Safety concerns

[mabones]

Or it could have been "The Perfect Storm"!!!!

[notentirelynormal]

Hi, so I'm going on my first cruise may15th I kno it sounds weird but is there enough boats incase anything where to happen? And also are the seas rough? I saw this video last week of a ship stranded in the middle of a huge storm.

 

Okay - that video you watched is NOT normal cruising. That is really unlikely to happen especially in the waters you will be in. You have a better chance of winning the big lottery.

[hubofhockey]

Or it could have been "The Perfect Storm"!!!!

 

Excellent movie, forgot about that one, but can never forget Ginger, as most boys growing up in the 60s and 70s couldn't either. :D

[Hlitner]

We think the OP should have a movie marathon the day before leaving for the cruise and watch Titanic and then the Poseidon Adventure. But seriously, reading the OP postings has me thinking of what some folks call "teenage hysteria" (which can be a serious problem for some teens) and professionals call a type of Obession Disorder. But we figure that the demons are real for the OP and we do have some degree of sympathy. But nothing posted here is going to help the OP overcome his/her own demons. We do hope that the OP manages to conquer his/her fears before they lead to more serious issues such as Agoraphobia.

 

But in the interest of adding to the fray, DW and I have spent over 3 years of our lives as passengers on many cruise ships and have loved every day. Ironically, the only time we ever cruised through a hurricane was on an August 1991 cruise from NYC to Bermuda. And even those near 50 foot seas did not damage our ship (or its passengers).

 

Hank

Edited May 7, 2015 by Hlitner

[AmazedByCruising]

Hi, so I'm going on my first cruise may15th I kno it sounds weird but is there enough boats incase anything where to happen? And also are the seas rough? I saw this video last week of a ship stranded in the middle of a huge storm.

 

I think I know what video you mean, where a ship lost all its engines? Probably a lot of the people on that ship got really sick, but even they didn't need evacuating.

 

I'm terrified of flying, which also not very rational. So I think arguments like "you are more likely to die on the way to the ship" and "millions of people cruise each year" won't impress you much like they don't impress me for planes.

 

Maybe this helps, though. The good thing about sailing is that it's different from a plane. If a plane crashes because there are terrorists on board, all engines fail, whatever, you can be quite sure everyone dies within a very short amount of time and there's nothing you can do about it.

 

A ship is completely different. Let's assume the ship does sink (which it won't). When a ship does sink, it takes a really long time to do so. I don't want to scare you with a video of an actual sinking ship but as you are probably searching Youtube for disasters already, here's one about Costa Concordia

that might actually help. Notice that people are jokingly asking if the bar is open.

 

If a ship gets into trouble because all modern equipment failed and it did run into an iceberg AND the ship, designed to cope with big damage, does fail, AND the lifeboat you are assigned to sinks as well, you STILL have your life vest so you can wait for other ships or a helicopter.

 

If you really need something to worry about, under no circumstance be too late because the ship really won't wait for you. And don't forget your swimsuit because they don't sell those on board. Enjoy your cruise!

[notentirelynormal]

I think this is the video the OP watched.

 

[Hlitner]

This thread brought back a funny presentation by the very popular Captain "Demetrius" on the Celebrity Silhouette, You must understand that Captain Demetirus is a naturally funny man (he could host the Tonight Show) and one day he did a lecture on ship operations (to a standing room only crowd) in the main show room. When he took questions a lady ask him what would happen to the ship if he got sick or worse. The Captain said something like this, "if I become unable to run the ship our Staff Captain is fully qualified and licensed to take my place. If the Staff Captain then becomes unable to run the ship the Environmental Officer is also fully qualified and licensed to operate the vessel. And if that Senior Officer also becomes incapacitated....then we are all having a very bad day!" That line got the biggest laugh of the cruise :).

 

Hank

Edited May 8, 2015 by Hlitner

[gooch47]

I think I should have specified that my observation was on sea days. I still maintain that I see ev far fewer ships that I would expect.