THE STORY OF THE SCATHING REVIEW

Rick Archer's Note: 

One week after the conclusion of our 2015 Sock Hop Dance Cruise over Labor Day, Marla received an email notification that a remark titled "NEEDED A MIXER" had been posted on the Virtuoso web site established to rate her as a Travel Advisor.

Curious, Marla went to the Internet to see what it said.  She was immediately upset.  This was a scathing review to say the least.

Considering how hard she had worked to make this trip a success, this criticism was a tough pill to swallow.  What angered her the most was the fact that the Reviewer had flat out lied.  Indeed, neither Marla nor I had a clue what caused this individual to completely misrepresent the truth about our recent trip.

So I set out to set the record straight.

In addition to my own arguments, please note the opinions of other guests on this trip can be read at the bottom of the page.  

Rick Archer's Response to this Criticism

This criticism appeared on a rating board posted on the Internet.  The rating board asks various guests to evaluate the cruise agent. 

In this case, the cruise agent being evaluated was Marla Archer, my wife. 

For purposes of reference, we will call the author of this criticism Sissy. 

However please note this is not her correct name.  I am going to give this person a break and not identify her by picture or name. 

Name Tags

Rick's Note:  Without a doubt, the most ridiculous of the four criticisms of Marla's job was the issue of name tags.

Name tags were furnished at each event. 

For those of you who were not on the cruise, here is some persuasive evidence.  Do you need to see the credit card charge as well or is this convincing enough??
 

Yes, we had name tags.  The $81 came out of Marla's pocket.
 

Mixers

Marla first handed out this week-long Itinerary of events at the Pre-Cruise party prior to the cruise trip.  In addition, she provided these sheets at the Welcome Aboard Party on the first night of the trip.

From that point on, this itinerary could be found at the Front Table at each event. 

In addition, Marla EMAILED this exact itinerary to every guest.  In Sissy's case, Marla went to the trouble of emailing her this itinerary on two separate occasions. 

Marla has the emails to prove it and I have a copy as well.

In other words, there can be little doubt Sissy received this itinerary. 

Whether Sissy read it or not is another story.  I would imagine Sissy knows how to read since she is computer-literate enough to place a libelous statement on the Internet.

By my count, there are 16 Mixer opportunities listed on this itinerary.

Please note that total doesn't even include 7 nights of DINING.  As for dining, Marla said this to Sissy in an email:

you may sit with our group if you prefer.  Dining together w the group is an excellent way to get to know others within the group.  Please let me know.

Now it is true we did not supply name tags at dinner, but one would think over the course of a week Sissy could eventually figure out the names of the people at her table on her own.

One would assume each guest has a modicum of social skills.  In this case Sissy was placed at a table with several single people her age.  Whether Sissy had the necessary skill to attract interest is her own responsibility, not ours. 

What bothers me is that Marla went far out of her way to provide the information.  Seriously, my wife worked hard trying to make every day special and let to people know what is going on. 

But Marla can't make people read this stuff!!  Take some personal responsibility once in a while.

If Sissy chose to ignore "The Mixers", that was her choice.  She was on vacation, so let her do what she wanted.

She had every right to skip the Mixers we offered.  But her utter ignorance to the facts is very much on display.  Furthermore, her deliberate avoidance of our activities didn't give her the right to turn around and assassinate Marla's reputation.  Given how hard Marla works, it aggravates me no end that this woman would have the nerve to suggest Marla didn't do her job.   

There were plenty of Mixers on this trip.  The woman owes Marla an apology.

SUNDAY, DAY ONE

The Sail Away Party, 4:30 pm

The Day One Sail Away Party.  No Sissy.  Too bad, this was a MIXER.  Everyone else had fun
 

Welcome Aboard Private Dance Party, 5:30 pm

•  NAME TAGS WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN NICE TO HELP LEARN THE NAMES OF THE DANCERS.

Here is a picture from the Welcome Aboard Party.  In this picture, I count five name tags

Name tags were placed at the entrance to the room before every activity. 

 

•  BUT THERE WAS NO MIXER TO HELP THE OUTSIDERS (NOT SSQQ STUDENTS)
    MEET THE OTHER DANCERS - WHO TENDED TO STICK TOGETHER.

