Costa Concordia Disaster making me rethink booking....

[MovingForward]

My prayers are with the survivors and families of those who died as a result of the Costa Concordia disaster. I am so disgusted by the whole event that I've put my next booking on whole. This is my biggest fear about cruising. To see something like this happen in 2012 with all the technology that's suppose to make us safe is very unnerving. The survivors talked about how there was no one to help them survive. We fool ourselves in the muster drills by thinking if something happened the crew would do all they could to ensure we get to safety. Well, they are human too, and their first instinct will be to save themselves.

 

The captain should have a support system so that if he made bad decisions that put people in danger, there would be a back - up person(s) with authority to say "NO". Every time I see pictures of the ship laying side ways in the water, I get sick to my stomach. That could have been my family on that ship.

 

I hope I can get over this and work up the nerve to book again. I love cruising, but this is scary. I recently convinced about 20 family and friends to cruise with me December 2012. However, I can't help but wonder am I leading them to a slaughter?

[Cruise-Crazy]

I think that after something like this cruising would be a lot safer as things like what this captain did will be watched really closely.

[5waldos]

However, I can't help but wonder am I leading them to a slaughter?

 

No. Some 19 million people cruised last year. 18 million 999 thousand plus returned home safely, most having had a wonderful time. This was a tragic and very very very rare incident. Statistically, if you were to gather your family and friends together for a long weekend at your house, they would be in greater danger.

[klfrodo]

deleted

[Redsfan]

deleted

 

another useless reply to this topic on here...why reply?

 

see you deleted the post at least....

[roscoegirl]

Just stated on CNN...five additional bodies retrieved this morning...death toll now at 11people...I think it's o.k. to react to this disaster. It's scarry, sad and almost unbelievable. I'm taking the time to think long/hard about my next three scheduled cruises. Maybe the cruiselines will now see us guests as more than just revenue producers and see us as valuable human beings.

[kroozers]

There are a number of identical threads to yours - although I believe you are the first who feels you may be leading your cruise mates to a "slaughter". That's certainly a unique description, and probably about as far away from reality as you can get. Those who now feel uneasy about cruising after this tragedy are by far in the minority, but there are people out there who are deathly afraid of snakes, spiders and even kittens I have read. If you're going to be that uneasy about cruising, I'd suggest staying home.

[PR0318]

The biggest risk a person takes is getting into a car every day. 100 people a day die in car wrecks.

[bassmaster150]

The survivors talked about how there was no one to help them survive. We fool ourselves in the muster drills by thinking if something happened the crew would do all they could to ensure we get to safety. Well, they are human too, and their first instinct will be to save themselves.

 

So the news and media love to sensationalize things. Were there issues, probably. However, the crew did successfully evacuate over 4000 people in less than 2 hours on a very large ship.....you will not hear that reported as it is not "sensational" news. Like others have said, you take more of a risk driving around town than you ever would on a cruise ship. Millions and millions of people cruse each year, and although the deaths are very sad, to have less than 20 deaths over millions of passengers means that you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than you do dying on a cruise ship.

[elcuchio24]

There is risk in every more you make in life. If you thought that cruising was 100% risk free, you were mistaken. But if you only engauge in activities that are 100% safe, you'll end up hiding under your bed;)

[CosmoLover]

This incident does not turn me off to cruising for several reasons:

 

1. the Captain is pretty much 99% responsible for causing the ship to hit the rock in the first place

2. the disaster was on board Costa Cruises, although owned by Carnival, is till mostly a foreign cruise line

3. the safety regularions for muster drills in Europe and foreign countries appear to be more lax than those in the US.

4. this accident was 100% a result of negligence and human error. If the captain and crew were better prepared and responsible in keeping to the sea charts, this incident would not have occurred.

5. once again, this was a foreign cruise line. The British tend have the best run operations (better crew, better safety regs in place). Carnival and all of the major line cruise ships are generally flagged in Liberia, Panama and other third world countries for both tax and "build quality" measures. Ships built to be flagged under British, American or other "1st rate" countries need to be meet very, very strict structual, safety and operational guidelines.

 

 

I would say the likelihood of being injured on a Caribbean cruise these days is probably from a hurricane or a rogue wave. I would not be worried and am still planning to book a cruise. The fact that there were 3,200 passengers and the death toll is only >15 people is pretty remarkable.

