Can't Believe This Commentary

[kitty9]

There is another cruise board, that shall remain nameless, that recently published articles on cruise ship crime. The comments made by the author of the article regarding solo cruisers, really made me upset. He said he NEVER advises people to cruise solo as it's too dangerous. I cannot believe this archaic comment. He advises that solos always book with organized single groups rather than go alone. Is that a myopic view of things or what? What makes a solo safer just because you book with a singles group? My view is that if you participate in certain behaviors, be it on a cruise ship, a land vacation or in your own community, you're increasing your chances of having safety issues. If you drink too much, if you go off with a stranger be it another passenger or crew member, there are inherent safety issues. I have cruised all over the world, including places that some might not consider terribly safe including Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, but by using good judgement, thank God nothing has ever happened to me. I just cannot understand why people feel the need to sensationalize issues without knowing one bit of what they're talking about.

[funone2]

I couldn't agree more! I have driven all over our country alone, cruised the Caribbean alone, and traveled to Central America alone and have never had any problems or felt insecure. You just need to be sensible, and use those eyes in the back of your head ... you know, the ones your mom had when you were a kid! LOL :p :p

 

Some people just always see the glass as half empty ... I always see it as half full! :p

[Lois R]

Hi Darcie,:)

 

Huh?:eek: well, if I went with a "group" I would never cruise

because I enjoy going on my own......

Using some common sense is the key......whoever that writer

of the aritcle is sounds like they don't have any of it:rolleyes:

He actually said, don't cruise solo???:confused: sounds like his elevator

isn't going all the way to the top!

[wrp96]

Let's see. How is going with a group of people you don't know any safer than going on my own? :rolleyes:

[kitty9]

Hi Lois, yes, this guy's name is Motter and he writes all kinds of articles for this other cruise board. He specifically said he recommends to all singles never to cruise alone and always book with a singles group. Like wrp said, how is booking alone any safer than booking with a group? He wrote about some women who claimed they were assaulted by crew members and fellow passengers, and how the cruise lines refused to do anything to the perps, even after numerous complaints. Some male passenger supposedly took a fellow female passenger into a public bathroom on a ship and groped her while his friends took photos. This woman claimed she went to numerous staff on the ship and asked that the man be confined to his cabin and it wasn't done. She asked that the man be arrested once the ship got back to the US and again it wasn't done. But what does something like that have to do with cruising solo? That same thing could happen if you're part of a huge group.

 

BTW, I leave tomorrow for San Diego and 2 weeks on Summit through the Canal. Can't wait to leave this cold and snow.

[DiveMaster]

Paul (Motter) does have experience and insight into cruising and he's certainly taking a conservative opinion. As an auditor, I should probably have a similiar conservative opinion, but my opinion is more that the personal risk really derives from people's individual behavior.

 

Being a Life Guard, Divemaster, and Dive Con I tend to scan for potential trouble. I see alot of wasted cruisers in port, cruisers with no knowledge of foriegn ports who should stick to organized tours, people with jewelery in places where it would be best to travel plain and not flashy, and etc. People who engage in risky behavior on cruises can expect similiar consequences to engaging in risky behavior on land.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Lois, yes, this guy's name is Motter and he writes all kinds of articles for this other cruise board. He specifically said he recommends to all singles never to cruise alone and always book with a singles group. Like wrp said, how is booking alone any safer than booking with a group? He wrote about some women who claimed they were assaulted by crew members and fellow passengers, and how the cruise lines refused to do anything to the perps, even after numerous complaints. Some male passenger supposedly took a fellow female passenger into a public bathroom on a ship and groped her while his friends took photos. This woman claimed she went to numerous staff on the ship and asked that the man be confined to his cabin and it wasn't done. She asked that the man be arrested once the ship got back to the US and again it wasn't done. But what does something like that have to do with cruising solo? That same thing could happen if you're part of a huge group.

 

BTW, I leave tomorrow for San Diego and 2 weeks on Summit through the Canal. Can't wait to leave this cold and snow.

[Roz]

Does Mr. Motter possibly work for, or represent, a tour company that sponsors singles cruises?

 

Roz

[BARBARA J.W.]

"SINGLES CRUISES"

Don't they cost more??

I would like to cruise with a group of singles..

I would not want to share a cabin........

I have cruised many times as a SOLO CRUISER...

I have never had any problems.....

You have to be careful......

I am getting ready to go on a

CHRISTMAS // NEW YEAR'S CRUISE......

This time next month I'll be on

Carnival's sweet ole CELEBRATION.....

