Rude Passengers

[suntan]

We have just come off the Crown Princess 7-night Caribbean cruise. The demographics of the passengers was a mixture of young and old, couples, families and singles. Passengers were from Canada, the U.S., Britain, and other European countries. During the 7-night cruise I was: walked into, backed into, walked into from the side, stepped on, hit by a ping pong ball, hit by someone pushing an empty wheelchair, and someone had the audacity to place their hands on me (she thought I was going to bump into her in an elevator however that gives no one the right to touch me or anyone else). All of these "events" were caused by older ("older" meaning over 70) passengers and not one of them said "Sorry". Some of the women thought it was ok to touch children that didn't belong to them. Maybe that's a cultural thing, however, in this day and age I'm surprised the parents didn't object. I don't know why some older aged individuals have to be so rude and ignorant.

[f-mattox]

Boy, I've had all the same things happen to me; only difference is I'm 71 and every time it's happened it has been a twenty-something in such a hurry that they were paying no attention to what was going on around them.

[bdjam]

I've often put my hands on people who I thought were going to bump into me to either steady them or let them know I was there...the audacity of my hands is no worse than the audacity of a careless bump.

 

As for everything else, I think rudeness would have to assume there was malice in the act. These could have all been accidents.

Edited November 25, 2013 by bdjam

[Cruiserkenn]

I've often put my hands on people who I thought were going to bump into me to either steady them or let them know I was there...the audacity of my hands is no worse than the audacity of a careless bump.

 

As for everything else, I think rudeness would have to assume there was malice in the act. These could have all been accidents.

 

Yes, good point about accidents.

 

I am especially wondering about the circumstances of the ping pong ball (being an avid ping pong player myself, and one time college dorm champion:). Smile :)

[98Charlie]

I'll just say this much:

 

Each cruise is a microcosm of humanity, a snapshot of life. With a cruise you are mixed with a random group of people for the time period of the cruise.

 

You could just have easily encountered the exact opposite where everyone lives life as you would have it. Or it could have been any other demographic (age, ethnicity, national origin, etc.) group that you found offensive.

 

As for me I find it offensive to paint any group with as broad of a brush as you have chosen.

 

I sincerely hope that your cruise was a good one.

 

Charlie ("As old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth" - Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th St.)

[Liz54]

I spent 12 years being the travel companion for my beloved brother who was in a wheelchair/scooter/cane, paralyzed on one side and speech virtually gone from a stroke. Nobody ever expected him to make a life after his stroke, but he was determined and unbelievably cheerful under the circumstances.

 

I observed that he had to use enormous reserves of determination to do the things the rest of us take for grated. Sometimes he miscalculated - bumped into someone, brushed past too close or otherwise. Often because he was making such a mammoth effort to climb that stair, climb onto that elevator, he did not notice a person nearby.

 

Never again will I judge the elderly who are not letting their disabilities - visible or invisible - keep them cooped up and unhappy. There but for the grace of God....

[Cruiserkenn]

I spent 12 years being the travel companion for my beloved brother who was in a wheelchair/scooter/cane, paralyzed on one side and speech virtually gone from a stroke. Nobody ever expected him to make a life after his stroke, but he was determined and unbelievably cheerful under the circumstances.

 

I observed that he had to use enormous reserves of determination to do the things the rest of us take for grated. Sometimes he miscalculated - bumped into someone, brushed past too close or otherwise. Often because he was making such a mammoth effort to climb that stair, climb onto that elevator, he did not notice a person nearby.

 

Never again will I judge the elderly who are not letting their disabilities - visible or invisible - keep them cooped up and unhappy. There but for the grace of God....

 

Well said, Liz54. Thanks.

[geocruiser]

Just thought I would throw this in about what has happen to me so many times. I have very curly hair, and when it was chin to shoulder length people would touch it when on a cruise ship. I would get "your hair is so curly" and them they would put their hand in it. Most time they were so quick I could not get out of the way of their hand. I would try to be nice, because I knew they did not know that I did not want them to do it.

[macky2]

Well said Liz54.

