Completely agree that prior travel experience plays into behavior of those on the ship.
One's perspective changes with age. I know that I am more tolerant, flexible, calmer and more forgiving with age. Mostly because worse things have happened and I survived.
Travel is supposed to be an adventure - albeit this one was unpleasant, no one died (that I know of), got terribly sick. As for the "emotional duress" or whatever it was, deal with it.
Again, perspective - think of our troops in far away places whose lives are a daily "cruise from hell".
The lawyers on the gangway should be ashamed of themselves.