The Welcome Aboard Party was a MIXER.  

 

•  THE OTHER DANCERS WHO TENDED TO STICK TOGETHER.

It is true that some people tended to stick together.  This can be explained easily enough.  Some people had pre-existing relationships known as "marriage".  Others stuck together because because they had taken previous SSQQ cruises together.  This was, after all, Marla's 16th dance cruise.

However, these people were certainly not cliquish.  I certainly saw no evidence of aloofness.  Married people and single people danced together all the time.

Furthermore there were plenty of unattached people.  Indeed, over 40% of the people on this trip were taking their first cruise with us.  That amounts to 50 new people with no allegiance to any "clique".  These 50 first-timers had the sense to come to the MIXER events and meet each other.  Why not you, Sissy?  What did you do, go to sleep and miss everything?

I don't feel sorry for Sissy.  If she wanted to participate, all she had to do was show up.  However, by missing the Foxtrot class, the Pre-Cruise Party, and all the first night events, yes, perhaps she did get off to a bad start. 

But that doesn't give her the right to claim there no Mixers.  There were two or three mixers every day of the trip.

 

•  THE TRAVEL AGENT DID NOTHING TO MEET AND/OR SPEAK TO ME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CRUISE.

I asked Marla about this... "Marla, did you ever introduce yourself to Sissy?" 

Marla said no.  In her words,

"At the 5:30 Welcome Aboard Party on the first night of the trip, for the first twenty minutes I stood at the door welcoming people and handing out name tags.  During the remainder of the event, I went around taking pictures.  Many people introduced themselves to me and I made a point to speak to everyone.  Seeing as how I have no picture of Sissy from that the event, I can only assume she wasn't there or maybe she came late.  After that, I figured everyone was on their own.  If they wanted something from me, I was at every event.  All they had to do was say hi.  People asked me questions all the time.  I don't know what Sissy's problem was."

As it turns out, Marla took several pictures of Sissy during the trip.  I asked Marla if she and Sissy ever spoke on these occasions.  Marla said no.  In her words,

"Every time I saw Sissy, she was frowning.  So I avoided her."
 

•  NAME TAGS WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN NICE TO HELP LEARN THE NAMES OF THE DANCERS.

Here are three more photos from the Welcome Aboard MIXER Party showing name tags.  
 

•  THE SCHEDULED DANCE ACTIVITIES WERE USUALLY AFTER 12 MIDNIGHT UNTIL 1:30 OR 2 AM.     I THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE EARLIER DANCE ACTIVITIES. I am sorry the picture is blurry, but I think it demonstrates clearly enough that there was dancing at this party.   Considering that this party took place at 5:30 pm, I contend this picture qualifies as evidence of  'dance activity' before Midnight. Why would this woman post claims on the Internet that she knows nothing about?
Rick's Note:  As far as I am concerned, Sissy is guilty of libel.  To me, her statements feel like deliberate lies.  What do you think?

Late Night Dance Party, Midnight till 2:00 pm

•  THE SCHEDULED DANCE ACTIVITIES WERE USUALLY AFTER 12 MIDNIGHT UNTIL 1:30
  OR 2 AM.    I THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE EARLIER DANCE ACTIVITIES.

There was a late-night dance party every single night of the trip.

Many years ago, my friend Gary complained that the music on the cruise ship wasn't suitable for dancing the way he liked to dance back in Houston. The band played the music too fast or too slow plus non-dancers kept getting in his way.

Frustrated, Gary suggested to some of his friends that they stay in the dance room AFTER the band quit and dance to his boom box music instead. The group had a blast. Not only did they have a great dance floor all to themselves, Gary played music on his boom box that was perfect for dancing.

That was the start of the Late Night Dancing tradition. Our dancers learn to "time-shift". Getting up late in the morning allows them to stay up late at night and dance to their heart's content from Midnight till 2 am in the morning on six of our seven nights at sea.

For this year's trip, Marla asked Gary Richardson to come on board to DJ each late-night party.  Gary received a complimentary passage in return for his excellent work.   Marla paid for this spot out of her own pocket.

