The sea is too loud! Hilarious cruising complaints revealed

Filed under: Cruises

Find the best cheap cruise holidays for autumn/winter Cunard

Ever made a fuss about the sea being too loud on your cruise holiday? Or there not being a window to sea in the inside cabin you requested? A travel agent has revealed the funniest complaints from cruise passengers over the past 12 months.

The most unusual was from a lady on a Mediterranean cruise who said the sea was too loud and claimed it prevented her from having a decent night's sleep during her holiday. She suggested the cabins be "better sound-proofed against the sounds of the sea."

bonvoyage.co.uk revealed the hilarious complaints, which included a man who voyaged on a summer cruise around Alaska complaining about the weather not being as warm as he expected. He said he expected to be able to "swim in the swimming pool each day" and "get an impressive tan".

The man stated that "all cruises are meant to be hot", and so sought compensation for having to buy warmer clothing as he "had only packed minimal clothing for the expected hot weather."

A woman on a Celebrity Cruises ship asked bonvoyage.co.uk for a full refund in June last year because she didn't see any celebrities on board. The woman said the company was guilty of "false advertising" due to the lack of stars.

In another complaint, a woman on a cruise departing from Southampton said that she had to re-schedule her whole holiday as she was not aware of the fact that she was supposed to take her passport with her on the cruise. She apparently thought she only needed her passport when going on a fly-cruise and blamed the cruise company for not texting her the day before to remind her to take her passport.

A woman on a Hawaiian cruise told the customer service team she had heard Gary Barlow was once on the same cruise she had ventured on but failed to see him on the ship this time. She demanded an explanation as to why he was not on the same cruise again this time.

Steph Curtin, Cruise Development Manager of bonvoyage.co.uk, said: "As an online cruising agency, we always try to provide the best customer service possible for our customers; whether it's regarding their comfort on-board, the information they get before getting on board or all the services and entertainment available on the ship."

She added: "The vast majority of feedback we get from our holidaymakers is hugely positive, usually telling us what a great time they had, but from time to time we come across a few quirky complaints that we can do little to help. Whilst we always make sure we go back to every complaint, I'm afraid we can't be held responsible for the sea being too loud or the lack of celebrities on board; as much as we wish we could put Gary Barlow on every cruise!"

Related articles

One in ten cruisers drop their phones overboard

Cruise firm bans passengers from 'saving' sun loungers

Ten things not to do on a cruise

'Reserve' a poolside chair with a towel for hours on end
 This is really frowned upon – and some cruise lines have banned 'chair hogging' completely.
Forget to book at least one shore excursion
 You may happy exploring a destination on your own – particularly if it's somewhere you've visited before. But there are usually some amazing experiences on offer, from jeep safaris in Jamaica to dolphin exploration in Dominica and a classical concert in St Petersburg, so it's definitely worth checking them out.
Overpack
 Unless you can afford to book an extra cabin for your luggage (and we have heard of some very rich passengers doing this), average staterooms don't have masses of storage space. So just pack a capsule wardrobe – although it's always worth taking a couple of swimsuits so one can dry while you wear the other one.
Stay on the ship at port
 Some passengers decide that because they've already been to a place they don't need to get off at a port – but there is always something new to discover, particularly if your ship offers 'destination immersion' shore experiences, or even just to get a change of scene. Many cruises have one (maybe more) days at sea on a cruise, so plenty of time to hang around the ship then.
Try to diet
 OK, if you have really strong willpower, you *may* be able to avoid all the gourmet food (and there are usually lots of salads and healthy options available). But with so much excellent cuisine on offer it would be a shame to miss out on more the more indulgent creations from the likes of Marco Pierre White and patissier Eric Lanlard.
Decide not to check your children in at the kids' club
 Of course holidaying with your family is a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time together – but cruise ships have amazing kids' clubs, with every possible whim catered for. Not only does it give your children a chance to make new friends and try different experiences, but it will give you a little alone time too. For example, on Oriana, Aurora and Azura, the kids' clubs are open until late – ideal if you want to give the kids an early supper and then enjoy dinner a deux knowing they're in safe hands.
Skip the safety drill
 It's compulsory. Plus, you'll also discover how to put on a life jacket (not as easy as it looks) and what a muster station is.
Miss the sail away ceremony
 Joining the other passengers on deck as your ship pulls away from the dock is something very special and adds to that 'golden age of cruise' feel. There will usually be cocktails on offer so you can toast the start of your holiday, too (although check before you take one, as some cruise lines do charge for these).
Forget to tip
 The cabin staff work incredibly hard, and are often away from their families for months on end – so show your appreciation. Some cruise packages include tips – check what's included in yours and if you want to leave a little extra in an envelope, it will be gratefully received.
Play it by ear
 You can do this up to a point – it is your holiday, after all. But if you want to make sure your restaurant seating is at the right time or you can have that fabulous spa treatment (alfresco massage, anyone?), you'll need to do a little planning. Don't feel you have to do everything though – if you overschedule you'll just feel pressured.