What are some NICE things you've seen fellow passengers do for others?

[fun*n*sun]

I really like threads like these that highlight the good people. Thank you for starting it. I think too often the people who are thoughtless, cruel and selfish get lots of attention and we forget that really the vast majority of people are the opposite. At least I like to think they are, and certainly find that true on HAL ships. I am uplifted by these stories and impressed by the people on this board.

 

Sail7Seas, I'm so glad that you and your husband were there to counteract the shocking lack of compassion and tack those other passengers exhibited. :mad: I am always amazed there are actually people like that, but happy there are people like you out there to balance them.

 

My story certainly doesn't compare to saving peoples lives, but it always makes me feel like there's hope for the next generation when I remember it.

 

We were on a cruise with a ballroom dance team that an older teenage daughter and son performed with. (Parental brag and plug for HAL quality entertainment the team is a top youth team in the US) For a group of teens they were great to travel with, polite, calm and thoughtful. Of course they were also lectured extensively before and during the cruise by the coaches and parents on behaving appropriately, but really they were a bunch of great responsible, kind and dedicated teenagers. One boy started to get a little, shall we say over boisterous, one time and I saw the other team members chastise him and say that they didn't want the team represented in that way. Not that they didn't have tons of fun :D

 

There was a family with 3 children, 4, 3 and barely 1 on our cruise. Apparently the original plan was for the grandparents to be on the cruise as well, but that didn't work out. The mother was sea sick the first several days and the father was having a hard time with the children on his own. We saw them at dinner the first night and the next day at the swimming pool my daughter and several of the other team members went offered to watch the children at the pool for him so that he could have a break and played with the children for a couple of hours. They helped out with the children several other times during the cruise. I realize there is child care on the ship, but the children were quite young, the parents new to cruising and the teens went out of their way to be helpful.

[sail7seas]

That's a lovely story, sun'n'fun. It is always good to hear the nice stories about teens. Too often we focus on the negative and don't recognize the good kids presenting themselves so well.

 

Thanks for sharing it and congratulations on your teens' accomplishments. You have every right to be a proud Mom. :)

 

 

 

[DeepWaterMariner]

Our luggage didn't make the ship on a circle Hawaii cruise. This was on Princess and the fault was with the airline which we had booked on our own. Princess was terrific, taking responsibility for tracking and bags even though the problem was with the airline. They immediately gave us a $500 on board credit to use for anything we wanted, loaned me a tux, gave us express laundry service free until our bags arrived, and loaned my wife black silk dress slacks. The first evening at dinner, after relating our tale of woe, one of our table mates loaned me shirts and socks. BTW, we have run into this guy on two subsequent cruises and always have a laugh about something that wasn't that funny at the time.

[Sirdar]

On my first cruise some 16 years ago aboard Cunard Princess a passanger was nice enough to relieve a fellow passanger of his wife. All three left at the next stop and the rest of us had something to gossip about which was another unintended nicety.

[dvdfreakmc]

This story does not fall into the 'nice' category IMO, just into human decency.

 

Some years ago we were on a repositioning cruise, New York to the Caribbean ending in FLL.

 

The first sea day, we had a medical evacuation by helicopter occur.

That evening, DH and I were seated at a table for four which had been set for only the two of us. Behind us was a table for six with two couples seated.

 

We saw and heard the Maitre d' bring a lovely mid 60 year old lady to the table behind us. He introduced her and explained her husband had been the guest taken off the ship that day with a heart attack but she was not permitted on the helicopter. She could not leave until we reached our first port which was either Nassau or St. Thomas. I don't remember which. He asked she join them so she would not have to simply sit in her cabin.

 

He seated her and left the table.

We heard one of the women at the table say to her something like...... Oh great. We have to have our fun ruined because of your problems.

 

DH heard it and sprang out of his chair before I knew what he was doing.

 

He motioned to one of the stewards to set a place at our table; went to the next table; introduced himself to the lady and asked she please join us.

 

She was mortified and only wanted to run back to her cabin and be left alone.

We refused to hear of it. She would be worrying about her husband and alone for at least two days and it was out of the question she should not dine in the dining room.

 

She agreed to join us and I cannot tell you what a delightful woman she was. So dignified, interesting and one of the most lovely women we have had the pleasure to dine with.

