No, not because you love cruising and have it on the brain 24/7 — although that might be true — but because it seemed a likely scenario. Maybe, on some level, we’re sort of expecting it.

How Big Is Too Big?

Size Matters… In More Ways Than One

But what happens when that pent-up desire has been sated? Or, God forbid, when an unexpected disaster strikes fear into the heart of would-be passengers, driving capacity down as they seek other ways to spend their vacation dollars?

Cruising isn’t going anywhere (thank God). But maybe, just maybe, it would behoove lines to follow in the footsteps of the automobile industry, which at a certain point said, “Hey, maybe not all of our vehicles need to be Cadillacs and Hummers. After all, something must be said for fitting into a smaller parking space.”

Or, in the case of cruise ships, port.

What is Norovirus?

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It is the primary cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States, commonly known as the stomach flu. Norovirus can spread through various means, including contact with contaminated food, water, or surfaces and through person-to-person contact.

The CDC puts it bluntly when they explain how norovirus is spread.

“You can get norovirus by accidentally getting tiny particles of feces (poop) or vomit in your mouth from a person infected with norovirus. If you get norovirus illness, you can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can’t see without a microscope. It only takes a few norovirus particles to make you and other people sick.”

Norovirus by the Numbers

The latest numbers from the CDC show that 19 to 21 million cases of norovirus are reported worldwide. That number alone should indicate how common it is and that it is far more likely to be something you deal with on dry land than on a cruise ship.

LOCATION	2023 CASES
Cruise	2,017 cases (CDC DATA)
Land	19-21 million cases (CDC DATA)

It’s More than a “Cruise Ship” Thing

While some people, especially journalists more interested in buzz-worthy headlines than facts, report on outbreaks aboard cruise ships as if they were the bug’s primary breeding ground. This is far from the truth.

Health officials record illnesses on board ships and declare an outbreak once several passengers have fallen ill. The incubation period of the virus after coming into contact is typically between 12 and 48 hours.

This means that if you fall ill at the beginning of a cruise, you will still be on the ship when you fall ill but likely pass it on to at least a few other people.

The CDC reporting threshold is if two percent of guests and crew members on a cruise ship become sick or three percent of the vessel’s guests.

The cruise line is required to report the outbreak to the CDC, and the next thing you know, there’s yet another headline about an outbreak on a cruise ship.

If you contract the bug while on a plane, you will get just as sick and are likely to spread the infection to as many people as you would on a cruise ship, but due to the open environment of a plane, such incidents are not usually reported.

Similarly, if you come into contact with it at an amusement park, there’s a good chance that you won’t even realize what it is, thinking instead that you’ve got a bad case of food poisoning.

Keeping Yourself Safe from Norovirus

Yes. People catch it on ships, but the incidence rate is lower than on dry land. However, outbreaks on land usually go unnoticed due to the setting. Once the virus hits a ship, it can easily spread because of its contagious nature.

Here are some tips:

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds or longer with warm soapy water
• Leave the area if you see someone getting sick
• Don’t wear yourself down.
• Get rest and stay hydrated to keep your immune system strong.
• At the first sign of illness, go to the ship’s infirmary. They won’t charge you because they don’t want the ship infected.
• Avoid touching the railings on stairs or elevator buttons. Try to take the stairs.
• Pack hand sanitizer to use before touching your food at the buffet.
• Use the antibacterial stations on the ship.

Featured photo: Norovirus cells via theherbalcache.com

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Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, recently confirmed on his Facebook page that future new builds would not feature a library moving forward.

While this news generated thousands of responses, there was a distinct divide amongst them, and with good reason.

Why Carnival Cruise Ship Libraries Are No More

Why would Carnival be moving away from libraries? The answer won’t likely surprise anyone.

“The reason is so we can have other bars, restaurants, etc. there,” admitted Heald. He added, “the reason is also that, well, the amount of people who want to borrow a book and sit, in library silence, on their fun cruise was, we saw, getting less and less.”

But ship libraries are much more than borrowing a book for many cruisers.