[klfrodo]

another useless reply to this topic on here...why reply?

 

see you deleted the post at least....

 

Your post provides a very thoughtful and insiteful message.

Good job.

[MovingForward]

I appreciate the comforting comments. Please know that I've been on these boards long enough to know that if you post your opinion, or express your feelings you will get attacked. It's totally ok, I ignore stupid comments and appreciate the constructive ones. :)

[debster11]

It's snowing here today and I just witnessed a head on collision due to the conditions. Both drivers are ok, but I saw at least 5 accidents on my way to work. My point is driving is more dangerous then cruising. This being a tragedy that should never have happened. It was due to the captain going off the course that Costa entered into his navigation system.

 

I can appreciate your fear, but think of all that survived. Yes, there was loss of life and that is horrible, but 99% survived. The odds of something like this happening again are small. I mean there will always be something that happens, it's inevitable, but this kind of disaster is rare and shouldn't cause you to think that you are leading anyone to slaughter. JMHO.

[roscoegirl]

The biggest risk a person takes is getting into a car every day. 100 people a day die in car wrecks.

 

 

Please don't take this the wrong way but I've read this same analogy on several of the CC boards in response to the Concordia tragedy. Although probably statistically relevant, to me, there is no comparsion. With automobile travel, one usually has a choice of whether to be the driver (the one in control) or a passenger (no control) When we board a cruise ship, there is no choice...you are the passenger--no control over what can happen... Your fate is at that point, in the hands of the person/persons "in control"...ie, the Bridge and of course, God.

[LHP]

My prayers are with the survivors and families of those who died as a result of the Costa Concordia disaster. I am so disgusted by the whole event that I've put my next booking on whole. This is my biggest fear about cruising. To see something like this happen in 2012 with all the technology that's suppose to make us safe is very unnerving. The survivors talked about how there was no one to help them survive. We fool ourselves in the muster drills by thinking if something happened the crew would do all they could to ensure we get to safety. Well, they are human too, and their first instinct will be to save themselves.

 

The captain should have a support system so that if he made bad decisions that put people in danger, there would be a back - up person(s) with authority to say "NO". Every time I see pictures of the ship laying side ways in the water, I get sick to my stomach. That could have been my family on that ship.

 

I hope I can get over this and work up the nerve to book again. I love cruising, but this is scary. I recently convinced about 20 family and friends to cruise with me December 2012. However, I can't help but wonder am I leading them to a slaughter?

 

 

While I can understand your concern, you have to take into account that a lot of the chaos was probably due to the fact that for most of the passengers and crew...Italian is not their native language. (only about 1/3rd of the passengers were Italian) So you have 2,000 people who probably did not speak the language of the ship. (Italian cruise line sailing from Italy)

 

Image, it is in the middle of the night and instructions are coming over the intercom in a language that thousands on board do not understand.

 

In comparison, if you are sailing on a ship that ports here in the US, all the crew onboard have to pass a Coast Guard test that they can speak the needed English to cover an an emergency.

[regjr13]

I agree, it does make you pause and rethink cruising, however, I will agree with another post that after something like this, systems and precautions will be put in place that will raise, the already high, standards of the cruise industry. I don't plan on canceling my cruise on Celebrity even after this tragedy as I know it will be fine.

I'm not concerned with how much Carnival Corporation will lose to lost revenue and a decommissioned ship, I am concerned with the lives lost and learning from the mistakes this captain made. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the lives lost.

[MemphisFan]

Please don't take this the wrong way but I've read this same analogy on several of the CC boards in response to the Concordia tragedy. Although probably statistically relevant, to me, there is no comparsion. With automobile travel, one usually has a choice of whether to be the driver (the one in control) or a passenger (no control) When we board a cruise ship, there is no choice...you are the passenger--no control over what can happen... Your fate is at that point, in the hands of the person/persons "in control"...ie, the Bridge and of course, God.

 

that makes no sense. Yes you do have a choice. You either board or you don't. That's the choice, just like it is with cars. Either you get in or you don't.

[goingsailing]

One of my first thoughts on this tragedy was okay, here comes the cruise bashing from the non-cruisers.

