One of the things you have to remember about joining a Cunard Round The World Voyage, is that the people who can spare the time and money to take a trip like this are likely to be retired and spending the kids inheritance. This means that many of them have had decades to perfect their rudeness. On this, my third Cunard cruise, I was amazed at the sheer number of bad mannered people with sharp elbows determined to be first in any line up. It was I admit the first time I had seen a woman use her husband in a wheelchair as a battering ram to get a window seat in the buffet.

However it was not the first time and not unexpected when passengers “booked” chairs on deck with hats, books, towels etc. despite signs asking them not to. I would have loved to see the threat of possessions being removed to the purser’s office carried out. I am sure that the staff must take courses in how to deal with the rudeness of guests who for some reason think shouting at a waiter is the way to go. When one gentleman not looking where he was going fell over a waiter, he compounded the act by swearing at him for being in the way. And it is no use telling people not to video the shows in the theatre if one man repeatedly does so in the front row of the balcony.

So enough about my fellow passengers, most of whom I must admit did not treat the staff as second class citizens. What about the Cruise itself? Read more