Yes, it’s true that most of us probably throw whatever books we want to enjoy during a cruise into our suitcases.

Heck, more than likely, we simply load up our Kindle or similar reading device, allowing us to bring a virtual library without eating up precious space in the luggage.

Why We Need Cruise Ship Libraries

But libraries on ships represent so much more than simply a place to borrow a book. They are a respite from a cruise ship’s often loud and boisterous nature. Not all passengers enjoy the constant noise from pool decks, bars, and sports centers throughout the day.

These new builds — the ones on which there are no more libraries — feature all sorts of excitement, including screaming kids of all ages on BOLT roller coaster and large atriums in which various shows are performed and events held.

They don’t necessarily feature many areas where one can simply… sit, relax, read, and play a game. Or, in the words of 80’s pop group Depeche Mode, “Enjoy the Silence.”

READ :7 Ways to Spend a Sea Day on a Cruise

Many who responded to Heald’s news shared how they’ve enjoyed these spaces. One wrote of it being a great place to play a quiet game of cards, while another pointed out it had often been used for Friends of Bill meetings.

And then there were those whose memories of past visits to the library were far more personal. “I got married in the library on the Imagination,” wrote Sam Wills, “so I have definitely used them!”

Going, Going…

As a reader, a writer, and a player of games, I’ve long loved cruise ship libraries. I’ve visited the space on every ship I’ve sailed, whether to find something new to read, play a few hands of cards with newly-met friends or relax (by which I mean fall asleep in a comfortable chair).

So for me — and those like me — the thought of libraries going the way of free room service and skeet shooting off the back of the ship (and yes, there was a time you could do this!) is sad.

Don’t get me wrong, I love bars and restaurants, and Carnival ships tend to have a wonderfully wide variety of both.

Onboard Revenue vs. Quiet Time

But considering the size of a typical cruise ship library, how much space is being bought by their elimination? The casino can add a handful of new slot machines, or a restaurant can add a few new tables. It’s not like a new venue will fit into the library space.

And while I understand that cruise lines are a business, must every inch of space be used to generate income?

Have you considered that some individuals may appreciate having a peaceful environment to read, socialize, or play games? They may try a different cruise line if this cherished sanctuary is taken away.

But of course, as Heald pointed out, “less and less” people want to visit the library. Even if news of losing them elicits thousands of responses from people who feel otherwise.

In the future, Carnival cruise ship libraries will be a space of the past.

RELATED: 6 Cruise Hidden Decks

If that trip is many months down the line and you don’t pay the daily gratuities on it pronto, you could very well find yourself facing another increase, given that it was less than a year since the last time Carnival boosted the daily gratuity charge.

For a lot of folks, cruise ship tipping — especially what some call “forced gratuities” — is becoming a real problem.

“Enough Is Enough”

That’s what a friend and longtime Carnival Cruise Line guest said upon hearing of the latest increase. After canceling an upcoming trip on the line, she began exploring her options on lines which either include the gratuities in the total price of your package or offer them as a “perk” when booking.

Carnival is certainly not the only cruise line that has been routinely raising the daily gratuity, but the latest hike seems to have rankled quite a few would-be passengers.

For one thing, Carnival — like the other major lines — recently rolled out a plan that would see room service attendants offering either morning or evening services as opposed to both, which had been the case previously.

Needless to say, paying more and getting less isn’t particularly popular.

Then there’s the amount of the latest price increase. In the past, lines have typically raised the daily gratuity rate by something in the vicinity of $0.50 to $1.00. This time around, however, Carnival opted to shoot for the moon, raising gratuities by $1.50 per person, per day.

It Adds Up Quickly

On the surface, that doesn’t sound like an awful lot. But when you do the math, a family of four doing a seven-night cruise is suddenly ponying up an additional $42.

And keep in mind, this isn’t the total they’re paying in daily gratuities, it’s how much more they’re paying today than if they’d have booked yesterday. In all, even if our fictional clan is staying in the cheapest category of stateroom, they’re going to be paying almost $450 in gratuities.

