84 Year old Overboard from Sun Princess

[iminholidaymodeya]

My husband and I were due to board the sun princess today. Our son took his own life 5 years ago, this trip for us was to try and feel normal again. I don't expect people to understand the grief that families and friends go through when a loved one takes their own life, but some of the comments today were so cruel. Praying for the family and friends of the man who thought the only way out was to take his life.

[Gold_Coaster]

Can you even begin to imagine the physical and/or emotional pain that it takes before a person decides to end their own life?

 

However, perhaps we need to wait till we know what has actually happened before se start speculating.

It seems to be an opinion here that he jumped, well I must point out another possible scenairo, my husband who is well over 6 feet once tripped over one of the spread out chairs on our balcony and felt as if he was almost going over and luckily grabbed the railing to stop himself.We had never thought of that happening before that incident,but can now see that can happen to a very tall person. We now make certain that any chairs etc. are not in that position.

[Aussieflyer]

Well it's a rather large impact on those boarding don't you think?

 

Yes, but they would be notified by the cruise line not CC and I would not rely on what is said here when making decisions. My issue is that threads like this become full of speculation and people then make value judgements about the person concerned (as this one has already). It becomes very voyeuristic IMO.

[sanacruise]

My partner who is also very tall was jogging on the top deck early one morning. He got the fright of his life when he was doing the weave around the wind breaks on the side of the ship and with the swell crashed into the railing and half tipped over the rail. It showed him how whilst not easy , with unfortunate conditions it could happen .

[irukandjisting]

We were on the last Sun Princess cruise - to New Zealand also

 

One day out of Sydney the weather turned - The ship did not make it into Milford Sound as the Captain advised the seas at 5 metres and 50 knot winds would make it impossible, the constant rain and firstly that the Pilot would not be able to come aside to board so we were pleased to see by Bridgecam this next cruise made it into Milford.

 

Deck 15 - the top deck, the deck that overlooks the pool, almost a promenade deck if you will - has an internal wooden rail - the outer rail is white and steel and then about 30cm inside from that there is the standard varnished wooden rail, chest high - so there is actually no chance to fail unless you were climbing over

 

Heard the sensors on the CCTV cameras captured it all

 

Our previous cruise on The Jewel - a woman jumped off between Sydney and Noumea - which then the ship bypassed the 1st port of Noumea as it had spent 8 hours at sea looking for her. A couple on board were to offload for the day at Noumea, marry in a large preplanned ceremony, and then return with all the wedding party to the ship and cruise as their honeymoon. Of course, they could not get off the ship.

 

Its a sad time, reflecting, of what could have been or intervened.

 

A neighbours wife jumped off a cruise ship 2 days west of Tahiti 30 years ago - I never knew her but hardly a mention of a ship or being at sea brings it all back of his story of her missing - the P A voices for her to contact Pursers office, the 2000 pax returning to their cabins, then the Williamson manoeuvre - all to no avail - leaving a husband, 2 small children and a pile of clothes neatly placed on the deck.

[springaussie]

I am on that cruise. Rang Princess and was told they would not be paying for overnight accommodation. They said if it was mechanical, weather they would but not for person overboard situation. Also rang Zurich as I have travel insurance through my platinum credit card and was told they wouldn't cover it for the same reason.

 

 

Thanks for replying.

I am just surprised Princess are not paying for hotels.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[OzKiwiJJ]

Very sad. For the person who went overboard, whether deliberate or by accident, their family, the other passengers on board and also those waiting to board the next cruise.

 

We board Sun Princess in less than three weeks time, hopefully for an uneventful cruise.

[GUT2407]

My husband and I were due to board the sun princess today. Our son took his own life 5 years ago, this trip for us was to try and feel normal again. I don't expect people to understand the grief that families and friends go through when a loved one takes their own life, but some of the comments today were so cruel. Praying for the family and friends of the man who thought the only way out was to take his life.

 

 

I am so sorry for your loss, please enjoy your trip.

[MicCanberra]

MicCanberra

 

I tend to agree with you on the euthanasia opinion

If an elderly person was depressed and sitting or standing near a railing with the sea rushing past, it would be very easy to jump

We don't know and will never know what happened in this instance but jumping is very feasible

Unfortunately, it is the ones left behind to grieve that suffer and we all give them our thoughts and comfort at this time

 

John

 

Yes, very sad indeed for any family and friends.

