What if stranded and will not fly

[Taxguy77]

My father was not afraid to fly, and spent a week on a fishing boat owned by a co. he worked for. BUT: He prefered to drive!

I told him to call me from Long Beach airport when he came in, but he drove the 800 miles from where he was working. He said "It was almost the same elapsed time, and I stopped to see two clients on the way".

He also said he'd go to Hawaii as soon as the bridge was finished.

He and Mother drove to Alaska, visited a cousin of mine, flew North of the Arctic Circle and stopped at the Calgary Stampede one year. That a lot more diverse scenery and culture than all the Carib.

Plus the drive to/from So.Cal.

[Tralynn]

I am extremely claustrophobic and also afraid to fly.......And God created Ativan! It's amazing what that little pill can do.

[mollyeilis]

If you absolutely refuse to fly, I don't think you should be getting on a large boat that goes to islands. Stick to land vacations that you can drive to. What if you were having a heart attack and needed to be flown to a hospital or medivac'd from the ship?

 

Exactly.

 

I'm terrified of helicopters, but if I had a car accident out in the boonies and I was horribly injured (or omg my son or husband were), I would be getting on that helicopter to get to a Seattle hospital.

 

 

I"m not afraid TO fly, but I'm afraid of turbulence, or at least I was until a flight attendant talked to me about how similar air and WATER behave. And how turbulence in the air and waves in the ocean are similar. And I figured hey, I'm flying to get to a cruise. If I'm not afraid of the cruise, maybe I should try to calm down a bit. And it was amazing, because I stopped the white-knuckling! The whole reason the FA was chatting with me was because he was passing by and saw that I was incredibly nervous after the pilot told us that our whole flight was probably going to be very "bumpy", and the seatbelt signs might be lit the entire flight. Yikes.

 

So it's not like it was a casual flight that I stopped being afraid on.

 

 

THANK YOU. I feel the exact same way. For those of you who are not afraid to fly I envy you but please don't make light of our fears.

 

Being concerned about someone getting into a situation where they truly might *have to* fly (home or to a hospital), who is saying they won't do it no matter what, isn't making light. It's trying to help people understand that it's actually possible that they'll have to. Again, you'll NEVER catch me booking a small plane or helicopter excursion, but if I'm in Skagway and someone in my family suddenly has a desperate need for a hospital, I'll be on that small plane to wherever. And if the coast guard needs to take us somewhere by helicopter b/c of an emergency, I'll get my first ride.

 

It just might be something you *have to* do. If you truly really totally cannot do it, then I would think you wouldn't want to cruise.

 

And if I truly absolutely could not do a helicopter, I would stay within 10 minutes drive of a local hospital with high ratings in cardiac, stroke, and trauma care. And would never go further out than that. And I'm pretty darned afraid of helicopters.

[smeyer418]

"Stranded" each week a guest will be stranded on a different island. If they are voted off they will be marooned permanently. Those without a passport will also be water boarded.

The theme song will be "Stranded that's not a way to die, what can you do when you are stranded and you refuse to fly" sung to the tune of Branded...

[Jimnbigd]

They could always relocate to St. Maarten:rolleyes:

Might be fun -- especially on Orient Beach on the French side. ;)

[kidz_rn]

Funny, but 10 years ago, I had the opposite issue. I had no problem flying, but I feared going on a cruise because of irrational concerns regarding claustrophobia; i.e., being 'stuck' on the ship with no way off. Fortunately for me, my wife convinced me to just try it once, which I did. 11 cruises later, I love cruising and flying makes my ears clogged & in pain!

[ducklite]

My mother doesn't fly any longer, but not out of fear. She does use a scooter, that does not fold. Would those have been sent separate, or in baggage hold? Just curious as I have never seen one at an airport going on or off? I would suspect the buses would also have to arrange something special for transport back to port.

 

They put them in the baggage hold of the ship--and the motor coach. It's pretty common. There's no reason she wouldn't have been able to fly.

[ducklite]

One of the major airlines had one of those programs at their corporate headquarters near us; however, it was discontinued some years back. There might be others, but if someone doesn't like to fly, and there's not one within driving distance...well...THAT is just not convenient.:p

 

At one point Philadelphia airport used to have a class as well. Not sure if they still do. I knew one of the pilots who used to explain the "science" behind the flight.

[Cuizer2]

Have seen many passport questions on DREAM situation and such but I wonder what if you are stranded somewhere and you will not fly? I have a friend that refuses to fly and now in 60's never as and never will. How do they get home from a ship stranding on an island? Will the line make arrangements for you to board another ship stopping at the island. Surely it must come up when theses things happen.

 

In a situation like that, you fly or become a citizen of a new country.