Safety or Paranoia?

[perkyblue]

I just came across these cruise safety tips. Does anyone else think this is a little bit unreasonable or do any of you actually follow this advice? There were also some reasonable guidelines on the list, but these seemed a bit much to me. The last one is just plain weird.

• Never eat from the buffets. It is easier to catch Norovirus there.
  

• 
  
• Never let children of any age, especially teens, out of your sight, not even for a moment.
  
  
• Never use the cruise line babysitters. If you don't want to be with your children ALL the time, do not take them, or bring your own hired babysitter.
  
  
• Never make eye contact with the locals when you are ashore.
  

• Never use the public restrooms. Use the restroom in your cabin. This is for health reasons as well as personal security reasons. It is easier to catch the Norovirus there.
  
  
  
• Never drink to excess in public areas of the ship. LImit drinks in the lounges and casino to 2 or 3.
  
  
• Never take a cruise with people who bore you, thinking you can amuse yourself without them
   
  

[lv2crooz2]

Heck...if you have to worry about all that, it would be easier to stay home!

[maxiesmommie]

other than not drinking to excess in public areas, which is not bad advise actually, those are all just plain bizarre!

Why would you not want to look at the locals? Just envisioning that whole scenario! LOL!

[LHT28]

If you take proper precautions (washing hands often) you should be fine

 

We eat at the buffets but use the gel hand sanitizers before and after you go in there

The cruiselines recommend you use your cabin washroom if possible but if not the public one should be ok again wash your hands and use a paper towel to open the door on the way out

 

You should not let children run around the ship without you ...pedophiles take cruises also

[nparmelee]

I kind of agree with that last one! Why would you travel with people you don't enjoy travelling with?? I also agree with not drinking to excess in public, anytime.... that just asks for trouble and is probably, imho, the largest cause of shipboard incidents. Sadly, some people need to be told that.

[missyal]

Where on earth did that list come from?:eek: Some practical advice is worth listening to, but this is a real kill joy.

 

Missyal

[Ehpride]

I'm going with paranoid.

 

I think it's odd that they said "Never let children of any age, especially teens, out of your sight, not even for a moment."

 

While I certainly understand that with very small children (except when using the kids camp), I think most teens can handle some freedom within reason.

 

If someone is going to be paranoid enough to follow all those tips, they might as well never leave the house because bad things can happen in your own hometown too!

[perkyblue]

Where on earth did that list come from?:eek: Some practical advice is worth listening to, but this is a real kill joy.

 

Missyal

 

I came across a site called cruisejunkie.com, which I expected to be something similar to cruisecritic, but it's very anti-cruise. I clicked some links that took me to a list of all kinds of terrible things that have happened on cruise ships and then found a link for cruise safety tips.

[caribbean dreams]

Whom ever wrote those safety tips is a very paranoid.

Great tips fit you just want to lock yourself in a bedroom for vacation.

[mrsfuzzmo]

I find the list not only paranoid, but absolutely rediculous.

Dont' look locals in the eyes????? What kind of society were we raised in that we cannot smile and be cordial and maybe even.....dare I say....Friendly to the local people who are usually happy to see tourists. Rediculous.

Don't eat at the buffets? I am not leaving the warm sunny Caribbean air and the beautiful breezes to eat inside for lunch everyday....No Way! About the kids out of sight and the Babysitter issue.....A cruise ship is a very safe place for families. It is a confined environment, not saying bad things NEVER happen, but come on! The babysitting staff is highly trained and care for thousands of children a year. If there were complaints, they wouldn't be there. Using the public bathrooms on a ship is no different than any ohter hotel/restaurant/public bathroom anyplace else. I am not running back to my cabin everytime I have to use the ladies room. I am sorry, but other than the basics of cleanliness and hygeine than everyone should be practicing, that list is utterly rediculous.

[perkyblue]

I kind of agree with that last one! Why would you travel with people you don't enjoy travelling with?? I also agree with not drinking to excess in public, anytime.... that just asks for trouble and is probably, imho, the largest cause of shipboard incidents. Sadly, some people need to be told that.

