Definitely not Rick Steves kinda people

Mike, I don't think I'm rich enough to worry about this, but I'm occasionally insufferable according to my sisters.

Yup, horrible rich folks, unlike twice a year RS tour customers.

I suspect those rich folks would complain if their airline seat wasn't perfectly aligned with the window.

Whike they arent rich, I would suspect that an average RS customer has a greater net worth than 98% of the world population.

Mike, I am laughing thinking what would happen if one accidentally signed up for a RS tour! Any bets how long they would last?

This is certainly not in the same scale, but when my husband unexpectedly passed away, my daughter has a friend who arranged to have a private car whisk me between gates at the airports as I immediately flew home from Rome. A man would meet me at each arrival gate, and we headed to the nearby hidden elevator. My only luggage during the trip was my Cotopaxi backpack and a purse. It was no problem for me to have it, but they each insisted that I let them carry my Cotopaxi, instead. I definitely wasn’t their typical client!

I haven't seen any of her videos, but I have seen Kolin Jones from Amalfi Jets. Very similar.

Here are some clips with his "favorite" client, McKenna, a spoiled rich girl, and then with McKenna's dad, so you can figure out how she got so spoiled.

https://www.tiktok.com/@amalfijets/video/7536644512152620302
https://www.tiktok.com/@amalfijets/video/7477280411962314026
https://www.tiktok.com/@amalfijets/video/7507741910010809642

Guess I do not have to worry about any of these persons being in a NCL Inside cabin.

The T A's who work with these persons gets good money to deal with them but they earn it.

In the 1960's, I worked for a stock broker whose clients were the very very wealthy. My stock broker was also very wealthy but he had such bad ulcers that he had had about five operations for his ulcers. And I can not recall how many pills he had to take per day. He was always miserably uncomfortable.

And I have friends who once had a couple of small clubs. The bands and musicians they hired had some fame but were not the Rolling Stones or The Beatles.

My friend showed me some of the contracts. it was not the contracts so much as the riders that would be attached to the contracts that were a big problem. And you did not see the riders until the contracts were signed.

I remember one rider. The musician required jelly beans but certain colors were not allowed and so my friends had to pick out the forbidden colors. Now I guess you could go to a store that sells candy and pick out the right color jelly beans. Then you could not.

And other riders were equally demanding as well as outrageous, in my opinion.

I have no desire to be around such wealthy, pampered and sometimes famous people.

As RS says, travel broadens our horizons. I went on a Paris Walks tour and was talking to a American couple with their grandchild. We had a pleasant chat and when they said they had to get back to their hotel, I asked which one, as I always need more suggestions. The wife told me they only stay in Ritz hotels as they are the only hotels they like. I realized then how much of a gulf divides upper middle class and middle class in America. I’ve never been inside a Ritz hotel.

There's ample proof from around the world on a daily basis that you don't have to be rich to be insufferable.

You don't need to be rich to be completely insufferable. Just look at Pittsburgh Steelers fans. [Shudders]

Never judge a book by its cover nor the content of one's character based solely on one's stock portfolio, that's what I say. Though if they own certain stocks, well, lookout! I sort think Rick Steves kinda person is someone who wants to engage in the world to learn, to share and to optimize their travel through efficient itineraries that can involve staying only 2 or even 1 night on occasion. Also, carryon bags, yeah!! They rock!!!

Happy travels.

This is a fun topic. Lable a group, pin a stereotype on them. Then, ridicule them. It's almost as much fun as the thread about good manners and being polite.

Although I might add in the HBO Gilded Age drama, some of those opera people were kinda full of themselves if you ask me-- kind of like Pittsburgh Steelers fans....

Happy travels

“I’ve never been inside a Ritz hotel.”

In the 80’s I stayed in the Ritz in London.
It was when my employer in the Middle East gave a generous travel allowance for flights, hotels etc.

It was raining on arrival, and my suitcase…and the contents…somehow got soaked when they kept it for me till my room was ready.
I think it was on a sort of porter’s porch place semi-outside.
My friend and I went in to the Palm Court for a quick drink a couple of days later.
I put my raincoat on the back of my chair, but got a severe telling off from the waiter who practically forced me to give it to him to take it away and hang it up.

The housekeeping staff kept barging in to my room at all hours despite the do not disturb sign, and the final straw was the endless fire alarm testing that went on…and on…

Not impressed!

Stereotyping and maligning an entire demographic, based solely on their net worth, is sad, and likely the result of some combination of ignorance and envy. Ranks right up there with saying all Americans fall within the negative stereotype they've been given. Some are, but not all.

We have a relation by marriage who is a very wealthy man. He is one of the nicest, most likeable men I've ever met. And while they may have rented a Scottish castle for their stay there, he was just as likely to spend an evening enjoying a dram or 3 at the local pub. And his grown children? The same. No nepotism, well mannered, and we'll behaved.

"Some are, but not all."

So I clearly I see you understand me when I talk about those Steelers fans from Pittsburgh! They are the "some are"!

Re the band and the jellybeans. Yes, this was real, IIRC it was for certain color M and M, I think it may have been Aerosmith. But the point of it was to quickly see if the set-up people were reading the contract and attending to all the required minutia, much of which was more important to the band than the candy.

CJean, you realize that was sarcasm? Some of my best friends are wealthy. (More sarcasm). The topic is just politically correct hate speech. Change "wealthy" to any other group like Clevelandnites and see how long the post is allowed by the webmaster. Okay, more sarcasm.

Reminder.....Rick Steves is what many of you would consider very rich. Let's not judge others by their $s. Judge people by their character and what good they do in the world with their blessings (be it money or other).

Hello Larry

no, it was not Aerosmith. It was a musician who was not close to being as famous although this musician had some fame. He had maybe more of. a cult offering.

You may be right about it being M & M's however. I can not recall since it was so long ago.

I had to research to find out what a Brabus 800 and Birkin bag are.

I guess buying my wife a Seiko watch at Costco isn't as upscale as I thought.

According to Kiplinger, by 2025, entering the top 2% of America's wealth will require a net worth of approximately $2.7 million, marking the threshold for elite economic status. Last year, the Schwab Modern Wealth Survey revealed Americans believe it takes $2.2 million to feel wealthy.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rich-enough-join-top-2-151354677.html

MrE made me search for that.

("While they aren't rich, I would suspect that an average RS customer has a greater net worth than 98% of the world population")

A 'millionaire' in 1970, would need $8,325,000 today to have the same buying power.
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

A million bucks ain't what it used to be.

Being rich doesn't mean being 'insufferable'. At one of my grandchild's soccer games Bill Gates was there as his daughter was playing a game after the one I was there for. When the kids recognized him ( grade school age) he was gracious and let the parents take photos of him with their kids. What I found interesting was the fact he was carrying a clipboard and not some tech device.

I believe it was Van Halen that required "no brown M&Ms" for the reason described above. I know I have seen lists of equally unique riders from a lot of the big names.

Stan, thanks for the correction, you have it. My CRS kicked in once again.

Are we really suggesting is it bad form to trash a hotel room that foists the abomination of brown M & Ms on unsuspecting Rock and Roll icons? What's next? Tea with lemon?

I'm pretty sure F Scott Fitzgerald had something to say about this too.

Happy travels.

I actually saw the article in the Times and was going to post about it, but Mike beat me to it.

I debated about sending this post. I am not sure I wish to be associated with a forum where some members, however few, don't stay at the Ritz or comparable hotels, much less actually sign a no-grumps policy for a European trip.

On a different note, I have never been in a position to act the way the clients in the article acted. But it seems a miserable way to live.