ScriptOhio Posted February 18, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) Here is the Orlando Sentintal (newspaper) article on the story: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/fl-holland-america-cruise-rape-overboard-20140218,0,7727316.story Edited February 19, 2014 by Host Walt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 18, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thank you for posting the newspaper article which certainly is sobering and ends speculation as to what happened. This is a very scary story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
496and706 Posted February 18, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 18, 2014 It's very unfortunate that this crew member did not realize that saying "son of a " doesn't mean that she was demeaning him or his family. She couldn't possibly have known who was outside of her door. What if she had said the "f" word instead, would he have thought he was being invited in for something? Language and slang are hard to learn and understand. How many other countries has anyone here traveled to where there may have been a notice in the daily Explorer stating that we should be careful about something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted February 18, 2014 #4 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thank you for posting the newspaper article. I feel so sorry for this woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosi Posted February 18, 2014 #5 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) It's very unfortunate that this crew member did not realize that saying "son of a " doesn't mean that she was demeaning him or his family. She couldn't possibly have known who was outside of her door. What if she had said the "f" word instead, would he have thought he was being invited in for something? Language and slang are hard to learn and understand. How many other countries has anyone here traveled to where there may have been a notice in the daily Explorer stating that we should be careful about something. No, it is unfortunate this mad man would kill for ANY reason! Edited February 18, 2014 by Kosi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosi Posted February 18, 2014 #6 Share Posted February 18, 2014 "Instead, he returned to the woman's stateroom and used his company-issued master key to get into the woman's room though he was off duty and was not authorized to enter any stateroom, authorities said." Was he a room steward .. one that cleans the room.. or was he a room service guy? Why would a room service guy ..food.. have a master key?? I actually didn't think even a room steward had a master key.. I thought only a higher up would? This is veryyy scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
startwin Posted February 18, 2014 #7 Share Posted February 18, 2014 It sounds like he was completely deranged and psychotic. What a terrible attack. Thank you for posting this and putting a stop to all the speculation and rumour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cbr663 Posted February 18, 2014 #8 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) It's very unfortunate that this crew member did not realize that saying "son of a " doesn't mean that she was demeaning him or his family. She couldn't possibly have known who was outside of her door. What if she had said the "f" word instead, would he have thought he was being invited in for something? Language and slang are hard to learn and understand. How many other countries has anyone here traveled to where there may have been a notice in the daily Explorer stating that we should be careful about something. Surely you are not proposing that this vicious and violent attack happened because of a misunderstanding? This incident has reinforced for me my continued need to be vigilant and aware of my surroundings. On another thread, I was criticized and condemned for watching other cruisers and being aware of what was going on around me. I will be taking even more precautions now. One of which is making sure that the balcony lights are on and that all areas of the cabin are clearly visible when we return to it. I will never again enter a darken cabin on a cruise ship. Edited February 18, 2014 by cbr663 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjw869 Posted February 18, 2014 #9 Share Posted February 18, 2014 "Instead, he returned to the woman's stateroom and used his company-issued master key to get into the woman's room though he was off duty and was not authorized to enter any stateroom, authorities said." Was he a room steward .. one that cleans the room.. or was he a room service guy? Why would a room service guy ..food.. have a master key?? I actually didn't think even a room steward had a master key.. I thought only a higher up would? This is veryyy scary. I believe I read that he was a room service employee. I was on the Noordam a few weeks ago, ordered lunch and went out to our balcony for just a few minutes. About five minutes after I ordered the food, my balcony door opened and the room service guy had the tray with my lunch. Yes, they must have keycards, as my wife and granddaughter were somewhere else on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solocanadian Posted February 18, 2014 #10 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks you for posting the true story. My sincere sympathies to the poor woman. Hope the Room Service Steward gets lots of jail time and not just deported and fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
496and706 Posted February 18, 2014 #11 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wow! Read the article. It said that he was mad all day because she had called him a "son of a ...". The victim could not have possibly known who was knocking. How often do you swear or cuss or curse in what you think is the privacy of your own cabin? I'm out of this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising-along Posted February 18, 2014 #12 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wow. This is awful, I feel so bad for the woman. He must have serious mental problems. :( I'm wondering, does a master key work on the deadbolt too? I've always felt safe with the dead bolt engaged, now I'm wondering! