What would you have done?

[bobbymcgee]

I was on the island Princess 12/20. There was so much talk and posting about the trip,due to the misbehaving children. I wanted to add this,

My mom and I were in a packed elevator, she was asking me whether I wanted to go and have desert. A 60+ year old woman patted my mom's stomach and piped in"Neither of you need desert, stick with the fruit".

My mom left the elevator and began to cry. She was emabrrassed.

I'll take the kids who weren't taught any better over the rude adults who should know better.

Everytime I saw her after that I wanted to say something to her, but I decided why bother.

[Genessa]

You took the high road, not saying anything, but I think I would have said to the woman something along the lines of what my husband said to a woman who commented on his weight

 

"I can always lose weight, but you will always be ugly" (in the event that the 60 year old woman was beautiful you could say rude, nasty, ill mannered, etc.).

[Paula_MacFan]

That's truly unforgivable. The audacity it would take to say something like that is astonishing.

 

I'm sorry your Mother's vacation was impacted in such a negative way. Some people just engage their mouth before their brain.

[doliver]

I wish you were kidding, but I assume this really happened.

 

If this had happened to me or my wife, what I would have told her could not be posted here. Let's just say I would have lost my cool.

[bobbymcgee]

From the moment I left the elevator I so regreted not speaking up. I guess I was so shocked, that I was speechless for the moment. After my mom cried I became angry and considered apprroaching her when I seen her around the ship. But really what good would it have done. My point really was that so many passengers on my cruise talked and complained CONTINOUSLY about the kids, I got to thinking that adults can be upset you as well.

[Lisa63]

Maybe this idiot will have to someday go on a medication like I did that resulted in a 40-pound weight gain.

 

I honestly don't know what I would have done. I've had family members tell me that I didn't "need" a piece of cake at a birthday party, but if someone actually touched me like this idiot did to your mom... I'd be even more upset.

 

As it was a packed elevator, I imagine that this idiot did a fine job of embarassing herself.

[rowmcvie]

What a completely horrible thing to say! I'm so sorry that the woman was such an insensitive individual. The only thing I can say that might help is something someone said to me once when I related another person's rude behavior. She asked me if I would want to be that person. I, of course, replied "No!" She then said, "She probably doesn't want to be herself either." Made sense...

[sailinglisa]

I guess I would have said, "thank you for your concern, but this is OUR vacation, and your personal preferences are not considered here." Then if I was in a really witchy mood, I would have found something to comment on about this person who is not perfect. We may all think things to ourselves, but to express them to the person(s) we are thinking of is absolutely rude and unforgiveable!

[dosi]

I am kind of a curvy gal myself and once had a well meaning older lady ask me if I really thought I needed that dessert. I looked her in the eye, quietly looked down and said "I have cancer and the chemo is really making me very bloated. My husband told me I looked just fine but I guess I don't" and then sniffled a few times as I walked away. You can bet your buns she will keep her ugly comments to herself from now on!!! ;)

[Hulagirl]

I'm so saddened by what that woman said to your mother. I am in need of losing weight myself, but nobody needs to tell me or tell me what not to eat. How horribly rude of her to insinuate herself on your mother. Even if you had said something, it probably wouldn't have phased her at all. Those types of people have no class and just don't get it. I just don't know what I would have said either in that situation. Sometimes you get caught so off guard that words just can't come out of your mouth because you are stunned by the stupidity of others.

 

Please tell your mother that we are very sorry for this woman and do hope she enjoyed her cruise in spite of this. I would love to go and have desert with her anytime.

 

I agree with you about the complaints just being about kids. My daughter is 15 and very well behaved. I've read to her some of the things posted here and she was shocked about the behavior of the kids. We are lucky and she knows how to act and behave in public and at home. But I too have seen some horribly rude adults on cruises that acted in ways that would make your hair curl also. It really isn't just tied to one age group. The only thing is the kids can run up and down the hall and sit on the floor in the elevators, where I couldn't get up if I sat down and running is just not something I can do either.

 

Take care,

 

Hulagirl

[jnc411]

I am so sorry that the rude inconsiderate boorish woman upset your mother and you. I really don't know what I would have said, because polite considerate people do not make rude comment about another person so we don't expect to hear such things. I would hope that someone else in the elevator chastised her after you and your mother got off the elevator. Obviously she was an ill mannered person. I hope it did not ruin the rest of the cruise for you and your mother. I hope if I am ever in that situation that I find the right word to really ZING the person making such comments.

Cori

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just a few hours ago I was talking to my little daughter about some comments a few of the second grade classmates have been saying to her. One girl had decided to bully her and once said to her, "I don't like you because you're ugly." And has had some of her friends make comments to her along those lines too (besides some of the other nasty things they have pulled). Because school starts up again tomorrow, I suggested if one of them makes one of those nasty comments to her, to reply "people who say those kinds of things are ugly inside." She said she'll try to simple say nothing (kinda "talk to the hand" attitude). Personally if I hear one of those girls make that kind of comment to her in my presence (which they haven't yet, but are bound to at some point), I do plan to say that they are showing a lack of respect. Maybe even add that comments are mean and show an ugliness.

I know it's hard to give a response when you're stunned but I hope someone (maybe a companion of hers) told her that it was an inconsiderate thing to say. Many 7-year-olds do have better manners that that!

[skarletohara]

I feel so badly for your mom. But consider the source. And I know it probably

stunned you to hear it and it's hard to come back with anything after such a

shocker, but you know what, if she had said that to me I probably WOULD have immediately retorted and told her that her comment was rude and offensive to me as well as others and to mind her own bee's wax.

