It's easier to live in the cabin if you keep it tidy. I don't toss trash on the floor at home or leave my clothes strewn all over, so I don't do those things on a cruise.
It’s only common courtesy to not make extra work. That and we should be keeping the area for our own enjoyment. Unfortunately due to health reasons I have recently been unable to keep things as neat and clean as I usually did. I make sure that I thank and recognize the work. I try and provide a little direct compensation to the stewards. I consider this part of my healthcare. Mind you I do my best. If I can afford to take what as a child would have been a dream vacation I can afford a few bucks and and courtesy. Peace.
@@anthonymori1898 Common courtesy is hard to find these days. I had cabin neighbours who took great delight in deliberately leaving clothing and other items strewn around their cabin just because "they paid for the service in the fare". They would later complain that the steward had interfered with their personal belongings. I only found out about the complaint on the last day when talking to the steward and don't know the outcome.
@@aussiejohn5835 it’s sad let’s as ya amazed me. Way back I had family who too jobs st Cunard to help get out of the Pits. They sent money home and had a nice bundle to start a business. One cousin in particular did well retiring with a very nice home electric shop. I try snd put myself in the place of others. I stand on the shoulders of hard working folks. It’s the least I can do is to respect. I have had discussions we it’s folks they do this. I’ve often found them to not be the best at their jobs. Lashing out at the world for their own failures. We can only hope to balance their disrespect. I’ve trained my kids to not only be respectful, but go see the positives respect will get us. We’re these folks on Carnival by as my chance?
Another thing about jumping off the balcony: even if it's water-side in port, unless you hit the water in a specific way, you WILL break bones. I remember from my Navy training that if you have to ditch the ship always go in feet-first, ideally with toes pointed, otherwise, surface tension can crush your limbs.
Honestly I had a cruise where my next door neighbour intentionally jumped off the 10th floor and we never found her body. I can’t imagine someone doing that for “ fun”
@@A.a.319 Pretty sure myth busters tested that and it was myth, the ideal position is feet first toes pointed this first comment was correct just google how to dive from large heights
We had a problem with one of our carnival cruises where we kept being woken up in the early hours by youngsters running up and down corridors. It took a phone call to ask for this too be stopped. Unfortunately the parents of the youngsters would not stop them. So when we reached the next port three days later they were escorted from the ship before anyone else was allowed to disembark. You could hear the cheers from the passengers watching. A lesson I hope they learned.
I was on carnival ship were kids were running up and down the hall banging on doors at 3 am I called security every night Nothing happened I don`t cruise carnival
I think there should be family only and adults only decks. This goes for hotels also. The number of self entitled adults posing as parents is really a problem.
@ashleighjaimaosborne3966 I would hope that would only be families with kids under a certain age; my son is 16 and well past the running and being loud stage; I’d be mad to be placed in with that group simply because my son is a minor.
When my husband and I cruise, we ask the steward not to make our bed, and asked that they only clean the bathroom and take the trash. He was very appreciative. We saw no need in all the extra effort making the bed everyday. Also never forget to tip the steward generously, they work hard and deserve it!
That is a nice thing for the employees. When I am staying In hotels I often say to the service staff yhay yhey don't need to do anything in my room today. I know how they are under pressure. I am just afraid that hotel and cruise companies one day will start (or may be yhey did already?) calculating with this, as in "20% of the people don't want to have their rooms in our hotel/on our ship cleaned, so we can rise the cleaning quota for our employees by 20."
@@hassanalihusseini1717 In hotels, I put the "Do Not Disturb" sign or electronic light or whatever on as soon as the Room Boy has shown me the room features and deposited my luggage. I leave it on throughout my stay until I check out. I just want privacy. I don't want people moving my things around or touching things in my room. If I see housekeeping staff in the hall, I may ask for extra towels or water bottles at that time, or a particular cleaning service at that time, but otherwise, I just don't want staff in my room. I feel like I've lost control over my life. Of course, I'm naturally a tidy person (I know, I've had piggy room-mates who toss trash everywhere on the floor and furnishings.) I don't care if I miss out on a chocolate on my pillow with the extra bed turn down service. I can ask housekeeping for extra chocolates when I see them in the corridor.
Can't believe people disagree with leaving your cabin clean, It's basic hygiene and common decency to leave things tidy when you use them, regardless if someone is paid to clean it or not.
@liamholcroft7212 I agree…also it’s a lot easier to find your things and pack up before leaving to go home. I’ve rarely had items go missing anywhere I’ve stayed by simply keeping my things in order.
Fire onboard a ship is VERY DANGEROUS and the SMOKE is much worse. As a former Coast Guardsman running drills on a cutter, smoke rapidly disperses though the ship. Despite the HVAC being shut down, it still spreads. Further, I was privy to the discussions of these large atrium designs premiering in the early 1990s. The main discussions were, "How do we get the smoke out, how fast, and how to stop it from spreading." It was all for passenger and crew safety.
In most hotels now, if you are staying multiple nights, if you hang your towels in the bathroom to dry, they will not be changed out by cleaning staff. Since I am usually clean when I exit the shower, I hang my towel and use it multiple days. I also tidy up the bed and leave a note that I do not need sheets changed. Better for the cleaning staff and better for the environment. And on the last day, except for the rubbish bins, I leave the room better than I found it. I was a Girl Scout and this motto about leaving places better than you found them, really stuck with me.
I'm not surprised people were banned permanently for jumping off the ship into open water or climbing up on the balcony railing for a photo op. Cruise ships undoubtedly pay a cruel amount for insurance. They don't need guests who may get injured due to their own foolishness and then, predictably, sue the cruise line.
My friend grabbed a can of soda at the bar downstairs and drank in the cabin. The steward saw the can in the trash and charged her for the mini bar. Guest services corrected.
As a retired Royal Navy sailor I can vouch for most of the points raised. Obviously a Navy warship comes with lengthy list of do's and dont's. The number one dreaded event for any ship at sea is indeed fire, by nature of being a warship there's a lot of combustible equipment on board, fire risk assessments are carried out literally every day. Training in fire containment and actual fire fighting is rigorously carried out, as are drills, at any time with no warning. The second most dreaded risk is a crewman going overboard, life like dummies are thrown overboard attached to the ship by a long line, the victim is usually recovered. Going overboard during an actual engagement may well result in no rescue attempt, the captain wouldn't risk the ship for one seaman. Very interesting video, thanks.
I can’t believe people actually jump off their balcony or smoke on their balcony! I try to keep my cabin as neat as possible when I leave in the morning for the cabin steward, and I never leave anything plugged in to charge. Regent includes everything you want stocked in your fridge, including water and sodas. Neodymium batteries are extra strong and do not damage doors or walls. I always take a few plastic clothespins to use on the retractable clothesline. And yes, by all means use the “do not disturb sign”!
Another thing not to do is leave the door to the bathroom open while you're taking a shower or you might find an officer & 2 firefighters in the room! Apparently, the steam of the hot shower set off the smoke alarm. The crew called my cabin & I didn't answer. They knocked on the door & I didn't hear them. So they let themselves in looking for a fire. I was so embarrassed - not so much that I was covered by a towel because they've seen everything - but that I caused such a fuss.
We were on the Mardi gras last week and towards the end of the cruise 4 security guards had a guy pinned to the ground. The guy and his wife had to stay in their cabin for the remainder of the cruise with a guard outside their cabin 24-7. When we docked they were arrested and I heard it was for illegal drugs on the ship. I also heard they destroyed the room.
I'm a late riser an my precious husband ( 60.Years) eats early a.m. an brings me a tray....so when we meet our room steward we also say, we pull up our own covers an you don't need to come later after your lunch. We r self sufficient an not needy or entitled....After 23 years in USAF Military we have it together.. we pay suggested money tip an then a personal tip for giving us our space to enjoy our cruise. We'll soon sail on our 56th cruise. Fair Winds an Happy Sailing. Blessings to all
Yeah. Same here. I think it was my enlistment in the US Navy which removed the allure most people associate with boarding a large ship and bouncing in and out of ports.
@@kevincrosby1760 Yeah, but it's a lot better to be able to relax and not have to do anything much, while you are cruising! I bet you were constantly working on shipboard when in the Navy.
@@elouise5593 At Sea, pretty much 8:00 to 5:00 for the normal work day, a 4-hour watch sometime outside those hours, wake-ups when things break, and sometimes we had evololutions with other ships at night. The above was for Mon-Sat, the normal underway work week. On Sundays every attempt was made to ditch the 8:00-5:00 workday, or at least to move scheduled events to the afternoon to free up mornings for those who chose to attend the Worship Service of their choice.
A great video and a must-watch for everyone. And I couldn't agree more: there's no need to have the steward cleaning an untidy room. I have a colleague who used to work for a hotel. Said the tidiness or untidiness of the guests told them a lot about the people that stayed with them. So that's what they will naturally judge you by.
Agree. I mean I actually have self respect for myself and tidy things up before I leave the cabin. They are there to make beds and empty bins and restock toiletries, not tidy up your shoes and makeup and straighten the bed after you’ve decided to have an afternoon nap on it. If you want a servant bring one on board.
