Does the Costa disaster scare anyone from cruising?

[NASCARFAN14]

At first it didnt bother me. Princess seems very committed to safety, however, Ive seen fires, loss of power at sea, and the ship never gets evacuated. How bad does something have to get on board that would make the captain say, lets get off of this thing! :eek:

[Woobstr112G]

It won't deter us from cruising.....

 

Bob

[janina]

Will still be sailing...:):):)

[preschool teacher]

We will still cruise......sure is sad for all those folks......prayers

[spectrum05]

We are totally confident with Holland America Line safety procedures and commitment. Have sailed with them for over 260 sea days and will keep on cruising! Have booked 17 day cruise Rome/Amsterdam this year and 68 day

South America/Antarctic cruise in 2013.

Costa disaster just awful!

[5:00_Somewhere]

Nope. Our 4th cruise ever was on the Star Princess when it caught fire in the middle of the night. Not a fun experience, by any means, but it did prove to us how relatively safe cruise ships are, and how well-trained and dedicated the ship's staff and crew are to passenger safety. That was a mere 6 years and 12 cruises ago. :D We'll keep sailing; have one coming up in 7 weeks, another booked for next December, and are already looking forward to new cruise adventures in 2013 (aboard the new Royal Princess, among other things.)

[desertr0se]

At first it didnt bother me. Princess seems very committed to safety, however, Ive seen fires, loss of power at sea, and the ship never gets evacuated. How bad does something have to get on board that would make the captain say, lets get off of this thing! :eek:

 

I will be more careful going forward. I will take a small flashlight in my purse and have it with me at all times. At the first sign of danger, I will head for the nearest lifejacket, be it in my cabin or in a cabinet on deck. The crew seem to want to make everyone stay calm and that, to me, doesn't seem to prepare anyone for anything. I always attend the muster drills and I've been cruising for years. It won't stop me from cruising.

[compozer]

Maybe it will make a few people start paying attention in the muster drills and sit down and discuss "what we should do in certain situations" but we never know what we might do - you see others panicking so can you keep your cool - we really don't know until it happens to us.

 

We boat on Lake Michigan, which can be a very scary lake if you don't keep an eye on weather, etc. Years ago we were cruising with our best friends and had just left a port ten minutes earlier when I turned around and saw black smoke following them. We flipped around as the smoke changed white and raced for them. Luckily their halon went off and the fire was put out. By the time we had gotten back to them, the wife had lowered the dingy, they had life preservers on, were tossing their ditch bag in the dingy and they had called the coast guard.

 

It was a long trip home that night after getting their boat to a boat yard and pulling things off and bringing them on our boat. We were thankful that they were ok and no real damage other than in the engine room. BUt when we got back to our port, the discussion for weeks was "are we really prepared for what could happen". Now, all our friends have plans, back up plans, etc. Many people said that they really didn't want to think about what could happen so they never really talked about it with their families - they have now.

[RockinRobin]

When I sit down on a plane, I count how many rows I am from an exit, then close my eyes and visualize how I would exit the plane in an emergency. I do the same in a movie theater, restaurant, mall, or club. I never thought about doing the same on a cruise ship! I will now be more aware of my location on the ship and how to get to the exits to the promenade deck. Please don't think I am a nervous person, just the opposite. My routine takes me less than 30 seconds, and then I am very relaxed and feel prepared. PS: I also look for fire extinguishers and AED boxes. I am a former emergency department nursing director. Could you have guessed???

Robin

[compozer]

I have no idea where that thumbs down symbol came from - didn't even know you could do that.

 

Robin, I do the same things - your are correct - it hardly takes any time. I always have tiny flashlights next to our beds (home, hotels, cruises - have then i our gurest rooms also. I'm no way a nervous person either, but now, wonder if I shouldn't carry one in the evenings. I use to at all inclusives since you normally had to walk on some dark paths back to your building.

[Pia1913]

I have no idea where that thumbs down symbol came from - didn't even know you could do that.

 

Robin, I do the same things - your are correct - it hardly takes any time. I always have tiny flashlights next to our beds (home, hotels, cruises - have then i our gurest rooms also. I'm no way a nervous person either, but now, wonder if I shouldn't carry one in the evenings. I use to at all inclusives since you normally had to walk on some dark paths back to your building.

 

When I sit down on a plane, I count how many rows I am from an exit, then close my eyes and visualize how I would exit the plane in an emergency. I do the same in a movie theater, restaurant, mall, or club. I never thought about doing the same on a cruise ship! I will now be more aware of my location on the ship and how to get to the exits to the promenade deck. Please don't think I am a nervous person, just the opposite. My routine takes me less than 30 seconds, and then I am very relaxed and feel prepared. PS: I also look for fire extinguishers and AED boxes. I am a former emergency department nursing director. Could you have guessed???

Robin

 

Does this awareness perhaps come from being in a medical family. We too consider all the "ins and outs" of the above various venues.

[croozer]

First, let me say that I'd rather be on a ship that's sinking than a plane that's crashing.

 

Second, as I get ready for my Feb. 4th cruise, I feel safer now than I did last week; I'm sure all the cruise lines will be putting much more effort right now into training and procedures for emergencies than before.

 

Give up cruising? Never!

[brentlym]

Accidents happen. Although I certainly want to hear what caused this terrible tragedy, it would never, ever deter me from enjoying the most wonderful way to see the world...and that is from a cruise ship. I'm determined more than ever to get on my next cruise....the Caribbean Princess March 4-11 in San Juan!

 

I highly suspect that the lessons learned from this tragedy will be put into action immediately.

[DDMau]

We are still cruising, feeling safe with our cruise lines and their crew.

If you do not have faith in the things you do then please do not do them.