That’s enough to give most people pause.

The Cruise Ship Tipping Problem

Look, by any stretch of the imagination, I’m considered a very good tipper. I appreciate good service and am more than willing to recognize those who provide it with a little something extra. Before any cruise, I head to the bank and pick up a whole lot of small bills for exactly that purpose.

From the dockside bag handler to the main dining room servers, I hand out money like a sleazy politician trying to buy votes.

And to be clear, this is on top of paying the daily gratuity charge. I’m not one of those people who rushes down to guest services in order to have the gratuities removed, insisting they like to handle such things on a case-by-case basis. (I’m sure at least a few of them actually genuinely mean it, too.)

But I have absolutely no doubt that as cruise lines push the daily gratuity rates ever higher, more people opt to have them removed, ultimately hurting the very people that money is supposed to be helping. And as I’ve opined over and over, there’s absolutely no reason for this, as cruise lines can (and in some cases do) easily roll the daily gratuity rate into the overall cruise fare.

Doing so means they don’t have to make a big, splashy, public announcement every time they decide to raid our wallets further yet again.

The Real Question

Whenever cruise lines raise gratuities, they make a point of saying that this money goes to the hard-working crew who endeavor to make our vacations the best they can possibly be. Don’t they, we are asked, deserve what we’re told is a relatively minor increase?

They certainly do.

But why are we being asked to pay for it? As their employers, doesn’t it fall upon you to see that they are properly compensated? You are, in essence, asking us to pay a significant portion of their wages so that you can pay them less. No matter how anyone tries to spin it, that’s the truth that cruise lines won’t actually dare to say aloud.

Instead, they not only put the cost upon us via what some call a “forced gratuity,” but then attempt to send us on a guilt trip along with the cruise we’re already paying for.

But at what point do cruisers decide they’ve played this game long enough and insist that the system be changed? For some, like my friend, that time has already come.

When that story first broke, no information was available as to what ship or even cruise line the attack took place on. But there’s a pretty good chance you immediately assumed it had taken place on a Carnival Cruise Line ship.

Cruise Magician Attacked on Quantum of the Seas

The caught-on-tape alleged attack — and, as you’ll see in other coverage, we’re using “alleged” for legal reasons — stunned audience members and left the performer, Ben Murphy, shaken. But it’s reported he bounced back quickly, clearly having adapted the old adage “the show must go on.”

His ability to shake it off and continue, however, in no way diminishes the seriousness of the incident. Various reports have suggested that the alleged attacker was the disgruntled partner of the female volunteer with whom Murphy was performing — none of which really matters. The fact of the matter is it should never have happened, and yet represents what some perceive as a rise in violent incidents taking place on the high seas.

The unacceptable behavior of rowdy passengers is one of the reasons Carnival Cruise Line recently began doing something rather unusual: Every passenger, before every cruise, now receives a letter that makes it clear what types of behavior won’t be tolerated.

But here’s the thing: The magician wasn’t attacked on a Carnival ship. It was Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas. And here’s why that matters.

What’s the Punishment?

While details are still emerging about the incident, Royal Caribbean has thus far kept a low profile. Rather than get in front of the potential bad publicity by putting out a statement, the line has essentially let the internet dictate the story.

And the picture that’s emerged so far, whether true or not, is of a cruise staff that had little-to-no reaction to what had taken place.

In a since-deleted Instagram comment, Murphy suggested that a week went by before anybody associated with the ship took statements.

He also indicated that the line’s stance was that there were “no witnesses”… a claim that an audience of people and a widely distributed video would definitely seem to counter.

Would Carnival Handle the Cruise Magician Attack Differently?

Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line appears to be taking a hard stance against fighting with those who violate the standards put forth in their recent letter, not to mention the cruise contract each passenger accepts upon purchasing a ticket.

Carnival’s contract includes the following paragraph:

“The captain and our officers have the authority to enforce our policies and make decisions to provide for a fun and safe environment for all. Disruptive behavior is not tolerated and any guest whose conduct affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety or well-being of other guests or crew will be disembarked at their own expense and banned from sailing Carnival in the future.”