Although I'm not a naturally tidy person at home, I do keep things neat as possible in hotels; because I worked in housekeeping in a motel for a year, and it is appalling how inconsiderate guests can be. Treat the space as you would staying in a friend's home. And if you do, inadvertently, create extra work (a nail polish spill or a sticky snack disaster)--please bring it to someone's attention! Because a professional can address it more effectively than you can and, instead of a damage charge to correct a set-in problem, you simply make their day with an extra gratuity :-)
I cleaned rooms at both very nice hotels, one resort style hotel and a couple of smaller interstate hotels and some people, when they go on vacation, just turn into children. Or pigs. These people sometimes wear nice clothes and have designer luggage and you know very well they don't live like that at home. And I'm not talking about leaving some glasses or drink cans lying around or the bathroom messy- that's just kind of normal traveling mess. I'm talking about disgusting mess- food everywhere, spilled drinks just left with no attempt to wipe it up, ashtrays overturned in beds (back when smoking was allowed in rooms), and personal belongings scattered everywhere so you can't properly clean because you can't touch their things.
I agree about being tidy in your cabin. It is only polite and considerate to try to limit your mess when someone else is cleaning up after you, even if they are paid to do it. In general you will always get a better interaction with someone if you are polite and considerate to them. We all want to enjoy our time.
If anyone smells someone smoking on the balcony illegally please feel free to report it and don’t be afraid of tattling. No one wants a fire like happened on that ship he describes where people actually died from it and get injured.
I was on a cruise once and the lunatics in the next cabin played bongos all night and staged chicken fights. I complained to a crew member and was told it was out of their hands, the boisterous people were foreign dignitaries and they didn't want to cause an international incident by raiding them.
Totally agree with the last tip. I understand it is a stewards job and you don't have to keep your cabin spotless. Still, there is a level of being filthy that is down right disrespectful and degrading to the person having to clean it up.
I’d also recommend don’t sleep in the nude. Once stayed in a single cabin on the QM2 doing a transatlantic and didn’t close the curtains on the last night as I enjoy the early sunshine in the cabin. Seeing the dock workers when I woke up was also fun.
Excellent. Most of these warnings seem like common sense to me - however we all know that common sense is very UNcommon these days. Sad, but true. Thanks for yet another wonderful video!!
My cruise on Norwegian had an empty mini fridge in our oceanview stateroom; when I've stayed in a hotel, I ask for the staff to empty the fridge of the minibar. I want the space in the minifridge, not to be overcharged for items stocked. I also, operate by the policy of asking the staff if not sure of what is prohibited.
I don't cruise, but I always take a picture of the motel mini-fridge and "Guest Basket" contents as soon as i open the door...in a mode which places the Date/Time on the picture. Your bill will reflect how diligent the staff is with the inventory...If items were used by the last guest and not logged when the room was cleaned, then you might end up paying for them.
Was on a Carnival Cruise and we were docking in the morning at Grand Cayman. I stepped out of the shower starkers and 50 feet away on the other side of the dock was a P&O ship and everyone could see into my cabin. I got some claps as I ran to get my bath robe.😁
That guy that jumped literally had like... Idek such a high likelihood of literally dying let alone not even really being injured. The surface tension properties of water at that velocity make it act alot More like concrete than a kitty pool.
Hi Gary San Diego here. We have taken 4 cruises since the restart and we have had an 3 issues every time with a neighbor… one night it was that they were having a party in their room way past midnight and the other one was that we had somebody in our cabin next-door that had their TV at the highest volume possible and the third time out of 4 we had someone with a child that was crying and screaming constantly. All of those issues were solved immediately when we called guest services and complained. We were going to knock on the doors our self but we decided against that calling the front desk is always the best option within 15 minutes we could hear somebody knocking on their cabin door and telling them some thing and immediately the issue was solved that’s the best thing we thought and these were all balcony cabins by the way. With non-connecting doors.
Terrific tips. The noise issue is such a problem when neighbours don't respect the rights of fellow passengers. I totally agree with your point about the very hard working stewards. Also, I always try to have a few words with them each day and leave them a few dollars every few days just to say thank you in a meaningful way. Besides the work they do just think how hard it would be to be away from your loved ones for so long doing such a repetitive job.
This is the main point (noise) why i have never been on a cruise and most probably not going to ever. We use ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm and back, so 2 days trip and this is as long as i can tolerate being among so many people
Five cruises, never had a noise problem....but, in general, people were more respectful of others, (20 yrs ago....) and the existing rules. Also, call your charge card co. So you won’t be rejected buying your very first coach in Puerto Rico.....!.....and, by the end of one, I knew it was time to go home when the bathroom sink water started coming out Brown ! But Obvi we loved them, to have gone on five.....one week was so stormy, 1/3 of the water in the pool Lapped out ! The dining room was practically enjoy, and when it wasn’t, I prayed I wouldn’t, dressed in heels for dinner in the dining room, fall onto another diner’s Lap as we slid to our table....we kept our sense of humor thruout, The Secret to a good time, no matter What ! We were in our young fifties, and so felt very youthful on this cruise we unknowingly booked that was for older people ! A bit disappointing..... but the more interesting the passengers....the calmer the cruise.....no nonsense or drunk pool contests.....which are great if that’s your cup of tea.....
Be considerate of your neighbors when watching tv is really important! I wish more people would do it. 😊 The first thing we tell our room steward (after introducing ourselves) is that we are low maintenance, and like to sleep in, so they only need to check in, in the evening while we are having dinner. We make our beds and have our stuff neatly put away, clothes on hangers and shoes tucked away. This is how you show your respect towards them on a daily basis. 😉
Absolutely agree with keeping your cabin tidy. I do at home/ hotels / cruise ships. I LIKE a tidy cabin and like to assist the cabin steward in his duties.
I love that last tip, Gary. 🙏 It's just respect for the stewards plain and simple; they are someone's daughter, brother, daughter, son etc. Same for Housekeeping staff in hotels.
When I attended Naval Officers School, there's actually a maneuver that's performed to return a ship to the approximate location where an individual went overboard but it has to begin quickly after it's been reported or it won't get the desired results. I took part in several of these during training exercises and it really does work but time of initiation is crucial for any success. The ocean is very large and a head bobbing out of the water, no matter how franticly the person is splashing about, is for all intents lost amongst the waves.
The williamsons turn Weather affects it quite a lot, and the different coefficients of drift between a vessel and a human in water. Basically, do that and hope for the best, if you dont find them after this, you can be pretty sure that if anyine finds anything, it will be a body
Djinn, Yours was training, mine was the real thing 3 times. Soon as man overboard was called a smoke pod was activated and thrown over the side. The watch would then stand there and point at the person while the ship went to man overboard stations. As for me it was run down to the armory, grab an M14 and 2 20 round mags and run topside to watch for sharks. But I could not shoot unless given the order and could not shoot if the shark was within 100 yards of the man. But my standing orders on another subject was shoot to kill even if have to shoot through a hostage no matter who the hostage is. That missile will not leave the ship.
This is why if I ever go on a cruise, I'm not leaving the cabin without a 5mW laser pointer straped to my belt. I figure lasing the bridge should get their attention if I end up in the water.
I am surprised cruise lines don’t electronically ‘restrict’ tv volumes so they can’t go above a certain level. It can be done using the Admin button and I’ve seen it done in hotels.
Do they not just provide headphones? There's HoH people that need TVs up and not every channel/programme has subtitles. Might as well just give us headphone sockets with no volume limiter.
Not a cruise, but we were pleasantly surprised a few years ago to find that our relatively inexpensive chain hotel had volume limiters and would sell you cheap headphones if you preferred. This was welcome, because I detest trying to sleep through a stadium-volume laugh track, et al, going all night.
@@Roadent1241 sorry mate. While I have sympathy, being HOH doesn’t mean you’re free to turn up the volume and keep others awake. It’s not a get out of jail free card. Just as if I’m late for something doesn’t allow me to speed. Bring headphones or Bluetooth to plug in. My partner brings their cordless headphones.
@@xr6lad That's what I said/asked. I understand that. But do they HAVE sockets for that sort of thing? I can bring all the stuff I need but if there's nowhere to plug in an audio cable I'm stuffed and I feel like they just expect you to deal with having the TV at 5 because that's what the hearing are perfectly fine with. The rest of us will just to bring our own entertainment we know we can plug into. Bit of a bad thing if they put an important announcement on because I can't hear or plug into tannoys and I hate having to ask a hearing person what's going on.
When travelling on DCL, the room steward makes towel animals each day. We would make our bed when we were going to head out, and then made our own animals for them to discover. We had a pretty good back and forth with them.
I completely agree with your last point. I know from experience how frustrating it can be to pick up after others and be disregarded by those I'm picking up after. On my first (and only) cruise, me and my brother made sure to keep our cabin organized with everything where it was supposed to be. In fact, at the end I heard from my mother who had spoken with the stewards that he appreciated how neat we left our cabin.
@@David-tb3ri Even tho cleaning up is their job, does that include your leaving a 💩 on the floor for them to clean up? I think not! If you drop it, pick it up. If you open it, close it. Exercise basic common sense for yourself and respect for others serving you.
@@David-tb3ri their job is to make the room presentable. Not to be your mother. Grow up, have some self respect and not leave it as if you were a bum living in it
You sound like a very thoughtful guy! I was impressed with your suggestion on being kind to stewards by minimizing the mess in your cabin. It's sad that there aren't more considerate people on this planet
I’ve definitely heard the neighbours have sexy fun times on their balcony. I was an unwilling, hearing ‘spectator’. I was stuck on my balcony for a while until they’d finished and gone in because I was so embarrassed for them and the door into the cabin was not quiet
Not only is keeping your cabin tidy easier on the steward but with so little space, it's easier and more comfortable for you. It's just preferable to keep things straight because it can get away from you quickly. When my family went, there was 4 of us and after all of us changing and getting our things together to go into port, if we didn't make sure everything was put up, we would have forgotten half of what we needed because it would have gotten lost on the counter top with everything else not put away. And also had to trip over everything trying to leave and return.