HAPPY SOLO CRUISING TO ALL SOLOS.......

[LHP]

Motter probably recommended a single "group" cruise for the simple reason that "someone else on the ship" would know "you are suppose to be there". Kinda like the "bubby system".

 

The "host or hostess" would have a record of everyone in their group...giving an additional layer of "contacts" should it be needed.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

geez if i had taken his advice i would never have started cruising. let alone go to paris, new york city, chicago, san francisco, let alone numerous other places. i enjoy travelling by myself and yes it is more expensive but i refuse to be 80 years old sitting in my rocker on the porch saying "i wish i had....."

[DiveMaster]

Roz:

 

No, I do not believe so. Paul has been around though, on both sides of the cruise lines. There are many folks who favor singles cruises, just as there are many folks who favor escorted tours. Some of us live in a world filled with travel books, travel agents, and dream vacations and some of us live in a world filled with Expedia.com, discount airlines and spontaneous plans. Singles cruise folk cruise in part for the social aspect - more people person personalities in that subgroup of cruisers.

 

 

Does Mr. Motter possibly work for, or represent, a tour company that sponsors singles cruises?

 

Roz

[DiveMaster]

Your comments would tend to place you in the Solo cruiser group where adventure is more important than social interaction, which is the nirvana for the Singles cruiser group. The other board almost came to blows because solos don't understand what motivates singles and singles don't understand what motivates solos.:D

 

 

 

geez if i had taken his advice i would never have started cruising. let alone go to paris, new york city, chicago, san francisco, let alone numerous other places. i enjoy travelling by myself and yes it is more expensive but i refuse to be 80 years old sitting in my rocker on the porch saying "i wish i had....."

[gxchan]

Crime on cruise ships of all kinds is well documented. Whether solo/single cruisers are more suspectible is the only question, not whether it actually happens.

[Roz]

What I find kind of interesting about Paul's remarks is that I actually do things on a cruise ship that I wouldn't in my everyday life. For instance, when I travel for work, I wouldn't think of walking into a bar by myself for a drink. However, when I sail solo, I regularly visit a bar or lounge pre- or post-dinner for a glass of spirits.

 

Roz

[SantaAna,CA]

Well his theory doesn't hold up in reality. Wasn't the man who died on a cruise ship recently (under suspicious circumstances) part of a couple? There goes that going-solo-is-dangerous thing.

 

I have traveled to the Caribbean on Seabourn three times in the last year and a half. Twice solo. Before I leave, I go online and book scuba dives in every port. I have never, once, had one iota of trouble. Except for taxi drivers asking me to marry them that is. They seem to think single, traveling American women are rich. If they only knew.

 

I'm not stupid, I'm careful. I don't go walking around in towns alone, at night, or take any other chances. It's only reasonable to take certain precautions. I doubt single travelers are any more at risk than groups. Oh, a safari group, from a well known outfit, was robbed last year as well. There goes the theory again.

 

Jane

[FranKes2000]

I travel alone both on land and at sea. I have been propositioned on one cruise, my cabin steward over heard and offered help if it was required, I dealt with it, no problem. On another cruise I had made friends with the people in a couple of cabins forward of mine, their cabins were robbed and they were couples. Either the theif did not like my "stuff" or I was too unpredictable in my times of visiting my cabin.

Hearing of travellers problems masks the great vaccations most people have. When travelling away from home a little common sense goes a long way!

[PINEVIEW01]

does anyone have the link? I'd like to read it first hand.

[Host Kat]

does anyone have the link? I'd like to read it first hand.

As stated in the first post:

There is another cruise board, that shall remain nameless, that recently published articles on cruise ship crime...

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but per the Guidelines:

 

Other Cruise & Travel Sites

 

Cruise Critic reserves the right to approve or deny links which lead directly to or link to cruise-related material or message boards that is not located within Cruise Critic. This does not mean all links will be removed, but rather that they will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

Since kitty9 states the article came from another cruise board, it will be removed if posted, even if "masked".

 

Thanking you in advance for your understanding,

Kat

'Tis the season to be jolly...

[greyblueseas]

I'm about to go on my third solo cruise. I have never been on a land-based vacation on my own. I feel safe on a ship (X). Obviously, nasty incidents can occur anywhere, but, as others have pointed out, needlessly putting yourself at risk can be avoided. I would never go on a singles cruise - they are for people looking to party and interact with the opposite sex. I'm more of a glass of champagne while listening to the string quartet person. Besides, many solo travelers are not single, and that is an important distinction. The writers of these articles never seem to take these things into account.