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"We don't want that kind of Germanic behaviour here!"
Germanic' sunbed row hits P&O cruise ship
By Andy Bloxham
Last Updated: 2:38am GMT 10/03/2008
A British cruise ship captain was facing an inquiry after criticising passengers who reserved sun loungers with towels for "Germanic behaviour".
# British humour 'dictated by genetics'
Christopher Wells, 52, the captain of the 77,000-ton Oceana, caused controversy when he used the ship's loudspeakers to ask passengers not to reserve loungers they were not using.
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The captain, whose wife, Hedda, is German, announced: "We don't want that kind of Germanic behaviour here!"
Captain Wells apologised to Germans on board during the 15-day P&O Caribbean cruise last month, but now faces an inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission over whether his remarks were racist.
The row began a few days into the cruise, when some of the 2,000-plus passengers on the ship began to complain about sun loungers in prime spots being "reserved" with towels, books and bags.
One female passenger said the crew had tried unsuccessfully to put a stop to the "bed bagging". She said: "There were enough loungers for everyone, provided they were not reserved when not in use.
"Crew members did their best, sometimes removing the towels, which were P&O property, but then passengers reserved the sunbeds with their own items."
The grumbles came to the captain's attention and he tried to defuse the situation by allowing passengers to reclaim sunbeds which had remained unused for 20 minutes.
However, that only led to more confrontation when some holidaymakers used stopwatches to monitor how long beds were unoccupied.
The female passenger, who asked not to be named, said: "This led to heated arguments and complaints - some people nearly came to blows."
Finally, in exasperation, Capt Wells grabbed the ship's microphone and made his controversial announcement over the Tannoy.
A spokesman for P&O said: "Captain Wells apologises unreservedly for any offence caused."
By Andy Bloxham
Last Updated: 2:38am GMT 10/03/2008
A British cruise ship captain was facing an inquiry after criticising passengers who reserved sun loungers with towels for "Germanic behaviour".
# British humour 'dictated by genetics'
Christopher Wells, 52, the captain of the 77,000-ton Oceana, caused controversy when he used the ship's loudspeakers to ask passengers not to reserve loungers they were not using.
advertisement
The captain, whose wife, Hedda, is German, announced: "We don't want that kind of Germanic behaviour here!"
Captain Wells apologised to Germans on board during the 15-day P&O Caribbean cruise last month, but now faces an inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission over whether his remarks were racist.
The row began a few days into the cruise, when some of the 2,000-plus passengers on the ship began to complain about sun loungers in prime spots being "reserved" with towels, books and bags.
One female passenger said the crew had tried unsuccessfully to put a stop to the "bed bagging". She said: "There were enough loungers for everyone, provided they were not reserved when not in use.
"Crew members did their best, sometimes removing the towels, which were P&O property, but then passengers reserved the sunbeds with their own items."
The grumbles came to the captain's attention and he tried to defuse the situation by allowing passengers to reclaim sunbeds which had remained unused for 20 minutes.
However, that only led to more confrontation when some holidaymakers used stopwatches to monitor how long beds were unoccupied.
The female passenger, who asked not to be named, said: "This led to heated arguments and complaints - some people nearly came to blows."
Finally, in exasperation, Capt Wells grabbed the ship's microphone and made his controversial announcement over the Tannoy.
A spokesman for P&O said: "Captain Wells apologises unreservedly for any offence caused."
1. The Captain was right in speaking out against that kind of nonsense, and all people involved in this - German or other, young or old - should have been sent to the blue with millstones around their necks.
2. He should learn to bring his message across in a less stupid way.
3. Play Stackenblocken instead!
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