 

My DH has no vision in his left eye and this causes problems with depth perception. You should see his left elbow - bruises on top of bruises. I try to always walk on his left side to prevent him from bumping into things or people but sometimes accidents happen.

 

If we ever bump into you on a cruise ship or otherwise please know it wasn't intentional and we didn't mean to offend. We do always say "sorry".

[AlanFromFL]

If the worst thing that can go wrong with a cruise is to be struck by an errant ping pong ball...:eek:

 

Oh wait, maybe it's the senior citizen's version of the "Knockout Game"?

Edited November 25, 2013 by AlanFromFL

[sweetsleep]

I was on the Coral Princess in October and am not surprised by the OPs concerns.

I constantly witnessed people of all ages deliberately cutting in line ahead of people, heard abusive epithets thrown at staff in the MDR and the Sanctuary, had people on a ferry boat excursion tell me that "you have to move your chair forward,my husband has long legs and needs more room"-so where am I to have any space? Other people on this shore excursion deliberately refused to give up an EXTRA chair for their food!(while watching very frail people have to stand on an 8+hour trip. I constantly had people yelling at me to give them directions to various parts of the ship and when I couldn't answer their rude way of asking me they cursed at me. Hello, why are they verbally assaulting a complete stranger like this?

Don't even get me started on shore excursions if someone accidentally sat in the "wrong seat" on a bus. I saw men being verbally abusive to women about this.

So in defense of the OP, I believe that she/he did experience some pretty bad stuff. It was really disappointing to see the behavior of people who ARE old enough to know better.

It was almost always rude fellow Americans who acted like this. The few Brits and Canadians onboard were quite lovely,gracious and had manners.

[suntan]

I expected this backlash from you but what you have failed to latch onto is that no one said "sorry". If they said that I wouldn't have let it go. As for all you that said I was in the wrong, that maybe I was in the way, do you think I would have posted this if I was? Some of you are so quick to judge the poster without thinking before you speak or putting yourself in the poster's shoes. I expect politeness from EVERYONE young and old as I thought you would to. I travel with my elderly Mother who had more manners than these individuals I have spoken about. Obviously I have higher standards than some of you.

[bdjam]

Just thought I would throw this in about what has happen to me so many times. I have very curly hair, and when it was chin to shoulder length people would touch it when on a cruise ship. I would get "your hair is so curly" and them they would put their hand in it. Most time they were so quick I could not get out of the way of their hand. I would try to be nice, because I knew they did not know that I did not want them to do it.

 

Now that I would object to - but someone putting their hand in my hair is totally different than an accidental bump.

 

I expected this backlash from you but what you have failed to latch onto is that no one said "sorry". If they said that I wouldn't have let it go. As for all you that said I was in the wrong, that maybe I was in the way, do you think I would have posted this if I was? Some of you are so quick to judge the poster without thinking before you speak or putting yourself in the poster's shoes. I expect politeness from EVERYONE young and old as I thought you would to. I travel with my elderly Mother who had more manners than these individuals I have spoken about. Obviously I have higher standards than some of you.

 

You're right...people should say they are sorry. Sometimes we don't realize we are in the wrong in situations like a busy cruise ship. I guess being on vacation I would have shrugged it off rather than bringing it to the boards...and then having to again respond with your expectations.

Edited November 25, 2013 by bdjam

[sweetsleep]

I too have travelled with my 84 year old mother and she would never act like this. Makes me wonder if the people who are critical on this post were on the cruise with the OP-that might explain a lot!

I will also say that there were a lot of rude senior citizens on this trip.

I always go out of my way make room for people on canes,walkers and wheelchairs( and try to help the if they appear to need it) but when a woman on a scooter got pissed off that when many people on a completely FULL elevator did not get off to make way for her I just could not believe her attitude.

I was traveling with a friend who had not taken any vacations in 12 years because she was caring for her dying mother and I hated to keep apologizing to her for how awful people acted on this cruise.

This was my 6th Princess cruise and every other time I have made lifelong friends onboard-we visit each other in our hometowns,call and email each other,etc. Not this time sorry to say.

