Hi everyone. Now don't get all excited out there. This did not happen on a Radisson ship. It happened on a massmarket ship. The name of the line begin's with H. My neighbors just returned from a Mexican Riviera cruise. The husband is wheel chair bound. He was out on the pool deck when he was approached by what I would call a Pimp!! He asked my neighbor if he would like a woman. He responded by saying he already had one! The man then explained to him what he meant. My neighbor decided to go along with him to a lounge to meet some of these women and to find out more about these people. He told them sorry he didn't have any cash, then left. His wife later talked to the hotel director and was told the cruise lines couldn't control who booked a cabin. I was shocked to say the least. Is this something that happens very often? Is it just a problem on the massmarket lines? I told my friends I would bring this up on gthe board. Thanks for your imput.

LOL!!!! Sorry, don't mean to minimize what happened to your neighbor, I'm just picturing in my head the "operation". Sounds very disgusting. But I think that if the practice was very prevalent we would have heard about it. I never had before, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

It is similar to what used to happen on some of the South America cruises - the ones which stop in Rio.

The jewelers book cabins for young attractive man who are charming to the older single ladies and then take them to the various stores as "friends". Of course they work for the stores and I assume get a commission on what the ladies buy.

To be fair, they also provide cars/guides/drivers who will take you on tours for free or to the restaurant of your choice etc - and to the stores they represent. And even though you may not buy anything, they are very accomodating

The HD is probably correct, the home office can't control who books but once on board there ought to be some control.

I realize this has a totally different aspect to the situation Janine talked about but I'd love to hear from Marcie if this (jewelry salesman) is still going on when she is on the Mariner.

Peggy

Thanks for the response. I posted this thread on CCboard. They actually closed the thread!! They thought I was some kind of weirdo I guess. That I was joking or something. I felt this was a serious inquiry, certainly not meant to be humorous though it was In a way. At least my neighbors handling of the whole thing. Jeanine

To some, this story will have the ring of an "urban legend." But to me, it sounds true. And in hindsight, it seems almost surprising that some criminals haven't done this before. It is shocking that the HD of a ship on a line that is so "straight laced" as to deny me the ability to bring some local beer onboard to drink on my balcony (a minor sin in anybody's eyes) would ignore such blatantly criminal behavior as a prostitution ring to operating on their ships. While a line and ship's staff cannot control who books a cabin, they do retain the right to a significant amount of control over how the cabin is used, as anybody who has taken the time to plow through all those "terms and conditions" knows all too well. It just suprises me that this did not happen on a line whose name begins with the letter "C" (and not Crystal or Cunard)!

Thanks,
Richard

I love how he replied when asked if he wanted a woman that he already had one.. that is funny..but the thought that, that is going on is not funny at all. The ship should have taken some kind of responsibility if they are told by a passenger that they were approached by this sort of goings on and for them to say they can't control who books is true..but what goes on ,on board the ship is their resonsibility.. to do nothing is wrong. I would have written a very lenghty letter to the president of the cruise ship, stating all the facts.. who he told on the ship -the answer he got etc.
Believe me someone needs to know and for this type of info to be all over the internet is not good for their company. Which ship was that ??

Hi Claudia,

It was the Ryndam. Today I have been wondering if he was approached because he appeared vulnerable. When I see them tonight I will pass on the suggestion to write to the President of the line.

Happy Holidays
Jeanine

Wow that is really BAD!!! - hard to believe but I do believe it!!!!!

We forget that the criminal elements do and can infilitrate our cozy little worlds. There is crime aboard ships and because of jurisdictions not common nor reported, depending on the crime. I have heard of some pretty sad stories from some of the mass market lines - assault, theft, rape. Not heard about it on RSSC.

Duplicate post due to the infamous Flood Control!

The jewelry hawkers were alive and well on the Silversea cruise around South America. They were just as described, very handsome and preying on the older single ladies.

Hmmmm......A Silversea cruise & a handsome young man who drags you into jewellery stores......

Think I'd better run a background check on Gus.....

Hookers on a H Cruise?

I am not surprised - I've been on that line several times & I see many people sitting around in chairs doing their knitting.

good lookin' jewelry store "shills" all over Oceania SA cruises too.. but sweet..arranged tours.. but did not try to overkill sell anything .. a few from H. Stern and then a few from others including women...
but we are talking about apples and oranges here.. the 'pimping action' that was mentioned is a complete other game.........
and when the officers of the ship were told about it..should have been handled.. that is disgusting!

ROTFLOL :D

AHHHHH _ FINALLY! Someone caught it!!!
I guess I should have said "needlepoint" instead of "knitting?" :D

No Dear, as I explained you hook a rug or use a hook for crochet...for needlepoint you use a...........needle. :eek:

Arlene and Gil, you two are too funny!

Claudia, I agree. The cruiseline can never know what type of person will board, but once alerted, they should have thrown these individuals off. It's one thing if this were unsolicited, but solicitation is another story. Can the line really be so hungry for paying guests?