Thread | Brutkey

Due to parent choices I am currently on a cruise. And my inner neurodivergent and project/product management selves have remarks.

Aside from the obvious "just don't have cruise ships" take, there are SO MANY things that I would improve on, probably not even costing the cruise companies extra money and opening up whole new clientele.

And then I foolishly think of creating an app for neurospicy folks to make cruise life easier. And then I realize that any obvious app names for those are probably taken for an entirely different business proposition....

Martin Seeger
@masek@infosec.exchange

@jollyorc@social.5f9.de I guess you're talking about the obligatory contact with "other people". The experience there varies a lot: from "a major plus of the cruise" to "please get me out of here". Sometimes even on the same ship 😄 .

JollyOrc
@jollyorc@social.5f9.de

@masek@infosec.exchange not just that: The app they provide and require to get information or book extras is shit, generally there are inconsistent and bad information flows, the waitstaff is required to serve certain dishes with certain ceremonies that are frankly ridiculuous, important information is hidden in lots of "we're happy to be here, and in order for you to have a best experience, blah blah blah" slop, there is no clear and consise overview of what is included in what pricing tier, all the activities are designed by manic LOTS OF LOUD PEOPLE IS THE BEST! folks, what was a quiet place yesterday is suddenly filled with someone who announces step by step over a microphone how a certain cocktail is made and why this step is super awesome and that ingredient is the rarest, and OMG HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?!

(yes, this needs to be a wall of text to convey the "experience".

Martin Seeger
@masek@infosec.exchange

@jollyorc@social.5f9.de Our last experience was years ago and we did skip nearly all joint activities except the meals.

The overall chattiness is very high.

JollyOrc
@jollyorc@social.5f9.de

@masek@infosec.exchange the interesting part is that we have the same crew during breakfast and dinner, and at breakfast they can be themselves and are pleasant, while at dinner they have to do these "here is the ritual how we prepare the balsamico-and-oil-and-salt thing to dip your bread in" thing - and it is painful to watch.

Martin Seeger
@masek@infosec.exchange

@jollyorc@social.5f9.de They didn't do that to us.

The most formal was the Queen Mary II (very formal) but even they didn't approach that level.

Funny thing: on most cruises our steward previously had served with a captain from Kiel who was now pilot here. So we were nearly family to them 😄 and we managed to get them out of their shell.