What affect will the sinking of Costa Concordia have on cruise bookings

[Sutho]

It kind of proves that there is nothing wrong with their size when they managed to get all the passengers off which is amazing considering all the news reports that the crew did not know what to do.

 

There are several of these type of ships in service and they are all variants of the Destiny class with Carnival. Like the Grand class with Princess some have extra decks on a ship frame not designed for so many passengers. Being top heavy is not an issue here as they simply construct the top with aluminium and bottom with steel.

 

If it effects bookings then Costa will bare the brunt of lost passengers. I think other Carnival brands will try and distance themself from Costa. Personally Costa is a line I never desired to cruise with in the past and would never have considered in the future. I cannot speak European languages which immediately rules out a European cruise line for me.

 

Lastly I doubt that there is any chance of refloating the ship now. It is gone for good as it would have completely sunk had it been in open ocean.

[Bella cruiser]

I cannot speak European languages which immediately rules out a European cruise line for me.

 

Except English obviously:D

[Australian family]

what sre you on.

cruise ships are way smaller then any container ship in the world of ships

 

I am not on anything, so GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!!!

 

I was writing what I heard on TV, and yes the ships are getting too big. A bit like the A380's they are too big as well, they are designed to carry more people for less money.

 

IT IS ABOUT MONEY THIED.

[Shiprobbo]

Not really sure that the accident will, or should have an impact. In todays world of fast moving news it will likely be forgotten in a week or so.

 

When the initial shock dies down and people think logically they will realise that a very small number of fatalities have occured (sad as that is) in comparison with the number of people involved. Statistically if you involved the same number of people in plane crashes, car or bus crashes or a train crash, the the fatatilies would be significantly higher. Statistically what this accident actually shows is that there is a very good chance of survival, what it says is that if you are involved in an accident on a ship you have a far greater chance of survival than on a plane, train, car or bus!

 

On thing that is frustrating is the constant comparisons to Titanic, they both hit something and there the comparison ends!

[thied]

I am not on anything, so GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!!!

 

I was writing what I heard on TV, and yes the ships are getting too big. A bit like the A380's they are too big as well, they are designed to carry more people for less money.

 

IT IS ABOUT MONEY THIED.

yes and why would be not about money and making money and building cruises ships bigger is what cruise lines do, can you name any public company that does not want to make money and make as much money as they can with less over heads.

 

It does not matter weather the ships are big or small they both will hit things they both will run aground, they both will break down,

 

If cruise line can build a cruise ship that carries 4000 people then it will be way cheaper to run one ship then two smaller ones.

 

If they ndont use bigger cruise ships and stick to building smaller one then over head cost of running these smaller ship will just force the cruise lines to put the cruise price up and up, till only the very rich can only cruise, just like the old days.

 

every cruise line in the world is all ways up grading there ships to bigger ships.

[Sandielle]

I was writing what I heard on TV, and yes the ships are getting too big. A bit like the A380's they are too big as well, they are designed to carry more people for less money.

 

Very true, Aus family. The trouble occurs when the urge to make money compromises safety. There is an interesting article here

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087133/So-DID-cause-liner-hit-rocks.html

[thied]

Very true, Aus family. The trouble occurs when the urge to make money compromises safety. There is an interesting article here

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087133/So-DID-cause-liner-hit-rocks.html

 

how can in this day and age a cruise lines and air lines that have the urge to make money compromises safety?

 

They still have to keep to the same safety rules as every one else to builds and runs these huge cruise ships or smaller cruise ships and same goes for air planes.

[Mjflowers]

Hey MJ

 

Your taking your posting life in your hands venturing in here after your previous postal attacks on Australians LOL

 

Too funny! :p

 

I most deffinetly would not attack anybody. This is Cruise Critic though. Respect all people OZ or not. But beware.:)

[Aus Traveller]

I most deffinetly would not attack anybody. This is Cruise Critic though. Respect all people OZ or not. But beware.:)

We are nearly always polite and gentle:) on this section. I am constantly amazed at the rudeness on the 'other' part of this forum. Americans I have met travelling have always been polite so I wonder whether they change personalties when they post on this forum anonymously.:)

[Australian family]

A very interesting article on the future affect on cruise bookings.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/16/costa-concordia-ship-owner-fortune

 

A snippet from the article:

 

The fall was precipitated by fears that the shipwreck will put holidaymakers off booking cruises for this year's summer holidays and Carnival warned that it was "not possible to determine" the full cost of the wreck, which killed at least six people. Carnival said the Costa Concordia would be out of action until at least November and put initial estimates of the cost at $95m (£62m).