Gary supplied music for 4 late night events in addition to 3 dance parties earlier in the evening... Welcome Aboard, 70's Disco Cocktail Party, and Mardi Gras.

I saw Sissy at several late night events.  Sissy is a very good dancer.  She was on the dance floor just as often as she wanted.  I have no idea what her beef was.
 

MONDAY, DAY TWO

Day Two Dance Class

Rick Archer's Note:  On the second day of the trip, I taught a morning dance class.  I distinctly recall that Sissy participated in this class.  I know this for a fact because I remember complimenting her in front of the entire class.

Sissy strikes me as disgruntled because she felt excluded from our group in some way.  To me, this makes no sense because Sissy was a good dancer.   One would assume a good dancer would thrive in a group where dancing is the main activity. 

The neat thing about Social Dancing is that it gives a single person possession of the ultimate ice breaker...  You go up to someone and say, "Would you like to dance??"  Those five words have been the start of many torrid affairs out at sea.

Indeed, that phrase has tremendous power.  I know this for a fact... I used that exact phrase to meet Marla on the first night of the 2001 Dance Cruise.  Marla said yes and we have never been apart since (Stroke of Midnight).

My point is that a dance cruise might actually be the easiest way to meet people imaginable. 

For the record, I consider Sissy to be an attractive person.  She dances well and carries herself with confidence.  If Sissy wanted to be included, all she had to do was ask someone to dance.  How difficult is that??   One smile and Sissy would have been in a man's arms instantly.  Why this woman chose to tee off on Marla remains a complete mystery to me.  
 

Group Dining in Sapphire Lounge, 8 pm

•  THE TRAVEL AGENT DID NOTHING TO MEET AND/OR SPEAK TO ME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CRUISE.

Rick's Note:  This statement is the only thing Sissy is correct about.  However, there are two sides to every story.  Now you get to hear my side of the story.  

I personally spoke to Sissy on a half dozen occasions.  Now I apologize that I do not carry the clout of my lovely wife, but last time I checked, I am still part of the leadership team for each dance cruise. 

Marla fought with exhaustion throughout the trip.  One of her problems is that she worries constantly about making each event come off smoothly.  Marla had a lot on her plate this trip with the inclusion of the Joe Valentino Band.  So I told Marla I would take care of the meet and greet at dinner time.  I made it my job to say hi and share information.  It was something I could do to help.

So while Marla sat at her own dinner table with her friends and relaxed, every night I made the rounds between a dozen tables.  At each table I stopped and gave a brief run-down on the events of the night plus the activities for the following day.  I chatted with anyone who had a comment to share and I answered any and all questions politely.

I know for a fact that I spoke at Sissy's table every night.  I even have an odd piece of evidence... the ship's photographer changed the time of the Formal Picture from 7:30 pm to 7:15 pm on Friday night.  Sissy was there for the group picture.  She knew about the change of time because I announced it at her table on Thursday night prior to the Friday shoot.

Now I am going to reveal something personal about Marla.  Right now Marla is a wounded bird.  Few people are as cruel to Marla as Sissy, but it is amazing how rude certain people can be.  Marla takes so much abuse from a small but seemingly thoughtless element of her customers that the woman has become gun-shy in certain public situations.  Not all the time, but sometimes Marla just wants to hide.  When Marla feels this way, I do whatever I can to protect her.  That is the main reason why I handled the Dinner Table Circuit.  I regret that Sissy took Marla's reclusiveness personally. 

In addition, Marla came on this trip feeling overwhelmed.  You would be surprised at the staggering amount of small demands people place on Marla... things like "please resend that document, I accidentally deleted the other one". 

In and of itself, each little demand for service is no big deal.  However, over time it all adds up, especially when bombarded daily with questions from over 100 people.  I call it "Bleeding to Death from 1,000 Paper Cuts." 

So I suspect that Sissy picked up on Marla's wounded demeanor.  By frowning at Marla, Sissy guaranteed Marla would give her a wide berth.  And in return, Sissy decided to tee off on the woman with that vicious Internet Review. 

Death by 1,000 Cuts plus one very sharp knife in the back.   Et tu, Sissy. 
 

