Tuesday, January 17, 2012

My Opinion As A Cruiser About the Costa Concordia Disaster

Terry and I discovered "cruising" 10 years ago.  At that time we decided to go on a cruise to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.  Daughter #1 married.   Both of our other daughters were still home.  One was a freshman in college and one of a high school Junior, so we took them with us.  In that following ten years, I think we have gone on 6 cruises.  

Over the weekend one of the Italy's Costa ships fell victim to a rebel Captain.  That's about the only way I can sum it up.  People lost their lives and all the rest suffered great stress and trauma that was avoidable and caused by plain ole stupidity.  The course on these ships is set for a reason. 

I cannot imagine what these people went through.   First of all, it happened at night.  Then the lights went out.  From reports I've heard, passengers had not had their "ship safety talk" (is what we call it) and were first told to return to their cabins.  Yes this ship's parent company is Carnival.  I have sailed on Carnival and Royal Caribbean. All of these ships had that procedure done as soon as the ship sat sail.  I've heard this ship had just began it's voyage and had only been under way for 3 hours.  That's still early in the legal 24 hour window to do that evacuation talk and I don't know if this is their common practice.  Also, passengers verify the Captain did not call to abandon ship until 45 after he knew there was  trouble.

I do know I always take flashlights with us. I have taken them when we travel because I do not like getting up to go to the bathroom in the pitch black. For us, too, I read later than Terry does and he wakes up before I do, so those flashlights come in handy. The first time we cruised we chose an inside stateroom.  They are the least expensive and we had 4 people sailing.  That means no window - no light. It's like sleeping in a closet.  In this case, the electricity was out so everyone was in the dark.  (But if you do sail...take a flashlight. )

Would the lights have helped?  It wouldn't hurt is what I'm thinking. 

I have a hard time calling this atrocity an accident because it was such a risk taking maneuver.  I'm sure it was this captain feeling invincible. We have learned he abandoned his ship before his passengers were off.   There is record of the Coast guard telling him to get back on his ship to help inform them as to what what was happening on board, but, as we know, that didn't happen.

 I do know these Captains are rotated through the fleet. ( From talking with a Carnival Captain)  They are on duty for 6 months. They, then, on leave, and when they return, it is to a different ship.   I do not know how wide spread that rotation goes.  Is it just through their line or is it through the whole Carnival fleet?  I would swear that guy looks familiar but Terry and Daughter #2 reminded me that most of the Captains have been Italian.  Put a tall, dark and handsome man in a captain's uniform and sorry, but I was not checking for a perp line up.

Please do not let the vanity and arrogance of this captain stop you from going on a cruise.  The ships are safe.   It is a very economical way to vacation.  You get to go to exciting places and your room comes with you.  You're gourmet meals or the buffet, if that's what you choose,  are included.  You can be sure no captain is going to even think about varying his course now!

Happy Cruising.   (And they didn't even pay me to say that!!)

10 comments:

Intense Guy said...

Sounds like this one Captain ... at best ... needed a refresher course on safe boat driving.

But as with anything man does, foul ups happen (from accidents to just stupid "moves").

Deanna said...

I'm with you all the way. Jim and I love cruising - 6 to date, starting with our 25th anniversary. We've never cruised Carnival, but would if we got the chance. This Captain did everything wrong. Everytime we have cruised we have been called to muster almost immediately after sailing. We always opt for the inside cabins because we spend so little time in the cabin. We usually cruise with another couple and get adjoining rooms. That actually doubles the roaming space, but you do need to like each other a lot. We always bring a flashlight with us. That's just common sense.

I'm glad you are not turned off from cruising because of one arogant ignoramious. We aren't either.

Happy Cruising!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

From what I heard on the mornin' news Captain got that close to land so a shipmate could wave at his fam.

'Then jumped ship...now that's no captain!!!

This would not prevent me from Cruisin' any more than a car accident would keep me from behind the wheel.

The whole thing is just such an avoidable tragedy.

Have a blessed day sweetie!!! :o)

Suldog said...

This is a very timely blog post for me. MY WIFE and I have been considering a cruise to celebrate our 20 years of marriage, end of February and beginning of March. Neither one of us has ever taken one, but My Dad used to rave about cruising (and he was an airline employee, well-traveled.)

If you had, say, five most important pieces of advice for newbie cruisers, what might they be? We're total neophytes, and I'm trying to learn as much as possible before we commit to any particular cruise line or class of room or... well, anything! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Not so sure I want to be on a cruise..never have been..guess I might be a land lubber..although I do like the Ocean:)

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Funny you post that ... DH and I are in the initial planning stages of our first cruise to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Neither one of us are willing to forgo that simply because of one man's foolishness.

Feisty Crone said...

I've not been "cruising," but I have plenty of friends, colleagues, and family who have. They all say the same thing about cruising.

Mary said...

I am appalled by the Captains behavior. We went on a cruise for our honeymoon 25 years ago on Carnival and we had barely arrived at our room when we had the safety drill. I remember it vividly as I was on the verge to throwing up the whole time. It was a bit rough when we went, (Sept. hurricane season...)A flash light is a very good idea, we had a little portal window, but friends we met had an inside room and it was dark, dark, dark.

Anyway, this whole thing is just inexcusable. House arrest?? Really??

Anonymous said...

I always thought that cruise ships were like floating prisons. But, some day, I might change my mind.

Kathy said...

I'm so glad you wrote about this! Wouldn't you know something like this would happen when I finally made up my mind to take a cruise? Now, I've been having second thoughts.

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