One of those inconveniences that are actually a benefit since you come back to a clean room even if they hadn't cleaned for you. The other nice thing about small living quarters is when you get back home, your house feels HUGE! Even a budget hotel room feels big. 😁
I’ve been a subscriber for a long time. I appreciate your honesty and staying focused on the report. At age 18 (1963!) I was sailing on a WW-II aircraft carrier. I find it amusing to hear people complain about silly things aboard today’s cruise ships. Unbelievable!
@@lifesabeach5405 Some do tours though, when I lived in Hawaii,.. my scout troop took a tour out in the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk. It's a real thing, when the Navy decommissions a ship, especially one with history,... they keep them afloat, and some are basically floating museums. O.P.'s just happened to be from WW-II. Story checks out.
@@MrChase115 How was scouting? You lke being surrounded by little boys? is the Mr. part in your name just a way to intimidate the little boys? ok, I am done with this creep-fest.
Also, I've heard some say they make the bed, but we had a steward tell us they have to make it in a specific way, so if you do make the bed, it actually creates more effort for them.
I suspect an additional reason for the minibar not being included and frowning on cabin parties is that the crew would rather you do your drinking where someone can see you - specifically a bartender. This lets them head off all kinds of probelms that heavy drinking can lead to if they see you overindulging.
I worked as a deck officer and Master on containerships carrying up to 10 passengers - the rule with any ship’s toilet is If you cannot eat it, don’t put it in the toilet! It applies to both sea water fish systems and vacuum flushes.
For the heating element thing, if anyone needs a medical vaporizer or similar, contact the cruise line first, otherwise they can come up under the heating element issue...normally they will allow them, but you need to check in with them ahead of time. A friend of mine had to deal with that with his son who had to use one for lung issues tied into asthma.
Fun tip if you take kids on a cruise make sure you have some cash to leave as a tip for the crew cleaning your room . For me I tend to leave at. Least a 5$ spot daily it worth it and it helps them out as well . Now if you leave more even better for both of you . I have experience by leaving a tip daily they tend to do a better job and also from time to time they will leave gifts for you as well . A personalized notes are the best to receive from the staff. We love hearing from them ! Remember the staff is what makes to trip more enjoyable!!!!!!
I haven’t been on a proper cruise but pretty much live by these rules even when staying in a hotel, especially keeping my room tidy, and I often also put the “do not disturb” sign up if I’m just staying in the room that day or just don’t feel the need for housekeeping to come by (let’s face it, it’s perfectly fine to sleep in a “messy bed” or make the bed yourself) Basically I try to minimize the workload for the staff. Upon checking out I put towels by the sink or on the toilet or leave them on hooks on the wall (so that the staff don’t have to pick stuff up from the floor) and I also put decorative pillows and whatnot on the bed or in a chair, again to just spare the staff from having to pick stuff up from the floor. I have very good hearing so if watching tv I do so very quietly (and even on very very low volume it sounds loud to me and I worry about disturbing neighbors lol) I don’t rumble around the corridors late at night either, and wish those that do, would be more considerate when they go back to their room or cabin as there may be people wanting to sleep or just relax
A lot of common sense and consideration for others in these items, which are qualities that too many people leave on the dock when they embark. The last item: we have been on only one cruise and we made sure, each day, that the cabin staff had as little to do as possible in our cabin - we prefer to be tidy Kiwis. We also left $100 in an envelope on the bed when we left the ship - our travel agent had told us that the ship fares included gratuities, but we thought that a bit extra wouldn't go amiss for our friendly and obliging cabin staff.
Thanks for the great list of reminders. We leave our cabin neat (everything put away) as otherwise I get cranky. And please remember when on your balcony to keep music and conversation low enough that I am not tempted to join the conversation 😎
On one of our cruises, the neighbours put their tv on max volume all.night.long. We complained several times to the steward, as did the people on the other side of them. No improvement. We reported to guest services. They reduced the volume until 2.30am, then jacked it up again. We requested a move to a different cabin but were refused. It almost put us off going again. And this wasn't a cheap line, it was on Celebrity.
@@thomasmaresh5264 don't avoid Celebrity, they are amongst the best! Avoid MSC (in my opinion) as our experience with them was "one and done" with dreadful food and service. If you have a drinks package they aren't interested in serving you a drink and it can take ages to get one. All announcements are in 5 languages and there are lots of them. Officers are only interested in flirting with lady passengers and ignore everyone else. One feels like an intruder to their private party.
I worked off & on in Hospitality for 20yrs. I have found people make messes & such things simply because they do not have to clean them. I've seen it from kids up to the elderly. Sadly some are just jerks.
Great tips, as always! My mother in law was planning to take an extension cord/surge protector on our cruise, but thanks to your tips I let her know they weren't allowed on the cruise line. I never did see one in her cabin so hopefully that means she didn't pack one, but you never can tell what advice people will take and what they'll ignore.
I have stayed in many hotels where the TVs have been modified so that they cannot go up to a volume that could annoy people in the next room. I am amazed that cruise lines do not do this. I have also stayed in a hotel with unmodified TVs and my next door neighbour came in at 3:00am and decided to have his TV on at full volume. Sadly some people are selfish idiots.
I also like to keep my cabin neat between steward visits. It's just makes for a nicer stay when you don't leave trash thrown about or leave some big mess. Also, I NEVER put dishes on the floor outside my door. In my opinion, that is not acceptable, although it may be in some hotels where the halls are wider. But on a cruise ship, it's a big problem for the stewards to have obstructions on the floor where they need to move their cleaning supplies around, and it's also a tripping hazard for them and others. That's another reason to keep your used dishes and trays in your room, and not be overly messy while waiting for the steward to pick them up.
Thanks for this informative article. We had a ton of trouble on our Holland America cruise with the man in the cabin next door. He would have his tv on very loudly until well after 2 am every night. We complained every night, then he would bang the wall and swear at us, yet he was not removed from the ship. It totally spoiler our cruise as we were getting very little sleep.
@@Tomallenny Yeah that's my fear keeping me from returning to cruising....I party in the party areas and sleep in my room. Why partying in a room is beyond my comprehension. But that's how trashy people live, I suppose, and I just don't want to have them on the other side of a thin wall. So, I think I have to be careful about picking a cruise cabin.
@@thomasmaresh5264 I have been on 6 cruises and never had bad neighbors, so don't let your fears stop you. Call the customer service desk and complain. They should be able to take care of it. Don't feed into that Tom guy's remarks. He was just trying to be rude. He has said a lot of rude things to other commenters on this chat thread.
I was reminded on my last cruise of the importance of putting that Do Not Disturb sign on the door whenever we were in the cabin. First night of the cruise, my son and I had returned to our cabin to change for dinner, and as I was sitting on my bed in just my underpants, the cabin door popped open and the room attendant attempted to enter and I had to frantically warn her away. After that, hanging that sign was always the first thing I did upon entering the cabin.
One of my little kids opened the door for the cabin steward while I was in my bra and underwear. Felt bad for the steward. No one wants to see that but we all laughed it off. Lol
Vacation or not, I agree with you. It is called respect. I clean up my cabin or hotel room, put things away so that the steward or housekeeping can quickly refresh everything and be on there way. They have limited time, don’t get paid much and it is not their job to be your mom. So on vacay, relax but do tidy after yourselves.
I totally agree with keeping room tidy they aren’t your nurse maid! Ive walked past many rooms with doors open the mess in there! Ive made my bed most of the time I can’t walk away with it unmade. Can’t believe the idiotic things people do on board, we all like to enjoy ourselves but having music & TVs blaring out so others can hear it late into the night or day if in room! Thanks for the tips.
My steward doesn't have to come in my cabin until after the cruise is over. I keep the do not disturb sign on 24/7, keep my cabin tidy and bring my own towels and wash cloths. I need no service at all and I still tip. They love when I am a passenger.
Completely agree with your last point. The less stewards have to clean up after you the more time they have for other service and the cruise line doesn't need to increase staff and charges to subsidize the slobs. Of course I don't go out of my way to clean up extra, but why become a slob because cleaning is paid for? Just like why eat like a pig because it is a buffet?
Yes I definitely agree with keeping your room basically neat so The cabin won’t need so much work to clean and that also helps me feel better when my stuff is organized.
I think it’s ok to use a multi “cube” that plugs into an outlet and is flat - depends on the cruise line and whether there are the more advanced tech products in the cabin and arrangements of available outlets. I don’t like having to make a job of finding time and place for my equipment.
The reason that power strips are banned onboard ships is because the 120v outlets don't have a 120v hot and a common line, they have two 60v hots in opposite phase (double the voltage for 240 outlets). What that means is if you use a power strip and its built in protection trips, you still have a 60v (120v) hot running to the plugged in devices. If the strip tripped because of a faulty device, you could accidentally electrocute yourself. A multi-outlet brick does not have any protection devices, and so does not have that issue. You do still need to unplug it when you leave the room.
Wow good to know! I have been guilty of one or more of these and had no idea.... lol oops. I agree with you on the stewards. I see it as their job is preparing the room for the incoming guests, not cleaning up after the people who are leaving.
Definitely try to keep things neat and organized in the cabin. Not only do I prefer it that way, but making it a bit easier for the stewards seems like the conscientious thing to do.