 

As it turned out, she was with us three night before she could leave.

Each evening she came to the table and said, we will spend five minutes catching up with today's news about my husband and then we shall get to happy conversation. Remarkable.

 

He was a retired Army Colonel and she, obviously, learned to be a strong military wife all the years they served.

 

The ship was wonderful arranging calls for her daily so she could speak with her husband several times each day.

 

I will never as long as I live know how the people at that table could have spoken to her that way.

 

After meeting DH, I wouldn't have expected anything else -- Very gallant!

[usha]

On my first cruise some 16 years ago aboard Cunard Princess a passanger was nice enough to relieve a fellow passanger of his wife. All three left at the next stop and the rest of us had something to gossip about which was another unintended nicety.

:eek: :eek: HUH???:eek: :eek:

[fun*n*sun]

On my first cruise some 16 years ago aboard Cunard Princess a passanger was nice enough to relieve a fellow passanger of his wife. All three left at the next stop and the rest of us had something to gossip about which was another unintended nicety.

 

Sounds a little like the movie Titanic :eek:

[Copper10-8]

Happened to be first on scene when an elderly lady missed the last step of the Atrium stairwell on Rotterdam and went down and when an elderly gentleman fainted and went down inside the show lounge during the show on Maasdam.

Prinsendam's Capt. Halle Thon Gunderen and I, while on a shorex in Split, Croatia, went on a search party for an elderly couple who got lost within the old city and did not make it back to the bus on time. We found them walking around trying to find their way.

[sail7seas]

Oh John....... They must have been so relieved when you found them. You 'done good'. :)

After meeting DH, I wouldn't have expected anything else -- Very gallant!

 

 

 

Thanks, Peter, for the nice words about DH. He was horriified at what he heard.

 

[Boytjie]

I guess I did something nice... We had some rough weather in Cozumel and I was on one of the first tenders, off to go scuba diving. We banged into the dock with the tender but made it ashore. Off to scuba diving from a boat that was bopping on the ocean. On the way back to the dive shop they had a hard time getting us alongside the dock due to the waves, we circled around for 30 minutes. Finally we made it ashore, returned out gear and took a cab back into town. The weather was getting worse.

 

I did some souvenir shopping, had a beer and went looking for the line for the tender. Only there did I find out that the ship's tenders stopped running for 3 hours after a mishap just after we left - a tender hit the dock which caused a crack in it. They eventually contracted for a gaudy, three-level party boat to do the tendering.

 

By the time I got on the party boat I was starving and had only one thing on my mind - food! I would drop my bags in the cabin and hit the Lido. That was until I saw M, whom we had befriended on a previous cruise had dinner with earlier in the cruise, on the tender/party boat. M had had a few drinks too many and was mortified by the rough seas. I had to find him a place to sit where he could hang on to something solid. I went upstairs to the open deck to enjoy the view and the rolling deck.

 

We eventually made alongside the ship and I was still contemplating rushing off the tender to get food when I saw M still sitting there clinging to the pole for dear life. The tender was moving up and down and the Zuiderdam was moving up and down. The gangway did not line up with any deck on the Zuiderdam so it was at an angle, an angle that changed all the time. M told me that the only way he could get off the ship was if his partner (who stayed onboard) would come and get him. By then almost everybody had boarded the ship and I told M there was no way I could find his partner in time to come get him which meant that he would end up back in Cozumel.

 

I convinced him that I could get him across the gangway. Due to the movement on the gangway the 'ceiling' of the entryway could come down quite low, so I ended up squatting down, told him to grab me around the waist and we clawed/crawled our way across the gangway. The tender and ship’s crew were amused but I am sure they have seen worse! I had to make my way back onto the tender to collect my bag and when I got back on the ship M told me he couldn’t make it back to his room on his own. So I dropped him off, dropped my bag off and rushed to the Lido for some food.

 

When we saw M the next day he was telling everybody about how I saved his life! I did feel a bit guilty about almost leaving him behind in my quest for food. :)

[the_dylaness]

On my first cruise some 16 years ago aboard Cunard Princess a passanger was nice enough to relieve a fellow passanger of his wife. All three left at the next stop and the rest of us had something to gossip about which was another unintended nicety.

 

Hilarious! And cleverly put.