[CI66774]

Thanks for your observations, OP. Luckily, I've witnessed few very occasions of rude passengers over the years. That's not to say, I haven't been touched or bumped. Most of the time, it was accidental and I just let it go. I was groped once on the New York City subway and I stomped on freak's foot. He limped off and, I'm sure, thought twice about doing it to someone else.

[Blk_Amish]

I expected this backlash from you but what you have failed to latch onto is that no one said "sorry". If they said that I wouldn't have let it go. As for all you that said I was in the wrong, that maybe I was in the way, do you think I would have posted this if I was? Some of you are so quick to judge the poster without thinking before you speak or putting yourself in the poster's shoes. I expect politeness from EVERYONE young and old as I thought you would to. I travel with my elderly Mother who had more manners than these individuals I have spoken about. Obviously I have higher standards than some of you.

 

Yes, absolutely. Maybe like them you did not realize. Obviously, along with your higher standards, you have more contact with other passengers than most!

 

We have just come off the Crown Princess 7-night Caribbean cruise. The demographics of the passengers was a mixture of young and old, couples, families and singles. Passengers were from Canada, the U.S., Britain, and other European countries. During the 7-night cruise I was: walked into, backed into, walked into from the side, stepped on, hit by a ping pong ball, hit by someone pushing an empty wheelchair, and someone had the audacity to place their hands on me (she thought I was going to bump into her in an elevator however that gives no one the right to touch me or anyone else). All of these "events" were caused by older ("older" meaning over 70) passengers and not one of them said "Sorry". Some of the women thought it was ok to touch children that didn't belong to them. Maybe that's a cultural thing, however, in this day and age I'm surprised the parents didn't object. I don't know why some older aged individuals have to be so rude and ignorant.

 

IMOP, you should be careful when you target any group with derogatory comments. If you replace 'older age' with another group and still feel comfortable with your post, then so be it. Did you encountered some rude people, we all do, but this might have nothing to do with them being older. Did you address the individuals, I would if it bothered me as much. If you expect politeness then your generalization and implication of 'this day and age' was not very polite, just sayin'.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Blk_Amish

[ssawjo]

Just off the Royal. An older gentleman in a scooter was in an elevator. As the elevator stopped at a deck, he did not move, so the two people who were waiting for the elevator got on board after a few seconds, AFTER making sure that the gentleman in the scooter was not exiting. So, as the man was entering the elevator, the scooter decided that he was at his deck and started to exit, running over the man's foot. No harm, but the man made a funny remark and the gentleman just said, "Sue me." That was it. The others in the elevator were not amused by his remark. The elevators on the Royal announce each deck with number/name. The elevator button was pushed. The elevators on the Royal are, it seemed, always at capacity, especially during "rush hour." The stairs were fine but no middle stairs above deck seven.

 

However, I found the vast majority of people, of all ages, to be polite and accepting of the circumstance. Had a great cruise and recommend cruising on the Royal at least once.

[EightFurryPaws]

When passengers are using the two ping pong tables set up near the pool and you choose to walk past, yes you may tragically get hit by a ball. There were other paths that you could have chosen, and I don't believe they would have been terribly inconvenient.

 

Myself and many passengers sitting at the tables near the Trident Grill eating lunch, got the biggest laugh when a ping pong ball landed in my French fries. Didn't cry about it, just got more fries. Life's way too short.

[Mom33]

OP......Being old shouldn't equate with rudeness. I find 30 and 40 ish frequently being rude to older people too. Lets just say that you met rude people on board and not describe them by age, sex, race etc. You would be less likely to meet with resistance from other posters.:)

 

We should all remember that sooner or later we are going to be old. We can only hope that we have our health and ability to cruise when we reach the Golden years. ;)

[sweetsleep]

sorry you had to deal with this. I had a man verbally abuse my 84 year old mother on a shore excursion in the Acadia National Park trolly because she "took his seat". Well someone else decided to sit in the seats we previously had and I did not care. This man was easily 30 years younger than her. What an ass he was and the other people on the bus made fun of him the rest of the tour. Of course it would have helped if the person who took "our seats" moved but that's not the point at all.

