Do you pay attention at safety briefings?

[Boris+]

Hi Jo,

I am simply stating what has happened to us - and not just once. As far as the hot drinks thing was concerned - all I wanted was a hot chocolate, self service (I've got no problem with that) on embarkation day at lunch time. I asked plainly and simply for the sachet of hot chocolate stuff, and five waiters seemed completely unable to understand what I was asking for - they understood ok, they just couldn't be bothered. The orange juice situation - that wasn't in the self service, that was in the QG restaurant.

As far as the fresh fruit was concerned, we ended up going to the self service bit and taking what we wanted - but I most certainly don't pay for QG service and then do it myself all the blasted time because the staff can't be bothered.

I'm not going to go through the whole list, but Cunard aren't going to take me for a sucker again - and our regular cruising pals have independently come to the same conclusions as us.

I hope that others who have booked on Cunard have a great time - me ........ I've had enough second/class service, and so I've cancelled my Cunard cruises and booked elsewhere.

If I'm ever in need of poor service, bad attitude, boring repetitive menus and sloppily prepared accommodation I'll email Alex Polizzi and ask her where to go.

[Dancing Queen]

Well you are entitled to your opinion Em, not one I would agree with and I can assure you I have very high standards.

I have never experienced 'sloppily prepared accommodation' and it surprises me that you have as all suites are checked by the head of housekeeping on a daily basis when they have been serviced, if something wasn't to your liking you should have brought it to his/her attention ( they are always very visible )

I believe the sachets of chocolate are only available at night although I have seen them during the day ( maybe left over from the night before ?? ) but would be most surprised to see them on embarkation day as I don't suppose the staff are expecting people to want hot chocolate in the middle of the day as it is basically ( for most people ) a night time drink.

As for boring repetitive menus .. well now I know you are 'having a giraffe' in addition to the Daily Menu in Grills there is also the A La Carte menu and as you jolly well know it doesn't matter what you ask for you can have it .. I would hardly call that repetitive, would you !!!

[GillD46]

Like Jo we have not experienced such bad service, and in fact we were in the same cruise last winter. Our Butler saw we always ate our grapes first, so he brought me s alarge bunch every day. Our toiletries were always replenished twice a day. Our waiter used to offer me two glasses of orange juice because that is all I drink in the morning, and he fell over himself to accommodate my every whim being a slightly picky eater. And while we have had less than clean cabins on other cruise lines, that is one thing we have never experienced so far on Cunard, be it in Britannia or the Grills cabins. I always get my hot chocolate straight out of the machine.

I can quite understand you feeing unhappy if you received service that was below what you were expecting, but I can assure you it isn't something we have experienced so definitely isn't widespread.

[Silver_Shiney]

I think this thread, although extremely interesting to me, is going WAY off-topic... (and I'm as guilty!!)

[GillD46]

You are quite right, Alan. I apologise.

[Dancing Queen]

I think this thread, although extremely interesting to me, is going WAY off-topic... (and I'm as guilty!!)

That's the nature of some threads Alan they do go off topic as no-one has mentioned safety briefings recently it isn't as if the thread is being hijacked as such.

[Silver_Shiney]

I know, Jo, I just feel it's possibly a tad disrespectful to the OP. As I said, I'm guilty!

[Manoverboard]

It started to go pear-shaped about the 7th of June ... I think that one of the ( other ) Mods should have spotted that.

[Silver_Shiney]

Obviously, then, you weren't paying attention at the briefing when David offered you the job

In an attempt to bring the thread back on track, have you ever noticed that, despite the blandishments of the crew, there is always at least one person who puts his lifejacket on at the beginning of the briefing? Why can't folk obey simple instructions? If they can't understand that, what hope is there if the ship runs into trouble?

[Onelife]

Obviously, then, you weren't paying attention at the briefing when David offered you the job

In an attempt to bring the thread back on track, have you ever noticed that, despite the blandishments of the crew, there is always at least one person who puts his lifejacket on at the beginning of the briefing? Why can't folk obey simple instructions? If they can't understand that, what hope is there if the ship runs into trouble?

Hi Mr Shiney, I can't in all honesty say i've witnessed a passenger slipping on their life jacket during a briefing but as you say I'm sure it dose happen. What infuriates me is when you are seating in a row of passengers where one of them won't stop yakking (cracking jokes) while the safety briefing is taking place.

Regards

Keith

[GillD46]

What I find annoying is those passengers that are ripping apart the velcro while the first in charge is demonstrating how to don the life jacket, despite being asked not to. We know how to wear it - many do not and need to listen.

[Onelife]

What I find annoying is those passengers that are ripping apart the velcro while the first in charge is demonstrating how to don the life jacket, despite being asked not to. We know how to wear it - many do not and need to listen.

Hi Gill, even though I've been on 4 cruises I still feel I need to refresh myself with regard to the fitting of life jackets...must be my age

Regards

Keith

[GillD46]

No I agree, we always listen and watch. We know how to do it, but who knows when ut will change. As it has on Britannia - those were horrible.

[Silver_Shiney]

Hi Mr Shiney, I can't in all honesty say i've witnessed a passenger slipping on their life jacket during a briefing but as you say I'm sure it dose happen. What infuriates me is when you are seating in a row of passengers where one of them won't stop yakking (cracking jokes) while the safety briefing is taking place.

