Will the recent tragedy change your decision to cruise?

[Artemis908]

I have had friends and family tell me they will not cruise because of this tragedy (and have never cruised before). And plenty of them have been asking me if it was the same cruise line as mine since I have a Med cruise planned in May.

 

It did make me a little nervous hearing the news, especially since Carnival is the parent company, but I think there is as much danger in flying and driving as taking a cruise ship. In fact there is more danger in those cases.

[kendon]

Will the recent car crash around the corner from my house stop me from driving? No.

 

Will the recent recall of orange juice containing pesticide stop me from have a glass of OJ in the future? No.

 

Things happen, and it is SO unfortunate, but you can't stop living.

 

Thoughts and prayers for all involved.

[PamelaRic]

........I imagine ALL cruiselines will learn from this one

 

I will continue to cruise. I'm sure the cruise lines will be looking at what happened but I also hope we look at this too. Hearing those who were rescued talk about the lack of communication, the panic, no one in charge, and chaos, I think we also need to look out for ourselves. I, for one, will do a little more recon and contingency planning for myself next time I cruise. I never thought about lifeboats not being able to be lowered. What do you do when your muster station is under water? Where do you go next? If the ship is listing after a big crunch, do you think for yourself and start getting prepared? I do the same thing when I fly. I count seats forward and backward to emergency exits. lol Personally, I feel being overly prepared is not silly. If you don't need it--good. But if you do need it--you are prepared.

 

Pamela

(Tucson, AZ)

[ZoeyVictoria]

I am not afraid to cruise again, but I am afraid to call my mother in case she has changed her mind about cruising with us in February :(

 

Please don't take offense or think this is a flippant or disrespectful response. I feel horrible about the tragedy and I hate for anybody with a fear of cruising or flying to become even more uncomfortable. My father died in July and I really want my mother to have this cruise to look forward to and enjoy.

[KarinaGW]

I was wondering how people felt about cruising after this tragedy? I know I always have (in the back of my mind) a possible rogue wave hitting us, BUT it doesn't change my mind about cruising. I AM however afraid to fly, SO, if I was booked on a flight and then before I was to fly there was a disaster, I am that afraid that I would cancel my flight. TO be honest, I have cancelled (and lost my money) a flight before. I never cruised on Costa, was planning one once but didn't read very good things about them so I went with others.

(my prayers are with all those on the costa cruise and their families)

 

Not in any way, shape, or form. I have had tragedies strike a lot closer to home which haven't affected my behavior. Nothing could stop me cruising. As far as flying, I enjoy it...not keen on extra charges, but in the big picture, they're not worth my agitta either.

[Virtopia]

Not in the least bit. I will, however, probably say an extra prayer during sail away!

[bajathree]

For the seasoned cruiser (which is most responding here) I think it will have very little effect in future cruise decisions. However for the first time cruiser....I think it may have some ripple effects thru the industry....especially in Europe.

[frito58]

About cruising probably not, about my choice of cruiselines , maybe. It will depend on what they final reports come back on the how the Officers handled that whole sitiuation . Its coming back the Capt. was one of the first people off the ship . Which is sad , and if Carnival is hiring Officers that are not competent , then yes I will look at other cruise lines , maybe there is a reason I can always book them more cheaply , at the cost of being safe I draw the line, I can handle them cutting corners on food or whatnot but not on safety.

[freeruthie]

Not at all. When it is my time to die, I will die and I am not going to waste my time worrying about it or let fear keep me from doing things I want to do.

[sonyynos]

I dont think you will find many people in cruise critic that will tell you that it will change their desistion , I believe we r fan of crusing

but i knwo at least 2 people that told me ,

 

" I wasnt sure about going in a cruise , now , forget it "

 

so again , in us ( member of cruise critic) wont affect us but I think people outside our board , they are affected by the accident

[RVfromAZ]

Not at all. When it is my time to die, I will die and I am not going to waste my time worrying about it or let fear keep me from doing things I want to do.

 

I agree....No I am NOT afraid to cruise

[mommabean]

My answer to the question - like most. NO!

[bigeagle12]

I have been in 4 car wrecks .. I still drive.

 

I have been in 2 hotel fires .. I still stay in hotels.

 

I have been in 5 airline incidents (smoke in cabin, dropped several thousand feet, a near miss, and 2 emergency landings) .. I still fly.

 

I flipped a golf cart and broke my leg .. I still golf.

 

No cruise incidents .. but YES I will continue to cruise.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Yes, I will still cruise.

 

We totalled out car driving to Montana for Xmas. I still drive.

 

Luckily we didn't get a bump or scratch.

[Megan07]

I have been in 4 car wrecks .. I still drive.

 

I have been in 2 hotel fires .. I still stay in hotels.