It turned out that for the rest of the trip the side we sat on was better than the one we "gave up" to pacify the snot. Justice was served. He was not on our ship thank goodness-he was on a land based vacation.

I now prefer to go on private excursions- we always change up on whatever mode of transport we have so that no one has a seat that they "own",plus its a lot harder to act like an ass if you are in a very small group!

[thyme2go]

Being 'rude' isn't limited to one age, or group of people. Unfortunately, it sounds like this cruise had a lot of well practiced rude people who will behave with entitlement first and foremost...no matter where they are.

 

The ping pong ball may have been lumped in just because it happened. Having played ping pong on a ship (the ship is moving, the table is tilting a bit, the ball is ????)......it is usually pretty comical. I've said "I'm sorry" so much but then it become "lil' help please?" It's a rather exhausting activity chasing those balls into so many crevices and escape routes!!:D

[AKman2495]

Sorry, but you lost me when you said:

 

and someone had the audacity to place their hands on me (she thought I was going to bump into her in an elevator however that gives no one the right to touch me or anyone else).

 

 

TO me that is overly sensitive. Really, "audacity"? She was trying to keep YOU from bumping into HER. In the eyes of the law, incidental touching such as you describe is not considered "battery". Battery must be more than incidental.

 

Methinks thou dost protest too much.

Edited November 26, 2013 by AKman2495

[pris993]

45+ cruises on 9 different cruise lines... have not witness anything like you are describing.

 

I sometimes run into situations that are not to my liking when traveling, have decided a long time ago, to try as much as possible to avoid or change whatever I am doing that may contribute to an unwelcome situation. I can't change the world but I can change what I do. If not possible, I mediate and say to myself, this too will pass. Helps to change my perspective.

[Ren1216]

Honestly? I've encountered more rude people on cruise ships than at home around town. And I live in the north where people can be "chilly" all times of the year. I don't know what it is about being on a ship, but I do see a difference and have noted it from the first cruise I ever went on. However, in my experience, it comes from all age groups. I've seen older passengers (including some using scooters or wheel chairs) being rude and nasty, and then I've seen other passengers treating MY grandmother (who I push in a wheelchair) just as poorly. That said, it doesn't ruin our vacation, we simply won't allow it to. But it certainly IS disheartening.

 

To the OPs original point.... many times I, too, witnessed no apology. Of course, people make mistakes all the time! I do. You do. But to intentionally withhold a "sorry", or at least an "excuse me", when you've imposed on another (even accidentally) is unacceptable. Sadly, this is now our society in general.... it grossly lacks compassion, accountability, cooperation and common courtesy.

 

Now in fairness, let me add a positive experience that took place on board. One time as we were exiting the MDR, others who had the later seating were crowded around the doors, waiting to be let in. My aunt, 87 at the time, scooted ahead to get out of the way and in a split second, lost her balance. She was way outside any of our immediate reach, we could only watch. But a young man standing near by, I would guess in his early 20's, saw what was happening. Without a thought, he literally bolted to her, swooped down and caught her before she hit the ground. He turned her upright and set her on her feet, then while she was still clutching him in fear, he gently danced with her as if it was all part of their plan. They shared a good laugh and she thanked him profusely. We all did. She really could have been badly injured - he saved the day. It was a beautiful, instinctive act of kindness and grace that I'll never forget.

[canadarocks]

Now in fairness, let me add a positive experience that took place on board. One time as we were exiting the MDR, others who had the later seating were crowded around the doors, waiting to be let in. My aunt, 87 at the time, scooted ahead to get out of the way and in a split second, lost her balance. She was way outside any of our immediate reach, we could only watch. But a young man standing near by, I would guess in his early 20's, saw what was happening. Without a thought, he literally bolted to her, swooped down and caught her before she hit the ground. He turned her upright and set her on her feet, then while she was still clutching him in fear, he gently danced with her as if it was all part of their plan. They shared a good laugh and she thanked him profusely. We all did. She really could have been badly injured - he saved the day. It was a beautiful, instinctive act of kindness and grace that I'll never forget.

 

What a lovely story. Thank you so much for sharing it! :)