[bubbles2014]

..................aren't we all lucky that we have well adjusted lives with no problems, no major health issues with families and friends who love us unconditionally and to have never had an irrational thought in our heads!

and there sure are a lot of assumptions in this thread.

 

 

My sympathy to his family and friends and all those effected by this tragedy.

 

 

Now lets all go and take out a class action on his estate and add to the family's grief.................................GOOD idea!

:o

Edited November 27, 2014 by bubbles2014

[GUT2407]

Considering we have no idea what actually happened I believe that all the allegations about suicide and class actions should be put on hold.

 

I suspect that those making such comments have never had a loved one take their own life, or themselves been in such a position that they believed they and/or their loved ones would be better off of they were dead.

[cruisin-m]

If it is a jumper there should be legal repercussions for their estate. Look at all the other people that suffer from this and the innocent victims that suffer financially because the ship is in late and they need to find a hotel room. Jumping off the ship is quite a selfish way out. I hope the cruise line takes legal action against his estate and seeks funds for the cost of the search and rescue. Perhaps inconvenienced passengers can take legal action against the estate. When will people learn that their actions effect other people. Not only that it gives the cruise line a great industry a very bad name. I foresee a day when people will be required to undergo mental health checks before they board if actions like this continue.

 

Cruise lines do all they can to stop people jumping. On all their ships now there are double handrails on the upper decks meaning there is a new inner and outer guard rail about 30cm apart. Makes it so much harder to take photos from the upper decks because you can no longer get to the side of the ship and observe things without the guardrail obstructing you.

 

It is despicable behaviour choosing to jump off a ship to end your life. It just proves that these people have no respect for society or other people and do not care about what consequences their selfish actions would have on other people.

 

Passengers on holidays will now be boarding that ship in a sombre mood knowing that someone lost their life on the previous cruise. Again these selfish people do not think about this.

 

I agree with this 110%. It is incredibly selfish to tarnish the holidays of 4000+ people just so that you can take your own life.

 

It would have put a downer on the people coming back from their holiday on Sun Princess and then furthermore cost another 2000 passengers an entire day of their long awaited holiday that they have been so looking forward to and hotel expenses for the night.

 

People that do this kind of thing clearly think of absolutely no one else other than themselves, which leaves me very little to sympathise for them. Sounds harsh, but he could have went peacefully in countless other ways that would not have adversely affected others.

[chester32]

Considering we have no idea what actually happened I believe that all the allegations about suicide and class actions should be put on hold.

 

I suspect that those making such comments have never had a loved one take their own life, or themselves been in such a position that they believed they and/or their loved ones would be better off of they were dead.

 

Well said totally agree

[KarateMan]

No one is talking about removing the thread only removing themselves from it

So could you please explain how (quote put an end to it once and for all un quote) would be policed , do you have to go through a counselling session before you board and have your bank account checked so as you have enough money to compensate all the other passengers? and to check peoples wills so that it is included

But wait a minute lets not stop there what about Class Actions against people who board knowing they are carry some sort of virus and don't fill out the medical declaration truthfully and some fellow passengers are confined to there cabins for days after contracting there virus I suppose you think that's not a selfish act??? then we could take class actions against the selfish people who wont use the hand sanitisers

Also cruise lines could forget about OBC and instead offer onboard free Legal advice maybe through in a solicitor as the bingo jackpot prize ???

 

I think at the end of the day the cruise lines will have to take notice of what is going on. There are certain factors which may all relate to these situations and there may be warning signs for the cruise lines to take notice of.

 

Things like 1.) medical conditions, 2.) travel insurance status which may indicate a pattern in this behaviour. Cruise lines would have their own statistics and warning signs of what to look out for and hopefully address the issue.

 

I love the cruise industry, I love cruise ships and I hate to see something I love with a passion dragged through the media like this.

 

Denial of boarding to certain people without insurance may eventually happen if it is the case that they have terminal illnesses and have been denied insurance.

 

When I criticise I think of the impact it has on society as a whole and the people involved that are effected for a long time after dealing with such depressing acts.

[The_Big_M]

do you really think that someone who in such a mental state and are about to end their life really care about ruining total strangers holiday don't think so

 

I think that's the point.

 

Some of us believe, to use someone else's words, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... it's not all about the individual. It's just courtesy and respect for your fellow man.

[Host Walt]

This thread has devolved to seriously negative discussions that are no longer on topic. Therefore the thread is closed.