 

Yes, I also agree with the part about not drinking to excess in public. But 2-3 drinks? I don't even feel a slight buzz after 2-3 drinks.

[lisiamc]

• Never drink to excess in public areas of the ship. LImit drinks in the lounges and casino to 2 or 3.

Maybe I can work with this one... What if I limit my drinks to 2 or 3 in each lounge, and the casino?:eek:

 

I agree, most of these tips do seem way over-cautious.

 

Lisa

[caribbean dreams]

I just checked out the website, it really is all about scaring cruisers.

[alphakitty]

I too checked out the website. Although I'll agree the author is a critic of the cruise industry, his stuff looks statisitcal and factual, not sensationalized like the media does. There is some interesting stuff. He has links to safety reports, incident reports, the NTSB, etc.

 

Also, under his CruiseLines and Other Related Links, Cruise Critic web page along with all the cruise line web pages are listed. That seems balanced to me.

 

To the OP's original question, that list really is silly to me, with the exception of not getting slobbering drunk, it's paranoia.

 

JMO

 

kitty

[tomc]

cruisejunkie.com is full of idiots and a-h's. It goes around shouting, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

 

Yeah, there are pedophiles on ships (I guess), but they don't book cruises just to scope out the kids. It's good to keep an eye on your kids because it's a new environment for them and there really are a few dangers for energy-filled, inquisitive children. Pools. Railings (climbing up on). Getting lost on the Big Ship.

 

Statistics show that you are safer on a cruise ship than in your own home watching Mr. Rogers while eating a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, especially if there is a very angry poisonous snake hiding behind the tv.

 

Just remember not to let your kids climb the radar mast. It's not a jungle gym.

[PurpleCow]

That list sounds like a joke to me. Where did you get it. I think someone was just trying to be funny.

[tomc]

If I may quote myself:

Just remember not to let your kids climb the radar mast. It's not a jungle gym.

I was joking when I posted that, but I just remembered having been on a cruise where there were a bunch of kids. They were fine, but Security did occasionally check the radar mast to make sure none of them decided to climb the thing.

[Learning Conformity]

Lmao!!!!! That was the funniest post I've seen all week! :D

[Learning Conformity]

Oh my G*d, I'm still laughing!!! BEST POST!

[Nliedel]

I'm breaking these down point by point . This is how *I* feel. You mileage may vary.

• Never eat from the buffets. It is easier to catch Norovirus there.

If you're going to catch it you're going to catch it. You get it by touching infected surfaces then touching your mucus membranes. Just as easy to grab it on a handrail. Everyone worrries about it, but think about it. The virus is extremly contagious and yet maybe 10-20% of the passengers are affected on the ships that have an outbreak. That's a lot, but that's not the horrific all emcompasing scenario that people are afraid of. It's awful and it stinks, but if you put yourself in a bubble why vacation at all?

 

• Never let children of any age, especially teens, out of your sight, not even for a moment.

Then my kids could not go to Adventure Ocean or any kids club. They love it. That's the reason they cruise.

 

• 
  
• Never use the cruise line babysitters. If you don't want to be with your children ALL the time, do not take them, or bring your own hired babysitter.

I've used in cabin sitting and my boys did very well. We checked up on them often. I reccomend it. I go on vacation with my children to be with them AND be with my husband. That's what makes cruising perfect for me.

 

• Never make eye contact with the locals when you are ashore.

Why? I can see no compelling reason for this.

 

• Never use the public restrooms. Use the restroom in your cabin. This is for health reasons as well as personal security reasons. It is easier to catch the Norovirus there.

No, it's not easier to get it in the bathrooms. See above.

 

• Never drink to excess in public areas of the ship. LImit drinks in the lounges and casino to 2 or 3.

There is excess and there is EXCESS. Know your limits.

 

• Never take a cruise with people who bore you, thinking you can amuse yourself without them

You can do it, just have a clear understanding ahead of time about what you are and are not going to do together. Personally people don't bore me too much.