P&O Cruises caught in controversy after staff wear ‘offensive’ outfits on deck–you won’t expect this apology
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An incident aboard a popular cruise has left passengers stunned and questioning what they had just witnessed.
What seemed like a lighthearted event quickly took a turn, sparking outrage and confusion among those on board.
As the situation unfolded, it became clear that things had gone horribly wrong, leading to swift action from the cruise line.
A recent incident on a P&O Cruises Australia voyage shocked passengers after staff appeared in costumes resembling Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members during a Christmas event.
The controversy unfolded during a Pacific Explorer cruise from Melbourne to Hobart in December when eight housekeeping staff walked through the pool deck dressed in white uniforms with pointy hats.
A passenger captured the moment and shared it on social media, questioning: 'Is this appropriate for 2024?'
In response, P&O Cruises Australia issued a formal apology, explaining that the crew had intended to dress up as 'upside down snow cones' for the festive event.
A spokesperson for the company stated: 'We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests.'
They clarified that the crew had no idea their costumes could be misinterpreted.
According to the spokesperson: 'Several crew members dressed up as snow cones for a Christmas family event, not understanding how their costumes could be misconstrued.'
The staff members were in public view for a brief period before management intervened, making them remove the costumes immediately.
The crew members, upon realizing the potential harm caused by their outfits, were reportedly 'horrified and extremely apologetic.'
Lynne Scrivens, the communications director of P&O Cruises Australia, explained that the housekeeping staff were from various countries and were unfamiliar with the Klan.
She said: 'No one can seriously think that was their intention.'
Scrivens also mentioned that the crew's costume options were limited due to the resources available on the ship.
She added: 'They are limited with what resources they have on ships.'
In an interview with 2GB host Ben Fordham, she remarked: 'They were so distressed … they really are so hardworking and try their hardest to deliver guests amazing holidays.'
Despite no formal complaints being made at the time, Scrivens described the incident as 'very unfortunate.'
She further stated: '[We] accept and take full responsibility for it.'
Terri, a Melbourne passenger, recorded the event and shared it on social media forums.
She described the costumes as 'offensive KKK costumes,' though she believed it was unintentional.
Terri recalled: 'They had been promoting it in the ship’s newsletter – it was going to be a tug-of-war battle between the crew – and we were there to watch what we thought was going to be an awesome event.'
When the crew appeared in their costumes, Terri said she turned to her husband: 'I looked at my husband and said “it’s housekeeping OMG” and my husband was like “OMG get the camera, get the camera out, no one will believe us.”'
The couple was stunned by the sight, with Terri noting the eerie silence that followed: 'We were like, ‘are we seeing this correctly’, it was so bizarre.'
She observed the confused expression of a nearby woman, which summed up the reaction of everyone on board, saying: 'You can hear it on the video, it just went quiet.'
Terri then contacted P&O Cruises Australia for clarification but claimed she received no response, stressing that such costumes were 'not tolerated in this current environment and education is desperately needed.'
She also mentioned that the crew immediately removed their hats when asked, stating: 'I spoke with one of the crew and they told me they were asked to take their hats off straight away which they did without hesitation.'
While shocked by the incident, Terri believed it was a 'mistake,' but noted that this experience had left a sour taste after three previous P&O cruises.
Do you think more should be done to ensure such mistakes don’t happen again? Was this an innocent mishap? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
What seemed like a lighthearted event quickly took a turn, sparking outrage and confusion among those on board.
As the situation unfolded, it became clear that things had gone horribly wrong, leading to swift action from the cruise line.
A recent incident on a P&O Cruises Australia voyage shocked passengers after staff appeared in costumes resembling Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members during a Christmas event.
The controversy unfolded during a Pacific Explorer cruise from Melbourne to Hobart in December when eight housekeeping staff walked through the pool deck dressed in white uniforms with pointy hats.
A passenger captured the moment and shared it on social media, questioning: 'Is this appropriate for 2024?'
P&O Cruises staff spark outrage with controversial costumes. Image source: Facebook
In response, P&O Cruises Australia issued a formal apology, explaining that the crew had intended to dress up as 'upside down snow cones' for the festive event.
A spokesperson for the company stated: 'We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests.'
They clarified that the crew had no idea their costumes could be misinterpreted.
According to the spokesperson: 'Several crew members dressed up as snow cones for a Christmas family event, not understanding how their costumes could be misconstrued.'
The staff members were in public view for a brief period before management intervened, making them remove the costumes immediately.
The crew members, upon realizing the potential harm caused by their outfits, were reportedly 'horrified and extremely apologetic.'
Lynne Scrivens, the communications director of P&O Cruises Australia, explained that the housekeeping staff were from various countries and were unfamiliar with the Klan.
She said: 'No one can seriously think that was their intention.'
Scrivens also mentioned that the crew's costume options were limited due to the resources available on the ship.
She added: 'They are limited with what resources they have on ships.'
In an interview with 2GB host Ben Fordham, she remarked: 'They were so distressed … they really are so hardworking and try their hardest to deliver guests amazing holidays.'
Despite no formal complaints being made at the time, Scrivens described the incident as 'very unfortunate.'
She further stated: '[We] accept and take full responsibility for it.'
Terri, a Melbourne passenger, recorded the event and shared it on social media forums.
She described the costumes as 'offensive KKK costumes,' though she believed it was unintentional.
Terri recalled: 'They had been promoting it in the ship’s newsletter – it was going to be a tug-of-war battle between the crew – and we were there to watch what we thought was going to be an awesome event.'
When the crew appeared in their costumes, Terri said she turned to her husband: 'I looked at my husband and said “it’s housekeeping OMG” and my husband was like “OMG get the camera, get the camera out, no one will believe us.”'
The couple was stunned by the sight, with Terri noting the eerie silence that followed: 'We were like, ‘are we seeing this correctly’, it was so bizarre.'
She observed the confused expression of a nearby woman, which summed up the reaction of everyone on board, saying: 'You can hear it on the video, it just went quiet.'
Terri then contacted P&O Cruises Australia for clarification but claimed she received no response, stressing that such costumes were 'not tolerated in this current environment and education is desperately needed.'
She also mentioned that the crew immediately removed their hats when asked, stating: 'I spoke with one of the crew and they told me they were asked to take their hats off straight away which they did without hesitation.'
While shocked by the incident, Terri believed it was a 'mistake,' but noted that this experience had left a sour taste after three previous P&O cruises.
Do you think more should be done to ensure such mistakes don’t happen again? Was this an innocent mishap? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
