Active trips ruined by people not up to it

Frustrating for you and what a dangerous position he put himself in. We holiday in Britain now for this reason, we just aren’t up to it. Even so we have been in groups with people who don’t actually go out on day trips as they really can’t walk. I suppose the travel companies should ask a lot more questions but if you have someone who is going to lie anyway I am not sure what you can do.

Maybe people often don't fully appreciate that their bodies may not fully co-operate with them?

I do think it's not on for someone to refuse to take out medical insurance for an illness they know they have, come down badly with that illness whilst away and then have their relatives stage a "Go fund me" to get them back to Britain again. I don't agree with people saving themselves money on medical insurance at other peoples expense like that.

However, I felt sorry for that woman left on that island. People clearly knew she'd come over ill and yet no-one bothered to check up on her to make sure she got back to the ship - even though there must have been someone "in charge" of that expedition. So it did come over that everyone - including the group leader - was acting hard and selfish not to be concerned about her.

I agree with that Carriad where was the others care ?
What a scary end for her too and her poor family
Doesn’t take much to make sure the slowest member is ok does it ?

It sounds like you are blaming this woman for going on the trip?

People do die on holiday- I know someone who collapsed on a beach after taking a swim. What a way to go!

Of course it is hard for the family but it is the company's fault for making the trip and taking her money. No one, able or not, should be left alone after a trip somewhere and the proper checks were obviously not met.

It isn't the sort of thing I would do but I understand why some people would want to, and why not?

You sounding very judgemental towards this lady....even at 80 it was reported she was a very active member of a bush walking group....so the hike would likely have seemed a doable activity to her.....she became ill ....we don't know why .....I wonder if all the other passengers on the cruise are 'blaming' her ? ....the cruise has actually been cancelled no anyway

I think the OPs point is a good one. The situation with this poor lady is very specific and shows the cruise liner in a very poor light indeed. I thought they were much more efficient than that.
However, we have found various trips and excursions spoilt by people who must have read that they have to be fit for the trip involved but just ignored that. V frustrating

The story about that woman made me think of Michael Mosley. We just don't know as we get older how things like heat will affect us and climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense. It was, apparently, a very hot day.

The photo of that woman showed someone thin and determined looking, I can imagine her saying she would be fine. Probably there would have been a problem for the whole group regarding leaders and splitting the group if someone accompanied her back. they could have messaged the ship to let them know of course.

It's the shenanigans of the family that get me, she was old, she was on a trip, quite possibly her death was painless and over quickly. Better than a long, painful death in a care home!

Even on low key trips it is very frustrating for a group to be kept waiting for someone who is late, normally for no good reason. The company has an itinerary to keep and cannot hang around indefinitely, but ideally a big cruise company should have measures in place to protect the most vulnerable. There are probably disclaimers in their T&C that they will not be liable for passengers who do not meet deadlines.

I’ve just been away with a friend on a guided tour and she didn’t realise that the tour manager was slowing the walking pace for her. Also, in the evening we had to go to the nearest restaurants to the hotels because she was too tired to walk. She didn’t realise that while we were in the hotel after 4.00pm, others were out exploring on their own. It is only because I told her that the tour manager told me she shouldn’t do another guided tour that we have abandoned our travel plans for next year and are having a re-think. I think sometimes people don’t realise how tiring a holiday will be and how much more active they will be required to be.

I hold the Cruise ship pretty much 100% responsible n this case. Every ship Ive been on has a check back in system that shows if a passenger hasn’t returned.

Now people do miss the boat and get left in Copenhagen or whatever but this was a deserted island and she had gone on an organised trip. To me that makes it the Cruise lines responsibility of care from start to finish.

Should she have gone in the first place? Obviously not given the outcome. Did she ignore advice? Or were the itinerary and conditions not made clear. A lot we don’t know.

On the other hand, yes, you do get travel where people expect the itinerary to be changed to meet their needs. I’m reminded of a trip to Patagonia where one of the party had only brought Summer clothes (South America was her reasoning) and wanted the days down to “the bottom” cancelled🙄

Years ago, I was looking through a Jules Verne holiday catalogue and noted this comment;

Please do not book Foothills of the Himalayas if you rely on walking sticks, walking problems etc..

There are people who have no idea of what a holiday entails and no real awareness of their physical condition.

Granatlast007

The story about that woman made me think of Michael Mosley. We just don't know as we get older how things like heat will affect us and climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense. It was, apparently, a very hot day.

The photo of that woman showed someone thin and determined looking, I can imagine her saying she would be fine. Probably there would have been a problem for the whole group regarding leaders and splitting the group if someone accompanied her back. they could have messaged the ship to let them know of course.

It's the shenanigans of the family that get me, she was old, she was on a trip, quite possibly her death was painless and over quickly. Better than a long, painful death in a care home!

'Shenanigans of the family'....WTF ??