[DebnTexas]

I am the same as you...can't think of anything to say on the spot, but here are some I've come up with that you could have said...

 

Do I know you?

Who are you? The diet police?

You must have us confused with someone else.

Thank you for your unsolicited opinion.

Do you think you're funny?

It's OK she's eating for 2. Aren't those new fertility drugs awesome? (this has the added impact of confusing the hell out of the rude lady)

She's allergic to fruit.

Fruit causes cancer. (again, just too confuse)

Did you ever see the movie, "The Witches of Eastwick"? (more confusion)

Where I come from, polite people don't make rude comments like that? Where are you from?

Where are you from? answer Oh, I didn't realize people from {place} were so rude.

I can't believe you said that...she is a recovering anorexic...you probably just set her back 6 months in treatment.

You know, the boutique has some nice clothes...I notice yours are so out-dated.

Were you rude your whole life, or did you just get that way when you got old?

Do you have a mental illness? Did you forget to take your medication?

To those nearby..."Poor thing, she must be senile".

Mind your own business, lady.

To your mom, "Something stinks in here. Can you smell it?"

Lord, please forgive those who know not what they do.

Maybe you haven't heard...it's a crime to touch another person without their permission.

 

My mother would have started a cheery conversation with the offender...not that her feelings wouldn't have been hurt, but that's just the way she was...she was all about being nice and friendly. So, it if had happened to me and my mother, I'm sure I would have seen a first-hand lesson of how to make lemonade from sour lemons. :)

[MoreCruise]

How awful, the nerve of some people.

[juliejoe]

bobbymcgee - fortunately people like that are a minority and we don't have to encounter them very often. Tell your mom to consider the source and share some of these responses with her. It will be fun for the two of you to imagine the look on the face of "attacker" if you had been armed with these responses.

 

DebnTexas - what a great lady your mom must have been and what a great sense of humor you have! I'll bet you put a smile on the face of bobbymcgee - you put one on mine! :) I may try to commit a few of these to memory.

 

Julie

[jnc411]

Good ones !!!!

Now I just wish I could remember them all. Thanks

Cori

[cusyl]

What a horrible woman to embarass your mother like that. I am afraid I would have really told her off. Even worse than the insult was the fact that this person actually patted your mother's stomach. It is never acceptable to touch another person like that.

[Northender]

Don't worry cori, a number of those will come to mind if the situation ever arises :D

[Mary Jane 711]

We had a sort of similar incident on a recent cruise to Panama canal (REgal Dec 9 -24). when waiting to disembark at Cristobal, we were jammed into a small area for nearly an hour. People were getting hot and bothered to get off ..its a long story, but what happened was a lady was tired of people getting off the elavator and "barging" in line. She made her feelings clear to everyone. My husband said to her just to chill..take it easy we would all be out of there soon enough. She turned around and mouthed the name , "fat ass" at my husband. Well, he just blurted out "shut up you old bitch" That ended that, alhough I wanted to disappear. It was uncomfortable rest of the cruise as we ran into here here and there. But nothing else was said. I thought "how rude!":o SHe just couldnt get off her high horse. And just to add, she was over sixty. ;)

[PINEVIEW01]

Ok, now you all have me worried. I'm over weight but, on Carnival feel into the average size:) Am I gona be the fat girl on Princess:D

[bjboothman]

nevermind

[jnc411]

Pineview 01

Not to worry , I don't think that there is a perfect size for a cruise line or life for that matter. People come in all sizes and unfortunately all temperments as well. It is just too bad that the bad tempered ones have to make it uncomfortable for all the rest of us. There are great kids on cruises as well as pain in the B-tt kids on cruises. And that goes for adults and older adults as well. I am getting real close to that 60 mark that is being mentioned. But I would never make a rude comment to anyone or be rude or impatient to others because of my age that is no excuse for bad behavior. Some people are just rude and boorish no matter what there age is.

I hope you enjoy your up coming cruise and if anyone is a pain in the b-tt or rude, check the list on the previous post there are some great zingers there to retort with. Happy cruiseing all !!!

Cori

[Mary Jane 711]

Well Bjboothman I knew I would have to clear this up, as I said it was a long story. Our cruise had to skip a port, so this incident happend after 4 days at sea with no break. The people in charge on the Regal had no set plan for getting off the ship in Cristobal. There were people waiting on three or more floors with no definite place told to us to disembark. As it turned out, we all tried to tunnel out one exit for a while off a skinny gangplank. We were all trying to get some fresh air in a port that was just for a couple of hours and just to look at the wares that were high priced. It was hot and everyone was on edge. This particular woman had been harping on people for a while and the ones she finally chose to pick on got off the elevator and were obviously in their late seventies. I felt bad for them as they did not know what they were getting into when they got off the elevator. My husband kindly said to her to chill and she turned and absolutely glared at him. Maybe I didnt tell it clearly or you just had to be there, but trust me people were ready to cheer when he told her off. In my opinion she deserved it. It was not a legitimate complaint on her part. It was the staffs incompetance in the first place. When tempers flare, people say dumb things. I remember saying..okay thats enough. I am not one to start anything, but in this case, that lady should have just stayed quiet. The p oint I was getting to int he first place, was that some people chose to pick on heavy people. WHether it be outwardly or with that up and down look they give them. The look of disapproval. Come on cant we all just be civilized?

[bobbymcgee]

You guys are cracking me up. My mom is hysterical reading Debmtexas's reply.(THanks for the laughs!) I really wish I could of responded, I would of loved her to become speechless.

Needless to say, we both started our diets when we got home!

I actually gained 16 pounds in 15 days!

I didn't think that was possible!