The Joe Valentino Band and Ray Covey

 Tina Cantina, Joltin' Joe Valentino, and Rockin' Robin

Ray Covey sang Elvis songs
 

As an experiment, this year Marla chose to push the envelope and invite Joe Valentino, her favorite dance band, on board, as well as Joe's friend and fellow performer Ray Covey. 

I will have more to say about the two events where Joe Valentino, Robin, Tina, and Ray entertained our group, but suffice it to say that both shows were a knockout success. 

The foursome went all out to provide the best imaginable show.  I would say they did a great job.  For one thing, the dance floor was jam-packed both nights. 

Their compensation was a free cruise trip.  Marla paid for this out of her own pocket.  Perhaps the extent of her largesse would be better appreciated if people understood that her commission is nowhere near what people think it is. 

Marla does not make a ton of money from these dance cruises.  The commission from the lower cabins can be as little as $20. 

In addition, by passing on discretionary points to her guests in the form of perks in lieu of keeping the money for herself (champagne in every room for example), Marla makes each trip special... and makes less money in the process.

Marla went out of her way to make this the best trip she possibly could.  What Marla hoped for in return was "appreciation".  And what did she get instead? 

How about that for a slap in the face?

TUESDAY, DAY THREE

The 70's Disco Cocktail Party with Gary Richardson DJ

The 70's Disco Cocktail Party took place at 7 pm.  In addition, it was definitely a MIXER.  Personally, I think Sissy is nuts.

The 70's Disco Cocktail Party was the inspired brainchild of Cindy.  This party was a huge success on last year's trip, so Marla and Cindy conspired to bring it back this year as well.

Last year I made the DJ mistake of playing actual Disco music from the Seventies.  To my dismay, I discovered the music I danced to effortlessly 35 years ago had mysteriously become so fast that we all risked cardiac arrest dancing a complete song.

So for this year, Gary Richardson wisely played a format of Western music, West and East Coast, as well as a Foxtrot and a Waltz... and some Latin music for good measure.  Much better.

This was a free cocktail party.  Waiters went around for an hour offering free wine, champagne and alcoholic beverages to anyone who asked.  However, there is no such thing as 'free'. 

This party was a $2,000 gift from Marla to her guests.
 

WEDNESDAY, DAY FOUR

Beach Walk with Rick and Marla in Grand Cayman

Negative words have a powerful effect.  Prior to this year's Cayman Beach Walk, there were definitely people interested in making the trip.  For example, here is an email.

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Friday, September 4, 2015 11:43 AM
To: marla@ssqq.com
Subject: Ricks beach walk

Hi. My husband has been trying to call you for details about ricks beach walk.  Apparently my print outs from work were not clear.  When, how long, how much?

Marla's Reply:

There is no structure to the the beach walk. It's just a bunch of friends getting together to walk the 7 mile beach.  This is not an actual excursion. I will let Rick respond as he's in charge of this one.


Rick's Reply:

We leave the ship in the morning, take a taxi to the edge of the island, have lunch in the middle, walk back to Royal Palms, then taxi the rest of the way back to the pier.

There is no charge other than the taxi fees. It is just a nice way to get some exercise and get a feel for the scenery. We have done this walk three times previously.

The Guest's Reply:

You guys are great. Am looking forward to a fun time with you all.
 

Unfortunately, this guest did not participate.  Once this guest was on board, she heard negative comments about the heat from people who attempted the trip the previous year.  The warnings were effective. The guest changed her mind and did something else instead.

There is a big difference between criticism that is deserved and criticism that is NOT deserved.  As for the criticism of my Beach Walk, I completely understood.  Yes, this trip can be very hot.

Truth be told, I don't care what the attendance is.  I do this trip strictly as a service to our guests and also to please myself.  I have taken this walk four times because I enjoy the exercise and the scenery.  Since I enjoy the walk, it doesn't matter to me whether there are 4 people or 40. 

We take our chances.  Twice the heat has been difficult and twice the heat has not been a problem.   If there is a cloud cover or a breeze, the walk is pleasant and we have fabulous fun.  But when there are no clouds, we are in trouble.