 

However, analysts said the final amount is likely to be greater. "This tragedy will be a black mark on the cruise industry and a negative headline for Carnival," said Tim Ramskill, an analyst at Credit Suisse. "If the industry didn't already face enough challenges, this unfortunate event will reverberate on the group over the near-term. While these accidents are extremely rare, the extensive media coverage will likely curtail some booking activity and pressure pricing during the critical season."

[rugbypopsie]

I think when all the facts come out the reasons for this tragedy are probably human error...nothing to do with the size of the ship. Its a commercial reality that ships are bigger now just as planes carry more passengers too, its economics. I am not convinced that more passengers compromise passenger safety...despite the dark and everything else the vast majority of passengers were safe..you are in more danger every day you step into your car to go to work.

 

We picked a small ship for our Med cruise hoping it would be able to sail closer to the coast...now I will be happy for it to stay out from the coast!

 

Sue

[Sutho]

I do not know where all these armchair generals are getting the idea from that the ship was top heavy, too tall or too deep draft. Perhaps they should leave commentary to the experts because how tall the ship is has nothing to do with it tipping over. It had more to do with the amount of water in the bottom. Even WWII Battleships rolled over and sank and they are deliberately designed to have a deep draft and low distance to the water.

 

As far as larger ships not being able to navigate where small ships can go that is complete garbage. The Pacific Sun would also have run aground had it been in the same place. Its draft is only 70cm shallower than Costa Concordia. Even the Pacific Princess with a draft of 5.8m would have struck bottom as that rock is clearly close to the water line and definately embedded high and not under the keel.

 

I am no expert on ship stability of physics and even I know not to comment on the stabulity issues and make bold statements like an expert. I think the cold hard facts are coming out that it is serious negligence on behalf of the Captain and it will only be Costa that suffers from possible loss of passengers.

[LuckiePuris]

As a travel consultant, I have actually had a large number of cruise enquiries and bookings over the last few days.

 

It is still considered one of the safest ways to travel :)

[shadow10]

As a travel consultant, I have actually had a large number of cruise enquiries and bookings over the last few days.

 

It is still considered one of the safest ways to travel :)

 

Hi Luckie,

Welcome back - are you going to post a review of your trip for us that are following in your footsteps!!

Lesley :)

[bazzaw]

I had and still have an interest in cruising the Med. What I am about to say, I had kind of already decided - but now I KNOW!!!!!

 

I WILL NEVER EVER SAIL ANYWHERE ON A MULTI-LINGUAL SHIP! ( Please don't offer a specious argument about all ships being "multi-lingual" because of the different Nationalies always encountered onboard - I MEAN MULTI-LINGUAL IN THE WAY THAT COSTA AND MSC ARE MULTI-LINGUAL)

 

Barry

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I heard it was being re named...

 

Costa Lotta..:rolleyes:

 

 

 

[cjm66]

I had and still have an interest in cruising the Med. What I am about to say, I had kind of already decided - but now I KNOW!!!!!

 

I WILL NEVER EVER SAIL ANYWHERE ON A MULTI-LINGUAL SHIP! ( Please don't offer a specious argument about all ships being "multi-lingual" because of the different Nationalies always encountered onboard - I MEAN MULTI-LINGUAL IN THE WAY THAT COSTA AND MSC ARE MULTI-LINGUAL)

 

Barry

 

If you scan through the reviews of Costa Concordia this opinion, differently expressed, is a common theme in the negative reviews. You also get an entirely opposite "we love the mix" viewpoint. One comment in a review was interesting in the aftermath of the Concordia.

 

"The fact that the ship takes passengers in all the ports results in having every day a long (in 6 different languages) safety and administrative announcements through the speaker system. It is a torture every afternoon. Fortunately and after a series of complains, the sound was eliminated from the cabins. When those announcements occurred one had to run to the balcony (no volume adjustment was available in the cabin)." Ribatejo Nov 2011.

Colleen

 

[NSWP]

I would not touch Costa again. Even before Concordia incident. Safety issues aside, their administration/way of conducting business is pathetic.

 

CASE STUDY: Two years ago, booked Costa Atlantica, Fort Lauderdale to Quebec. Fully paid up, airfares and hotels etc paid.

 

2 months before sailing informed by Costa that our cruise was cancelled..'ship redeployed to the Med.' Despite my pleas, no compo for air fares, hotels lost. Took 8 weeks for a refund of my cruise fare. Travel Insurance not interested as 'cancellation of cruises due to rescheduling of ships' not claimable. It cost us around $4000 in lost airfares. Costa HQ is in China somewhere, could never speak to anyone, no understand. (I booked the cruise through Costa website.)

