Safety at Sea

[Leucothea]

Biological terrorism? The world is a volatile place, but I suppose there is no use worrying about it too much.

 

I saw the film "Melancholia" the other day, about a huge planet colliding with the earth. Now that might be worrisome.

 

Question is, is BT a risk on a ship? It is a good question. It's not healthy to worry, but is that relative to how much you value the advantage of actually being here?

 

A planetary collision would not be fun, but when I see such a disaster flick it just reminds me of the beauty in the simple aspects of being on this earth. Just the amazing splendor of nature and the natural world is enough of a reason to be here.

[Tess of the Sea]

I think the OP just wants to be reassured that it IS safe for her friends to take this trip, and that it is impossible for someone to smuggle Ebola onboard, that nothing bad could possibly happen, and that there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I don't personally know, but if anyone knows that there is nothing to worry about, and why, then I'm sure it would be appreciated.

[brigittetom]

When I find that I have reservations for whatever reason.....the minute I step on board, all is good. Thinking about being on the ship and actually being on the ship are totally different.

[DWhit]

I think the OP just wants to be reassured that it IS safe for her friends to take this trip, and that it is impossible for someone to smuggle Ebola onboard, that nothing bad could possibly happen, and that there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I don't personally know, but if anyone knows that there is nothing to worry about, and why, then I'm sure it would be appreciated.

To me, a 7 or 8 day crossing would not be a good use of a biological terrorist. Too easy to detect the symptoms and quarantine the whole ship in one fell swoop. Even if this failed, it seems to me it would be easy to look at a passenger list and trace affected people quickly.

 

Much better for a BT just to go to a large city and contaminate random people. Or even a large airport. There would be no way to trace who was contaminated and where they spread.

 

So I would tell the OP to tell her friends to forget about it.

Edited August 12, 2014 by DWhit

[ricki]

I think the only likely way such virus could be a risk on a Cunard ship would be if it was intentionally brought there. Someone booking at the last minute--- although there is no way to tell if disease symptoms are really Ebola or something else until it has become debilitating. Or perhaps through bringing aboard infected meat, since this originated from animals and meat.

 

There is zero likelihood of bush meat being served on the QM2!

 

Ricki

[Salacia]

There is zero likelihood of bush meat being served on the QM2!

 

Ricki

 

What!? Not even by request in the Queens Grill, with advance notice given while the ship is Australia?

Well, that does it then, I simply won't book a Grill suite under such a restricted menu! Harumph!

 

(You do know, I'm kidding, right?):D

[turquoise 6]

Question is, is BT a risk on a ship? It is a good question. It's not healthy to worry, but is that relative to how much you value the advantage of actually being here?

 

A planetary collision would not be fun, but when I see such a disaster flick it just reminds me of the beauty in the simple aspects of being on this earth. Just the amazing splendor of nature and the natural world is enough of a reason to be here.

Hurricane season , I tell you. Hurricane Season!!!!!

[Salacia]

To me, a 7 or 8 day crossing would not be a good use of a biological terrorist. Too easy to detect the symptoms and quarantine the whole ship in one fell swoop. Even if this failed, it seems to me it would be easy to look at a passenger list and trace affected people quickly.

 

Much better for a BT just to go to a large city and contaminate random people. Or even a large airport. There would be no way to trace who was contaminated and where they spread.

 

So I would tell the OP to tell her friends to forget about it.

 

Sorry, my fault. Leucothea (the OP) didn't mention Ebola - I did. I thought it might be an topic that would be of interest. Facts about the disease and how it is spread can only be of benefit. Yes, it a frightening disease, but it seems to me that an international discussion about the modes of transmission and how to prevent the spread can only be of benefit. No panic, just the facts about a virus - and at the moment, that virus is our international enemy. Any mode of international transport, be it ships or planes, is a potential vector. That's just a simple fact, sad as it might be, let's not shy away from the facts while refusing to live in fear and ignorance. -Just my opinion. S.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Salacia

[ricki]

What!? Not even by request in the Queens Grill, with advance notice given while the ship is Australia?

Well, that does it then, I simply won't book a Grill suite under such a restricted menu! Harumph!

 

(You do know, I'm kidding, right?):D

 

Absolutely!;)

[Salacia]

There is zero likelihood of bush meat being served on the QM2!

 

Ricki

 

Good to know.

 

I won't quote from this article, only the headline "Ebola crisis: why is there bush meat in the UK?" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ebola/11006343/Ebola-crisis-why-is-there-bush-meat-in-the-UK.html

 

Note: I have no experience on the topic of bush meat - it's all new to me.

[DWhit]

Sorry, my fault. Leucothea (the OP) didn't mention Ebola - I did. I thought it might be an topic that would be of interest. Facts about the disease and how it is spread can only be of benefit. Yes, it a frightening disease, but it seems to me that an international discussion about the modes of transmission and how to prevent the spread can only be of benefit. No panic, just the facts about a virus - and at the moment, that virus is our international enemy. Any mode of international transport, be it ships or planes, is a potential vector. That's just a simple fact, sad as it might be, let's not shy away from the facts while refusing to live in fear and ignorance. -Just my opinion. S.

Ebola boarding the QM2? Potential vector, yes... Probable vector, I don't believe it is. If a person was going to base a fear for safety on a cruise ship on probability, I would think fire, getting injured on excursions, falls while boarding or on stairs, and other such mundane things are the most probable. Ebola and terrorism, while not zero, would be very low probability.

 

I agree with you that we should not shy away from facts while refusing to live in fear and ignorance. Sometimes it's hard to do when something, even though very improbable, seems so horrible.

[Salacia]

Ebola boarding the QM2? Potential vector, yes... Probable vector, I don't believe it is. If a person was going to base a fear for safety on a cruise ship on probability, I would think fire, getting injured on excursions, falls while boarding or on stairs, and other such mundane things are the most probable. Ebola and terrorism, while not zero, would be very low probability.

 

I agree with you that we should not shy away from facts while refusing to live in fear and ignorance. Sometimes it's hard to do when something, even though very improbable, seems so horrible.

 

DWhit, I agree with you, and personally I'm more concerned about respiratory illness on cruise ships.

 

Nevertheless, the elephant in the room, er - cabin, is Ebola. Clearly things have changed in the last two months since this topic was first discussed. Maybe we want to open the discussion? I don't want to start a new thread titled Ebola because I think the OP's topic 'Safety at Sea' works well.

Regards,

Salacia

[Deeliteful]

Nevertheless, the elephant in the room, er - cabin, is Ebola. Clearly things have changed in the last two months since this topic was first discussed. Maybe we want to open the discussion? I don't want to start a new thread titled Ebola because I think the OP's topic 'Safety at Sea' works well.

Regards,

Salacia

 

Why would you want to open the discussion?

[Salacia]

Why would you want to open the discussion?

 

Deeliteful, don't you think it is a topic of interest to some passengers and is germane to the topic "Safety at Sea"? Actually, there's no need to open the discussion here because a new thread titled succinctly "Ebola" was opened by Jessybell subsequent to my post above. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2112728

Cheers,

S.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Salacia

[Deeliteful]

Actually Salacia, No, I don't think it's a topic that is relevant to Cruise Critic at all. I think there are a lot of paranoid people out there - yes. But a CC topic - no way.

 

Cheers

 

Pat