I agree as well. We always try to straighten somewhat before we leave the cabin. The cabin steward/stewardess always appreciate it. It’s not like we are cleaning the room for them, but we always put things away, never leave dirty clothes out on the bed, etc., and make it so the room can be cleaned quickly.
My father was a WWII Navy man. Although I was born after the war, he instilled in me the absolute necessity of keeping everything clean and neat, no matter where you are. In both hotels and ship suites, I pull up the duvet and fluff the pillows every morning, put everything away, and I always leave $10 to $20 per day on the bed, for the stewards. This is in addition to the tips (which with the American Express Platinum card are always included), but they work so hard, they deserve it. Sometimes I take my girlfriend with me when my husband cannot go on Oceania Riviera, because she’s already overseas, but mostly because she is quiet, like I am, and very clean, and knows everything must be in it’s place in the suite. This was an excellent video, Gary. Luckily, I only travel on Oceania or Regent, and so the clientele is older and quieter, which is what a cruise is for, to me. I want to relax during the day, dress up for dinner, and have peace and quiet overnight - the younger generation just doesn’t get that, or wasn’t taught proper manners. Big ships? Never!
The thing with devices with heating elements is, unlike modern homes where circuits are at least 15 amps, the ones in the cabins are often rated for far less or shared among far more things like lights. It's not a minor thing if you trip a breaker either as a ship's engineer has to go see why it might have tripped before resetting it.
We are on a Princess cruise right now. Our Steward has 19 cabins he is responsible for. I make sure everything is put away and neat if things are on the desk, etc. It’s common courtesy to think about someone other than yourself, especially someone who is serving you.
Thank you for giving the cleaning and cabin crew credit for thier hard work. Not all guests are considerate. The guests sometimes act like spoilt little brats.
Yeah, whenever I'm in a situation that a minimal amount of effort (or even a considerable amount) from me can make someone's job (especially cleaning) easier, I do my best to do it. I don't always have the time/energy to, say, stack the dishes at a restaurant. But it's well worth the effort.
I had no issues with all of the no-nos except for the very scammy issue with the mini bar and hotels and cruise lines. Anyone who does this I put them on a charlatan list and avoid them at all costs one of the reasons I'll probably never cruise. If you're so low class that you have to play a game with drinks then you're not worth my time
I agree with not making the stewards have to clean such a mess. They do work long, hard hours. And just because we’re on vacation doesn’t mean we have to be sons
Yep. I heard they work 10 hours a day, 7 days a week! I am amazed at how nice they are, in spite of it! I couldn't do that job and keep my sanity, much less, my temper!
I agree with your last no no. We always straighten our cabin up to lesson the work of the cabin Stewart. I don’t want them to have so much work because of me.
"Stark bullock naked"....... Gary is my spirit animal!!!!! It IS quite disconcerting to leave the shower and have a attendant in your room. I have also made great use of the sign on the door. 😃
I didn't know about not leaving items on charge if you leave the cabin, and about the cost of using what's in the minibar, so thank you for those tips. I keep my cabin clean and tidy, just like I do my home, as I hate mess!
A lot of crew ships have a slot inside the door to a stateroom where you must insert your room card into, to turn on your lights and provides power to your outlets. So when you leave your stateroom you take your room card which turns everything off.
We always take home in a Ziploc baggie the unused products that come in our cabin shampoo conditioner and hand lotion. And for many years 25+ of cruising we have always donated them to the homeless shelters in the area. They are very appreciative of that that way they are not thrown away by the cruise lines they will be recycled and reused to a much needed your place. FYI
Yeah on the disembarkation day I organised my rubbish into piles so the cabin steward could put the recycling in the recycling and non in general I ended up with 5 piles of drinks cans, soft plastics, single use plastic bottles, normal paper and plastic coated paper. I had no idea how the recycling worked so thought they where decent categories
I have always cleaned my room and keep things tidy, on my last day I strip the beds right down and place everything folded and ready to go for the staff, this helps speed up their day so much when I do this. If everyone did this on leaving the staff would have a better last day as well. As for the mini bar I always take my own drinks and place in the fridge as needed, I just can not afford the jacked up prices on the minibar. I also make sure there is a black marker cross on them so I don’t get them mixed up if they have the same things that I have.
My husband uses a CPAP for breathing and we note that the room needs an extension cord which they provide, usually before we board or we remind them. We do ask for tape to keep it from moving around the floor and When I remember I pack some just in case because its a tripping hazard.
They probably figured since it was shaped like an "adult implement" that they would not touch it with a ten foot pole. I would not touch it. I would just toss it to the fish for their pleasure.
@@Tomallenny How would YOU know what it was shaped like ???!!!! Just SHUT UP! You are very rude. Go find a video game to play, or, better yet, go do your schoolwork! If it's all done, do extra credit.
Never been on a cruise before but as long as they have Wi-Fi I’m fine with a pair of headphones and my phone or tablet to watch movies on The only thing is I suffer with anxiety issues so it’s completely comforting at times for me to fall asleep while the tv is on at times But as long as I can hear it a little but not turned up loud I can totally understand that situation because some people are very light sensitive sleepers that even if you have your tv on at Valium level 5 or 10 it’s too loud for them
Great vid. I use a CPAP and most cabins do not have a plug by the bed I’ve been told to bring an extension cord a few times I’ve been provided a surge protector.
I’ve taken a few cruises and we always treated the cabin just like if we were back home. We never left a wet mess in the bathroom for one another or left a mess for the cabin steward. We went on cruises to relax definitely not to raise hell or party and get drunk.
Extremely good informing video. Actually I think that you deserve your own TV program since everything are so well planned and thought through of the main subject for the video and how you are guiding us through the important steps of your message. I truly wish I had the same skills. It also convinces me even more that cruises are absolutely nothing for me, which I thank you for.
He can show his program on the ship. Else, I turn the channel. A grown ass adult telling other grown ass adults to pick their soaked thongs up is kind of a waste of time. Just reminding you that cruise ships are low class affairs, nice rooms at the Hilton are always available.... .
We are up early to gym we leave it tidy but bed pulled back to air and used towels for collection. Our steward loved to straighten the bed whilst we were at breakfast nothing too much trouble. Of course we rewarded her. She was busy but i think the 5 mins she spent in our cabin straightening bed x emptying bin she was happy to do.
Excellent points and reminders. I appreciate the explanation particular on the context to ships that I wouldn't have known or thought of. I agree, it's just rude to leave a messy cabin for your steward. Besides, it's easier to get around the often slender walk around areas if sharing a cabin when the cabin is tidy.
I totally agree with not leaving your cabin looking like a pigsty.
Absolutely, my Eagle Scout training kicks in. We were told to always leave a place in better condition than when we found it.
It's easier to live in the cabin if you keep it tidy. I don't toss trash on the floor at home or leave my clothes strewn all over, so I don't do those things on a cruise.
It’s only common courtesy to not make extra work. That and we should be keeping the area for our own enjoyment.
Unfortunately due to health reasons I have recently been unable to keep things as neat and clean as I usually did. I make sure that I thank and recognize the work. I try and provide a little direct compensation to the stewards. I consider this part of my healthcare. Mind you I do my best.
If I can afford to take what as a child would have been a dream vacation I can afford a few bucks and and courtesy.
Peace.
@@anthonymori1898 Common courtesy is hard to find these days. I had cabin neighbours who took great delight in deliberately leaving clothing and other items strewn around their cabin just because "they paid for the service in the fare". They would later complain that the steward had interfered with their personal belongings. I only found out about the complaint on the last day when talking to the steward and don't know the outcome.
@@aussiejohn5835 it’s sad let’s as ya amazed me. Way back I had family who too jobs st Cunard to help get out of the Pits. They sent money home and had a nice bundle to start a business. One cousin in particular did well retiring with a very nice home electric shop. I try snd put myself in the place of others. I stand on the shoulders of hard working folks. It’s the least I can do is to respect. I have had discussions we it’s folks they do this. I’ve often found them to not be the best at their jobs. Lashing out at the world for their own failures. We can only hope to balance their disrespect. I’ve trained my kids to not only be respectful, but go see the positives respect will get us.
We’re these folks on Carnival by as my chance?
Another thing about jumping off the balcony: even if it's water-side in port, unless you hit the water in a specific way, you WILL break bones. I remember from my Navy training that if you have to ditch the ship always go in feet-first, ideally with toes pointed, otherwise, surface tension can crush your limbs.
Do they call it humping off where your from? Where we are, it's like a code and a dare.
I normally do a triple back somersault twist with pike.
Throw something large first to break the surface.
Honestly I had a cruise where my next door neighbour intentionally jumped off the 10th floor and we never found her body. I can’t imagine someone doing that for “ fun”
@@A.a.319 Pretty sure myth busters tested that and it was myth, the ideal position is feet first toes pointed this first comment was correct just google how to dive from large heights
We had a problem with one of our carnival cruises where we kept being woken up in the early hours by youngsters running up and down corridors. It took a phone call to ask for this too be stopped. Unfortunately the parents of the youngsters would not stop them. So when we reached the next port three days later they were escorted from the ship before anyone else was allowed to disembark. You could hear the cheers from the passengers watching. A lesson I hope they learned.
I was on carnival ship were kids were running up and down the hall banging on doors at 3 am I called security every night Nothing happened I don`t cruise carnival
I think there should be family only and adults only decks. This goes for hotels also. The number of self entitled adults posing as parents is really a problem.
@ashleighjaimaosborne3966
I would hope that would only be families with kids under a certain age; my son is 16 and well past the running and being loud stage; I’d be mad to be placed in with that group simply because my son is a minor.
