As the police operations were unfolding on board the Carnival Legend on Friday, Merimbula’s Chris Nicholls reflected on his experience just last week aboard the beleaguered cruise ship.
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“It was my first time on a cruise ship,” he said. “The ship was lovely and very well appointed. It was everything you would expect a cruise ship to be.”
Mr Nicholls had booked a four-day cruise to Tasmania and was pleased with the ship’s aesthetic qualities, but also the service provided by staff.
“The crew were delightful,” he said. “From the restaurant staff to the cleaners, they were all polite and friendly. You could not fault them.”
Mr Nicholls said the cruise accommodated a diverse range of passengers from young families, to retirees, middle-aged holiday-makers and young couples.
He also remarked that most of the passengers were polite and well-mannered.
“I had no problems from any of the families, and the young couples were very quiet. They usually stuck to themselves.”
Mr Nicholls also said that he did not witness any incidents and felt completely safe during his trip.
“There was no drunkenness or spill-over of emotions at anytime. The only frustration that came from passengers was when they had to wait in queues,” he said.
While happy with his experience, Mr Nicholls said the entertainment on board was not to his liking as he felt that it “set the pace of the ship”.
“The entertainment was based on a forced revelry - that you had to get up and dance and be always doing something” he said. “I just wanted to relax.”
After hearing the news of Marine Area Command police boarding the vessel at Eden following reports of a violent brawl, Mr Nicholls said he was “shocked”.
“It did not seem like there would be those type of people on board,” he said. “It just seemed out of sync with the people on my cruise ship.”
Mr Nicholls said he felt for all involved and especially the crew “who go over and beyond to make the cruise a pleasurable experience” for passengers. He also hoped this incident does not reflect poorly on the hard-working and dedicated crew.
“They bust their gut to make it a lovely experience. They shouldn’t be given a bad wrap.”