[Marjeanne]

On last years famous Yummers cruise, DH who is an insulin dependent diabetic, had a few problems. We came prepared, but, hadn't expected a couple of problems to rear their ugly heads.

 

I will always be greatful to Jim and Ruth, and Sher and all of the rest of the Yummers for their support to get us through this episode.

 

They all (each and every Yummer) made sure DH was comfortable and taken care of.

 

Yummers I thank and salute you all.

[babyher]

Sail I think that was wonderful of DH to have done that.

 

I try and do good deeds where I can but there is something about helping an older lady. Whenever I see an older lady in trouble I always help, I like to think that there is such a thing as Karma and if it were my Mom in distress someone would be as kind to her.

 

I would have done the same as DH.

 

However DW would have landed in the Brig for what she would have said to the witch at the other table :(

[sail7seas]

Sail I think that was wonderful of DH to have done that.

 

I try and do good deeds where I can but there is something about helping an older lady. Whenever I see an older lady in trouble I always help, I like to think that there is such a thing as Karma and if it were my Mom in distress someone would be as kind to her.

 

I would have done the same as DH.

 

However DW would have landed in the Brig for what she would have said to the witch at the other table :(

 

 

Babyher...... I WAS SORELY TEMPTED but decided I didn't care to go down to her level. She had to see us every night for the rest of the cruise and hopefully that made her uncomfortable enough to have had an impact on her 'full enjoyment'.

 

I agree with you with the Karma. I think that way, too. :)

And I know you would have been out of your chair in the same way DH was! "Good on you".

[neverwinter2]

sail, that was a great story. Even though Army wives can handle anything (we have to learn that pretty quickly!) I am sure the lady involved was tremendously grateful to you both. From another Army wife, thanks for what you did.

[sail7seas]

sail, that was a great story. Even though Army wives can handle anything (we have to learn that pretty quickly!) I am sure the lady involved was tremendously grateful to you both. From another Army wife, thanks for what you did.

 

 

Neverwinter: (I love your 'nickname')

 

I, too, was an Army wife. While only two years active duty and at Ford Knox then Fort Hood, my memories remain..... and most of them are wonderful.

Thanks to you and your DH for your service. Sincerely.... thank you.

[neverwinter2]

sail... ah-ha! thought you might be one of us! :) i am at the "great place" right now.

[sail7seas]

It was a great many years ago :)..... when we were first married but most of it was good. ;)

 

Take good care out there.

 

[neverwinter2]

hehe.... it's mostly still good, even though it certainly isn't easy! ;) Thanks!

[Copper10-8]

This story does not fall into the 'nice' category IMO, just into human decency.

 

Some years ago we were on a repositioning cruise, New York to the Caribbean ending in FLL.

 

The first sea day, we had a medical evacuation by helicopter occur.

That evening, DH and I were seated at a table for four which had been set for only the two of us. Behind us was a table for six with two couples seated.

 

We saw and heard the Maitre d' bring a lovely mid 60 year old lady to the table behind us. He introduced her and explained her husband had been the guest taken off the ship that day with a heart attack but she was not permitted on the helicopter. She could not leave until we reached our first port which was either Nassau or St. Thomas. I don't remember which. He asked she join them so she would not have to simply sit in her cabin.

 

He seated her and left the table.

We heard one of the women at the table say to her something like...... Oh great. We have to have our fun ruined because of your problems.

 

DH heard it and sprang out of his chair before I knew what he was doing.

 

He motioned to one of the stewards to set a place at our table; went to the next table; introduced himself to the lady and asked she please join us.

 

She was mortified and only wanted to run back to her cabin and be left alone.

We refused to hear of it. She would be worrying about her husband and alone for at least two days and it was out of the question she should not dine in the dining room.

 

She agreed to join us and I cannot tell you what a delightful woman she was. So dignified, interesting and one of the most lovely women we have had the pleasure to dine with.

 

As it turned out, she was with us three night before she could leave.

Each evening she came to the table and said, we will spend five minutes catching up with today's news about my husband and then we shall get to happy conversation. Remarkable.

 

He was a retired Army Colonel and she, obviously, learned to be a strong military wife all the years they served.

 

The ship was wonderful arranging calls for her daily so she could speak with her husband several times each day.

