My sister told me a story about cruising.

[sleepless]

When I talked to my sister a few weeks ago, I told her that DH and I had booked our first cruise. I told her we were going on the Jewel in March of 2008, to the Caribbean. She told me to be careful of the water and the food. I asked her what she ment. She said that everybody knows that the water is bad, and that people are always getting sick on the food. I asked her where she heard that from, and of course, she said the news. No real surprise there as we know how the media sinks its teeth into the Norovirus. I told her that I was not concerned. The water was safe, and so was the food. And, that noroviurs could be picked up anywhere. It is not caused by cruise ships. She then asked if our 24 year old daughter was coming with us. I said no, just DH and I. She said that that was good, because I wouldn't have to worry about our daughter then on the cruise. I asked her what she ment. My 24 year old daughter is married to a Marine, and can look after herself. She said that if my daughter was to accompany us, we would have to watch her because she could be KIDNAPPED right off of the ship. I said what are you talking about. She said don't you ever watch the news? Pretty young ladies and children are always kidnapped right off of the ships. I told her that I have never heard about that, and asked her if she was confusing it with people not making it back to the ship on time from an a non cruise ship sponsored port event, or perhaps even with people falling overboard. She said no, everybody knows that people are kidnapped off of ships all of the time, and never ever found. I had a hard time covering up my laughter as I continued to talk to her; she was sooooo serious. Has anybody else ever heard about this urban legend? Of course, I don't believe her. But, how do these stories get started?

[PhoenixCruiser]

When I talked to my sister a few weeks ago, I told her that DH and I had booked our first cruise. I told her we were going on the Jewel in March of 2008, to the Caribbean. She told me to be careful of the water and the food. I asked her what she ment. She said that everybody knows that the water is bad, and that people are always getting sick on the food. I asked her where she heard that from, and of course, she said the news. No real surprise there as we know how the media sinks its teeth into the Norovirus. I told her that I was not concerned. The water was safe, and so was the food. And, that noroviurs could be picked up anywhere. It is not caused by cruise ships. She then asked if our 24 year old daughter was coming with us. I said no, just DH and I. She said that that was good, because I wouldn't have to worry about our daughter then on the cruise. I asked her what she ment. My 24 year old daughter is married to a Marine, and can look after herself. She said that if my daughter was to accompany us, we would have to watch her because she could be KIDNAPPED right off of the ship. I said what are you talking about. She said don't you ever watch the news? Pretty young ladies and children are always kidnapped right off of the ships. I told her that I have never heard about that, and asked her if she was confusing it with people not making it back to the ship on time from an a non cruise ship sponsored port event, or perhaps even with people falling overboard. She said no, everybody knows that people are kidnapped off of ships all of the time, and never ever found. I had a hard time covering up my laughter as I continued to talk to her; she was sooooo serious. Has anybody else ever heard about this urban legend? Of course, I don't believe her. But, how do these stories get started?

 

Well, bad things happen everywhere, including a cruise ship! Not all of what she told you is a urban legend.

 

We need to be aware of our surroundings, no matter where we are.

 

###

[AudioFilly]

Wow! Are you sure that your sister and my sister aren't the same person???

 

I've been trying to talk my sister into a "Girlfriend Getaway" cruise for a while now. She has all kinds of irrational fears of cruising. She also has some logical, albeit incredibly obscure, fears as well.

 

She is the kind of person that would watch the news 24/7 if she could. I only watch the news when I can't avoid it. I figure any news that could actually be life changing will be important enough for them to interrupt regular programming for it. :) You're seeing our conflict in style already aren't you?

 

She has convinced herself that if she ever does take a cruise that she will have to avoid alcohol at all costs. She has an image of herself, after one sip of wine, launching herself over the railing of the ship. :rolleyes:

 

I haven't heard the ones about people being Kidnapped off of the ship. Are you sure she didn't fall asleep watching Pirates of the Caribbean and woke up to a news story and maybe crossed them up in her head???