[Katie333]

It won't stop us, but it did give me pause to think about what I would have done in that situation. I admit I am not the best person in an emergency situation but thankfully my DH is wonderfully calm and methodical. He and I talked about it and like some others here, I've thought about it before.

 

Every time people avoid or don't pay attention during muster, they put themselves in additional risk unnecessarily. Giving a few minutes of your cruise to remember that you don't travel in an accident-free bubble while on vacation is not the worst thing you can do.

[Crow's Nest]

No way No how

[MJC]

Post 9/11, I don't even run out to Dunkin Donuts without my ID, keychain flashlight, and cell phone.

 

DH and I always have a plan to meet up in a designated location in case we get separated in an emergency, no matter where we are. We always read the card in the back of the airplane seat too and count seats to the exit.

 

Studies have shown that people who can think clearly in an emergency and have a plan to get out quickly are more likely to survive.

 

It may seem alarmist to some but it gives us some comfort and hopefully if we're ever in a life or death situation, we'll be on the life side.

[Sailingpeace]

I will actually also feel safer as it will make every ship crew and many people make sure they are up to date on their procedures etc. Plus stastitically the chances of another similar accident ( let's call it that for the moment ) just dropped for a while as having two in a row would be even more rare. I will feel way safer on a ship than in my car , I wont worry about the next captain texting while steering !

 

I sailed on the Star on the first sailing after the repairs done because of the fire and was told that the captain had asked to keep the crew he worked with when the fire happened because they did such a great job.

 

As for passengers doing their share in the safety dept., I do believe that learning what is expected of you is basic respect for your loved ones and your fellow passengers. Sadly some people always rely on others for everything and become a burden instead of part of the help, or helpful , when things go bad.

I think it is OK to rely on a travel partner for all answers to what time is it and what port is it tomorrow etc but what do I need to do and how do I put my jacket on ....plus your travel partner, in addition to beeing busy putting his or hers on ,just may be a the other end of the ship at that moment... Some people do need the support ( children, elderly etc) and we should all chip in for these folks, but the I'm too precious to be bothered by muster drill and the it only happends to others make me sad. I always attend muster but will be more attentive to make sure I remember the meeting point.

 

Costa victims and their families are in our prayers.

[flamomo]

I certainly would not give up cruising because of that disaster, bit I think I will give a little more thought about where I am and what's going on onboard. I will continue to attend muster drill every cruise, and pay attention, even though it becomes rather "old hat" hearing exactly the some info every time.

 

We were on a 28 day cruise in the South Pacific a couple of months ago, and there were a number of those days where we were so far from the shipping lanes and from any land, that there was NOTHING but blue Pacific waters all the way to the horizon in EVERY direction. I admit that did give us a little pause for thought about what would happen if there were some sort of problem ..... like, how long before help could arrive?

 

Nontheless, We have 4 more cruises booked, and will continue cruising in the future for as long as we can.

[compozer]

 

We were on a 28 day cruise in the South Pacific a couple of months ago, and there were a number of those days where we were so far from the shipping lanes and from any land, that there was NOTHING but blue Pacific waters all the way to the horizon in EVERY direction. I admit that did give us a little pause for thought about what would happen if there were some sort of problem ..... like, how long before help could arrive?

 

We are booked on the 3/13 cruise and that thought also has been in my mind.

 

When we first started boating on lake Michigan, I would not go across the lake without at least one boat joining us but that doesn't bother me anymore and we go alone often.

[love4connor]

I've never cruised or been on a plane. I am not scared of cruising, but the plane kind of scares me. There is something that has gone wrong with everything so what's the point of being scared of everything. Accidents happen. It doesn't stop people from going to amusement parks or racing cars or horse back riding or sky diving or whatever. No point in freaking out about it. Unless it starts happening all of the time.

[trikeman]

We are still cruising, feeling safe with our cruise lines and their crew.

If you do not have faith in the things you do then please do not do them.

 

I agree with you. If I feel uneasy about a situation I'll try to avoid it. Cruising is not one of those situations. I will admit that I do check things out to a point when I'm putting my or the DW's life in someone elses hands. Even though I love to fly there are certain airlines I wont fly but, that's my choice.

[RazorbackBelle08]

First, let me say that I'd rather be on a ship that's sinking than a plane that's crashing.

 

Second, as I get ready for my Feb. 4th cruise, I feel safer now than I did last week; I'm sure all the cruise lines will be putting much more effort right now into training and procedures for emergencies than before.

 

Give up cruising? Never!

 

I completely second this!

 

 

Sent from my Commodore 64 using MS/DOS

[kruisey]

With being an elderly passenger that travels solo it does disturb me when I read reports of it was a case of 'Everyone for themselves'.Now we know what really happens on a cruise ship when there is a real emergency.Then when one thinks about it that it is just human nature to fight for ones own survival.

Have already paid for my next cruise which is within a few months now.If I hadnot booked would certainly be be having mixed feelings about booking.

I am also not a swimmer..:o

[kayelbee]

I have only cruised the once but have 2 more booked for this year. I believe this ship went down on the evening of day 1 of the cruise. I, like many others who have already posted, count seats to emergency exits in planes and check for ways out in unfamiliar places but I have to admit I would have been struggling to get to my muster point without a lot of thought and probably a few wrong turns on the first evening of my cruise, but I would have had a reasonable internal map of the ship. As far as every one for themselves, in an ideal world if we all looked after ourselves we would all be OK, however it is not an ideal world but once you have looked after yourself you are then in a position to help others.....if you know where you are going to get out of there then you get others to follow and are thereby helping them.

No this hasn't put me off cruising, in a previous life I sadly attending many tragic incidents but I still drive and fly (well as a passenger!) I hope good will come of this tragedy and maybe those I saw at the Muster drill not taking notice of what was being said will change their ways.