carl the cling and Sam the silent

Very needy person who insisted on having a drink with me. Me: No thank you, He: I'll buy you one.Me no thanks, I need some time alone. Carl onto the next person. Sam said not a word at dinner. Spent whole cruise in the casino.

Sea Breeze: Newman the Newt

A sulking loner who looked just like actor Wayne Knight and from Northeast Philadelphia: NEWT is an acronym for someone from that part of town.
He lied about his Ivy League credentials and sulked at dinner the rest of the cruise.

Rembrandt: Snuffy Smith-one luncheon

A Texas redneck with a silver DA and a Mickey Mouse undershirt who complained about everything.
Returned the Jalepeno peppers since they were not hot enough. Brought spices he grew on his own farm. Accross from him was a very nice black lesbian nurse from Cleveland. Watching the 2 make conversation was hilarious.

Norway: Babbling Bernice

A setugenarian from Miami with shoe polish black hair who spoke like Fran Dresher, looked and dressed like a cross between Fran Dresher and Marisa Tomei from My Cousin Vinny but 30 years older.