On this trip, there were tons of clouds, but for some reason they didn't drift our way.  So yes, it was very hot on this year's trip.

That said, the four of us who did go had a great time.  Diana and Jasara joined Marla and I in this year's four hour adventure. 

We played in the ocean.  We got plenty of exercise.  We saw beautiful trophy homes and expensive hotels.  We saw schools of fish, sand crabs, and lizards galore.  We talked about everything under the sun... and since there was a lot of sun, we talked about a lot of things.  We became close friends.

Thanks to Diana's walking instrument, we now know the Seven Mile walk is actually 4.7 miles long.  That reduced distance can be explained by the fact that we skipped the final two miles of our walk since the last part isn't very pretty.

Our 4.7 mile walk began at Cemetery Beach.  The cab ride cost $6 a person from the tender boat drop-off spot to the starting point at Cemetery.  There is a map below to help keep track.  

Our first stop was the Tiki Beach restaurant.  That is a good place to have lunch.  Not cheap, but then nothing is cheap on Cayman.  The waiter was kind enough to bring us a lot of water at no extra charge.  Plus I had a delicious bottle of beer.  We took 45 minutes for lunch.

Our next stop was the Grand Cayman Beach Hotel (formerly the Hyatt).  This place is a true oasis.  There is an excellent outdoor bar.  Just walk up, order your drinks and relax.  We spent 30 minutes drinking our pina coladas and chatting.

I think you can even go in the lovely swimming pool if you wish.  Just remember to wash the sand off your feet and legs first. 

Our final stop came at the Royal Palms Beach Club about half a mile further.   This is a good place to get another bite to eat. Our taxi ride from Royal Palms back to the ship was $5.

Our trip lasted about four hours.  Considering we were given seven hours ashore, time should not be a consideration.   We had enough time to permit several breaks to swim in the water.  We took other breaks to sit in the shade.   It was hot, but we managed.  The cool ocean water helped considerably. 

Here at home it takes Marla and I an hour to walk 3 miles. However, walking on the sand is considerably more difficult than on a flat surface, so we are only half as fast.  Marla walked barefoot and I kept my good hiking shoes on.  To each his own.

During our trip we ran into several friends.  Below is a picture of Rock Star Tina Cantina and her boyfriend Joe.  Shortly after that we ran into Kyle and his wife Yvette the beautiful brunette. 

The long walk isn't for everyone.  However, you can taxi to any of the restaurants along the water and spend the day at the beach just like Kyle and Yvette did.  Likewise Tina and Joe. 

The Seven Mile Beach at Cayman is considered the best beach in the Caribbean.  I have been to many Caribbean islands and I agree.  This beach is a pleasure to visit any way you choose.
...................

The main reason I have shared this story is to remind people that negative words have power.

In the case of the beach walk, yes, the heat was a concern. I agree the heat is a problem.   Therefore I have no hard feelings about the reduced attendance due to negative publicity. 

What does matter to me, however, is when people attack my wife unfairly.  When some vindictive person like Sissy lies about the facts of Marla's trip, the average Internet reader has no idea what the credibility of the reviewer might be.

All they know is that someone gave four distinct reasons why no one should consider using Marla's services.  Both Marla's reputation and her business were directly damaged by Sissy's harsh words.  That explains why I feel so much outrage.
 

One nice feature of the beach walk is that you can't get lost.
The cruise ship is always in view somewhere in the distance.

Grand Cayman Beach Suites

Rick, Marla, Diana, Jasara
 

Tina Cantina and Joe
 

Kyle and Yvette
 

THURSDAY, DAY FIVE

Catamaran Excursion in Jamaica

This catamaran trip was one of Marla's favorite events.

As for me, I went, but I did not participate due to a headache. I stayed quiet and did crossword puzzles to amuse myself.

On the other hand, Marla and lots of other people had the time of their lives.  Marla grew up in California as a beach girl and loves this environment.  She was not alone in this regard.  From all accounts, this trip was a smash hit. 

60 people participated in this catamaran trip organized by Marla as a Group Experience.  Did Sissy participate?  I better not say. 

The boat took us way out to a stunning reef.  The snorkeling was fabulous. 

