12 cruise passengers killed in Mexico bus crash - Celebrity Equinox and RCCL pax

[WonderMan3]

I'm on the Equinox, and traveled on a different tour. We passed the accident on the way out of port, without knowing how serious it was, and again saw the bus on our delayed return to port, with what appeared to be every police officer in Quintana Roo on scene. (And despite what happened, our bus driver was driving rather fast.)

 

The captain made an announcement that afternoon, saying only that there was an accident with injuries and fatalities, and indicating the departure would be delayed. I've heard nothing official since, no phone messages or letters delivered to the room. I'm not sure what "normal" is for a tragic event like this. I remember receiving a letter after an incident on a past cruise where a passenger passed away during a shore excursion.

 

 

For such a major incident that has hit news sources all over the globe they should really give updates to the passengers on board. Seems odd.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[beentothere]

My deepest sympathies to those who experience loss for any reason. There are no medications that can ease

the pain. Just some therapies that slowly ease the

deep feeling.

 

Being of unsound mind, I find talking to my past helps my spirits rebound.

 

But onto the present. I first cruised to Cuba and other

Caribbean islands in the early 1950's. 52 I believe.

 

In the hundreds of cruises, millions of air miles and thousands of hotel stays I have seen so many issues.

 

I was trained in my original profession by an engineer

whose name escapes most. He was the Deming. Very

unique and unaccepted here, he turned to Japan and

his rules built Toyota.

 

According to Deming's rules there are no accidents, only events. Some events, based on the domino theory

have few relations while others have many and not a principal thread.

 

So the answer is we can always see it coming. It all depends on our monitoring of the threads.

 

Solution of the thread quagmire requires the best of inductive thinking. Normal people need not apply.

 

The show Criminal Minds is based of Mr Belec's work.

His patterning helped many detectives solve many crimes as was the case with the Son of Sam murders in NYC.

 

There is a major inconsistency here in the management of service. As with Vegas, there are major disconnects in the surfacing of probable consequences. I personally triggered a major revision in security on the Infinity to Antarctica. There was a disconnect in their logic and missed a major security risk as well as substantial assault misbehavior. Serious abuse was not being dealt with because they did not know. They did not know because their eyes were closed to observing.

 

Just an old man's mutterings.

[beentothere]

Very very sad event for all involved.

 

If it's a cruise line excursion I'm sure there has been much investigation of the reliability of the tour company involved.

 

As an aside, I think our neighbors in Mexico would not consider themselves a third world country. There are many places in Mexico which are a lot older than any place in the U.S from much older civilizations. Which is neither here nor there. Just saying.

 

In the memory of those loved that were taken from us prematurely, we all feel the pain and in so hopefully the benefits of more sharing allows all to become better.

 

I noticed the name, we sailed the Nordic price a number of times. But it is not likely that there will be substantive follow up here. There was only a minimum in Vegas and how can we expect more here?

 

Maybe someone should start a thread here to ask Celebrity for a detailed plan for their review of our safety when under their vendor/contractors care.

[May B]

Terrible news... so sad

That is a popular excusrsion but the road to get there is the worst we have ever traveled on....literally just mud ruts

 

Our Prayers go out to the injured, dec and all famiiies.

 

IIRC, the road with the ruts is only at the very end, near the ruins. Where this crash occurred was a straight, paved, two lane road. I'm surprised you felt it was the worst road you've ever traveled.

 

Or perhaps it's been improved since you were there? I was there in January of '17.

 

Condolences to the loved ones of the deceased in this tragedy. Prayers for full and swift recoveries for the injured.

 

Btw, I believe it was two Swedes, not two Swiss, plus one Canadian, and the tour guide, and the rest Americans who perished.

[MicCanberra]

Sympathies to all concerned.

[wishfulone]

Maybe someone needs to start a thread for us to report dangerous ship's excursions we have been on. I know we've been on a few where I've been terrified. Ho Chi Ming City to the port springs to mind where I saw the speedometer reach 170kms per hour.

[MicCanberra]

Maybe someone needs to start a thread for us to report dangerous ship's excursions we have been on. I know we've been on a few where I've been terrified. Ho Chi Ming City to the port springs to mind where I saw the speedometer reach 170kms per hour.

Been on quite a few hairy rides. Managed to survive them so far.

[wishfulone]

Been on quite a few hairy rides. Managed to survive them so far.

That's nice for you MicCanberra but the families of the unfortunate few who don't come home from ship's excursions may not be as pleased with a terrifying ride.

 

I think it was less than 12 months ago that a ship's excursion bus crashed on one of the inner Pacific Islands, maybe Vanuatu, injuring many and bringing their holiday to an abrupt end.

 

Many of us have experienced the dangerous drivers on those islands and if it's a ship's excursion we need to be proactive and try to bring about changes to who is employed to provide SAFE travel.

