Impressive comments from Carnival cruisers about the crew--

[ScreamingMeemie]

Apparently Carnival did something right by hiring the people they did because several of the people they're talking to on CNN have given them top marks for aid and assistance.

[littlewolf]

1. I have been on 2 carnival cruises and

the crew on both were fantastic.
they do not get paid a lot of money
and most depend on tips.
people like the maids, waiters, and busboys.
matri-d and others like him, yes they depend on tips
but they get paid better then the waiters and busboys.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. My mother went on one as well and was really impressed with the service.

[RKP5637]

2. This is sooo good to hear. That ship must be a pure living hell, and one is stuck there. At least

from what I heard on NPR this AM, Carnival, it appears, is giving the passengers pretty good restitution for their misery.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. I cannot imagine what it must be like.

Some of the passengers are taking it in stride and still claiming they're having a wonderful time while others are a bit less than thrilled. It's amazing the wide range of experiences coming off that ship. (CNN is doing a good thing and reuniting them by phone with loved ones , but I wish they would cut out the on-air for the personal conversations)

[Mika]

5. My cousin is a lawyer working for a firm hired by Carnival

After hearing the horror stories, I WILL NEVER SET FOOT ON A CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP!

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. It's not the crew's fault.

It's the corporate idiots' fault.

The crew is being paid a pittance for the joy of sailing the seas serving people. Good to see someone actually cares about passengers.

I would totally set foot on a Carnival cruise ship. Stuff happens. I live just north of Houston and some of the last minute deals on Carnival and Royal Caribbean are amazing.

[Mika]

7. You'd do business with a corporation that exploits labor for a vacation?

I understand our losses of freedom of choice in purchasing 3rd world exploited labor-made products, but, where there's a choice I choose not to participate in exploitation of workers. Period.

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. No... I said I would take a cruise, and tip servers and staff handsomely to make up for the fact

that all of middle-America (myself included) are overworked and underpaid.

If I were to live as pure as we are all striving to, at this point with my income, I'd be homeless (corporations supplied much of the materials that went into my home and I cannot afford to build my own with things grown and fashioned from scratch), naked, and starving on the side of the road. But at least I'd be pure.

[callous taoboy]

9. Please tip well! I drive limo wine tours as a second job, and

I work very hard for those I am driving for. It is a slap in the face to get a bad tip. A 20% tip makes me feel like I have served my clients well, and as a low-paid teacher I can use that dough!

[Egnever]

11. You work very hard?

Sorry but limo driving is not hard work.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. It can be. My brother was an airport limo driver and it was the worse job he ever had. nt

[callous taoboy]

14. I said limo wine tour. I usually end up schlepping many cases of wine to the car,

then I carry the many cases of wine into their rooms at hotels, B & B's. I was accused last weekend of stealing a three pack of expensive wine when it had actually been placed by someone else into the wrong car at the hotel. I put up with them getting drunk all day and rescue them often from making asses of themselves after the fourth or fifth winery. The wineries are packed, I go in with them, eventually get them set up at the bar, pay their tasting fees, fetch bottles of wine for them and run their credit cards and receipts back and forth. I've also had to quell a few fights, clean up piss on the leather seat, and I recently had to talk a drunk woman who was mad at her boyfriend to get back in the car. The people from the other party who were waiting on her in the car were pissed at both her and me. You know not what you speak. Is it like this all the time? No, there are days that are relatively easy, but there is always a lot of legwork and placating involved.

[Grammy23]

10. My hat is off to the hard working staff and crew of cruise ships.

Our cruise to Mexico in 2011 (Mobile to Progresso, Cozumel and back to Mobile aboard the Carnival Elation) was made much better in large part thanks to the waiters, stewards and others who worked so hard to make our trip pleasant. The trio of men who waited on our table (and we requested to go back to them every night, even though we had the "eat when you want to" dining plan and therefore didn't have a preset table) ....this group of men were outstanding and I wrote to Carnival and named them for their outstanding service. We tipped them generously, too. One of them, noting that my husband had ordered a Vegetarian Indian meal one night, offered to prepare a Non-vegetarian Indian meal for him the next night. When we arrived in the dining room, the hostess was already aware of his special meal and commented to us when we checked in that it was being prepared! We were shocked that the man even remembered it, much less had made sure it was noted on our portfolio. And there was NO extra charge for that meal. They interacted with us like we were old friends or family, danced the last night around the dining room with our 7 year old grand daughter (much to her delight!!) and went out of their way to make our cruise fun and worth way more than the bargain fare we paid for! We were treated like first class passengers even though we were not in a suite or high dollar stateroom.

I don't doubt for a minute that the passengers aboard the Triumph have had a stressful, unplanned cruise, but I would doubt that any of that can be attributed to the hard working staff and crew on that ship. If anything, I am guessing that they were working around the clock to try to make things as tolerable as they could under extreme circumstances.

And one other thought on this whole mess with the Triumph...I know they did not get the trip they planned and have been majorly inconvenienced and disappointed. But some people are going to take advantage of this situation and make it sound like they were in hell. Have these people never been through a disaster? I have (hurricanes) and I know that not having running water and electricity is a major pain in the ass. But mark my words, when they get back you are going to hear a variety of "stories" about what they went through. Some of the people are going to exaggerate and embellish their tale just for their 15 minutes of fame. Others will tell of hardship but won't bring out the violins for sympathy. Does it make ANY sense that Carnival would want to make it worse for these passengers and bring on even MORE bad PR??? I know some may flame me for this response, but seriously, if you know humans, then you know some people will complain if they are hung with a new rope. LOL One of my husband's expressions.....

[Hugin]

13. The Carnival Crews have always taken exquisite care of me.

Even under the most trying of circumstances. They are very professional and gracious at all times. Probably, better than I deserve. :/

Often, they are the best part of the Cruise.

I tip them as well as I am able.