When my husband and I cruise, we ask the steward not to make our bed, and asked that they only clean the bathroom and take the trash. He was very appreciative. We saw no need in all the extra effort making the bed everyday. Also never forget to tip the steward generously, they work hard and deserve it!
Great idea ! will use this tip on next cruise
So you tip on top of gratuities?
That is a nice thing for the employees. When I am staying In hotels I often say to the service staff yhay yhey don't need to do anything in my room today. I know how they are under pressure.
I am just afraid that hotel and cruise companies one day will start (or may be yhey did already?) calculating with this, as in "20% of the people don't want to have their rooms in our hotel/on our ship cleaned, so we can rise the cleaning quota for our employees by 20."
@@junehitchcock170 Not all the time on the ship, but occasionally, yes. Especially for room stewards.
@@hassanalihusseini1717 In hotels, I put the "Do Not Disturb" sign or electronic light or whatever on as soon as the Room Boy has shown me the room features and deposited my luggage. I leave it on throughout my stay until I check out. I just want privacy. I don't want people moving my things around or touching things in my room. If I see housekeeping staff in the hall, I may ask for extra towels or water bottles at that time, or a particular cleaning service at that time, but otherwise, I just don't want staff in my room. I feel like I've lost control over my life. Of course, I'm naturally a tidy person (I know, I've had piggy room-mates who toss trash everywhere on the floor and furnishings.) I don't care if I miss out on a chocolate on my pillow with the extra bed turn down service. I can ask housekeeping for extra chocolates when I see them in the corridor.
Can't believe people disagree with leaving your cabin clean, It's basic hygiene and common decency to leave things tidy when you use them, regardless if someone is paid to clean it or not.
Some people are slobs or just inconsiderate. Would love to see the inside of their homes/apartments…..probably very gross! 🤮
@liamholcroft7212
I agree…also it’s a lot easier to find your things and pack up before leaving to go home. I’ve rarely had items go missing anywhere I’ve stayed by simply keeping my things in order.
Fire onboard a ship is VERY DANGEROUS and the SMOKE is much worse. As a former Coast Guardsman running drills on a cutter, smoke rapidly disperses though the ship. Despite the HVAC being shut down, it still spreads. Further, I was privy to the discussions of these large atrium designs premiering in the early 1990s. The main discussions were, "How do we get the smoke out, how fast, and how to stop it from spreading." It was all for passenger and crew safety.
My biggest pet peeve is letting you door slam or parents who let their kids play with cabin doors etc.
In most hotels now, if you are staying multiple nights, if you hang your towels in the bathroom to dry, they will not be changed out by cleaning staff. Since I am usually clean when I exit the shower, I hang my towel and use it multiple days. I also tidy up the bed and leave a note that I do not need sheets changed. Better for the cleaning staff and better for the environment. And on the last day, except for the rubbish bins, I leave the room better than I found it. I was a Girl Scout and this motto about leaving places better than you found them, really stuck with me.
I'm not surprised people were banned permanently for jumping off the ship into open water or climbing up on the balcony railing for a photo op. Cruise ships undoubtedly pay a cruel amount for insurance. They don't need guests who may get injured due to their own foolishness and then, predictably, sue the cruise line.
My friend grabbed a can of soda at the bar downstairs and drank in the cabin. The steward saw the can in the trash and charged her for the mini bar. Guest services corrected.
As a retired Royal Navy sailor I can vouch for most of the points raised. Obviously a Navy warship comes with lengthy list of do's and dont's. The number one dreaded event for any ship at sea is indeed fire, by nature of being a warship there's a lot of combustible equipment on board, fire risk assessments are carried out literally every day. Training in fire containment and actual fire fighting is rigorously carried out, as are drills, at any time with no warning.
The second most dreaded risk is a crewman going overboard, life like dummies are thrown overboard attached to the ship by a long line, the victim is usually recovered. Going overboard during an actual engagement may well result in no rescue attempt, the captain wouldn't risk the ship for one seaman.
Very interesting video, thanks.
) 001
Q
thought U Boats were the No 1 enemy ....
@@IndieVolken A bit before my time, but yes.
I can’t believe people actually jump off their balcony or smoke on their balcony! I try to keep my cabin as neat as possible when I leave in the morning for the cabin steward, and I never leave anything plugged in to charge. Regent includes everything you want stocked in your fridge, including water and sodas. Neodymium batteries are extra strong and do not damage doors or walls. I always take a few plastic clothespins to use on the retractable clothesline. And yes, by all means use the “do not disturb sign”!
Another thing not to do is leave the door to the bathroom open while you're taking a shower or you might find an officer & 2 firefighters in the room! Apparently, the steam of the hot shower set off the smoke alarm. The crew called my cabin & I didn't answer. They knocked on the door & I didn't hear them. So they let themselves in looking for a fire. I was so embarrassed - not so much that I was covered by a towel because they've seen everything - but that I caused such a fuss.
That may be a benefit for some people 🤣🤣🤣
We were on the Mardi gras last week and towards the end of the cruise 4 security guards had a guy pinned to the ground. The guy and his wife had to stay in their cabin for the remainder of the cruise with a guard outside their cabin 24-7. When we docked they were arrested and I heard it was for illegal drugs on the ship. I also heard they destroyed the room.
I'm a late riser an my precious husband ( 60.Years) eats early a.m. an brings me a tray....so when we meet our room steward we also say, we pull up our own covers an you don't need to come later after your lunch. We r self sufficient an not needy or entitled....After 23 years in USAF
Military we have it together.. we pay suggested money tip an then a personal tip for giving us our space to enjoy our cruise. We'll soon sail on our 56th cruise. Fair Winds an Happy Sailing. Blessings to all
Have I ever been on a cruise? No.
Do I have any desire whatsoever to ever go on a cruise? Also no.
Did I watch this entire video anyway? Absolutely 😂
Same here.😂
Yeah. Same here. I think it was my enlistment in the US Navy which removed the allure most people associate with boarding a large ship and bouncing in and out of ports.
@@kevincrosby1760 Yeah, but it's a lot better to be able to relax and not have to do anything much, while you are cruising! I bet you were constantly working on shipboard when in the Navy.
@@elouise5593 At Sea, pretty much 8:00 to 5:00 for the normal work day, a 4-hour watch sometime outside those hours, wake-ups when things break, and sometimes we had evololutions with other ships at night.
The above was for Mon-Sat, the normal underway work week. On Sundays every attempt was made to ditch the 8:00-5:00 workday, or at least to move scheduled events to the afternoon to free up mornings for those who chose to attend the Worship Service of their choice.
My niece was on that Star Princess cruise that caught fire and it was so disturbing for her. She hasn’t cruised since.
A great video and a must-watch for everyone. And I couldn't agree more: there's no need to have the steward cleaning an untidy room. I have a colleague who used to work for a hotel. Said the tidiness or untidiness of the guests told them a lot about the people that stayed with them. So that's what they will naturally judge you by.
Agree. I mean I actually have self respect for myself and tidy things up before I leave the cabin. They are there to make beds and empty bins and restock toiletries, not tidy up your shoes and makeup and straighten the bed after you’ve decided to have an afternoon nap on it. If you want a servant bring one on board.
Although I'm not a naturally tidy person at home, I do keep things neat as possible in hotels; because I worked in housekeeping in a motel for a year, and it is appalling how inconsiderate guests can be. Treat the space as you would staying in a friend's home. And if you do, inadvertently, create extra work (a nail polish spill or a sticky snack disaster)--please bring it to someone's attention! Because a professional can address it more effectively than you can and, instead of a damage charge to correct a set-in problem, you simply make their day with an extra gratuity :-)
I cleaned rooms at both very nice hotels, one resort style hotel and a couple of smaller interstate hotels and some people, when they go on vacation, just turn into children. Or pigs. These people sometimes wear nice clothes and have designer luggage and you know very well they don't live like that at home. And I'm not talking about leaving some glasses or drink cans lying around or the bathroom messy- that's just kind of normal traveling mess. I'm talking about disgusting mess- food everywhere, spilled drinks just left with no attempt to wipe it up, ashtrays overturned in beds (back when smoking was allowed in rooms), and personal belongings scattered everywhere so you can't properly clean because you can't touch their things.
Imagine giving a shit😂
@@mommy2libras mjmmmkmuikymmmp hmyjymkmmym mummy the mom
I agree about being tidy in your cabin. It is only polite and considerate to try to limit your mess when someone else is cleaning up after you, even if they are paid to do it. In general you will always get a better interaction with someone if you are polite and considerate to them. We all want to enjoy our time.
If anyone smells someone smoking on the balcony illegally please feel free to report it and don’t be afraid of tattling. No one wants a fire like happened on that ship he describes where people actually died from it and get injured.
I was on a cruise once and the lunatics in the next cabin played bongos all night and staged chicken fights. I complained to a crew member and was told it was out of their hands, the boisterous people were foreign dignitaries and they didn't want to cause an international incident by raiding them.
Totally agree with the last tip. I understand it is a stewards job and you don't have to keep your cabin spotless. Still, there is a level of being filthy that is down right disrespectful and degrading to the person having to clean it up.
I’d also recommend don’t sleep in the nude. Once stayed in a single cabin on the QM2 doing a transatlantic and didn’t close the curtains on the last night as I enjoy the early sunshine in the cabin. Seeing the dock workers when I woke up was also fun.
Excellent. Most of these warnings seem like common sense to me - however we all know that common sense is very UNcommon these days. Sad, but true. Thanks for yet another wonderful video!!