 

I have been in 5 airline incidents (smoke in cabin, dropped several thousand feet, a near miss, and 2 emergency landings) .. I still fly.

 

I flipped a golf cart and broke my leg .. I still golf.

 

No cruise incidents .. but YES I will continue to cruise.

 

 

I don't think I'm going to travel with you LOL!

[Megan07]

This tragic incident hasnt' changed my perspective. I've never been on a cruise yet-planning one and am still just as crazy about cruising!

 

Praying for the victims.

[Baseballkurt]

I don't think I'm going to travel with you LOL!

 

I agree!

[bigeagle12]

I don't think I'm going to travel with you LOL!

 

But I have driven over 1 milion miles, spent over 3,000 nights in hotels, flown over 2 million miles, amd played over 1,000 rounds of golf .. so not bad odds :eek:

[tanelicus]

It may make potential new cruisers think about it, and maybe effect their decision negatively. Over time this will be forgotten to even those people.

 

I for one will continue to cruise.

[weisla]

Not at all, but I am definitely inspired to be more attentive to safety on the ship. I do think I'd find it difficult to think about cruising again if I experienced something like this Costa disaster as a passenger, though, and I imagine many of the passengers are going through a very difficult time right now. My thoughts and prayers go out to them, especially to those who perished and their families.

 

I experienced a freak injury on my first cruise - I won a pass to the spa thermal suite in a raffle on the first day. I enjoyed it immensely, until a broken shower head in the thermal suite fell off the wall and knocked me on the head. I had a concussion, bad whiplash and a deep gash where I was punctured by a sharp piece of metal that wrapped around the handheld shower head cord.

 

This was on Princess, not RCCL. They provided me medical care on board, but then it became a game of pass the buck between Princess and the Steiner Spa. I needed months of physical therapy after I got home, and didn't have the energy to pursue any recourse (though I probably should have). This experience put me off cruising for over 2 years, so I can't imagine what it would be like to experience a wreck and sinking ship.

[spcopps]

I don't let news events change what I want to do. I feel so bad for those on that ship, but I also look at the amount of cruises taken each year compaired to the number of accidents. Lot riskier to go out on the highway.

 

I actually told my DH when the accident happened, "considering how many people were on board the casualties were quite minimal". Not to say it isn't devastating, and my heart goes out to those families, but just stating the statistics. I would rather be on a ship in an emergency than on an airplane.

[Ocean Spirit]

I'm still a cruising fan but I have to say that if I was booked on a Costa Cruise next week, my first reaction would be to cancel however after rethinking the situation and I would go. My anxiety level sure would be high vs. being really excited.

I always just carried my sign and sail card with me around the ship, I think I'll keep my credit card with me now. Plus I take a flashlight but I think I'm going to get one of those lights that clip on a baseball hat or have a small stap around your head. (I learned that one from another post from someone on a ship that the power did go out for long period)

 

My very first cruise was on a Costa ship and had the best time! My prayers go at to all.

 

This terrible situation may cause cruise ships to review their safety training. Being dependant on Officers to lead crew members failed in their situation. Seems like the crew was just as lost as the passengers.

 

As others, I am very interested in what the "Black Box" reveals. And to find out the truth about the behavior of the Captain. Different reports of when he left the boat. How did he get off? Sounds like at some point, the lifeboats couldn't be lowered do to the angle.

[aussiegecko]

This will be my first cruise in March, will be flying to Miami and I do get apprehensive about flying and I am about cruising but it has not put me off because I want to enjoy my life and have been to some wonderful places, therefore I just tell myself I am being silly and get on with it, when my times up, its up but in the meantime I am going to enjoy it.

It is a terrible tragedy, but thankfully, very rare.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

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?

 

Just wanted to say there are other ways to travel you know !

 

Get a train up to New York, get the Queen Mary 2 to Southampton. From there, any country except those in North/South Amreica is accessible by train, bar Australia which you'll need to fetch a cruise for. You can even access Thailand through a train from London, would take about 9 days though- nonetheless it is doable, and not nearly as uncomfortable as most would think. If you wanted to do a Med cruise from Barcelona, for example, it'll be 6 days to a week on QM2 depending on which crossing, then a 22 hour train ride on the ''Grand Hotel''- this is NOTHING like Amtrack, it is very comfortable and has a lot of amenities. Then you're in Barcelona, on to the cruise and on words to Europe.

 

You need not just stick to the Caribbean, there are ways to travel other than by air!

[Cruise_Kitten]

Even though I was shocked by the pictures and the reports of what had happened, it will never put me off going. I love to cruise and I will never stop.

 

My heart goes out to all the people who were affected by this and who have lost loved ones.

 

CK x