The dance party afterwards was described by some as the highlight of their trip... dancing, effective drinking, interesting sea life demonstrations (one lady touched a jellyfish), and best of all an entire afternoon spent hanging out with friends doing the Cupid Shuffle... in more ways than one.

I will let the pictures tell the story.

Bubba Feathers and "Evening Dancing prior to Midnight"

 

One of Sissy's complaints was there wasn't enough dancing before our Midnight Dance event.  As far as I am concerned, Sissy was out of her mind.  There was evening dancing every night of the week.

The ship sponsored nightly dancing in four different places... Star Lounge, Poolside, Metropolitan Club, and Bolero's.

For example, all week long everyone at my dinner table raved about Bubba Feathers.  'Hey Rick, go see Bubba Feathers, have you seen Bubba Feathers yet?  You gotta go dance to Bubba Feathers!!  Great dance band!' Word of mouth from people at my dinner table is how I learned that Bubba Feathers was one of the featured dance bands that performed practically every evening.  And just how did my friends know about Bubba Feathers?  Because they had danced to his music on several occasions.  And how did they find out about Bubba Feathers?  Because Bubba Feathers was given ample publicity in the ship's daily Cruise Compass.  All they had to do was read. For that matter, when it came to Evening dancing, what about the Captain's Reception featuring the ship's orchestra on the Second night?   Or the Crown and Anchor Welcome Back Dance Party on the Fourth night?  These were all Mixer opportunities. Speaking of Evening dancing, Marla had evening dance parties of her own scheduled on the first, third, and last night of the trip. The only reason Marla did not have more early evening events was simple... the ship reserved the dance venues for their own activities.  That's why we usually didn't start our own dancing till Midnight... so naturally Sissy decided to complain about that. I am at a loss to understand what Sissy's problem was.  Maybe she couldn't read.  Yes, that must be it.  No other explanation makes any sense.  The poor girl simply could not read.  But then again, maybe that's not the answer.  Even people who can't read should be able to listen... I announced every activity during dinner when I visited the tables.  You know, we once had a blind man who was part of our trip.  Yes, completely blind.  This man somehow made it to every single event.  Where there's a will, there's a way.   I admired this guy... he didn't let anything stop him.  He came on our catamaran trip even though he couldn't see a thing.  In fact, he even joined the dancing. I cannot imagine what made Sissy say the things she did.  Sissy might actually be the most helpless woman in the history of our dance cruises.  If a blind man can make it to every event, then what exactly was Sissy's problem? I think I know the answer... I bet Bubba Feathers didn't have any name tags!!

The man in orange is totally blind.  That didn't stop him from trying to dance.  All it takes to participate is some effort... and maybe a smile.

There was social dancing featured every single night of the week.  All Sissy had to do was read the paper.

The Bubba Feathers Band

FRIDAY, DAY SIX

Friday Morning Dance Class

It could just be my imagination, but it sure look likes Yvette is
wearing a name tag.  The ironic thing is that Sissy was in this
dance class.  How did she fail to notice the name tags??  
 

David from England was new to our group, but he managed to find
a name tag.  Marla put the name tags out at every single event
just so people could learn the names of the other dancers.

We had dance classes on three different mornings... Monday, Friday, and Saturday.   Attendance was excellent... 60 people for the first lesson, 40 people for the second lesson and 30 people for the third. 

Marla taught Beginning East Coast Swing on Monday to one group while I taught Advanced East Coast Swing including the ever-popular Drunken Sailor pattern to another group.

I taught Small Floor Waltz patterns on Friday... seen here in these pictures.  Marla was there too... she took the pictures.

Then on Saturday morning I taught an odd Western dance called the Threestep which is useful for songs too slow for Twostep and too fast for Polka.

There were clearly name tags available.  Mind you, the name tags were optional.  The point is that Sissy was in these classes.  In fact, she actually danced with people wearing the name tags. 

So one has to wonder why Sissy would lie about name tags.

Furthermore, it is another lie to say that Marla did nothing to meet Sissy.

In this dance class, Marla took Sissy's picture... twice.   That counts as "interaction" in my book. 

