What are your thoughts on Pirates?

[Queenk2]

After having heard about the pirates that tried, unsuccessfully, to take over a Seaborn cruise ship yesterday, I am wondering about other hidden dangers that go along with any type of travel. I am not fearful ,as I beleive that the Captain of this ship had thngs under contro;. Is Celebrity prepared? Lets talk!

Karen

[kitty9]

I do like the Pittsburgh variety.

 

Seriously, Somalia is an area of the world that is known for piracy. It's only second to Indonesia for acts of piracy. These pirates have been attacking cargo ships and some private yachts, which don't have much in the way of security. I wonder how much damage they could do to a megaliner like Celebrity ships?

 

It may come to happen that cruise ships will have to be escorted through these areas by armed military boats. I still don't understand why cruise ships don't carry armament to fight off things like this. Just a couple of shots by a sharpshooter on the ship, to take out a couple of the terrorists, and they would run away full tilt.

[greydog]

After having heard about the pirates that tried, unsuccessfully, to take over a Seaborn cruise ship yesterday, I am wondering about other hidden dangers that go along with any type of travel. Is Celebrity prepared?

Karen

 

Yes - X has complete briefing sheet to insure that a) no PA announcements policy is maintained B) pirates wear required formal attire for the entire evening on formal nights C) that they have chance to select preferred pillow types in concierge class. Such strict adherence to this policy has been maintained that, I have it on good authority, the the famous poster "former celebrity employee" was himself a pirate and that piriate takeovers have been commonplace without any deviation in normal X ship board routine. Many times the pax have been amused to see these interlopers mugging for the camera as "pirate photo ops" with ships photographers. In fact, there's suspicion that the ships photogs are in cahoots with the pirates to boost pix sales.

 

Additionally, the pirates have fully staffed the X specialty restaurants and it was they, without X authorization, who instigated the "extra charge" for specialty restaurant service. The Horizon retiring was a cover story for its complete takeover by pirates. In fact, this close working relationship between X and the pirates was rewarded in that the "pirate vote" in the Conde Nast survey was instrumental in putting X on the top, despite the loss of X voting support among the "nickel and dimers" (i.e. "blue states"). ;)

[slotaddict]

I like the word terrorists better than pirates, because that is exactly what they are.

[newmexicoNita]

I like the word terrorists better than pirates, because that is exactly what they are.

you are so right about that: I can tell you what I would like to do with every one of them, but if I did not only would this thread be pulled I would be banned for life. LOL I will say one thing, no way are these creaps going to interfer with my cruising plans. Would I go to Samolia, or places similar, probably not, just because I have no desire, but will I cruised and be nervous the entire time? HOPE. I refuse to spend the rest of my life worrying about what might happen. NMnita

[canderson]

Had a hard time buying Johnny Depp as a pirate the first time around, but loved the movie all the same. Looking forward to the 2nd.

[Gimpster]

"I like the word terrorists better than pirates, because that is exactly what they are."

 

Yup. You've hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Earth to ostriches: time to pull your heads out of the sand!

[Gimpster]

Sorry. Another stinking double post.

[TPKeller]

I like the word terrorists better than pirates, because that is exactly what they are.

No intention to turn this into a politial debate, that would certainly be out of place here. But if we use words to communicate, and the last time I checked, that is what we do here, it makes no sense, and in fact it is quite detrimental to the purpose of communication, to assign new, and incorrect meanings to words.

 

All reports that I have read seem to indicate that these criminals (we can certainly all agree on that word at least :)) were trying to steal items of value from the passengers and/or the ship itself. By definition, that makes a pirate, not a terrorist. See the following definitions from various internet resources:

 

Pirate: A pirate is one who robs or plunders at sea without a commission from a recognised sovereign nation. Pirates usually target other ships, but have also attacked targets on shore. These acts are known as piracy. Unlike the stereotypical pirate with cutlass and masted sailing ship, today most pirates get about in speedboats wearing balaclavas instead of bandanas, using AK-47s rather than cutlasses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate

 

Terrorist: One who utilizes the systematic use of violence and intimidation to achieve political objectives, while disguised as a civilian non-combatant. The use of a civilian disguise while on operations exempts the perpetrator from protection under the Geneva Conventions, and consequently if captured they are liable for prosecution as common criminals.

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/definitions.htm

I doubt these criminals were interested in furthering the advance of any particular agenda, other than their bank accounts. I don't understand why anyone would want to call them something other than what they are.

 

Theron

 

P.S. This is quite interesting since I just came from Grandeur and a stop at Key West, where I visited the new Pirate museum! If you are ever there, and are remotely interested in the historic aspect, it is an excellent museum.

[aztex]

Just thought I would add in my thoughts from another thread on this subject.

 

 

Need for Concern

While I agree with most of the statements made so far, it is important that we realize the difference between a poorly planned pirate attack and terrorism. Cruise ships are vulnerable to both pirates and terrorists given the correct circumstances. I believe that US Naval ships of the line are certainly more protected than cruise ships and yet one was severly holed, as you may remember.