Assuming Carnival intends to not only talk the talk but walk the walk, Murphy might well have been better off had he been performing aboard one of their ships at the time of the alleged incident.

Royal Caribbean may eventually find a way to make things right with the magician — or at least publicly acknowledge the incident and reveal how they plan to handle such situations in the future.

For now, however, the literal attack is yet another metaphorical black eye for an industry that has taken more than its fair share of hits over the past two years. Unfortunately, in this case the wound seems to have been self-inflicted.

After all, anyone who’s been on a ship in recent months, no matter the cruise line, knows that bad behavior is becoming increasingly commonplace.

What’s Up With All the Rude Cruise Passengers?

Whole think pieces could (and no doubt have been) written about why people are behaving so badly. Is it that discounts designed to fill ships is attracting an element who wouldn’t have sailed in the past? Is it that the world as a whole has become less civil? Who knows.

What we do know is that over the past few months, we crossed paths with a whole lot of people whose antics left us understanding exactly why Carnival and other cruise lines are feeling the need to take action. On more than one occasion, we’ve been left missing the days when chair hogs were the rudest people we encountered.

Don’t Be Like These Rude Cruise Passengers

While we’re pretty sure it’s impossible to shame those who engage in this type of behavior, we’re going to try anyway. If in reading the list of unacceptable conduct below, you recognize yourself… congratulations. Head directly to the Guest Relations desk and pick up your prize.

No, not one of the ships-on-a-stick that people happily compete for, but rather a garbage can-on-a-stick, because you’ve been awarded a Golden Trashy.

Categories for Rude Cruise Passengers

• Most Impatient: No matter how narrow the hallway or elderly the person standing between you and where you need to be, you’ll bob and weave and nudge (read: push) aside anyone getting in your way.

• Most Obnoxious: Of all the bad behaviors on this list, perhaps none presses our buttons like those who are rude to the staff, who work harder in a single day than most of us will in a week.

• Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Overdrinking: There’s a big difference between “all you can drink” and “all you should drink.” Your mortified travel mates will explain it in the morning.

• Most Oblivious, Exterior Sound Division: Whole groups of people glaring daggers can’t get these people to use headphones as opposed to playing their music out loud at the pool… even if there are live groups performing.

• Most Oblivious, Voices Carry Division: If you’re seated at the back of the restaurant but can be heard at the front desk, perhaps consider using what mom called your “inside voice.”

• Worst Neighbor, Outdoor Division: Most of us think of our balconies as a retreat… until you disrupt it with smoking, boisterous behavior, and other disturbances of our peace.

MORE: Which Cruise Lines Have Gone Back To Traditional Muster Drills, Which Haven’t And One Reason Why

• Biggest Obstacle. We’ve yet to be on a cruise ship that didn’t provide plenty of indoor and outdoor seating areas, leaving us baffled as to why people young and old feel the need to plop themselves down on staircases.

• Outstanding Achievement in Trashiness: How much of a garbage person do you have to be to leave plates of half-eaten food or no-longer-frozen margaritas in the elevator or in a stairwell?

• The Lifetime Achievement in Obnoxiousness: These cruisers feel that because they’ve earned the highest possible status in a line’s loyalty club, the rules don’t apply to them. They love nothing more than to brag that they are Triple Platinum Gold-Plated Titanium members.

• Least Deserving: Those who take the daily gratuities off their bill (or refuse to tip bartenders because “we already paid gratuities”) are inevitably the most demanding of service.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the vast majority of people on any given ship are exactly those you’d hope to meet. It’s why so many go from strangers to lifelong friends over the course of a voyage.

Fortunately, a few bad apples do not, contrary to the old saying, spoil the whole barrel. And with the cruise lines working hard to crack down on the worst of the bad behavior, with luck, you won’t cross paths with any of the award-winners above!