 

Because I did get an earful about Americans being kidnapped in port and held for ransom. This one had her particularly worried because we are not rich Americans and no one would be able to afford the ransom and I would be killed. :eek: I told her it didn't much matter, because even if we could afford the ransom, the kidnappers would more than likely kill the hostage anyway, so not to worry about it. I wish you could have heard her gasp on the other end of the phoneline. :p

 

Sometimes I think God gave us Sisters just because it can be so much fun to toy with their minds. :D

[RareBird]

You're enjoying your day

Everything's going your way

Then along comes Debbie Downer.

 

Always there to tell you 'bout a new disease

A car accident or killer bees

You'll beg her to spare you, "Debbie, Please!"

But you can't stop Debbie Downer!

 

;)

[PhoenixCruiser]

If you want to do some research you can start here:

 

http://www.cruisejunkie.com/events.html

 

###

[Marley-Bop]

I think its just irrational worry - My mum watched the Liberty and our ship the Navigator on the TV in Southampton docks. They were then talking about them being two of the biggest ships in the world. The next day when they showed them in the local papers, my mum actually tried to count the lifeboats and then infomed me that she didnt think there would be enough in the event that the ship sunk due to its size.:eek:

 

Some people are just natural born worriers (bless em) but lets face it, if we worried about everything we ate and drank and where we went, we wouldnt do anything.

 

Happy cruising everyone:)

 

Chubbas

[lawsoncd3]

Wow! Are you sure that your sister and my sister aren't the same person???

 

I've been trying to talk my sister into a "Girlfriend Getaway" cruise for a while now. She has all kinds of irrational fears of cruising. She also has some logical, albeit incredibly obscure, fears as well.

 

She is the kind of person that would watch the news 24/7 if she could. I only watch the news when I can't avoid it. I figure any news that could actually be life changing will be important enough for them to interrupt regular programming for it. :) You're seeing our conflict in style already aren't you?

 

She has convinced herself that if she ever does take a cruise that she will have to avoid alcohol at all costs. She has an image of herself, after one sip of wine, launching herself over the railing of the ship. :rolleyes:

 

I haven't heard the ones about people being Kidnapped off of the ship. Are you sure she didn't fall asleep watching Pirates of the Caribbean and woke up to a news story and maybe crossed them up in her head???

 

Because I did get an earful about Americans being kidnapped in port and held for ransom. This one had her particularly worried because we are not rich Americans and no one would be able to afford the ransom and I would be killed. :eek: I told her it didn't much matter, because even if we could afford the ransom, the kidnappers would more than likely kill the hostage anyway, so not to worry about it. I wish you could have heard her gasp on the other end of the phoneline. :p

 

Sometimes I think God gave us Sisters just because it can be so much fun to toy with their minds. :D

 

Hey Lezlie... good to see you back home!

 

I haven't heard about the ones being kidnapped off the ship either.

 

And yes, I think God gave us Sisters so we can toy with their little minds!

 

D

[aqhacruiser]

I think its just irrational worry - My mum watched the Liberty and our ship the Navigator on the TV in Southampton docks. They were then talking about them being two of the biggest ships in the world. The next day when they showed them in the local papers, my mum actually tried to count the lifeboats and then infomed me that she didnt think there would be enough in the event that the ship sunk due to its size.:eek:

 

Some people are just natural born worriers (bless em) but lets face it, if we worried about everything we ate and drank and where we went, we wouldnt do anything.

 

Happy cruising everyone:)

 

Chubbas

 

Tell your mom, there are plenty of rafts, not just lifeboats! :)

[wrinklesandme]

Sleepless,

 

Did you remind her that more accidents happen IN the home?! That should keep her in bed for a few days!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[silentbob007]

My gf's mom has put those same thoughts into my gf's head ... not to mention an irrational fear of flying (not that either has ever flown). I guess I'm going to have my work cut out for me .... ;)

[sleepless]

Thanks for all of the fun replies.