 

And please try to remember that some of the people posting on this thread have lost loved ones in this latest crash.

Edited December 26, 2017 by wishfulone

[beentothere]

This has been a horrible incident, and I'm sure compounded in the collective consciousness by the proximity to Christmas and the involvement of youngsters.

 

In no way do I discount World Gallery's experience on the Ensenada trip. There have been many reports over the years of that being an unpleasant connection — and I completely understand how their experience could reflect poorly on the cruise line. But I also have to support ghstudio in saying that Celebrity takes safety issues very seriously.

 

In our 20 years of sailing with Celebrity, there have been two instances where we felt unsafe — one in Panama, one in Puerto Rico. Both times, I reported them immediately to Guest Relations and the Shore Excursions desk. Both resulted in refunds, and both resulted in the contract with the provider being terminated.

 

Reporting unsafe practices by tour operators/guides/drivers/etc. as soon as one returns to the ship is essential.

 

CM

 

I totally agree on reporting unsafe practices and the degree of communication should be in measure to the measure of seriousness. And they should be in writing with clear documentation.

 

On the other hand I have seen a combination of improvements as well as major disconnects. Where they have fallen to the lowest standards is when the incident confronts written policy. Nothing to do with safety, but they must follow written rules. So yes, they have better training and more disciplined managers. BUT these same managers will not bend to violate a written directive or procedure.

These are NOT absolutes but a growing trend and not just in cruises.

[beentothere]

Has anyone seen any response from celebrity on their investigation on safe tours as a result of this more than tragic event, I do not call it an accident as it seems that it may have been preventable with customary quality controls.

 

How quickly all those condolences translate into forgetfulness.

[jsf]

We were in the port of Costa Maya the day following this accident,nothing was being said about it. We found out because one of our party saw it on Fox News that afternoon,we were told that there was two RCCL ships in port. We were on RCCL the next day and nothing was heard of this accident we took a tour into town and heard nothing. We also heard that the driver was being held for speeding but have heard nothing since. While accidents are rare on excursions they do happen, maybe the lines could do a better job of checking out these tours instead of just getting kick backs from them.

J.

[beentothere]

Then vocalize..................................

 

call celebrity one touch I think its called

 

social media if you dare

 

I have already vocalized to the point where they ask me

not to call again. But I am only one.

[richsea]

We were in the port of Costa Maya the day following this accident,nothing was being said about it. We found out because one of our party saw it on Fox News that afternoon,we were told that there was two RCCL ships in port. We were on RCCL the next day and nothing was heard of this accident we took a tour into town and heard nothing. We also heard that the driver was being held for speeding but have heard nothing since. While accidents are rare on excursions they do happen, maybe the lines could do a better job of checking out these tours instead of just getting kick backs from them.

J.

I thought the driver was one of those killed in the accident.

[bEwAbG]

Can you imagine being such a weirdo that a business actually requests that you stop calling to harass them?

[helen haywood]

I thought the driver was one of those killed in the accident.

 

I think it was a guide that was killed in addition to passengers. The driver was questioned by police.

[Can'tstopcruising]

Can you imagine being such a weirdo that a business actually requests that you stop calling to harass them?

 

Don't call him a weirdo.

 

Some business prefer to sweep unpleasant things under the rug.

[bEwAbG]

Some business prefer to sweep unpleasant things under the rug.

 

They'll listen to and log your complaint, though. Have you ever had a business ask you to stop calling them?

[beentothere]

And who among all of you well wishers has insisted that tours be video recorded for security, safety, and performance issues?

 

And who among you have witnessed an inappropriate death where the cause had been complained multiple times and no action taken. And then when contacting the Captains club to have the manager, Sean, insist that there were no deaths on that cruise. And argue with him for weeks that the man died right in front us. To have a senior manager call me to stop calling, but I kept calling to finally have Sean apologize that the wife of the deceased called for insurance contact info.

 

Response to proper complaint issues in my experience is random. It is disheartening to see so many express wishes BUT not on the other hand ask for procedural changes to prevent such events in the future. As is said, history repeats itself due to the failure to apply demand for protection from repetition.

[May B]

And who among all of you well wishers has insisted that tours be video recorded for security, safety, and performance issues?

 

And who among you have witnessed an inappropriate death where the cause had been complained multiple times and no action taken. And then when contacting the Captains club to have the manager, Sean, insist that there were no deaths on that cruise. And argue with him for weeks that the man died right in front us. To have a senior manager call me to stop calling, but I kept calling to finally have Sean apologize that the wife of the deceased called for insurance contact info.

 

Response to proper complaint issues in my experience is random. It is disheartening to see so many express wishes BUT not on the other hand ask for procedural changes to prevent such events in the future. As is said, history repeats itself due to the failure to apply demand for protection from repetition.

 

That must have been a terrible thing for the rest of the tour goers, and absolutely horrendous for the widow.