READ NEXT: The Disembarkation Issue I Never Saw Coming And How To Avoid It When You’re Cruising

But in doing so, they’re also replacing a major element of the “freestyle cruising,” which they invented and still use as a major selling point. In addition, they’re creating a caste system in which those who pay more (or have sailed more often) have a distinct advantage over, say, a first-time cruiser.

That’s Not What “Freestyle” Means

For years, Norwegian has sold the concept of “freestyle cruising.” Visit their webpage, and they explain that idea thusly: “Imagine cruising just the way you want it, with no schedule to follow but your own.” In practice, it has long meant that when it came to dining and theater shows, you didn’t need a reservation.

But now, the line is changing in a pretty major way… and how you feel about that might depend on a few factors.

Now, NCL is allowing guests to make reservations in advance for the various shows taking place in the main theater. But exactly when you can do so depends on what type of stateroom you’re staying in or what level you’ve achieved in their Latitudes loyalty program.

Those in The Haven (their high-end, ship-within-a-ship area) or suites will be permitted to make entertainment reservations up to 26 days in advance, as will those who’ve reached at least the Platinum level of the loyalty program. (You do not need to meet both requirements, it’s an either/or situation). Reservations will open for everyone else at the 21 day mark.

MORE: What You Need To Know About NCL’s Premium+ Drink Package

Who Will Really Hate This

Oddly, the people who are most likely to be negatively impacted by this change are those that every cruise line is most anxiously pursuing: the new-to-cruise crowd. Why? For several reasons. First, they will definitely not have earned Platinum status (which requires a minimum. It’s also safe to assume that most people aren’t laying out the money for a suite (let alone The Haven) on their first cruise.

First timers may also be completely unaware of the reservations process. So how good an impression is Norwegian Cruise Line going to make on a new cruiser who finds out that they can’t actually get in to see the big shows in the main theater?

Why Reservations Could Be Important

Meanwhile, those who’ve been following cruise news of late know that Norwegian Cruise Line has been cutting back on entertainment. While details have been few and far between, it seems likely that we’ll be seeing fewer shows on board. If, say, Jersey Boys is cut from two performances a week down to one, reservations will be downright crucial.

Obviously, this change will prove popular with longtime NCL guests, who will no doubt appreciate this extra perk for their loyalty.

Truth be told, it won’t much impact guests of The Haven, for whom sections of the theater already are reserved. But it will be interesting to see how the cruise community reacts to this move, especially given some of the unpopular decisions Norwegian Cruise Line has made as of late.

READ NEXT: An Open Letter to Norwegian Cruise Line: Please Don’t Stop The Music!

Furthermore, they make it clear that if passengers decide to violate the rules, those actions will have consequences… including potentially being disembarked at the next port of call.

Carnival Letter Shows Respect Isn’t Just a Song

Some of the things in the missive are simply common courtesies… and yet they’re things that many routinely ignore.

“Our experience has taught us that everyone has a better time when children are supervised, noise in the hallway is kept to a minimum, guests follow queues and that a spirit of community and neighborliness is shown.”

Simple stuff, right? Yet it’s common — and not simply on Carnival ships — to see unsupervised children running around late at night, screaming as they cavort in the hallways.

Hey, they’re kids… that’s what kids do. But when it’s happening at 11 p.m. or later, one has to wonder where the parents are. (And yes, that’s a rhetorical question, as they’re likely in one of the bars having an awesome time, not a care — including their offspring — in the world.)

What’s Going On?

I kinda hate that Carnival feels the need to send this letter, but I understand why they do. We’ve all seen videos or read reports about everything from onboard scuffles to a lack of common courtesy on ships.

Some blame drink packages, while others, particularly in the case of Carnival, suggest that the line offering rock-bottom prices in order to fill their ships attract the kind of people your mom always worried you might get mixed up with if you weren’t careful.

Me? I suspect it might be a combination of things, including a slew of those new-to-cruise folks the lines are always desperately trying to attract.

Maybe cruise lines should do the same thing high schools do: pair up newbies with seasoned cruisers who can show them the ropes.

MORE: Which Cruise Lines Have Gone Back to Traditional Muster Drills, Which Haven’t, & One Reason Why

Will the Carnival Letter Work?

