Entitled Karen tourist keeps showing up 15 minutes late, blames tour guide not waking her up on time and "abandoning" her at the hotel: 'I’m not responsible for waking people up'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jul 26, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

If a grown person cannot show up to something on time, then they have no one to blame but themselves. Of course, last-minute situations arise, but in this case, we're dealing with an entitled tourist who knew exactly when she was supposed to show up for the group tour and continually kept everyone waiting day after day. There were only so many times this tour guide could have warned her that he would not be waiting longer than 15 minutes. Based on her seemingly incorrigible behavior, it was inevitable that this group would leave without her at some point during the trip.

It's remarkable how many fully grown adults expect others to bend to their schedules. I have gone on trips with certain demanding family members, who shall not be named, that have gone completely south because of the inability of people to show up on time and stay on schedule. Of course, it's vacation, and everyone operates on a different speed. That being said, if you feel that a certain activity might be too early for you, know thyself! It's best to skip the activity altogether than to make everyone wait for you. That's the only way to make enemies on a trip!

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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Another important point to be made here is that tour guides are not your personal assistants! They have an entire group to manage, and there's no room for this lady's Main Character energy. Clearly, she learned that the hard way. Hopefully, the travel agency has enough tact to refuse a refund to her!

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    Hi guys! I'm (21f) a Bulgarian tour guide who accompanies groups to Sicily. On a recent trip, one woman who was travelling alone (mid-30s) was consistently oversleeping.
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    The first day after we arrived, we had a day trip to Etna and Taormina, for which we depart at at 8 am, as we do all other day tours. I make sure that all tourists are informed of the departure
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    times on the bus the day before and they also have my number to call in case they forget so I can remind them. They also all have printed out pamphlets with the schedule made by the travel agency that I hand out that has the time for departure on it.
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    All of the group was on time, except one woman. She was late by 10 minutes, which, okay, maybe she got caught up in something and was late. I excused it, then mentioned to the whole bus in the mic that I do not
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    tolerate lateness beyond 15 minutes at most in case of emergency like a forgotten possession, and that I must ALWAYS be called and informed in case someone is running late. Trip went by okay otherwise.
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    The next day this same tourist was late again, by TWENTY FIVE minutes. Almost an entire half hour. I called her twice to no answer and we were just about to leave without her when she came out running and got on the bus.
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    (she got lucky, as the receptionist of the hotel asked me about a missing piece of info on the rooming list and earned her some time). I reminded everyone AGAIN that I will not be waiting anymore for late tourists in the morning, and waking up on time is their responsibility.
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    When we came back that evening, she asked me if I could 'make sure to wake her up on time'. I reminded her a THIRD time that I'm not responsible for waking people up. Everyone gets a printed itinerary with departure times,
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    and I announce everything the day before. She kept saying, "No, no, just knock on my door if I'm not out by 8:15" and I kept repeating "I really can't do that for everyone, please set an alarm."
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    via Unsplash+ (Molly the Cat)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Well, on the day we were visiting Syracuse, she didn't show up. I waited 15 minutes after the supposed departure time, called her twice to no response, then left with the bus and the rest of the group. She called me in a panic about an hour later asking
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    where we were. I explained the situation calmly. She got angry and said that I had one job and that I cheated her out of the money she paid to go on that day trip.
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    She missed the whole day trip and was furious the next day. Later she told the rest of the group that I abandoned her and also called my agency, leaving a bad review about me.
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    AITA for not personally waking up a grown woman despite warning her multiple times I wouldn't?
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    • Life-Inspection-1435 41m ago NTA Imao, she just realised the universe doesn't revolve around her at her big age
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    7625607 30m ago ΝΤΑ . Not your responsibility to wake her up. And if the tour company tried to make it part of your duties, the first time you knocked on a door the person would say "I'm ill and will be staying in the hotel today" or something, and give you a bad review for waking them.
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    whofriggindoneit⚫ 4m ago My guess is that this woman was American. In the future to save your own a, be sure to report guests immediate bad behaviour to the company so it is documented. I used to work as a tour guide and this is the only thing that saved me from being able to get a bad review removed. A lot of bad reviews are not warranted and in your case absolutely unwarranted.
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    Toast Abrikoos • 23m ago . At mid 30's you should know by now how the alarm on her clock works.
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    Never understand people who'd push their responsibility on someone else and be adamant it should be done like that as a favor or whatever cirque du soleil hoop they try to jump through to make sense to their logic. NTA
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    Fitstar06 22m ago . NTA. Although I agree you should be more strict with your departure time and your late policy, the lady could've asked for front desk to give her a wake up call.
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    Her inability to manage her time is not your problem at all, and I hope your agency agrees with you! Signed, someone who's been in her shoes and taken ownership of my time management
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aita AITAH tourists tourism entitled people karma entitled karen entitled people
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