We were on our Holland America cruise around South America when we met the Crazy Lady: a hot-headed older woman who had “had enough” of Holland America’s “ridiculous behavior.”
“Our room was so noisy,” she said. “Terribly noisy. No sleeping. And then the thermostat broke. I went to the front desk and said they had to do something. We were freezing to death in our own room. The air conditioning was full-blast and could not be shut off.”
“What did they say?” I asked.
“They said they would send a man to fix it!” Crazy Lady said. “And they did. But it did nothing. So we were freezing and could not sleep for two days.”
“They couldn’t get you another room?” Clyde asked.
“They said all rooms were taken,” Crazy Lady replied. “And then, I had an idea. I got on my pajamas, and got a blanket and a pillow.” She leaned in close, as though sharing a great secret. “And then I went down to the Customer Service desk and told them that I was sleeping on the couch in front of the Customer Service office until they gave me another room.”
My eyebrows went up. “And…?”
“They said I couldn’t sleep there. And I said I could. And they said I could not. And so I went right then and there and curled up on the couch under my blanket and told the people who stared at me why I had to sleep there.”
Clyde grinned. “And?”
Crazy Lady beamed. “They found us another room.”
Note to self: When hotels and cruise liners are “fully booked” and can’t move you to another room … consider the Crazy Lady Strategy.
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