 

I will never as long as I live know how the people at that table could have spoken to her that way.

 

Great story S7S (just read it) - Hope to meet you and your DH one day so I can shake his hand!

[WeRockChalkKU]

I am also blessed with a wonderful DH who seems to always go out of his way to help others. I have a few stories but not sure if I'll be typing them all up - long stories. DH is a emergency/cardiac/flight nurse....loads of skills.

 

We had left Devil's Island that afternoon, scheduled for a sea day the next day, and then on to Trinidad. That first evening, we we're walking through a dance lounge on our way to dinner when the man walking ahead of us collapsed. DH goes into ER mode and is assessing and making interventions for the man (Ed) while I'm trying to reassure Ed's wife that DH knows what he's doing. When the ship's MD gets there he speaks were poor English which didn't help the situation. We weren't allowed to go to the Medical Center initially with Ed but reassured the wife we'd check in. DH had assessed a mild stroke and the MD also thought the same. We ended up checking in with the wife several times offering to do anything we could for them. Then we got to Trinidad where the ship said Ed had to leave the cruise and transfer to a hospital. Ed's stroke affected his speech but you could tell how scared he was. The wife asked us to go to the hospital with them. We hadn't been to Trinidad before but going with them was the right thing to do. After he got admitted and DH felt Ed was going to receive good treatment, we said our goodbyes. We had a short glimpse of Trindad and then prepared to reboard. DH thought we should go back and check on Ed and our cabbie made great time getting us to the hospital. We got to see Ed and wife in the ICU and as we told them goodbye again....Ed used every bit of strength he had to barely whisper "thank you" to us. DH told them what he thought prognosis/recovery might be and Ed and wife were nice enough to keep us updated about his recovery after they got home. We've never regretted helping out because if the roles were reversed and my DH was ill, I would want someone to go with me to a foreign hospital. We figure we can always make it back to visit Trinidad.

[WeRockChalkKU]

We were on a 15 day Hawaii cruise - r/t out of LA. We were at a table for 8, 3 couples and 2 elderly ladies. (We later found out they were 86 and 82). It was the entire tables first time in Hawaii and the elderly ladies couldn't stop talking about setting foot in Hawaii and being presented a lei like they had seen in the movies all those years. We had 5 sea days before we got to Hawaii and each evening they got more and more excited abiout those flowers. Needless to say, it wasn't like in the movies and they didn't get a lei. They were SO disappointed at dinner that night. The next day in port DH shopped until he found the best leis in town to buy and presented them to the ladies at dinner that night. To see their faces light up was "priceless" and they proudly wore those leis EVERYWHERE for days.

[WeRockChalkKU]

Another story: I think this was a 16 day cruise. We were in St Lucia all day and leaving late in the evening, then we would be at sea for 2 days. We took a long boat ride from port around the island to visit some sites and then a long boat ride back. During the boat trip we made acquaintences with a young couple from the USA that was also on our cruise. (Sue & Joe) As soon as we returned to the ship we went to our cabin to quickly get cleaned up for dinner. As we were walking to dinner we saw Sue at the purser's desk still in her shorts. When we checked in with her she said that they had just gotten word that Joe's father had suddenly passed away. They were having to get clearance from the St Lucia authorities to disembark to fly home and only had an hour until we were to sail, otherwise they would have been onboard for 2 sea days. The cruiseline was trying to get all the paperwork done. We asked if we could do anything and Sue asked us to help them pack. So, we did. It was quite interesting to go into a strangers cabin and assist them with their packing. This was several years ago before all the airline restrictions on weight and there was LOTS of luggage. We got the job done and the ship sailed on time. We kept in touch for a couple of years. Later, we realized that the ship hopefully would have waited on them but in the heat of the moment we didn't consider that and just wanted to do as they requested.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you everyone -- I couldn't possibly answer each of you -- there are sooooo many wonderful stories here.

Makes my heart warm to know that there are still LOTS of great heros out there willing to step in and help out others.

I have been sitting here and reading everything.

Thank you all!!!

[sail7seas]

llmiam....... THANK you for sharing those wonderful stories. You and your DH are wonderful, giving people. I hope I never have an emergency on a ship but hope both of you are there if we do. :)

 

May all your cruises be 'uneventful' in the future.

 

You truly are givers!!!