Random Acts Of Kindness

[loungelizard]

So often when you read these boards you'd swear that most cruiseship passengers are rude, obnoxious jerks. When I was on the 1/15/06 Liberty cruise I had an experience that really made me smile and I wanted to share it with you all...

 

I traveled with a wonderful group of single professionals and I was really looking forward to the first formal night so I could finally wear the new tux I had bought. I realized that my brand new tuxedo shirt needed ironing so I headed down to the self-serve laundry. There was a woman ironing her gown, and when I asked her how long she would be, she said about 15 minutes. I waited outside in the hallway and soon another woman arrived with an armful of formalwear to iron. We struck up a conversation ( I wish I could remember her name ) she was from NC and I had lived there for a bit so we chatted while we waited...she was hilarious. She offered to iron my shirt for me...probably guessing correctly that it would take me awhile to do it myself. She had it ready in minutes...I thanked her and went back to get dressed. After struggling with my bowtie, I got frustrated and decided to find someone in my group to help me put it on. I have Shreklike sausage fingers so it was next to impossible for me to do it myself. I couldn't find anyone who could help me, so I thought I'd try the formal shop but they were closed. I continued to walk around the ship aimlessly searching for someone in my group and I was getting a bit antsy because it was almost dinner time. Just when I was about to give up, or ask a complete stranger for help, who happens to walk by me but that wonderful woman who ironed my shirt. In her sweet NC accent, she told me that I looked terrific...but where was my tie? I told her about my frustrating battle with it, pulled it out of my pocket, and in an instant, she had it on and looking sharp. I thanked her again and told her what a lifesaver she was. She just smiled and said.." honey, I've only known you for a few hours and already I'm ironing your clothes and dressing you...hell, I don't even do that for my husband anymore!" She was wonderful and so helpful...and I'll never forget meeting her. I'm hoping she reads these boards. I had a wonderful cruise and had many reasons to smile...so now I'd like to hear some of your stories.

[LHP]

That was lovely. Thanks for sharing! (applause)

[MamaParrotHead]

and maybe an example for all of us. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

[Fatcat07]

After two days of reading "the worst cruise ever ...." thread, this was a breath of fresh air.

 

Thanks for the posting

[iluvdoxies]

Great story !

 

I also try to help people out. Once while waiting in the buffet line for an omlette, there was an elderly couple behind me and they were having a hard time with the heat and humidity. I told them to go get a table in shade or inside and asked what kind of omlettes they wanted. They opted to sit right inside the restaurant so I could find them easily---ordered mine and theirs and special delivered it to their table. They were so thankful.

 

A few nights later they were in the piano bar when we were and next thing I knew my husband and I had a round of drinks !

 

So see, it pays to be nice.

[msolberg]

How nice of her and how nice of you to share it with us.

 

Thanks.

 

Diane

[jimc_usa]

After all the complaints it is really nice to hear good things!

[billsgirl]

What a great story. Thanks for sharing...I am SOOOOO tired of the worst cruise ever thread...

Have a great day!!

[msolberg]

Great story !

 

I also try to help people out. Once while waiting in the buffet line for an omlette, there was an elderly couple behind me and they were having a hard time with the heat and humidity. I told them to go get a table in shade or inside and asked what kind of omlettes they wanted. They opted to sit right inside the restaurant so I could find them easily---ordered mine and theirs and special delivered it to their table. They were so thankful.

 

A few nights later they were in the piano bar when we were and next thing I knew my husband and I had a round of drinks !

 

So see, it pays to be nice.

 

I know another fantastic lady that sent me a picture of Deep my favorite waiter. ;)

 

Just another example of how nice you are. :)

 

Diane

[Yazoo cruiser]

a lady from our small town of about 12,000. My wife had worked with her husband several years earlier. Well, about a month later, while working in my office, I was told there was a lady wanting to see me. After walking up and seeing who it was, she proceeded to hand me a formal picture of my wife and myself. She said as she was getting off the ship, she saw the picture on top of a can of discarded pictures, picked it up and remembering where I worked. brought it to me.

[GayleR]

It's nice to know that there are nice people all around. And I agree, it's a nice change to hear something positive.

[bucket_O_beer4john]

As I've posted before, I've had some really nice conversations in the laundry room waiting for the iron on formal nights.

 

Ditto to everyone that said it's nice to have a NICE thread for a change.:)

[StacyandTim]

After meeting and hanging out with the girls from Atlanta on our recent Liberty cruise, DH and I were in the photo gallery and we saw a great picture of the three girls, so we bought it for them, attached a note, and put it in their cabin mailbox.

 

They mentioned to us that they hadn't visited the photo gallery the entire cruise, so I knew they didn't see how great their photos came out!