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosi Posted February 18, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) I believe I read that he was a room service employee. I was on the Noordam a few weeks ago, ordered lunch and went out to our balcony for just a few minutes. About five minutes after I ordered the food, my balcony door opened and the room service guy had the tray with my lunch. Yes, they must have keycards, as my wife and granddaughter were somewhere else on the ship. are master keys and key cards the same thing though?? I thought master keys allowed someone to gain access even when you use that deadbolt type of lock. .but only real higher ups would that.. I thought key cards were only be able to be used if you were not using that lock, and that is what stewards would have???I may have this all wrong! Edited February 18, 2014 by Kosi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted February 18, 2014 #14 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Just so horrific and unbelievable. I so feel for this woman. It must have been so frightening. Thanks Spire for letting us know the whole story on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sackman Posted February 18, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 18, 2014 We don't even know the full context of the "Son of a bitch" comment. Maybe she was looking for pants or a shirt or something to cover up with and couldn't find it and muttered to herself - as we all do - in frustration. It might not have even been directed at him at all. I'm very glad to hear that she fought him every inch of the way. No giving in at all. He got more than he bargained for, that's for sure. I don't know what the law is like at sea. Under what country's jurisdiction did they fall under at the time of the attack? Is it the country of registration (Netherlands), country of origin (US), nearest country to where the attack happened (Honduras, it sounds like)? I honestly don't know and would like to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swice Posted February 18, 2014 #16 Share Posted February 18, 2014 The word, "nightmare" would be an understatement. I will pray for this woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candbgirl Posted February 18, 2014 #17 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks for posting the article. Since the original thread seems to have been deleted I was hoping someone would post a follow up.496 and 706 are you really blaming this vicious attack on a language misunderstanding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjw869 Posted February 18, 2014 #18 Share Posted February 18, 2014 are master keys and key cards the same thing though?? I thought master keys allowed someone to gain access even when you use that deadbolt type of lock. .but only real higher ups would that.. I thought key cards were only be able to be used if you were not using that lock, and that is what stewards would have???I may have this all wrong! Not a clue. Our deadbolt was not on. However, I have seen room service guys and laundry guys use a keycard to enter a cabin many times, including ours. It must be a master keycard to get into the cabins. If the culprit entered her room when she wasn't in her cabin, the deadbolt couldn't be on. The keycard is the word I've heard used many times by our concierges. The term is also used by hotels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosi Posted February 18, 2014 #19 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Not a clue. Our deadbolt was not on. However, I have seen room service guys and laundry guys use a keycard to enter a cabin many times, including ours. It must be a master keycard to get into the cabins. If the culprit entered her room when she wasn't in her cabin, the deadbolt couldn't be on. The keycard is the word I've heard used many times by our concierges. The term is also used by hotels. Oh right! ... she couldn't have her deadbolt on.. so there is hope that the deadbolt would keep everyone from your room.. except for the higher ups.. That is what I was always lead to believe.. I know a key card.. can get anyone in .. room service, room steward.. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innlady1 Posted February 18, 2014 #20 Share Posted February 18, 2014 We just returned last night from our cruise so I was unaware of this story. WOW...very scary indeed. How sad for the woman...and this guy truly must be sick...to go to those lengths to harm a passenger :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elycelynne Posted February 18, 2014 #21 Share Posted February 18, 2014 That's just horrible! And speaking as a woman who sails solo -- VERY scary! He did confess to violent felony crimes, so hopefully he'll be spending a very long time in prison. Room service attendants would have to have master key cards. How else would they be able to pick up your tray after you were done eating and out of your cabin? I really, really hope that the deadbolt offers secure protection against anyone -- Even with the master key. I would hope though, that if the deadbolt WERE engaged and if ship personnel had to gain entrance to the cabin in the event of an emergency where the passenger couldn't let them in, that they would be able to override the deadbolt somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sackman Posted February 18, 2014 #22 Share Posted February 18, 2014 496 and 706 are you really blaming this vicious attack on a language misunderstanding? Not trying to put words in 496/706 mouth, but I suspect the intent was not to blame this on a language misunderstanding. I got the impression that the blame was squarely put on the perp, with the additional proviso that he is a complete moron in addition to being a viscious criminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted February 18, 2014 #23 Share Posted February 18, 2014 496 and 706 are you really blaming this vicious attack on a language misunderstanding? Based solely on what I'm reading in the newspaper story (notorious for not getting it all, all right) it sounds like the trigger that set an otherwise unstable person off. The woman may very well been cursing for something as simple as not being able to find her robe, but he wouldn't have known that. Or, he may have "heard" something that was never said at all! We all know it's not easy to hear normal volume from the other side of a closed door. Not an excuse, candbgirl; just an explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Posted February 18, 2014 #24 Share Posted February 18, 2014 This is sickening and scary. My prayers for the victim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosi Posted February 18, 2014 #25 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) I think... there are two seperate things.. a master key card..room service, room stewards.. that can only work without a deadbold being on. Then there is a master key let's call it.. that works with a deadbold being on.. and only certain people have that..(hotel manager --or what ever he is called on the ship!), but certainly not the service people.. that is what I have always heard..anyway! Edited February 18, 2014 by Kosi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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