Hello dear how are you doing?
My cruise on Norwegian had an empty mini fridge in our oceanview stateroom; when I've stayed in a hotel, I ask for the staff to empty the fridge of the minibar. I want the space in the minifridge, not to be overcharged for items stocked. I also, operate by the policy of asking the staff if not sure of what is prohibited.
great idea; thanks
I don't cruise, but I always take a picture of the motel mini-fridge and "Guest Basket" contents as soon as i open the door...in a mode which places the Date/Time on the picture. Your bill will reflect how diligent the staff is with the inventory...If items were used by the last guest and not logged when the room was cleaned, then you might end up paying for them.
@@kevincrosby1760 That's a great idea!
Good tip about the “Do not Disturb” use while showering. Agree with you about keeping the cabin neat.
He never said if the crew member laughed or said " Oh my God!!!""" LOL
Was on a Carnival Cruise and we were docking in the morning at Grand Cayman. I stepped out of the shower starkers and 50 feet away on the other side of the dock was a P&O ship and everyone could see into my cabin. I got some claps as I ran to get my bath robe.😁
That guy that jumped literally had like... Idek such a high likelihood of literally dying let alone not even really being injured. The surface tension properties of water at that velocity make it act alot More like concrete than a kitty pool.
'kiddy' pool.......not 'kitty' pool...js
@creepycrawlers6950 Thanks for that a year later reddit
Hi Gary San Diego here. We have taken 4 cruises since the restart and we have had an 3 issues every time with a neighbor… one night it was that they were having a party in their room way past midnight and the other one was that we had somebody in our cabin next-door that had their TV at the highest volume possible and the third time out of 4 we had someone with a child that was crying and screaming constantly. All of those issues were solved immediately when we called guest services and complained. We were going to knock on the doors our self but we decided against that calling the front desk is always the best option within 15 minutes we could hear somebody knocking on their cabin door and telling them some thing and immediately the issue was solved that’s the best thing we thought and these were all balcony cabins by the way. With non-connecting doors.
Oh my goodness! You have had all the bad luck! I have done 6 cruises and all of my neighbors were quiet.
Terrific tips. The noise issue is such a problem when neighbours don't respect the rights of fellow passengers. I totally agree with your point about the very hard working stewards. Also, I always try to have a few words with them each day and leave them a few dollars every few days just to say thank you in a meaningful way. Besides the work they do just think how hard it would be to be away from your loved ones for so long doing such a repetitive job.
This is the main point (noise) why i have never been on a cruise and most probably not going to ever. We use ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm and back, so 2 days trip and this is as long as i can tolerate being among so many people
But that is why it is called WORK and they get paid for it, rather than FUN and get charged for it.
Five cruises, never had a noise problem....but, in general, people were more respectful of others, (20 yrs ago....) and the existing rules. Also, call your charge card co. So you won’t be rejected buying your very first coach in Puerto Rico.....!.....and, by the end of one, I knew it was time to go home when the bathroom sink water started coming out Brown ! But Obvi we loved them, to have gone on five.....one week was so stormy, 1/3 of the water in the pool Lapped out ! The dining room was practically enjoy, and when it wasn’t, I prayed I wouldn’t, dressed in heels for dinner in the dining room, fall onto another diner’s Lap as we slid to our table....we kept our sense of humor thruout, The Secret to a good time, no matter What ! We were in our young fifties, and so felt very youthful on this cruise we unknowingly booked that was for older people ! A bit disappointing..... but the more interesting the passengers....the calmer the cruise.....no nonsense or drunk pool contests.....which are great if that’s your cup of tea.....
Be considerate of your neighbors when watching tv is really important! I wish more people would do it. 😊
The first thing we tell our room steward (after introducing ourselves) is that we are low maintenance, and like to sleep in, so they only need to check in, in the evening while we are having dinner.
We make our beds and have our stuff neatly put away, clothes on hangers and shoes tucked away. This is how you show your respect towards them on a daily basis. 😉
Absolutely agree with keeping your cabin tidy. I do at home/ hotels / cruise ships. I LIKE a tidy cabin and like to assist the cabin steward in his duties.
Good manners and sign of respect.
I just don’t wreck it in the first place
I love that last tip, Gary. 🙏 It's just respect for the stewards plain and simple; they are someone's daughter, brother, daughter, son etc. Same for Housekeeping staff in hotels.
When I attended Naval Officers School, there's actually a maneuver that's performed to return a ship to the approximate location where an individual went overboard but it has to begin quickly after it's been reported or it won't get the desired results. I took part in several of these during training exercises and it really does work but time of initiation is crucial for any success.
The ocean is very large and a head bobbing out of the water, no matter how franticly the person is splashing about, is for all intents lost amongst the waves.
The williamsons turn
Weather affects it quite a lot, and the different coefficients of drift between a vessel and a human in water. Basically, do that and hope for the best, if you dont find them after this, you can be pretty sure that if anyine finds anything, it will be a body
Djinn, Yours was training, mine was the real thing 3 times. Soon as man overboard was called a smoke pod was activated and thrown over the side. The watch would then stand there and point at the person while the ship went to man overboard stations. As for me it was run down to the armory, grab an M14 and 2 20 round mags and run topside to watch for sharks.
But I could not shoot unless given the order and could not shoot if the shark was within 100 yards of the man. But my standing orders on another subject was shoot to kill even if have to shoot through a hostage no matter who the hostage is. That missile will not leave the ship.
@@samuelschick8813 *Except on CO's orders when responding to EAM or for maintenance at port.
It'd be interesting without that exception. LOL
This is why if I ever go on a cruise, I'm not leaving the cabin without a 5mW laser pointer straped to my belt. I figure lasing the bridge should get their attention if I end up in the water.
@@ryanpayne7707 They look forward, not back, and usually sit in the middle of the ship so they cant see behind them if they tried
I am surprised cruise lines don’t electronically ‘restrict’ tv volumes so they can’t go above a certain level. It can be done using the Admin button and I’ve seen it done in hotels.
Do they not just provide headphones? There's HoH people that need TVs up and not every channel/programme has subtitles. Might as well just give us headphone sockets with no volume limiter.
Not a cruise, but we were pleasantly surprised a few years ago to find that our relatively inexpensive chain hotel had volume limiters and would sell you cheap headphones if you preferred.
This was welcome, because I detest trying to sleep through a stadium-volume laugh track, et al, going all night.
@@Roadent1241 sorry mate. While I have sympathy, being HOH doesn’t mean you’re free to turn up the volume and keep others awake. It’s not a get out of jail free card. Just as if I’m late for something doesn’t allow me to speed. Bring headphones or Bluetooth to plug in. My partner brings their cordless headphones.
@@xr6lad That's what I said/asked. I understand that. But do they HAVE sockets for that sort of thing?
I can bring all the stuff I need but if there's nowhere to plug in an audio cable I'm stuffed and I feel like they just expect you to deal with having the TV at 5 because that's what the hearing are perfectly fine with.
The rest of us will just to bring our own entertainment we know we can plug into. Bit of a bad thing if they put an important announcement on because I can't hear or plug into tannoys and I hate having to ask a hearing person what's going on.
Agree.
Magnetic Hooks are exceptionally handy, they’re easily acquired from Amazon.
When travelling on DCL, the room steward makes towel animals each day. We would make our bed when we were going to head out, and then made our own animals for them to discover. We had a pretty good back and forth with them.
Wow, I bet you do some kick**s keg stands on the top deck when you are not making little towel giraffes for the chambermaid.
I think the towel animals must be an industry wide tradition on cruise ships. They do that on Carnival, also.
I agree with you completely. I may not make the bed but i try to keep things tidy in my cabin no need to make their job harder
I completely agree with your last point. I know from experience how frustrating it can be to pick up after others and be disregarded by those I'm picking up after. On my first (and only) cruise, me and my brother made sure to keep our cabin organized with everything where it was supposed to be. In fact, at the end I heard from my mother who had spoken with the stewards that he appreciated how neat we left our cabin.
that's their job!!!!!
@@David-tb3ri Even tho cleaning up is their job, does that include your leaving a 💩 on the floor for them to clean up? I think not! If you drop it, pick it up. If you open it, close it. Exercise basic common sense for yourself and respect for others serving you.
@@David-tb3ri their job is to make the room presentable. Not to be your mother. Grow up, have some self respect and not leave it as if you were a bum living in it
Yes. While I can imagine people sometimes not wanting to bother employing it., I can't imagine why people would actually argue or disagree with it.
@@David-tb3ri while it is their job, you can make a difference by putting things away.
Excellent advice! We keep a very clean cabin. We don’t want to make more work for the stewards, and find they are more responsive when issues arise.
Who cares if it is clean or not. Shut the damned door and you wont have to worry about the "Judgey Karen's".
I absolutely agree. Cruisers should be considerate of cabin stewards by keeping their cabins tidy. "Lessen the messen"
You sound like a very thoughtful guy! I was impressed with your suggestion on being kind to stewards by minimizing the mess in your cabin. It's sad that there aren't more considerate people on this planet
I’ve definitely heard the neighbours have sexy fun times on their balcony. I was an unwilling, hearing ‘spectator’. I was stuck on my balcony for a while until they’d finished and gone in because I was so embarrassed for them and the door into the cabin was not quiet
Not only is keeping your cabin tidy easier on the steward but with so little space, it's easier and more comfortable for you. It's just preferable to keep things straight because it can get away from you quickly. When my family went, there was 4 of us and after all of us changing and getting our things together to go into port, if we didn't make sure everything was put up, we would have forgotten half of what we needed because it would have gotten lost on the counter top with everything else not put away. And also had to trip over everything trying to leave and return.
