Posted 10:29 pm Sunday, January 22, 2012
Don't Let Disasters Stop You
Sometimes, disaster strikes vacationers. A volcano erupts and the ash cloud creates flight disruptions for millions of people. A tsunami hits and destroys lives and places.
Or a cruise liner goes aground and tips over.
The Costa Concordia crashed and partially sank off the Tuscan island of Giglio on Jan. 13 after the ship detoured from its programmed route and slammed into a reef, killing at least 11 and leaving 21 missing, according to reports from The Associated Press. It was carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew.
As news broke about the Costa Concordia, I heard some comments from those around me about how they would never take a cruise, especially now.
But not me. I still would go. I want to take a cruise that passes through the Panama Canal, but I would settle for floating just about anywhere.
An unscientific poll of 1,288 people on SodaNews.com showed 52 percent of respondents were no less likely to take a cruise after the accident, so I'm not alone. Twenty-two percent of respondents said they were unlikely to take a cruise in the first place.
The parent company of Costa Cruises, Carnival Corp., announced plans on Thursday to audit and review safety procedures across all 10 lines it operates, as the entire industry braces to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the AP.
The accident comes at the start of the peak cruise booking season, known as wave season, and some in the industry believe prices could drop dramatically, making it a great time to book a cruise, according to the AP.
"The publicity is just going to kill them," said Blake Fleetwood, president of Cook Travel, told the AP. "They'll stay quiet for a week or two. Then Carnival will have a blitz of sales. So for the consumer, it's going to be a great time to buy a cruise."
Between lower prices and the costs of the accident, it could cost the industry up to $1 billion, according to some analysts.
Concerned about what happens if disaster strikes while you are on vacation? Consider travel insurance. It can cover all sorts of incidents including trip interruptions and illness. It can cost between 4 percent and 12 percent of the trip's cost, depending on what it covers, according to TravelInsuranceReview.net.
If it gives you peace of mind, buy it. I will certainly consider it before I take another big trip.
And despite this month's ship accident and the other stories of tilting ships and cruises that lose power, accidents happen.
Sometimes there's a plane crash and yet we still fly. There's the often cited statistic that flying is safer than driving, and yet we still hit the road every day to get to work or hit the open road.
So why should cruises be any different? You can't let accidents keep you at home.
If you are like me and dreaming of sailing the ocean blue, don't let this stop you. Research the cruise you want to take beforehand to see whether it's had any problems and then book. The accident could make it the most cost-effective time to do so.
Vanessa Pearson is a staff writer for the Tyler Courier-Times--Telegraph. She can be reached at 903-596-6267 or vpearson@tylerpaper.com.