Sissy complained that Marla didn't talk to her.  Well, Marla had to be standing near Sissy to take these pictures.  If meeting Marla was an important part of Sissy's agenda, would it have hurt to simply say, "Hi Marla, I'm Sissy. We haven't met yet."

Marla is not a snob.  Not even remotely.  Conversation is a door that swings both ways.  By her own admission, Sissy shows that she refused to say hello to Marla when Marla took her picture. 

Group Formal Picture

Formal Night is always a fun night.  Everyone looks so prosperous and healthy in their beautiful clothes.  And the smiles are wonderful.

Sissy participated in this event.  In fact, she seemed to be in a good mood judging from a picture I have of her.

My question is what in the hell pissed her off?  

Three of her four allegations were out and out lies.  The fourth... that Marla never talked to her... doesn't strike me as something serious enough that it would make the woman deliberately sabotage Marla's reputation as a Travel Agent.

When I say that Sissy's attack is a mystery, I am completely serious.  Neither Marla nor I have the slightest idea what provoked this attack.

Marla reviewed her email communication with Sissy prior to the trip... there was no record of any obvious discord. 

It makes no sense that Sissy would tee off on a woman she has never even spoken to.

SATURDAY, DAY SEVEN

Specialty Restaurants and Other Perks

I understand that as Marla's husband, some people would assume I would reflexively defend her no matter what.  Not true.  I am a straight shooter.  I will tell you like it is. 

For example, I will tell you that Marla is not perfect.  Her biggest shortcoming as a travel advisor is that she isn't patient enough.  I tell Marla all the time that many people are not knowledgeable about travel, so be a little more gentle with the inevitable dumb questions.

I will also tell you that Marla has a thin skin.  So do I for that matter.  Together we were both furious over Sissy's comments.

On the other hand, I will tell you that I believe Marla is one of the finest travel agents in Houston.  I have observed my wife work her job on a daily basis for 14 years.  In my opinion, Marla is the most honest person I have ever met.  In addition, she is also the most sincere.  If Marla tells you something in an email or over the phone, it is the truth.  You can count on it.  The woman does not even fudge. 

Furthermore, your money and your credit card numbers are absolutely safe with Marla.  The woman is a rock in this regard.

Marla is unbelievably knowledgeable about travel.  If you have a question, Marla usually has the answer off the top of her head.  Or she knows where to get the answer on the Internet.

Best of all, these cruise trips come off like clockwork.  Thanks to the experience born of 33 previous cruise trips, Marla is a pro.  In fact, each cruise trip goes so well that some guests don't realize that Marla is responsible for these smooth rides until they try using a different travel agent.  That's when they see the difference.

That said, Marla is modest by nature.  It isn't easy for her to announce her skills, especially since so many of her assets are intangible. This explains why Marla tears her hair out when a prospective customer calls up and demands that Marla explain why they should sign up with her rather than take advantage of some exciting discount that Royal Caribbean has emailed to them.

It gets exhausting answering 'Why should I sign up with you when the same cruise is $25 cheaper on another website?'

You might be surprised... Marla gets this question asked on a consistent basis.  What is Marla supposed to do, take out the entire itinerary and go over it line by line?  This kind of question drives Marla crazy because it isn't easy to explain her value in 25 words or less. 

Some people choose to go with the discount and bypass Marla.  That's fine... it is a free country.  However, they cross a line when they turn around and try to participate in our events.  I see this on every trip.  You would shocked be at the number of people who will bypass Marla to get a cheaper fare, then turn around and try to crash our events.  I call it 'Piggybacking'. 

It happened on this trip too.  I did security at the Joe Valentino concerts.  Both nights people who were not part of our group tried to come in and watch.  Some just heard the music and peeked in.  But others said someone in our group had invited them.

Very interesting.  One person was very ugly when the security guard turned them away.  Based on what this person said, I have no doubt they were Piggybacking.  They were not here by accident. They definitely knew people in our group.  My guess is they got a cheaper price elsewhere.
 

Many people do not realize the power of Group travel.  

Marla's group discount rate is always well below the ship's rate.  But they limit her to 50 cabins.  Once these 50 cabins are gone, Marla's favorable rate disappears.  That lower rate explains why the experienced guests make sure to sign up early. 