 

I do love my sister, but honestly she does get her ideas. Most of them I ignore, but some are fun to share. :)

 

I am not worried about getting kidnapped. Nor am I afraid to drink the water or norovirus. In fact, I have never had the flu, and my last stomach virus was over 5 years ago. If I were, I would not be going on the cruise.

 

Having grown up in the city, I have always known that I must be aware of my surroundings. The important word is 'aware' not obsess. I will save all of my obsessions for reading CC.:o

[joetrizeo]

OH my god, are you serious?

 

I had no IDEA cruising was so dangerous!

 

I'm never ever going cruising again, infact, cancel my CC.com account right now!

[Spurs Fans]

Just curious if your sister has also reported being kidnapped by aliens recently? Actually, this is meant in humor, but it certainly reflects some unrealistic fears on her part.

[roadnut]

While I'm sure it's happened, it happening "all the time" is surely an exaggeration.

 

Some people do hear about things, and assume that it happens way more often that it does. I often say this in defense:

 

The news reports on a Nurovirus (sp) on a specific cruise ship, but doesn't mention the other dozens of cruise ships that don't have a problem, nor doesn't mention that the next several year's worth of cruises on that particular cruise ship didn't have problems.

 

The news covers the 1 major plane crash that occurs per year, but never mentioned the 30,000 flights that landed safely on a daily basis.

 

The water may indeed be dangerous...but simply drink bottled water. And it's not that the water is dangerous, but it's that we're not used to it. I've been in areas in the U.S. where I've been told not to drink the water.

 

As far as kidnappings on the ship, no one gets on or off that ship without swipping their SeaPass. So it would be known if someone's missing.

 

One of my carpoolers (I have tons of these stories) is one of these type people. If I mention my wife went to a club with friends, he gets all over me about how I allow my wife to go out alone (what did I just say about with friends???) and how girls are always getting that date-rape drug in their drinks. Again - the news didn't report the hundreds of gals that make it out of each and every club without a problem.

[nimbex1970]

I'm a bit addicted to cruising and talk about it frequently at work. It seems daily that someone says" aren't you afraid of falling off??"

 

I started responding... "yep, it would be a whole lot safer if they had rails or something that kept you in". :D Then I pull up a pic. with the rails breast level and ask them how they would "accidentally fall off !:mad:" Takes quite a bit of climbing to TIP over it!

 

Idiots.

 

then my favorite.... "I can't cruise until my kids are older, I just can't stress about them falling off the ship". Another... "yep" toddlers fall off daily that's why the ships are still in business and you hear of toddler deaths every day, you'd better wait:eek:".

 

My mother who lives in the city in NY WARNS ME about muggings in port and pining my $$ inside my UNDERWEAR.. imagine trying to pull my stash of cash out after a few minutes of haggling.....

 

Nine cruises in, and I just realized that the never cruised before people ARE the experts;), silly me. Goofballs.

[AudioFilly]

Hey Lezlie... good to see you back home!

 

I haven't heard about the ones being kidnapped off the ship either.

 

And yes, I think God gave us Sisters so we can toy with their little minds!

 

D

 

Thanks, Dona!

 

Still shaking off the last of the bug I picked up. The first time I talked to my Sister she said, "I told you, you were going to get Norovirus!" I tried to tell her that NV is an intestinal thing. This is the same Croupy Crud stuff that I usually pick up around Christmas time when too many people are walking around hacking and coughing their ways through the malls.

 

I'd been feeling so pleased with myself that I went through the whole winter without so much as a head cold. And here I catch this stuff on my Spring cruise.

[Jeanie821]

You're enjoying your day

Everything's going your way

Then along comes Debbie Downer.

 

Always there to tell you 'bout a new disease

A car accident or killer bees

You'll beg her to spare you, "Debbie, Please!"

But you can't stop Debbie Downer!

 

;)

 

ROTFLMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Where do these people come up with these ideas?

[jbrambach]

Wow! Are you sure that your sister and my sister aren't the same person???