 

We have entered a new era of rules of engagement around the world and the rules have changed. I have no idea as to the defensive capabilities of cruise ships but it is my sincere hope that the industry is waking up to the fact that things aren't like they once were. Cruise ships can be disabled, they can be forced into shallow waters, they can be holed by pirates or by terrorists given the right locations and timing.

 

Even so, if the cruise industry properly prepares and plans, there should be no reason for passengers to quit sailing or to feel threatened. The biggest mistake the industry can make, in my opinion, is to sit back and feel that the security checks at boarding are adequate to the need. If a serious incident occurs to or on a cruise ship the industry will suffer from the loss of confidence of the cruising public and it will be hard to rebuild, once lost.

 

At a time when the world is increasingly influenced by terrorism and the likes of Castro, Chavez and Mugabe to name but a few, both the industry and the cruising public need to recognize that this is a two-fold problem. There is the problem of vulnerabily of the ship while in port and at sea and then there is the problem of the cruise passengers and their vulnerability while on tours and excursions off the ship.

 

If the industry properly pre-plans and recognizes the new rules of engagement, cruising should continue for many more years as a safe and enjoyable method to see new places in the world and to vacation. There are places however, that cruise ships should not go and this includes both ports and sea lanes.

__________________

 

 

[Adman]

Pirates: I'm against them?

[hdawson]

My opinion of pirates? They are bad people.

[Leela]

One interesting aspect of this incident is that it has brought the concept of modern-day piracy back into average people's minds. I know there are people out there who think that all things pirate ended with the end of three-masted sailing ships, wearing billowy shirts and pants that end at the knee, and three-cornered hats. That it was all about sword fighting and talking funny (arrrh! avast!) and so on. Piracy is very romanticised, kids still dress as 16th-century pirates for Halloween, and there's even an "International Talk Like a Pirate" day. Captain Hook and Blackbeard are just stories, right, and they seem so long ago and far away, after all.

 

However, pirates just didn't disappear once the days of Spanish galleons sailing out of the Caribbean laden with gold ended. No, they're still around, they've never gone away, they've just modernized along with the rest of the world.

[Danno]

When we talk about pirates are we including insurance companies and banks?? I prefer the pirates on the ocean...at least they don't shake your hand and smile while they rob you.

 

Have you looked down at the hull of, say, Galaxy...short of Spiderman I don't think it can be readily scaled...it's a non-event as far as it's effect on me.

[bananavan]

NOW that was FUNNY, Greydog.

I just returned from Voyager of the Seas where the weather in Bermuda held us hostage for a day and we returned to port too late to fly home. Pirates would have been a much better excuse than a few roving tornadoes.

[tropicalsunset]

I guess it is not politically incorrect for us to dress as pirates next year on our Halloween cruise......

 

non-cruising friends of ours brought this episode up this weekend to convince us of the dangers of our chosen mode of travel...... Ooooh, but I would have loved to be on that ship!!

still have every confidence on the expertise of the captains that sail these cruise ships...

[widget]

Just had to post this (already did for my roll call friends).

 

Listening to the radio this morning on the way into work, they were talking about an interview with one of the passengers on the Seabourn Spirit, which was attacked off the coast of Somalia on Saturday by modern-day "pirates". The passenger said he was awake around 6am when the chime sounded for a shipboard announcement, and the captain came on to say that they were being attacked and that passengers should keep off the decks, stay in their cabins, and keep away from the windows. The passenger's next statement? "So I looked out the window and could see one of the pirate attack boats...."

 

Could you resist taking a peek?:rolleyes:

[sablecheyenne]

A few years ago, I was called for Federal jury duty.

One thing about the experience that stuck in my mind was that I learned that piracy is a federal crime.

I got a giggle out of it then, picturing Captain Kidd and the Jolly Roger.

I still haven't heard of any actual US cases involving takeover of ships, but I am wondering if it now applies to the entertainment industry.

I know that copying DVD's and CD's and selling them on the black market is referred to as piracy. Is that the same piracy?

Any lawyers out there that can clear this up?

 

sable

[Danno]

 

Any lawyers out there that can clear this up?

 

sable

 

 

That's just way too good a set up line...I'm going to leave it alone...have fun group!! :D

[emecruise]

Danno, you are a funny guy. But I don’t think you can pool a couple of

jokes with that “pirates”, and walk out of the deal, like you can do with a banker .It is wery possible, you can not even start joking, before they cut your head out.

No, No, No. We don’t want to be serious about that accident.

 

 

Sorry, if I am a little overboard, but it is not a laughing matter, and we can smile only because of a brave and well prepared captain and crew of Seabourn Spirit, and I APLOUD them.

[BoscoBreaux]

After having heard about the pirates that tried, unsuccessfully, to take over a Seaborn cruise ship yesterday, I am wondering about other hidden dangers that go along with any type of travel. I am not fearful ,as I beleive that the Captain of this ship had thngs under contro;. Is Celebrity prepared? Lets talk!

Karen

 

Fortunately, the pirates were not well acquainted with physics. Force = Mass times acceleration. Few things on water, with the exception of a warship, can withstand a good ramming by a cruise ship.

 

(And for the record, a pirate is, indeed, someone who engages in violence, or threats of violence, for profit. A terrorist, strictly speaking, does so for political advantage.)