Having finally put the bags out for collection, one wonders if it's worth going to bed - you know that announcements will start around 0600 - the first 'Good Morning' blurb by (sounds to me like) an overly cheerful sounding Cruise Director or the like who is desperate to see the back of you. Then, for at least the next 3 hours we are harangued to do this, do that, go there, stay here, don't sit there etc. etc. and the endless 'pages' to the morons who have not paid their bill - surely the night staff could annoy them between 0200 and 0600 hours, jog their memories and collect what's owing thereby allowing others an extra hour of sleep......many of us face a very long day to complete the journey home. Have to say that most HAL personnel do project the 'we loved having you' image - it's the one saving grace.

On our last trip we arrived at the airport (FLL) at 0945 - our flight was not scheduled to depart before 1500 (it was about an hour late) - you can't check in; you can't stow anything; buggies are in short supply and again the announcements keep coming - "unattended luggage.....You know the rest.....maybe a post- cruise night at the Line's chosen hotel - costly! - but - your room will not be available until at least noon

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY - we've yet to find it!

[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Green ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bmajor:
The only thing that annoys me
is the new word that has crept
into the language......

debarking ........

---

Well us Brit's don't use it! We still 'disembark'.

[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Green:

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY - we've yet to find it!

---

I too noticed that crew would be less friendly on the disembarkation day...mostly because they want to get all the pax off the ship ASAP so they can go ashore and do the neccessary once-a-week duties, like going to the post office, making phone calls to home, etc. Disembarkation day is one of the most stressful days for crew on cruise ships, because there is so much going on, so much to do, you've done your job for a whole week, maybe even made some friends, all the pax leave, then in a short time a whole new group of pax comes onboard...and then once again the smiles come on and your job starts again for another week.

[ 04-10-2004: Message edited by: Barryboat ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barryboat:
One annoyance I have is when passengers rush to get off the ship like a mad cattle call. Take your time, relax. A lot of the fault goes to the passengers who seem to think they absolutely MUST be the first to leave the ship.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Green:
THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY - we've yet to find it!

---

Don't NCL's Freestyle supposedly offer a more civilised was to debark (I mean disembark!)

Then in the era when Amtrak was run by non-railroaders, they used the word "detrain," which I always thought was worse. Now, in more professional hands, "detrain" is forbidden. I have not been aboard in recent years to know what word is used. I remember conductors saying "Exit," as in "Exit through the doors on the front of the car," which seemed to suffice.

The rubbishy "art" and endless art auctions that seem to feature aboard every ship with tripy paintings even replacing some of the artwork commissioned for public areas.

Passengers who choose the narrowest alleyway/ busiest doorway to hold interminable conversations.

Passengers at the breakfast buffet who inspect every rasher of bacon as though there is a winning piece lurking somewhere, then totter to the coffee/ tea machines to dither for ten minutes over making a cup of tea.

90% of shipboard shows which confuse sequins and noise with style, wit and invention.

I LOVE:

Seeing my cabin for the first time.

Sunset walks alone on deck.

Days in ports you've been to before, when you can have the entire ship to yourself.

High Obeservation Lounges overlooking the bow.

Arriving in/ sailing from ANYWHERE (but especially Sydney and San Francisco.

Waterloo Station because it signals the start of another flying-free cruise.

Being on any ship for however long whenever I can get there.

Another thing I really can't stand is to see cigarette butts, plastic cups, etc., in the scuppers. Or when folks think that on top of the nearest garbage can is the best place to sit a dozen empty glasses....especially if they're filled with cigarette butts. It's just gross.

On the flip side, one of my favorite things is that split second right before I step aboard......my imagination is ticking at it's finest. My absolute favorite thing is the first walk through all of the public rooms and deck spaces......matchless.

Look folks. For a week you won't be answering phones (until recently, anyway), making beds, doing laundry, working or driving in traffic. So you wait in line for an hour. And 30 minutes in the boad drill. So what?!!

Another is wild, unsupervised kids. I'm all for having fun, but when it affects others' comfort it's another matter. Thankfully, some lines are addressing this.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cambodge:
"De-bark" matches "em-bark....

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

Yes it does, but it's not in my version of the English Dictionary. Just another example of American's messing with my Language!

---

Sorry, Malcom but you seem to need a better dictionary. (Don't we all? ) The word "debark" and its derivation from the french word "debarquer" is in the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). It is NOT a so-called americanization (or americanisation if you prefer, but OED recognizes both -isation and -ization as being correct.)

Brian

P.S. BTW, I think it's a crime that the CD ROM version of the OED 2nd Edition (the best dictionary on the planet) was priced at close to $1000 US so that only university libraries and the idle rich could afford it. If they had priced it at $45 they could have sold
at least 1000 copies for every one they have actually sold and all we mere mortals would be better off for having a copy.

[ 04-24-2004: Message edited by: Brian_O ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brian_O:
The word "debark" and its derivation from the french word "debarquer" is in the OED (Oxford English Dictionary)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Green:
Welllll! - my published in 1964, Fifth Edition, The Concise Oxford Dictionary shows 'debark' = disembark, hence debarkation

Also shows 'disembark'.

---

Right! The = means that the two words are variations rather than mere synonyms. The same situation occurs in French; debarquer = désembarquer. The point of my post was that "debark" is a proper english word rather than an americanisation.