 

Take my advice, stay away from Costa, for a multitude of reasons.

[Australian family]

I would not touch Costa again. Even before Concordia incident. Safety issues aside, their administration/way of conducting business is pathetic.

 

CASE STUDY: Two years ago, booked Costa Atlantica, Fort Lauderdale to Quebec. Fully paid up, airfares and hotels etc paid.

 

2 months before sailing informed by Costa that our cruise was cancelled..'ship redeployed to the Med.' Despite my pleas, no compo for air fares, hotels lost. Took 8 weeks for a refund of my cruise fare. Travel Insurance not interested as 'cancellation of cruises due to rescheduling of ships' not claimable. It cost us around $4000 in lost airfares. Costa HQ is in China somewhere, could never speak to anyone, no understand. (I booked the cruise through Costa website.)

 

Take my advice, stay away from Costa, for a multitude of reasons.

 

Very good advice Les.

[Sutho]

With all that is coming out it makes me wonder if the Costa brand will be culled from Carnival and shut down. That is absolutely pathetic how there are photos of stranded passengers standing on the side of the sunken ship while the Captain is in a lifeboat arguing with the coast gurad about getting back on!

 

Costa is a brand I would never have touched in the first place as I cannot speak any of the main languages on that ship and with only 50 or more English speaking passengers it leaves little chance for English speaking shore excursions in all those ports. The only foreign speaking ship I would ever consider going on is Japanese as I know a bit of the language already to get by.

[Shiprobbo]

I heard it was being re named...

 

Costa Lotta..:rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

Not that it's funny, but Costs already have a ship called Costa Fortuna. Not only that but Costa had a joint venture at one stage with Pacquet French Cruises that was known at the time as Costa Pacquet (Costa Packet!!!)

 

Cheers,

[Shiprobbo]

With all that is coming out it makes me wonder if the Costa brand will be culled from Carnival and shut down.

 

Maybe, maybe not.

 

Perhaps the 'Costa' may disapear from the name of the ships, similar to what Exxon did after Exxon Vadez disgraced herself. To be honest airlines don't shut up shop or change their name after a crash so I'm not sure that will or should happen here.

 

Costa is a long well established company and will probably be able to rebuild the brand in a way similar to what airlines do. People have relatively short memories, few that sail with Holland America these days will remember the fire and sinking of Prinsendam in the 80's.

 

Cheers,

[bazzaw]

I would not touch Costa again. Even before Concordia incident. Safety issues aside, their administration/way of conducting business is pathetic.

 

CASE STUDY: Two years ago, booked Costa Atlantica, Fort Lauderdale to Quebec. Fully paid up, airfares and hotels etc paid.

 

2 months before sailing informed by Costa that our cruise was cancelled..'ship redeployed to the Med.' Despite my pleas, no compo for air fares, hotels lost. Took 8 weeks for a refund of my cruise fare. Travel Insurance not interested as 'cancellation of cruises due to rescheduling of ships' not claimable. It cost us around $4000 in lost airfares. Costa HQ is in China somewhere, could never speak to anyone, no understand. (I booked the cruise through Costa website.)

 

Take my advice, stay away from Costa, for a multitude of reasons.

 

Les

 

You should post that - word for word - over in the Costa forum

 

Barry

[bazzaw]

Les

 

having said all that, I cannot see in our WORLDCARE Insurance terms and Conditions http://www.worldcare.com.au/content/pdf/productdisclosurestatement.pdf where cover would be denied for those circumstances.

 

 

Barry

[NSWP]

Les

 

having said all that, I cannot see in our WORLDCARE Insurance terms and Conditions http://www.worldcare.com.au/content/pdf/productdisclosurestatement.pdf where cover would be denied for those circumstances.

 

 

Barry

Thanks Barry, our insurance then was with Covermore, through our healthfund - AHM. It clearly stated claims would not be entertained for re scheduling of cruiseships. I appealed of course but no good.

 

The reason Costa moved the ship from it's New England Season to the Med was due to poor patronage by the American Market. From comments I picked up on CC, the Americans did not like the use of Euro on board, nor the 5 languages (how relevant now after Concordia disaster!) This would have been in October 2010.

 

I was going to retire from cruising after the above episode, knocked the hell out of our retirement income/savings but I soldiered on.

 

 

 

I did post some loud words on Costa site back then and even louder words to the the CEO Costa and my insurance co. all fell on deaf ears.