Regards

Keith

Ah yes, Keith, that is a pet hate of mine. Whether it's a safety briefing or not, you might miss an important bit of information because of someone else's inconsideration and selfishness.

[Ranchi]

Over time the safety protocols have changed so while the main message is more or less the same, it makes sense to go to the briefing & try to take in the detail. Having said that, in an emergency You never know how people will react. Own up those who have stuck a knife in the toaster to lift a piece of toast out...double shame if you're a qualified electrical engineer!

[Silver_Shiney]

Over time the safety protocols have changed so while the main message is more or less the same, it makes sense to go to the briefing & try to take in the detail. Having said that, in an emergency You never know how people will react. Own up those who have stuck a knife in the toaster to lift a piece of toast out...double shame if you're a qualified electrical engineer!

That reminds me of when I was doing my avionics apprenticeship and the instructor showed us how to strip a wire with our teeth. Next leave, I was helping my dad put a light up in the loft. He was going to get a knife to strip the cable but I said I'd show him a better way.

The power was still on....

And I'm drifting off-topic again. Sorry

[Dancing Queen]

Over time the safety protocols have changed so while the main message is more or less the same, it makes sense to go to the briefing & try to take in the detail. Having said that, in an emergency You never know how people will react. Own up those who have stuck a knife in the toaster to lift a piece of toast out...double shame if you're a qualified electrical engineer!

That reminds me of when I was doing my avionics apprenticeship and the instructor showed us how to strip a wire with our teeth. Next leave, I was helping my dad put a light up in the loft. He was going to get a knife to strip the cable but I said I'd show him a better way.

The power was still on....

And I'm drifting off-topic again. Sorry

Consider your hands slapped then but it beats stuffing bread rolls into pockets

[wolfie]

I'm sure it will soon be back on topic, even if it IS Cunard again.

So, back on topic.

On our last cruise in May this year, and despite my OH being registered for many years as needing assistance to board, and in the case of emergency, needing assistance from the cabin if I was not there,etc. we found a new condition of using tenders.(Seems there was a fatality this year which brought this about). We duly reported to the designated area on Adonia for THE test! It required my husband to take a longish step, as if boarding a tender. He did this very well BuT, he was in an ON period of his medical problem. IF he was in an OFF period, unable to walk at all, then we would never contemplate boarding a tender, BUT this scenario was never addressed!!!! 12 people attended this tender embarkation test BuT there were many wheelchair, mobility scooter users, and walking stick, etc. passengers, who did not attend. Where were they? One attendee did express their concern at the lack of attendance by these passengers and was told that, passengers would be reviewed at the tender embarkation point!! So, thus holding up those who had attended, and those that did not need to attend the TEST! Why bother?

Who are the jobsworths that think up these H&S rules that nobody adheres to and are not implemented across every ship on the fleet?

So, yes, we listen very carefully to the safety briefings, despite having many cruises and hundreds of days at sea to our name.

[Silver_Shiney]

Perhaps they should do a roll-call at the briefings?

What happens, though, to those pax who, through no fault of their own, arrive for embarkation too late for the briefing?

[Jan Rosser]

Perhaps they should do a roll-call at the briefings?

What happens, though, to those pax who, through no fault of their own, arrive for embarkation too late for the briefing?

At safety briefings on Princess ships they scan your card so they do know who has attended the drills and I seem to remember on Thomson they ticked you off a list when you assembled on deck by your life boat. I presume if you don't attend the briefing they hold another session for the absentees.

[Manoverboard]

On ' Voyages of Discovery ' they check you off but will also fetch the missing passengers out of their cabins to ensure a full turnout ... the briefing waits until everybody ( who is able ) is in attendance.

Exactly how it should work as the idiot who doesn't show up could cause havoc in an emergency situation.

[Dancing Queen]

I seem to remember Celebrity scanned your card and I don't know if RCI still do it but our first two cruises were with them ( many years ago ) and they used to do a roll call at briefings.

[Silver_Shiney]

I like the idea of scanning the cruise cards to ensure full attendance.

Perhaps they should say, when abandoning the ship, that, as you chose not to attend, you can't use the emergency facilities??

[suespud]

[quote="Boris+"]Hi Jo,

Yes, I've been on Arcadia several times - and really enjoyed it. We found that the staff were great, the accommodation was impeccable and the menus etc fitted the bill - just right. We didn't bother much with entertainment, but we had a good time just the same. The only thing I didn't like was the midships lifts which are 'on the outside', the glass ones - but then I don't like those on terra firma either.

Fond memories, and especially Arcadian Rhodes and the Crows Nest (could have got the name wrong, but the bar forward with that lovely curved expanse of glass). The mocktail choice was great - and the lovely hamper of tea/coffee/chocolate and those smashing bikkies in the suite were really lovely. We had aft accommodation several times, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I might just mention one thing though - I'm no longer a Cunard fanatic and I reckon it will be a very very long time before I book on a Cunard outing again. That was then, this is now - but still most definitely cruising.[/quote]

Boris, there is a thread running about Arcadia cabins reviews..where other posters have put cabin/suite numbers and rated them.
As you have been on Arcadia several times..maybe you could share all your experience.

[Boris+]

Oh heck Sue, I don't make a note of the suite numbers - I know roughly where they were, but I can't remember little things like that.

I can clearly remember a corner suite on a deck which was quite high up, but I can't recall the number - and the other suites have all 'gone in a blur'.

Thanks for the heads up about the Arcadia thread though - but I don't think I'd be much help.