As sad as it makes me that this letter exists, I have to give props to Carnival for taking steps to stem the rising tide of bad behavior.

After all, when they say their best advertising is word of mouth, they mean people talking about what a great time they had on board, not footage of a fight on the lido deck going viral.

How successful this effort is, however, will all come down to enforcement (or lack thereof). The letter being sent to all guests definitely takes a strong stance.

“The captain and our officers have the authority to enforce our policies and make decisions to provide for a fun and safe environment for all,” one section reads. “Disruptive behavior is not tolerated and any guest whose conduct affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety, or well-being of other guests or crew will be disembarked at their own expense and banned from sailing Carnival in the future.”

But enforcement is tricky on several fronts. You’ll recall that back in 2019, Carnival put a new policy into effect which was intended to serve as a dress code. “All guests are expected to ensure their clothing and accessories are respectful to fellow guests,” it read in part.

“Specifically, items worn during the cruise should not contain any message that may be considered offensive or contain nudity, profanity, sexual innuendo/suggestions. In addition, clothing/accessories should not promote negative ethnic or racial commentary or hatred or violence in any form.”

All of which, of course, left a whole lot of room for interpretation, while also raising among guests questions regarding enforcement and who, exactly, would make the final call as to what was deemed “offensive.”

In fact, those rather touchy questions might explain why the policy no longer appears on the company’s website.

Ultimately, the letter Carnival is sending out is a valid attempt to try and quell some of the worst behavior which has been on display over the past year or so.

Whether or not it will have the desired effect remains to be seen.

READ NEXT: An Open Letter to Norwegian Cruise Line: Please Don’t Stop the Music!

What’s The Difference?

For those who perhaps haven’t yet sailed since the changes went into effect — or who are completely new to cruising — here’s the deal: When the pandemic made the idea of gathering with large groups of people a risky proposition, cruise lines had to figure out the best way to deal with muster drills.

Traditionally, these had involved passengers gathering at various designated spots around the ship. Led primarily by entertainment staff, they would demonstrate what to do in case of an emergency. The entire process lasted 30-45 minutes, depending on how long it took guests to arrive and check-in.

To avoid packing cruise passengers into enclosed spaces, the cruise lines rolled out a new muster drill process whereby people could watch the safety demonstration on their phones, computers, or stateroom TVs. They still had to report to their muster stations, but more as a formality so they would know where it was. Needless to say, this quick-and-easy process quickly proved possible.

Which Lines Went Back to Traditional Muster Drills?

Disney was the first major cruise line to bring traditional mustering back. Although the company gave no official reason for the change, there were widespread reports that non-compliance on the part of guests was at least partially to blame.

Soon after, Norwegian Cruise Line followed suit by returning to the traditional muster drill across its fleet, citing safety as the reason.

(Note: This change came even as Norwegian announced they would be making significant cuts to their entertainment staff. As mentioned previously, this particular group of crew members are often called upon by lines to assist with the mustering process.)

It’s unclear that exact “safety” issue cited by Norwegian. The United States Coast Guard is in charge of overseeing and approving any changes made to the mustering process.

When asked if lines were returning to their former way of doing things because of an edict from the Coast Guard, they indicated that they had no involvement in that decision and suggested that questions regarding such changes should be directed to the individual cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean Stay’s the Course

Meanwhile, two other major cruise lines have announced that their intention is to continue using the popular e-muster drill. According to the Royal Caribbean Blog, Greg Purdy — Royal Caribbean International’s Senior Vice President of Marine Operations — recently confirmed the company’s stance.

“We’re always open to change,” he said, “but we’re not so open to going backward. So we will always look for moving forward and doing things if they’re better… for our guests and our crew.”

He added that they were seeing a higher percentage of compliance with the new format than they’d had with traditional mustering.