 

I've been trying to talk my sister into a "Girlfriend Getaway" cruise for a while now. She has all kinds of irrational fears of cruising. She also has some logical, albeit incredibly obscure, fears as well.

 

She is the kind of person that would watch the news 24/7 if she could. I only watch the news when I can't avoid it. I figure any news that could actually be life changing will be important enough for them to interrupt regular programming for it. You're seeing our conflict in style already aren't you?

 

She has convinced herself that if she ever does take a cruise that she will have to avoid alcohol at all costs. She has an image of herself, after one sip of wine, launching herself over the railing of the ship. :rolleyes:

 

I haven't heard the ones about people being Kidnapped off of the ship. Are you sure she didn't fall asleep watching Pirates of the Caribbean and woke up to a news story and maybe crossed them up in her head???

 

Because I did get an earful about Americans being kidnapped in port and held for ransom. This one had her particularly worried because we are not rich Americans and no one would be able to afford the ransom and I would be killed. I told her it didn't much matter, because even if we could afford the ransom, the kidnappers would more than likely kill the hostage anyway, so not to worry about it. I wish you could have heard her gasp on the other end of the phoneline.

 

Sometimes I think God gave us Sisters just because it can be so much fun to toy with their minds. :D

 

ROTFLOL...Priceless:D :D

[jbrambach]

My mother who lives in the city in NY WARNS ME about muggings in port and pining my $$ inside my UNDERWEAR.. imagine trying to pull my stash of cash out after a few minutes of haggling.....

 

OMG, Too Funny:D

[hcw80]

A few years ago, we were training a guide dog puppy. The dog went everywhere with us, since he had the legal right to and we had the obligation to expose him to as many environments and situations we could. Anyhow, my husband had a long layover at the local airport so I went to meet him for lunch. Of course, I had the dog in his guidedog vest. The puppy gets very happy to see my husband so my husband walks him in the resturant. It wasn't until I heard a lady at the next table gasp did I realize this was not such a good idea. My husband was wearing his pilot uniform at the time.:p This is how rumors get started.

[hcw80]

"Pretty young ladies and children are always kidnapped right off of the ships. "

 

Last year, I was in St. Thomas at the shops by the dock. You could literally see three cruise ships sitting there. Anyhow, this large linebacker of a teenage boy, around 16-17, begged as his mom dragged him into yet another jewlery store, "Mom, may I please go back to the ship and go swimming!" I could understand because there is nothing males of all ages love more than watching women try on numerous pieces of jewlery.;)

 

She turned to this young mountain of a man, at least a foot taller and one hundred pounds heavier than me, and said straightfaced, "No. Someone might try to steal you." She must have watched the same newscast as your sister.

[wakelover]

Sleepless,

 

Did you remind her that more accidents happen IN the home?! That should keep her in bed for a few days!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

ROFL.....the reason being our good friend always says....if they want to reduce the accident figures in the home....get rid of stairs!!!!!! LOL:D

[terri23]

A few years ago, we were training a guide dog puppy. The dog went everywhere with us, since he had the legal right to and we had the obligation to expose him to as many environments and situations we could. Anyhow, my husband had a long layover at the local airport so I went to meet him for lunch. Of course, I had the dog in his guidedog vest. The puppy gets very happy to see my husband so my husband walks him in the resturant. It wasn't until I heard a lady at the next table gasp did I realize this was not such a good idea. My husband was wearing his pilot uniform at the time.:p This is how rumors get started.

 

OMG & LOL!! That is hilarious!! :D

[Deloresgardella]

I have taken several of my grand-children on cruises over the years, which they loved and still talk about. My two youngest twin granddaughters won't go though. They just turned 14. One swears the plane is going down and not make it and the other one just knows that the ship is going sink. I think they have watched to much of the Titanic and airplane movies on TV. I even took their older brother through the Panama a couple years ago which was great.

Delores

[TahoeBob]

Sometimes I think God gave us Sisters just because it can be so much fun to toy with their minds. :D

I do not have any sisters, only two brothers, I guess I missed out on some fun.