One of those inconveniences that are actually a benefit since you come back to a clean room even if they hadn't cleaned for you. The other nice thing about small living quarters is when you get back home, your house feels HUGE! Even a budget hotel room feels big. 😁
I’ve been a subscriber for a long time. I appreciate your honesty and staying focused on the report.
At age 18 (1963!) I was sailing on a WW-II aircraft carrier. I find it amusing to hear people complain about
silly things aboard today’s
cruise ships. Unbelievable!
@@lifesabeach5405 Some do tours though, when I lived in Hawaii,.. my scout troop took a tour out in the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk. It's a real thing, when the Navy decommissions a ship, especially one with history,... they keep them afloat, and some are basically floating museums. O.P.'s just happened to be from WW-II. Story checks out.
Do you remember the name of it?
@@MrChase115 How was scouting? You lke being surrounded by little boys? is the Mr. part in your name just a way to intimidate the little boys? ok, I am done with this creep-fest.
@@Tomallenny you certainly are cree3....
Also, I've heard some say they make the bed, but we had a steward tell us they have to make it in a specific way, so if you do make the bed, it actually creates more effort for them.
I did not know that!
I pull up the covers but don't actually make the bed. Room or cabin looks nicer and things won't get lost in the sheets.
I suspect an additional reason for the minibar not being included and frowning on cabin parties is that the crew would rather you do your drinking where someone can see you - specifically a bartender. This lets them head off all kinds of probelms that heavy drinking can lead to if they see you overindulging.
I worked as a deck officer and Master on containerships carrying up to 10 passengers - the rule with any ship’s toilet is If you cannot eat it, don’t put it in the toilet! It applies to both sea water fish systems and vacuum flushes.
I agree totally I keep my room neat as to not cause my cabin steward any extra work
Hello dear how are you doing?
For the heating element thing, if anyone needs a medical vaporizer or similar, contact the cruise line first, otherwise they can come up under the heating element issue...normally they will allow them, but you need to check in with them ahead of time. A friend of mine had to deal with that with his son who had to use one for lung issues tied into asthma.
Do you know if this includes portable oxygen machines?
@@territimmerman140 Not sure, but if it is a medical necessity, I am sure they would allow it, but you might have to let them know, first.
Fun tip if you take kids on a cruise make sure you have some cash to leave as a tip for the crew cleaning your room . For me I tend to leave at. Least a 5$ spot daily it worth it and it helps them out as well . Now if you leave more even better for both of you . I have experience by leaving a tip daily they tend to do a better job and also from time to time they will leave gifts for you as well . A personalized notes are the best to receive from the staff. We love hearing from them !
Remember the staff is what makes to trip more enjoyable!!!!!!
Why if you have kids do this?
@@Every1ShouldSparkle kids tend to make more of a mess lol 😆
But leave a tip anyway
I haven’t been on a proper cruise but pretty much live by these rules even when staying in a hotel, especially keeping my room tidy, and I often also put the “do not disturb” sign up if I’m just staying in the room that day or just don’t feel the need for housekeeping to come by (let’s face it, it’s perfectly fine to sleep in a “messy bed” or make the bed yourself)
Basically I try to minimize the workload for the staff. Upon checking out I put towels by the sink or on the toilet or leave them on hooks on the wall (so that the staff don’t have to pick stuff up from the floor) and I also put decorative pillows and whatnot on the bed or in a chair, again to just spare the staff from having to pick stuff up from the floor.
I have very good hearing so if watching tv I do so very quietly (and even on very very low volume it sounds loud to me and I worry about disturbing neighbors lol)
I don’t rumble around the corridors late at night either, and wish those that do, would be more considerate when they go back to their room or cabin as there may be people wanting to sleep or just relax
A lot of common sense and consideration for others in these items, which are qualities that too many people leave on the dock when they embark. The last item: we have been on only one cruise and we made sure, each day, that the cabin staff had as little to do as possible in our cabin - we prefer to be tidy Kiwis.
We also left $100 in an envelope on the bed when we left the ship - our travel agent had told us that the ship fares included gratuities, but we thought that a bit extra wouldn't go amiss for our friendly and obliging cabin staff.
Thanks for the great list of reminders. We leave our cabin neat (everything put away) as otherwise I get cranky. And please remember when on your balcony to keep music and conversation low enough that I am not tempted to join the conversation 😎
On one of our cruises, the neighbours put their tv on max volume all.night.long. We complained several times to the steward, as did the people on the other side of them. No improvement. We reported to guest services. They reduced the volume until 2.30am, then jacked it up again. We requested a move to a different cabin but were refused. It almost put us off going again. And this wasn't a cheap line, it was on Celebrity.
The dude next door to me started acting up too, with some mischief but it was the last day of a 7 day cruise. So I never complained.
When they go to sleep at 6 am, play some loud music. And leave your cabin for breakfast.
Thank you. I'll avoid Celebrity. I'm considering MSC, which is Italian. Are italians loud?
@@thomasmaresh5264 don't avoid Celebrity, they are amongst the best! Avoid MSC (in my opinion) as our experience with them was "one and done" with dreadful food and service. If you have a drinks package they aren't interested in serving you a drink and it can take ages to get one. All announcements are in 5 languages and there are lots of them. Officers are only interested in flirting with lady passengers and ignore everyone else. One feels like an intruder to their private party.
@@evelynhillier2877 ok thanks!
I worked off & on in Hospitality for 20yrs. I have found people make messes & such things simply because they do not have to clean them. I've seen it from kids up to the elderly. Sadly some are just jerks.
Ship tap water has higher standards than most American cities. We alway refill our easy to carry water bottles.
Great tips, as always! My mother in law was planning to take an extension cord/surge protector on our cruise, but thanks to your tips I let her know they weren't allowed on the cruise line.
I never did see one in her cabin so hopefully that means she didn't pack one, but you never can tell what advice people will take and what they'll ignore.
I took a power strip with me on a cruise back in 2006, but ended up not using it due to lack of need, without knowing about any rules concerning it.
I've always taken an extention cord and power strip. Surge protectors are not allowed but I have never had a issue with the other on 10 cruises
power strips are ok as long as they don't have a surge protector..
@@melissajohnson2935 I have also heard that extension cords are fine.
Your mother in law hot? You think about her alot?
I have stayed in many hotels where the TVs have been modified so that they cannot go up to a volume that could annoy people in the next room. I am amazed that cruise lines do not do this. I have also stayed in a hotel with unmodified TVs and my next door neighbour came in at 3:00am and decided to have his TV on at full volume. Sadly some people are selfish idiots.
I also like to keep my cabin neat between steward visits. It's just makes for a nicer stay when you don't leave trash thrown about or leave some big mess. Also, I NEVER put dishes on the floor outside my door. In my opinion, that is not acceptable, although it may be in some hotels where the halls are wider. But on a cruise ship, it's a big problem for the stewards to have obstructions on the floor where they need to move their cleaning supplies around, and it's also a tripping hazard for them and others. That's another reason to keep your used dishes and trays in your room, and not be overly messy while waiting for the steward to pick them up.
Thanks for this informative article. We had a ton of trouble on our Holland America cruise with the man in the cabin next door. He would have his tv on very loudly until well after 2 am every night. We complained every night, then he would bang the wall and swear at us, yet he was not removed from the ship. It totally spoiler our cruise as we were getting very little sleep.
Rent a hotel room and leave the cruising for the trailer park crowd. Problem solved.
@@Tomallenny Yeah that's my fear keeping me from returning to cruising....I party in the party areas and sleep in my room. Why partying in a room is beyond my comprehension. But that's how trashy people live, I suppose, and I just don't want to have them on the other side of a thin wall. So, I think I have to be careful about picking a cruise cabin.
@@Tomallenny You are really rude, yourself! Talk about trailer park.....
@@thomasmaresh5264 I have been on 6 cruises and never had bad neighbors, so don't let your fears stop you. Call the customer service desk and complain. They should be able to take care of it. Don't feed into that Tom guy's remarks. He was just trying to be rude. He has said a lot of rude things to other commenters on this chat thread.
I agree with you in keeping your cabin tidy to help out the cabin stewards.
I was reminded on my last cruise of the importance of putting that Do Not Disturb sign on the door whenever we were in the cabin. First night of the cruise, my son and I had returned to our cabin to change for dinner, and as I was sitting on my bed in just my underpants, the cabin door popped open and the room attendant attempted to enter and I had to frantically warn her away. After that, hanging that sign was always the first thing I did upon entering the cabin.
One of my little kids opened the door for the cabin steward while I was in my bra and underwear. Felt bad for the steward. No one wants to see that but we all laughed it off. Lol
It's weird that they are coming into people's rooms that late without knocking. Hmmm.
Vacation or not, I agree with you. It is called respect. I clean up my cabin or hotel room, put things away so that the steward or housekeeping can quickly refresh everything and be on there way. They have limited time, don’t get paid much and it is not their job to be your mom. So on vacay, relax but do tidy after yourselves.
I totally agree with keeping room tidy they aren’t your nurse maid!
Ive walked past many rooms with doors open the mess in there! Ive made my bed most of the time I can’t walk away with it unmade.
Can’t believe the idiotic things people do on board, we all like to enjoy ourselves but having music & TVs blaring out so others can hear it late into the night or day if in room!
Thanks for the tips.