Carnival’s Muster Drill Stance

Likewise, Carnival Cruise Line has stated that it intends to continue using the e-muster technique. “E-muster requires more staffing resources,” Carnival’s Chief Communication Officer, Chris Chiames, tells Cruise Radio, “but our experience with the e-muster process has been extremely positive and we are able to provide our guests with critical safety information in a more individualized manner, including them understanding very specifically where their muster station is and how to get to it.”

Indeed, Chiamis might have hit the nail on the head regarding why some lines are reverting to traditional mustering. Because e-mustering offers guests more flexibility, it also requires more staffing than traditional mustering, during which a few crew members can provide the required information at a set time to every passenger at the same time.

But it’s not only guests who give high marks to e-mustering. “Our implementation has also received very positive feedback from the U.S. Coast Guard and other safety experts, as well as generated positive comments for effectiveness from our guests during our post-cruise survey results,” Chiamis says. As a result, “We will continue to utilize our e-mustering process while always looking for ways to improve its effectiveness.”

Regardless of using the traditional or the newly introduced e-muster process, cruise lines are required by law to complete the safety drill before leaving the dock or immediately following the ship’s departure. 

So now, you’re doing what you can to try and get things back on track. But here’s the thing that only people who really, really love you will be honest enough to say: You’re making some decisions that have loyal guests wondering if they’re in a one-way relationship. The latest example? The cuts that are being made to Norwegian Cruise Line entertainment offerings.

Paying More, Getting Less

I’m not sure if you guys are aware of this or not, but those phone calls you have with investors every few months. We can hear those. So when y’all talk about how you’re going to make yourself profitable by charging record ticket prices — and then finding ways to get passengers to spend more money once they’re on board — we’re listening.

But we don’t only hear your conversations. We also hear what crew members are saying after they receive letters in which you dismiss them with little-to-no notice.

We see the letters in which you say you plan to “reduce our entertainment department manning across all vessels and as a result, your scheduled assignment has been canceled and your services are no longer required.”

Read the full entertainment layoff story here.

Selling Norwegian Cruise Line Entertainment

Over the past few years, you, Norwegian Cruise Line, have made a very big deal about the entertainment you provide on board. This has been especially true of ships in the Breakaway class and those which have come since. From Rock of Ages to Six, you’ve elevated what passengers can expect when they step on a cruise ship.

While some lines make do with jukebox musicals which are little more than a series of hits strung together by the loosest of concepts, you’ve brought not just Broadway style entertainment but actual Broadway shows to your ships. And we’ve loved it.

So hearing that you not only shut down Kinky Boots on the Encore but let go of cast members in the middle of their contracts leaves us with a bad taste in our mouths.

Where do the cuts stop? Will we see more and more pre-recorded music as opposed to live bands?

Messaging Matters

More and more, I’m beginning to think that you have a major communication issue. Too often, news that should be coming directly from you is coming from other sources.

Rather than creating opportunities to present information in the best possible light, you’re leaving your passengers and even your travel partners in the dark, fumbling for information.

You’ve heard the old saying, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”, right? Well, you seem determined to prove that wrong.

A great example?

You announced a massive hike in the daily gratuity rate at the exact same time that you said, “Oh, by the way, we’ll be reducing the number of room stewards and cutting the services which they will be providing.” Now, would-be passengers have to hear it through the grapevine that you’re cutting back the entertainment offered on board.

READ MORE: Norwegian Increases Gratuity Charge by 20 Percent

Be careful, friends, because it feels as if you’ve learned absolutely nothing from your brethren at Walt Disney World. In recent years, the House of Mouse has followed a similar trajectory — offering less and charging more — and earning themselves a black eye among their most devoted followers in the process.

Only now beginning to see the error of their ways, Walt Disney World has been announcing changes designed to, as Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, told the New York Times, “make sure our fans are feeling the love. We’re listening to them, and we’re trying to adjust.”

Having been listening to what our readers have to say regarding Norwegian’s cost-cutting measures, it feels safe to say they aren’t feeling the love.

It might be worth remembering that while Walt Disney World is pretty much unique in its field, the same can’t be said for you. Cruisers have options… and if they feel like they’re not being appreciated, they’ll start shopping around.