But I think that just getting in your vehicle and driving on the same road or path of so many other drivers that you have no control over, is more dangerous then going on a cruise. So many variables that you may face while driving your car. Also, I am going to be responsible for my own survival when on a cruise or in any other disaster for that matter. I am not going to rely on cruise personnel to help save me if a problem arises. I think too many people want to rely on someone else to help them too often.

Needless to say, I will cruise again without thinking that this disaster may happen to my vacation.

[ScottsSweetie]

While I can understand your concern, you have to take into account that a lot of the chaos was probably due to the fact that for most of the passengers and crew...Italian is not their native language. (only about 1/3rd of the passengers were Italian) So you have 2,000 people who probably did not speak the language of the ship. (Italian cruise line sailing from Italy)

 

Image, it is in the middle of the night and instructions are coming over the intercom in a language that thousands on board do not understand.

 

In comparison, if you are sailing on a ship that ports here in the US, all the crew onboard have to pass a Coast Guard test that they can speak the needed English to cover an an emergency.

 

If I am remembering correctly, on John Heald's blog when he reported the events of the Splendor fire, he pointed out at one time that the ship's Captain and staff were REQUIRED to converse in English during this event. I can imagine that, during casual conversation, the bridge will converse in Italian with each other, but something is in the back of my head that there was a point made about speaking only in English during this crisis. Anyone else remember that?? :confused:

[Simplertimes]

Please don't take this the wrong way but I've read this same analogy on several of the CC boards in response to the Concordia tragedy. Although probably statistically relevant, to me, there is no comparsion. With automobile travel, one usually has a choice of whether to be the driver (the one in control) or a passenger (no control) When we board a cruise ship, there is no choice...you are the passenger--no control over what can happen... Your fate is at that point, in the hands of the person/persons "in control"...ie, the Bridge and of course, God.

 

I have no fear on going on my upcoming cruise. However, I do get a little nervous getting on an airplane - what choice do we have to be the "driver" of this tin can? Won't stop me from flying though.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Please don't take this the wrong way but I've read this same analogy on several of the CC boards in response to the Concordia tragedy. Although probably statistically relevant, to me, there is no comparsion. With automobile travel, one usually has a choice of whether to be the driver (the one in control) or a passenger (no control) When we board a cruise ship, there is no choice...you are the passenger--no control over what can happen... Your fate is at that point, in the hands of the person/persons "in control"...ie, the Bridge and of course, God.

 

But you don't control the actions of the drivers of other vehicles. Like I tell my wife all the time when she goes out in the snow...I am not worried about her, but all the other idiots on the road.

[mzloolue]

It is scary.

And the thought of being in a situation like that and not being able to find one's family is terrifying.

 

But one way to look at it is that cruising is probably a lot safer this week than it was last week.

[Smithkids5521]

With automobile travel, one usually has a choice of whether to be the driver (the one in control) or a passenger (no control) When we board a cruise ship, there is no choice...you are the passenger--no control over what can happen... Your fate is at that point, in the hands of the person/persons "in control"...ie, the Bridge and of course, God.

 

Hi Roscoegirl- while I understand your comparison, I think it would only be true if you were the only person driving on the road at that time. Unfortunately, we can't control the stupidity or lack of common sense of the other drivers that are around us (think about the drunk driver going the wrong way on the highway- you may be in control of your car but not totally in control of the events that would occur).:(

 

To the OP- if you are truly considering cancelling or not booking due to this horrible tragedy, please think about this- as others have stated, it usually takes a horrible tragedy to bring about stricter safety laws. It is incredibly sad that it had to occur, but now if any time, will be the safest time to cruise as there will no doubt be better training and stricter safety guidelines enforced.

 

Tomorrow is guaranteed for no one- please do not put off spending time and making wonderful memories with your family due to what "could" possibly go wrong...

 

Take care,

Diana

[magictam]

I appreciate the comforting comments. Please know that I've been on these boards long enough to know that if you post your opinion, or express your feelings you will get attacked. It's totally ok, I ignore stupid comments and appreciate the constructive ones. :)

 

I'm happy to see you are able to do this. Great attitude!

I certainly understand your feelings. I know I feel uneasy when reading the reports and seeing the pictures. I shouldn’t watch, but I’m drawn to it.

Please don’t change any plans at this time. Give yourself time for the shock and fear to recede and you may feel differently in a few months.

Tammie