 

***pats self on back*** ~ yeah, I can be nice too!! :)

[Ship Addict]

There are a bunch of really great people right here on these boards. My DD (7) came home with a Flat Stanley project the day before yesterday from her first grade class. I asked one of my acquaintances on the S&SII Board if they would kindly take him along on their cruise next week and send us back a pic. Within hours, I had several other offers of people willing to take Stan on their upcoming trips too! My DD will be so thrilled that her Flat Stanley will be the most well traveled guy in class!

 

Thanks S&Sers!

[picklebongo]

Thanks for sharing your "random act of kindness" story, it was a breath of fresh air. For the most part I am always struck by the friendliness of people on Carnival cruises and how jovial they are, striking up conversations in the elevators, asking where you're from and so forth.

[iluvdoxies]

I know another fantastic lady that sent me a picture of Deep my favorite waiter. ;)

 

Just another example of how nice you are. :)

 

Diane

 

lol Diane--have a great cruise!

[GA2005]

Last year as we were pulling into Cozumel, the hallway out side of my cabin was filled with beautifully dressed men and women. I noticed that one woman's dress was not hooked or zipped all the way in the back, so I offered to help. We got to talking and she invited me and my friend to come to her daughter's wedding in port. Although, we didn't go, I thought that it was so nice to be invited.

 

I love to hear stories about people being nice, thanks!

[swatts1]

Maybe if we all try to do a few random acts of kindness during our cruises, there would be less stories about "worst cruise ever". Nah....some people are never happy, but maybe there would be more nice stories that people have to tell.....

[kelz66]

On our first cruise togethr my wife and I had abrutly leave and fly home due to a family emergency.

 

A few weeks later we recieved an envelope from a couple that sat at our table in the dinning room. They notice we were missing and asked our waiter (who knew we had left) what happened to us.

 

Well they went to the photo gallery and bought all the pictures of us and mailed them to our home.:)

[cathyoo]

Maybe if we all try to do a few random acts of kindness during our cruises, there would be less stories about "worst cruise ever". Nah....some people are never happy, but maybe there would be more nice stories that people have to tell.....

 

I agree...I love random acts of kindness.. doing them makes my day.. little things like letting the mother with the crying child get in front of me in line, paying for the car behind me at the toll, bringing a cup of coffee to the shoe shine guy, treating the library staff to soft pretzels, etc.

 

I love reading these stories.. the couple who had the emergency and their tablemates sending them the photos..priceless. Get enough of these stories we can do a sort of "chicken soup for cruisers".

[Ms_Pammy]

I know another fantastic lady that sent me a picture of Deep my favorite waiter. ;)

 

Just another example of how nice you are. :)

 

Diane

 

Wonder if this is the same Deep we had on the Sensation...He was GREAT!!

[JoeMini]

You also don't need to be on a cruise to do nice acts of kindness either!

[Truluv]

I'd like to personally thank (1) all the people who make a special effort to carry on a friendly conversation when dining with strangers; (2) the people who don't shove their way in front of the other passengers waiting in line to get off the ship in port; (3) the passengers who don't push into a buffet line (just to get 1..2 or 3 items...), (4) people who don't elbow their way through a crowd to get the "best" seats at a show, to get into the dining room before anyone else, or to leave a lounge first;' and (5) people who don't complain constantly. Carnival cruises are extraordinary values, even if your steak is a little overdone or your prime rib has some fat on it (figure out what it would cost for you to fly to even one island, pay for a hotel, entertainment, transportation and all that food for a week). If your steak is over-done, try the chicken! If your room isn't clean, tell your steward nicely and if it isn't cleaned, politely report it. If it isn't cleaned then, use your comment card and possibly even contact the cruise line later...but don't tell all your fellow passengers the entire cruise about your lousy cabin, that the Cruise Line stinks and what a terrible time you're having.

 

I think of polite people as angels. I travel with a family member who has early Alzheimers -- which obviously isn't visible to others, but presents us with many challenges. Every little courtesy and kindness that minimizes stress means so much to me. Having a vacation and being able to enjoy life for a week is a very, very big deal for us. Just wanna have a nice time...

 

We never know what's going on in the lives of the people that we cruise with, work with, or who live next door. Small acts of kindness may not mean much to the giver, but little acts could be hugely wonderful to the recipient. I once met a lady who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was taking her dream cruise before beginning treatments. We all cruise with sweet honeymooners (who might not have the money for another dream vacation until their silver anniversary). They should have great times, and anything we can do to make the cruise wonderful is an opportunity to earn angel-wings ourselves.

[MeLuvDaSea]

I think this qualifies.... at least to me it did. I am a 50ish, overweight guy, not young, handsome or dashing, just to set the scene. One morning as I was making my way back to my cabin with a cup of coffee a very pretty young lady in a Carnival uniform smiled and asked me if I was having a good time. She seemed to geniunely care. That alone made me feel nice, but later, during one of the shows, I realized she was a dancer!! I know it doesn't matter but it made this old dog feel mighty good.... ;)

[martdm]

Wow...very cool stories one and all. See, there is kindness out there on those ships :)