Will the recent tragedy change your decision to cruise?

[cruz4evr]

No not at all, I love cruising. But like you I am afraid of flying, always have been even though I've flown at least a dozen times.

[Flowercruise]

I'll be honest and say it has made me apprehensive but that's partly because it's our first cruise and I really don't know what to expect.

 

The other thing is my 10 year old has been really worried for months about going and finally started to look forward to it last week. The number of times I kept telling say 'what's the worse that could happen'. Consequently I've had to make sure he doesn't see the news because he is an absolute worryhead and I know this would stress him out.

 

P.S. I also hate flying. I've only done it twice, there and back on a short trip to Menorca and it's really not for me.

[KMagz]

I think I recently read on these boards the cruise industry estimates there will be ~20.3 million cruisers worldwide in 2012. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) I'm not trivializing what happened to those people on the Costa ship but those stats make the accident/fatality rate for cruising very, very low.

[E&B]

Was actually thinking of starting a thread on this subject myself. Not with a question, but about how so many threads have questions regarding life-jackets and lifeboats. The number of people who have died in cruise tragedies in the last 50 years is lower than the number being hit by cars. It is one of the safest ways to travel. Will I pay attention at muster and know where my life jacket and assigned lifeboat is now? YES! But that would have been my answer last week as well.

[Calker]

No this tragedy did not change my mind on cruising. Yes, it made me stop for and pray for everyone on board and their families.

 

What an absolutely horrible accident!

[Tim Cruise]

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[NeuroQueen]

I don't think you are being overly concerned at all. I, too have a few bad moments worrying about rogue waves and had chills go down my spine when I saw the pix of this cruise ship lying on her side. I fly once or twice a year and HATE it, but do it anyway. I know the odds are in my favor but you can bet I'll pay a whole lot more attention to where my lifeboat is and where my life jacket is located. I will also still carry my little, and I mean little, emergency bag with me every where containing an led light, copy of passport and insurance info, credit card and cash. I do this anyway, and it has come in handy in port a couple of times. I think most on these boards will keep cruising, as we all know it is a safe and reliable mode of vacation, usually.

[bplazo]

Not at all.

[bluegirlum]

My father did his sabbatical in France in the 1980s when a bunch of planes were being hijacked/bombed. We landed at Orly and had to evacuate the terminal so luggage could be blown up. My flight back home to Chicago was diverted to Ireland due to a bomb threat. I was in 5th grade, and after that vowed never to go back to Europe. 5th grade! My family went back to Europe the next 2 summers and I stayed home because I was convinced I was going to be blown up in an airplane. I'm not sure why my parents allowed it--probably because it saved them a lot of money! ;)

 

Thankfully I came to my senses the summer after that, and I went back to Europe all by myself to stay with family friends. But I really regret not spending that time with my family because I was so irrationally scared about something I had no control over. It's the same with this. I think it was just a horrible, horrible human error, and if it's going to happen to me, it's going to happen. I can't stay home to try to prevent it.

[Hunwolf]

Nope.

 

I would never cruise Costa though to be honest.

[The Flying Pirate]

Not at all, cruising is still one of the safest ways to travel. Hopefully after this accident people will pay more attention to safety during the muster drill.

[BriBooVa]

Just as in an airline disaster, lessons are learned and safety is enhanced as a result.

[medfordgirl]

My father did his sabbatical in France in the 1980s when a bunch of planes were being hijacked/bombed. We landed at Orly and had to evacuate the terminal so luggage could be blown up. My flight back home to Chicago was diverted to Ireland due to a bomb threat. I was in 5th grade, and after that vowed never to go back to Europe. 5th grade! My family went back to Europe the next 2 summers and I stayed home because I was convinced I was going to be blown up in an airplane. I'm not sure why my parents allowed it--probably because it saved them a lot of money! ;)

 

Thankfully I came to my senses the summer after that, and I went back to Europe all by myself to stay with family friends. But I really regret not spending that time with my family because I was so irrationally scared about something I had no control over. It's the same with this. I think it was just a horrible, horrible human error, and if it's going to happen to me, it's going to happen. I can't stay home to try to prevent it.

 

I sure wish I was more like you. Rationally I know I am safer in the sky (or the ocean)I first flew at 6yrs old, can't count the number of times I have flown but the older I get the less I fly because the more frightened I am and mind you, I have never had a bad flight. Going on 9 years since my last flight. my mom said that I don't have to be IN the plane to die from it. It could hit me on the ground. I am missing out on so may cruises because of it I only take Caribbean cruises because I can drive. But I want to do Cananda/new england, Hawaii, Europe...Wonder if hypnosis works?

[AFsouth]

Not at all, accidents happen. However, I will say that we in general, place lot's of confidence in strangers, such as ship captains. We assume that things will be okay.

[medfordgirl]

I don't think you are being overly concerned at all. I, too have a few bad moments worrying about rogue waves and had chills go down my spine when I saw the pix of this cruise ship lying on her side. I fly once or twice a year and HATE it, but do it anyway. I know the odds are in my favor but you can bet I'll pay a whole lot more attention to where my lifeboat is and where my life jacket is located. I will also still carry my little, and I mean little, emergency bag with me every where containing an led light, copy of passport and insurance info, credit card and cash. I do this anyway, and it has come in handy in port a couple of times. I think most on these boards will keep cruising, as we all know it is a safe and reliable mode of vacation, usually.

