Eschew

The Costa Concordia is old news. We wrote off the novovirus as something that can happen anywhere. How about the following news?

Costa is on the news again, this time with the Costa Allegra. It lost power on Monday (Feb 27) after a fire in the engine room (sounds familiar to the Carnival Splendor story from last year, doesn't it) except that it is drifting near the east African coast, supposedly in pirate infested water near Tanzania. Good news is that there is an armed nine-member Italian military team on anti-pirate duty on baord.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...?newsfeed=true

For the next story, and I am surprised that this didn't hit too many news channels, but 22 passengers (from Carnival Splendor) were robebd at gun point by masked gunmen on a ship organized shore excursion at Puerto Vallarta, and this happened more than a week ago.
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-02-26/w...ls?_s=PM:WORLD

And if the news does not scares you, how about the news from this link below?
http://www.cruiselawnews.com/tags/robbery/

So, here I am, set to cruise in June to the Baltic. Is there anyone out there thinking about cancelling yet?

doug_stallings

Is this a joke? Why on earth would you cancel an expensive, long-awaited vacation because of some isolated incidents? It would be like cancelling a trip to Italy because people have been robbed in Naples. These kinds of things do happen from time to time. Ironically, I remember a time when a busload of journalists on a trip to South Africa were robbed on the way to the airport. Talk about bad luck and bad timing.

diann24

I think Eschew is kidding. Eschew loves cruising and he will not cancel but I truly believe Cruise prices are dropping more and more everyday. Especially Alaksa!! We will see what happens as a result of this current news. I heard about the robbers over the weekend.

dogster

I'm not quite sure, Eshew, but I suspect that man with an orange 'F' disagrees with you. It's a little difficult to read between the words - but I detect just a touch of censure.

Now, I know you're a sensitive woman, so I just came in to say - don't be disheartened. I, too, am terrified of the Cruise Goblins; indeed, have barricaded myself in my apartment and won't come out again till cruising becomes safe.

I hope you've done the same.

Eschew

Doug, I had my tongue firmly planted on my cheek when I said anyone thinking about cancelling. I certainly wouldn't be cancelling, and the intent of the post is to create discussions and put things into a bit of perspective.

Lately, the cruise forums had been filled with a fair amount of "negativity", from bed bugs to novovirus, high wave, poor weather, sea sickness, the Costa grounding, add on your usual poor service & lousy food, cheesy entertainment among other things, and you sort of wonder, what the heck is going on here and why do you want to pay all those money and take a cruise vacation?

Well, anything can happen anywhere but it seems human nature likes to dwell on the negatives and not the positives. You can get robbed in your home town, you can get novovirus at your local mall. You can certainly get lousy service and bland tasting food at your lcoal restaurant, but somehow, it is a much bigger deal when it happened on a crusie ship.

On the Mexican robbery story, I read somewhere that there was supposed to be an armed escort with the tour group. I wonder if an armed escort would actually escalate the situation rather than the semi good news that we had now: people get robbed, no one gets hurt, it's only money, life goes on. It certainly could have been worst, and people getting hurt.

We all have been warned about the pick pockets of Rome, Paris and many other cities. We still travel to those destinations. You just have to be aware of your surroundings, and don't wear excessive jewllery or look totally out of place and stand out like a sore thumb, becoming a target (victim).

The other side of the equation is how much risk tolerance do you have and how it may affect your travel plans. Iraq and Afganistan are both on my travel bucket list, as there are many sites with great historic significance in both countries. But with the "risk" factored in, they are very low on my travel list, and I certainly wouldn't even look at booking any trip to thsoe two countries any time soon.

The US States department has issued travel warnings to parts of Mexico and Puerto Vallarta in on the list. The cruise ships have alrady stopped going to Mazatlan. Would Puerto Vallarta be next?

jacketwatch

I do wonder what the future is for Costa after this?

Percy

I knew you had your tongue in your cheek...I could see the bulge !!

doug_stallings

Sorry, I don't know Eschew as well as others on these boards, so I'll accept my lashing. But I've been reading a lot of similar posts from the less ironic, so I'm never sure.

