Poor Behavior by Rude Passengers on the Coral Princess Panama Canal Cruise
Dear
Polite Travelers,
Surprise! We’re talking civility here. Who would have thought?
Sure,
most of us consider ourselves polite, civil people who treat others
kindly. Then why do many of us cringe
when observing the behavior of fellow cruisers?
Simple answer: many travelers have unrealistic high expectations that
are bound to result in poor behavior toward those attempting to please us. This is especially true with cruisers.
Note:
Follow CDC guidelines when visiting.
Always wear your face mask when in public.
What? Rude Passengers?
Okay,
so here’s a scenario I observed. My travel partner hubby and I were sitting at the Explorer’s Lounge Bar—tiny and
intimate—enjoying a wonderful conversation with the bartender and a couple of
servers.
With
one of the servers, I became more familiar with and found that she’s actually a
nurse who gave up her career to work for Princess. She wanted to be nearer her husband who works
on the Coral. Can you imagine giving up
that type of career to schlep drinks to dismissive,
entitled ingrates? Besides her
credentials, she is a sweetheart.
Trivia
aside, a trio of disappointed cruisers confronted her while we looked on. Evidently, they believed that would be some
sort of reception for them and they were blaming the only one they could at the
time: her. The woman in the group was
“in her face” and belittling her. I
almost stepped in, but the bartender gave me “the look” which meant, “This is
part of our job.”
Unfair
Consequences
Using
this one scenario as an example, once a complaint is made about an employee,
that person is disciplined,
which means that some negative action is taken.
Most working on a ship receive goodies when they are praised by
cruisers like a day treated as a passenger or a dinner at one of the fine
restaurants. This is something most
covet and, unfortunately, won’t materialize for this former nurse or any of the
other dozen employees I witnessed being denigrated for simply being.
Observed
Reasoning Behind Rude Behavior
Being
nice shouldn’t have a price tag or reward.
None of us is more important than anyone else. Thus, we should be grateful for every little
thing others do for us. Unfortunately,
this isn’t the case for many passengers once they ascend the gangplank.
By
observation, it appears the current, prevalent view is that since we pay dearly
for our cruises, those working on the ship work for us, which is somewhat
true. Nevertheless, many treat these hard working people as slaves. I suppose
it helps those committing these crimes against civility feel important.
Consequences
of Being Nice
I
call it “passing out cookies.” Yep, I’m
a cookie passer-outer and proud of it. As silly as it sounds, I observe people: their
attire, manners, smiles...most everything.
When appropriate and at the proper moment, I use that information to
compliment and try to make a connection.
For example, I noticed a young junior waiter who appeared to be observing every
movement of the senior waiter she worked with while also observing all her
diners. She appeared anxious as if she
had a great need to prove herself. When
she arrived at my table, I complimented her on what I observed, which was her
efficiency, and included that I thought she would advance quickly. She nearly
cried but saved that for later. Not only
did she cry on our last night, but she also gave us her address in Slovenia, so we could visit and stay with her when
traveling.
Did
she advance? Yep! Just that small gesture gave her the confidence
she needed. Now that felt good. And that is what being nice is. It’s not just the right thing to do or
something we do for our benefit. Being
nice spreads goodwill. A win-win for
all.
Oh,
and that nurse?? She’s now my best bud
on Facebook.
The world would truly
be a lonely place if we didn’t share the good inside us.
Right?
Your thoughts and observations??
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