I can't understand the lack of care from the other passengers. Was there no-one willing to sit with her?

My husband has a very exaggerated idea of his fitness levels, he’s had at least three close shaves over the last few years. He’s adamant he’s fit when it’s absolutely obvious to anyone seeing him that he isn’t.
If you’re not honest what can anyone do?
In this case the lack of duty of care is shocking, poor lady.

Tizliz this is my thoughts exactly I cannot imagine being so selfish as to carry on regardless and leave her behind
At 80 I know my limitations and don’t go on things I know I might struggle or hold others back, but if she was a experienced bush walker she would not have expected to become ill Maybe heat exhaustion maybe she wasn't at her best we all have some off days but can you imagine all the others striding off laughing and chatting and not wondering where she was or if she was ok Some old folk can be fitter than young ones, so we shouldn’t automatically discount them

As for the ship not doing a proper head count that was unforgivable

I m sorry you ve had spoilt holidays Cambsnan I don’t see what else companies can do If they barred everyone over 75 or 80 it could be a 40 year old that has issues The man in your case deserved a big bill for lying to his insurers no patience with people like that.

Lying to insurers or tour operators organising activity based holidays is one thing but I think is a bit harsh to see older people who may not be up to some excursions as a liability. We all like to think we can do a bit more than is advisable at times, and now that my once active husband has been disabled by a stroke I would not want to see holiday makers tutting and shaking their heads if he was last on the coach. If someone wants a holiday with lots of activity and nobody holding things up am sure there are your packages out there which give strict criteria regarding fitness. But nobody should be treated like a dead weight or worse still left behind to die as that poor woman was.

BlueBelle

I agree with that Carriad where was the others care ?
What a scary end for her too and her poor family
Doesn’t take much to make sure the slowest member is ok does it ?

I agree too.

I am shocked that no-one made sure she got back on board safely and that a head count was not done properly. Someone must have been in charge of that expedition.

There have been instances of people left behind on trips (on the Great Barrier Reef for instance!) and heard of seemingly fit people who have died unexpectedly on cruises or holidays, but this sounds like negligence by the company.

Active trips ruined by people not up to it

So are you saying this woman ruined the trip for others by getting left behind then dying?

I've just read the BBC report - this was the Great Barrier Reef yet again!

I'm appalled.
It's not uninhabited so they must have gone bushwalking then just left her behind. No-one does that, the crew failed in their duty of care.

If they barred everyone over 75 or 80 it could be a 40 year old that has issues
Tragically, it can happen even to even fit young people because of the conditions of terrain or other factors.

We’ve been on a few coach holidays, long haul ones, Australia and the USA.

I think another thing people (especially retired ones) don’t take into account is the very early starts often required to fulfil the busy itinerary. Often heard folk grumbling about having to get their cases out for 6am, then an early breakfast, ready for a 7 am getaway.

Many are used to a leisurely start to the morning, fine when at home, but not always the case when away.

This, plus busy, full on days, can take their toll.

The only cruise I’ve even been on was a mini one (at the urging of avid cruisers Dbro and SiL) to Ghent and Amsterdam - and I’d broken a toe a few days before, so walking was slow, but that wasn’t the reason we were late returning to the ship!

Nobody had told any of us that at that time on a Friday pm, taxis were notoriously difficult to find in Ghent, so at least 10 of us were stuck for quite a while - and wondering whether they’d sail without us, and we’d have to take the train to Amsterdam.

We did find out later that a couple of the ship’s crew had the same problem, though, so they did wait the half hour or so for us all.

LOUISA1523

Granatlast007

The story about that woman made me think of Michael Mosley. We just don't know as we get older how things like heat will affect us and climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense. It was, apparently, a very hot day.

The photo of that woman showed someone thin and determined looking, I can imagine her saying she would be fine. Probably there would have been a problem for the whole group regarding leaders and splitting the group if someone accompanied her back. they could have messaged the ship to let them know of course.

It's the shenanigans of the family that get me, she was old, she was on a trip, quite possibly her death was painless and over quickly. Better than a long, painful death in a care home!

'Shenanigans of the family'....WTF ??

...because the woman was an adult and made her decision and these days everyone thinks they should be protected whatever risks they take and life is full of accidents, that's why we have insurance.

Many years ago, we remember a family sueing a riding stable because their child fell off, falling is a part of riding, you can't avoid it. the child was ok but broke her wrist. In the riding world everything now costs a fortune, there are absurd rules about safety and wearing safety gear that virtually stops you moving let alone riding and of course, insurance costs are astronomical.

As I said above, it's just like Michael Mosley who went off on a hot hot day for a walk, made a wrong decision and sadly, died.

I believe the cruise has now been cancelled, which is hard on the passengers. The woman who died was fit and active, walked and exercised regularly, but perhaps it was the heat, unexpected temperature.