News of Carnival Cruises’ Triumph being adrift in the Gulf of Mexico comes just over a year after another Carnival Corporation ship, Costa Concordia’s disastrous grounding, killing 32 passengers and crewmembers. While the Triumph’s engine problems pose a major inconvenience for travelers and substantial financial setbacks for the cruise line, Concordia’s preventable accident was a true disaster.
Fortunately, these types of incidents are few and far between. Even though cruise ships log thousands of nautical miles every year with no negative events, some would-be cruisers are nervous about their safety on board.
Visions of Titanic-like tragedies overrule the fun and adventure that awaits them on a modern cruise ship. But armed with a few facts and some common sense, cruisers can have a safe and memorable experience.
· Do not try to avoid the safety drill on embarkation day. This drill is mandatory for a reason. Not only will they come and get you, the information you receive could save your life. You will learn how to put on your life jacket properly, where your assigned lifeboat is and what to do in case you have to abandon ship.
· If you are traveling with others, agree on a meeting place on the ship in case there is a problem. Most likely you will have time to meet in your stateroom and retrieve your life jackets.
· If you have children with you, check with the counselors in the children’s area and ask what procedures are in place in case of an unexpected problem. Most likely, you will be paged to come get your child before returning to your cabin.
Relax and enjoy your cruise. Your staff is well trained to deal with any emergency at sea.
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