My steward doesn't have to come in my cabin until after the cruise is over. I keep the do not disturb sign on 24/7, keep my cabin tidy and bring my own towels and wash cloths. I need no service at all and I still tip. They love when I am a passenger.
The only line I have found with the mini bar included in Cunard. I do love the unlimited mini bar and room service breakfast on my atlantic crossings.
Completely agree with your last point. The less stewards have to clean up after you the more time they have for other service and the cruise line doesn't need to increase staff and charges to subsidize the slobs. Of course I don't go out of my way to clean up extra, but why become a slob because cleaning is paid for? Just like why eat like a pig because it is a buffet?
Yes I definitely agree with keeping your room basically neat so The cabin won’t need so much work to clean and that also helps me feel better when my stuff is organized.
I think it’s ok to use a multi “cube” that plugs into an outlet and is flat - depends on the cruise line and whether there are the more advanced tech products in the cabin and arrangements of available outlets. I don’t like having to make a job of finding time and place for my equipment.
The reason that power strips are banned onboard ships is because the 120v outlets don't have a 120v hot and a common line, they have two 60v hots in opposite phase (double the voltage for 240 outlets). What that means is if you use a power strip and its built in protection trips, you still have a 60v (120v) hot running to the plugged in devices. If the strip tripped because of a faulty device, you could accidentally electrocute yourself.
A multi-outlet brick does not have any protection devices, and so does not have that issue. You do still need to unplug it when you leave the room.
Wow good to know! I have been guilty of one or more of these and had no idea.... lol oops. I agree with you on the stewards. I see it as their job is preparing the room for the incoming guests, not cleaning up after the people who are leaving.
Definitely try to keep things neat and organized in the cabin. Not only do I prefer it that way, but making it a bit easier for the stewards seems like the conscientious thing to do.
Nobody cares Linda.
@@Tomallenny You are so RUDE!
Totally agree with leaving the cabin in good order. Bag your soda cans, snack packs, etc make less work for cabin crew.
My cousin died from jumping off a boat. His neck snapped when he hit the water. He was a twin and this was extremely traumatic for everyone.
How horrible! My condolences
So sad! Sorry to hear.
I agree as well. We always try to straighten somewhat before we leave the cabin. The cabin steward/stewardess always appreciate it. It’s not like we are cleaning the room for them, but we always put things away, never leave dirty clothes out on the bed, etc., and make it so the room can be cleaned quickly.
My father was a WWII Navy man. Although I was born after the war, he instilled in me the absolute necessity of keeping everything clean and neat, no matter where you are. In both hotels and ship suites, I pull up the duvet and fluff the pillows every morning, put everything away, and I always leave $10 to $20 per day on the bed, for the stewards. This is in addition to the tips (which with the American Express Platinum card are always included), but they work so hard, they deserve it. Sometimes I take my girlfriend with me when my husband cannot go on Oceania Riviera, because she’s already overseas, but mostly because she is quiet, like I am, and very clean, and knows everything must be in it’s place in the suite. This was an excellent video, Gary. Luckily, I only travel on Oceania or Regent, and so the clientele is older and quieter, which is what a cruise is for, to me. I want to relax during the day, dress up for dinner, and have peace and quiet overnight - the younger generation just doesn’t get that, or wasn’t taught proper manners. Big ships? Never!
Hello dear how are you doing?
The thing with devices with heating elements is, unlike modern homes where circuits are at least 15 amps, the ones in the cabins are often rated for far less or shared among far more things like lights. It's not a minor thing if you trip a breaker either as a ship's engineer has to go see why it might have tripped before resetting it.
why are people from England so obsessed with Kettles...?
We are on a Princess cruise right now. Our Steward has 19 cabins he is responsible for. I make sure everything is put away and neat if things are on the desk, etc. It’s common courtesy to think about someone other than yourself, especially someone who is serving you.
Thank you for giving the cleaning and cabin crew credit for thier hard work. Not all guests are considerate. The guests sometimes act like spoilt little brats.
I completely agree about keeping a tidy room. Treat it as if you were home.
Yeah, whenever I'm in a situation that a minimal amount of effort (or even a considerable amount) from me can make someone's job (especially cleaning) easier, I do my best to do it.
I don't always have the time/energy to, say, stack the dishes at a restaurant. But it's well worth the effort.
I had no issues with all of the no-nos except for the very scammy issue with the mini bar and hotels and cruise lines. Anyone who does this I put them on a charlatan list and avoid them at all costs one of the reasons I'll probably never cruise. If you're so low class that you have to play a game with drinks then you're not worth my time
Great tips - particularly not making an awful mess in your cabin for the stewards. That truly annoys me
I agree with not making the stewards have to clean such a mess. They do work long, hard hours. And just because we’re on vacation doesn’t mean we have to be sons
Yep. I heard they work 10 hours a day, 7 days a week! I am amazed at how nice they are, in spite of it! I couldn't do that job and keep my sanity, much less, my temper!
I agree with your last no no. We always straighten our cabin up to lesson the work of the cabin Stewart. I don’t want them to have so much work because of me.
NIce of you to bring your neurotic tendencies on vacation. I thought the whole point was to forget the stupidity.
"Stark bullock naked"....... Gary is my spirit animal!!!!! It IS quite disconcerting to leave the shower and have a attendant in your room. I have also made great use of the sign on the door. 😃
I didn't know about not leaving items on charge if you leave the cabin, and about the cost of using what's in the minibar, so thank you for those tips. I keep my cabin clean and tidy, just like I do my home, as I hate mess!
A lot of crew ships have a slot inside the door to a stateroom where you must insert your room card into, to turn on your lights and provides power to your outlets. So when you leave your stateroom you take your room card which turns everything off.
If the mini bar is open without inserting cash I'm drinking it for free. I'll swear it was empty to start
Lol at "Your efforts may be recorded" That line had me rolling. Great review on No No's #subscribed
We always take home in a Ziploc baggie the unused products that come in our cabin shampoo conditioner and hand lotion. And for many years 25+ of cruising we have always donated them to the homeless shelters in the area. They are very appreciative of that that way they are not thrown away by the cruise lines they will be recycled and reused to a much needed your place. FYI
Yeah on the disembarkation day I organised my rubbish into piles so the cabin steward could put the recycling in the recycling and non in general I ended up with 5 piles of drinks cans, soft plastics, single use plastic bottles, normal paper and plastic coated paper. I had no idea how the recycling worked so thought they where decent categories
I have always cleaned my room and keep things tidy, on my last day I strip the beds right down and place everything folded and ready to go for the staff, this helps speed up their day so much when I do this. If everyone did this on leaving the staff would have a better last day as well.
As for the mini bar I always take my own drinks and place in the fridge as needed, I just can not afford the jacked up prices on the minibar. I also make sure there is a black marker cross on them so I don’t get them mixed up if they have the same things that I have.
Thanks Karen.
@@Tomallenny Tom, stop trolling just to leave rude comments! How old are you, 12?
My husband uses a CPAP for breathing and we note that the room needs an extension cord which they provide, usually before we board or we remind them. We do ask for tape to keep it from moving around the floor and When I remember I pack some just in case because its a tripping hazard.
I did the no-no and packed a candle but never got caught. I know now how stupid that was and have not done that since. Thank you for the information!
They probably figured since it was shaped like an "adult implement" that they would not touch it with a ten foot pole. I would not touch it. I would just toss it to the fish for their pleasure.
@@Tomallenny How would YOU know what it was shaped like ???!!!! Just SHUT UP! You are very rude. Go find a video game to play, or, better yet, go do your schoolwork! If it's all done, do extra credit.
Never been on a cruise before but as long as they have Wi-Fi I’m fine with a pair of headphones and my phone or tablet to watch movies on
The only thing is I suffer with anxiety issues so it’s completely comforting at times for me to fall asleep while the tv is on at times
But as long as I can hear it a little but not turned up loud I can totally understand that situation because some people are very light sensitive sleepers that even if you have your tv on at Valium level 5 or 10 it’s too loud for them
Great vid. I use a CPAP and most cabins do not have a plug by the bed I’ve been told to bring an extension cord a few times I’ve been provided a surge protector.
I hope on the newer ships, they have that changed!
I’ve taken a few cruises and we always treated the cabin just like if we were back home. We never left a wet mess in the bathroom for one another or left a mess for the cabin steward.
We went on cruises to relax definitely not to raise hell or party and get drunk.
Extremely good informing video. Actually I think that you deserve your own TV program since everything are so well planned and thought through of the main subject for the video and how you are guiding us through the important steps of your message. I truly wish I had the same skills.
It also convinces me even more that cruises are absolutely nothing for me, which I thank you for.
He can show his program on the ship. Else, I turn the channel. A grown ass adult telling other grown ass adults to pick their soaked thongs up is kind of a waste of time. Just reminding you that cruise ships are low class affairs, nice rooms at the Hilton are always available....
.
We are up early to gym we leave it tidy but bed pulled back to air and used towels for collection. Our steward loved to straighten the bed whilst we were at breakfast nothing too much trouble. Of course we rewarded her. She was busy but i think the 5 mins she spent in our cabin straightening bed x emptying bin she was happy to do.
Excellent points and reminders. I appreciate the explanation particular on the context to ships that I wouldn't have known or thought of. I agree, it's just rude to leave a messy cabin for your steward. Besides, it's easier to get around the often slender walk around areas if sharing a cabin when the cabin is tidy.
Sorry, I'm not on What's app
I certainly agree with your comment about cabin tidiness. I believe it should be basic good manners to not be a grot!