 

I too will pay more attention at the muster drills and I think I will start carrying a little emergency bag. and like someone else said, I may think twice about things I bring because I wouldn't want to lose it. Usually bring too much stuff anyway, this may pack better. :o

[OhioCruiserDude]

No but I worrie about my DW we will be on Freedom in April. She has never flown or been on a cruise. I know she secrtly worring but wont let me know. As for me no it wouldnt change my mind. I strongly belive that when god says its my time to go home its my time it dont matter were i am or what im doing. My heart goes out to everyone affected my this. However this could have been so much worse

[bluegirlum]

I sure wish I was more like you. Rationally I know I am safer in the sky (or the ocean)I first flew at 6yrs old, can't count the number of times I have flown but the older I get the less I fly because the more frightened I am and mind you, I have never had a bad flight. Going on 9 years since my last flight. my mom said that I don't have to be IN the plane to die from it. It could hit me on the ground. I am missing out on so may cruises because of it I only take Caribbean cruises because I can drive. But I want to do Cananda/new england, Hawaii, Europe...Wonder if hypnosis works?

 

It's totally understandable that you're afraid to fly. My uncle used to literally drink himself unconscious before he'd get on a plane--and he was flying for work! :eek: My aunt had enough of that after he totally embarrassed her one flight, and signed him up for a class through one of the airlines that specifically addressed fear of flying. It was one whole day, that ended with a short flight. Whatever they did, it worked!

 

I dont' love flying and I still get nervous, but my step brother is a pilot on regional jets, and he assured me that he wants to get there as safely as possible and so does every other pilot. They don't want to put themselves in danger and they have had so much training that it's rare that they encounter something they can't handle. I just have to trust that they don't want to get hurt either, you know?

 

I would be interested to hear if hypnosis works. Hopefully you can figure something out. Good luck!

[peteukmcr]

In answer to the question, no, this will not affect my decision to cruise. Neither did the Lockerbie air crash make me rethink travelling by air to the USA, nor did the Manchester air crash in 1985 stop me getting on a aeroplane at least once month on average for the past 11 years for my work. I consider the professionals in charge of my chosen mode of transport to be experts in their field, and so will entrust them with my life.

 

As far as I am concerned I am in much more danger of being injured or maimed for life by irresponsible drivers of vehicles who, despite it being illegal in the UK, insist on driving whilst talking on their mobile (cell) phones and therefore, their concentration is not 100% on the road.

 

What did affect me more than anything else was the IRA bombing of my home city of Manchester in 1996 when I lived in the city centre and had to witness the devastation of my home city and then, and only then, did I question my safety when going about my business over which I had no control.

[Dave85]

Cruising is one of the safest manners of leisure travel in the world. Unfortunately, horrible tragedies do happen from time to time... :(

 

Since this is the RC board, I'll add that I have every confidence in RC's commitment to safety and the safety of their vessels and can't wait to get back to sea.

[Fury1995]

I asked myself this very same question just over 10 years ago.

 

In September 2001, after watching the horrific events of 9/11, the very next week I booked a a flight and a cruise. I live just outside Washington DC, in fact.. I live in the flight path of Washington Dulles International Airport, the airport where American Airlines flight 11 departed before crashing into the Pentagon. I lived within the city limits of Washington DC prior to to moving to Virginia for more than 10 years and passed the Pentagon on a daily basis.

 

I was making the decision to travel for two reasons.. I couldn't imagine it being more secure to travel from that point forward and I wanted to get past my fears so I booked a flight from Dulles to San Juan and boarded the Adventure of the Seas for a Southern Caribbean cruise (which had just had it's inauguration shortly before).

 

Since then, I have made a point of traveling somewhere each year on or during September 11th. It's kind of habit now. So, I think I will have no problem cruising on Royal Caribbean, at the very least.

[Iluvcruising2]

I'll be honest and say it has made me apprehensive but that's partly because it's our first cruise and I really don't know what to expect.

 

The other thing is my 10 year old has been really worried for months about going and finally started to look forward to it last week. The number of times I kept telling say 'what's the worse that could happen'. Consequently I've had to make sure he doesn't see the news because he is an absolute worryhead and I know this would stress him out.

 

P.S. I also hate flying. I've only done it twice, there and back on a short trip to Menorca and it's really not for me.

 

For those of you who are scared of flying - why?

 

Fear of the plane crashing?

[Iluvcruising2]

Cruising is one of the safest manners of leisure travel in the world. Unfortunately, horrible tragedies do happen from time to time... :(

 

Since this is the RC board, I'll add that I have every confidence in RC's commitment to safety and the safety of their vessels and can't wait to get back to sea.

 

Any Italian captains on RCI ships?

[trixietx]

No! I am not scared to cruise or fly!

[medfordgirl]

I asked myself this very same question just over 10 years ago.

 

In September 2001, after watching the horrific events of 9/11, the very next week I booked a a flight and a cruise. I live just outside Washington DC, in fact.. I live in the flight path of Washington Dulles International Airport, the airport where American Airlines flight 11 departed before crashing into the Pentagon. I lived within the city limits of Washington DC prior to to moving to Virginia for more than 10 years and passed the Pentagon on a daily basis.

 

I was making the decision to travel for two reasons.. I couldn't imagine it being more secure to travel from that point forward and I wanted to get past my fears so I booked a flight from Dulles to San Juan and boarded the Adventure of the Seas for a Southern Caribbean cruise (which had just had it's inauguration shortly before).

 

Since then, I have made a point of traveling somewhere each year on or during September 11th. It's kind of habit now. So, I think I will have no problem cruising on Royal Caribbean, at the very least.

 

if we were married...i'd miss you:p you'ld have to go without me..

[davekathy]

Another NO.