Once the 50 cabins are gone, Marla's rate becomes the same as the ship's rate.  This forces Marla to explain why joining her group is superior to signing up directly with the ship even when the price is the same.  Some travel agents brag about their great trips effortlessly, but this isn't Marla's style.   

Marla's major problem is that the cruise lines deliberately undercut her role as a travel agent.  They wish to bypass the travel agent and establish direct loyalty with the customer.  If the customer signs up directly with them, then they don't have to pay the travel agent a commission.  So why not email the customer directly and offer them a backdoor deal?

Marla's only way to compete with this cynical strategy is to ask her customers to sign up with her out of loyalty.  Since Marla realizes that loyalty is a two-way street, she goes out of her way to offer a wide variety of 'perks' to show appreciation. 

On every trip, Marla makes sure her guests receive benefits that other guests who sign up directly with the cruise line will miss out on.

One perk that was new this year were the free dinners at the specialty restaurants.  While I personally am not particularly fond of the growing trend to turn the Main Dining room into a glorified Windjammer, I must admit the food in these specialty restaurants was a cut above the main dining room. 

In addition, the privacy of the dark candlelit dinner was much appreciated by several couples.  For a couple, this was an air of romance that was definitely missing in the main dining area.

On this trip, Marla was able to provide 56 guests (Balcony level and above) with this privilege.  Other than the tip at the end of the meal or charges for alcohol, there was no extra fee.  Marla did this service quietly without being asked. 
 

Aboard the Navigator, several guests took advantage of dinner at Chops Grille, Portofino, and Giovanni’s Table.

Gary, Betty, Marla and I visited Chops one night.   Not only did we have the best meal of our trip, it was quiet and no one tried to take our picture.   The lack of interruptions allowed the four of us to have the best conversation of the entire trip.  I liked this aspect a lot.

So to answer the question "What do I get if I sign up with you, Marla, instead of somewhere else??", here is the list.

01. Complimentary Bottle of Champagne delivered to cabin -- value $25
02. Complimentary Cocktail Party (70's Disco Night) -- value $18 per person
03. Complimentary Dinner for two at a Specialty Restaurant for Balcony Guest -- value $35 per person
04. Private Welcome Aboard Dance Party
05. Private After Hours Dance Parties including The Joe Valentino Show and Ray Covey - $3000
06. Royal Caribbean Sound Tech for group functions -- $200
07. 5 hours of Private Dance Classes
08. Private DJ at all dance events -- $800
09. Pre Cruise Dance Meeting and Pot Luck Party -- $350 for supplies
10. Group Dining
11. Private Group Catamaran Shore Excursion
12. Group T-Shirt Coordination and Sail Away Event
13. Extensive Group Photography Done and Placed on Facebook
14. Formal Group Photo
15. Name Tags for Group Events $81
16. Sock Hop Light Up Juke Box Pins for Private Group Events $183
17. Water for all After Hours Parties $60
18. Security for Joe Valentino Parties $60
19. Private Champagne Masquerade Party
20. Marla's knowledge, honesty, and service that will always be far superior to any Internet sign-up site. 
 

The Mardi Gras Masquerade Party

Of all the events, I imagine the Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball would top most people's list.  The party was outrageous fun.  In fact, the entire trip was incredible.

However, according to Sissy, the 2015 cruise trip was mediocre.  For anyone who might read Marla's reviews on the Internet, they would get a much different picture from Sissy. 

What makes Sissy's insult difficult to comprehend is that every guest I talked to said the entire trip was a blast. Yes, our guests know the truth... but Sissy's Internet criticism paints a much different picture of an incompetent travel agent.  As far as I am concerned, Sissy's statements amount to libel.  What she did was not right.  

Rick Archer, rick@ssqq.com

10-19-2015
Rick Archer's Note: 

After the other guests on the trip realized what Sissy had said about Marla, there was an outpouring of indignation.

As you can see, quite a few people decided to write in and offer opinions of their own.  Just so the reader understands, Marla has no way of rigging these reviews.  Only the guests themselves can vote.  Let's see what they had to say.