When I was in Egypt, we had an armed escort, and on one leg of the trip, the escort's uzi was taped together with duct tape. This didn't convey a particularly strong sense of security. I noticed, however, that they were much more careful about security and much stricter the further south we went---and we even had a pick-up full of extra guards with guns. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mexico started supplying armed escorts like this to keep the cruise ships coming.

Eschew

No worries Doug, it's an open forum here .... We were in Egypt October 2010, before all these revolution stuff. For the bus ride from Port Siad to Cairo, we had an armed guard sitting behind the bus driver, we had a truck with half a dozen armed police in front of the convoy of 4 buses and another police truck with another half dozen armed police behind, plus a motocycle rider running back and forth and in between the buses. They pulled away at the last toll booth outside Cario.

When the buses left the port facility, there were police all over the place at every intersection that the buses had travelled through. Traffic stopped everywhere and we had priority (like a funeral procession, except going much faster). I said to myself, wow, they gave tourists piroity to get through the rush hour tarffic! A little bit navie? Maybe.

We have seen armed gaurds at the port facilities and piers for years. Armed guards with a tour group probably would be next. Throughout our ttravels, we have seen armed guards everywhere, outside restaurants, shops, even a fast food joints.

Dogster, I am surprised that you used the phrase "Now, I know you're a sensitive woman". It was Doug we are talking about here, not the editor-in-chief.

dogster

I was talking about <i>you</i>, Eschew.

You mean you are <i>not</i> a womnan, sensitive or otherwise? Oh dear - and all this time I was thinking - perhaps Eschew and me... cruising into the sunset. I had my gigolo costume on and everything.

The perils of the internet. lol lol lol.

jacketwatch

Well Doug about 16 mos. ago we were on the train from Delhi to Amritsar and a soldier was carrying a WW II Sten gun.

Dogster: Better luck next time.

Amy_D

Hi everyone,

Wanted to bring this back to the top. I know Eschew's post was very tongue and cheek, but I'm curious to hear if other posters are considering postponing or canceling their cruises in light of recent events.

jacketwatch

Well I would have never taken Costa anyway or MSC for that matter. This is a personal preference based on reviews I've seen.

I am still planning for an Oct. cruise if I can get enough time off so no none of this has changed our plans. However for that time frame I did see a nice cruise on the Crown Princess but recent events in terms of the NV made me shy away from it. I'd like to see them sort this out first.

traveller69

I agree with Larry. We still have a cruise planned for May but like jacketwatch I would have never booked with Costa. Over years of cruising I have never spoken with anyone who had sailed with them who would do so again.

Maudie

We are doing the TA on the Ruby Princess out of Venice in October, no way we are going to cancel. Everything is booked, we can't wait.

I would like to think it will be even safer now in light of recent events, cruise lines will be on theirs toes to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for the safety of their passengers.

Amy_D

Thank you very much for the feedback

Dayenu

OMG we were on the same tour from Montego bay, on the same banana plantation, and had no idea that a year before they were robbed at gunpoint!

Now I know why they first fill you with rum (THREE GLASSES no less! ) and only after that put on a tour jitney.

Eschew: this is the risk we are willing to take

We had an armed escort in Mexico on a land (train) tour - not off a cruise, it was a Caravan tour - and we didn't feel it would just attract criminals. I guess, it's a way of (tour) life there.

This year we are not taking cruises due to life interference, hopefully next year...

Eschew

Dogster, what gave you the ida?

Eschew

Dogster, I know I am a very "sensitive" guy. At least that's what I'm told to my face when I have my gigolo suit on. You know "sensitive" is in style these days.

We can still sail off to the sunset together but then it would be as drinking buddies and gigolo partner! lol

Amy, we are booked for a June Baltic crusie and won't be cancelling anytime soon. Next one after that would be November to some place warm to escape the winter, probably the Southern Caribbean.

I feel sorry for the people who may be considering cancelling becasue of the recent bad press. If they are so worry, maybe they should just stay home and cocoon. Wait, it is not safe at home either as there are news of burgulars and home invasion ...

All I can say is live a little.

indianapearl

Amy, we're leaving March 20th for ten days to Mexico -- DF for five days, Tepotzlan to for five days. Not worried about bandidos, but we're not taking a cruise.