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Cruise ship "dead in the water" after towline breaks

Helix

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For that and other reasons, I do not do cruise ships. :roll:

I feel sorry for the poor folks on that ship.
 
I've probably been on four cruises, and never had a problem. Did you know that Carnival owns many of the other big cruise lines under other names? Last I heard this afternoon it would be another 8 hours to dock.
 
and you thought your week was bad.

i hope the movie rights to this story make up for the money Carnival is going to lose in lawsuits. :shock:

Why is that the first thing people think of? Lawsuits? If your airplane has mechanical difficulties and sets down short of its destination, that's not lawsuit worthy. What makes you assume this is? **** happens.
 
and you thought your week was bad.


i hope the movie rights to this story make up for the money Carnival is going to lose in lawsuits. :shock:

I was thinking about taking a cruise when I got older but now , never.
 
and you thought your week was bad.

i hope the movie rights to this story make up for the money Carnival is going to lose in lawsuits. :shock:

I think what the passengers will get is:

-A full refund for this cruise
-Credit for any Carnival cruise in the future
-$1,000 cash

What a lot of people don't realize if the "US Cruise lines" immune themselves from lawsuits in American courts by making sweetheart deals with certain third world countries. The ships operate in international waters so they're outside of American legal jurisdiction. However the ship needs to have a "home port" so they pick a ship friendly third world country. The third world country is happy because they get much needed revenue to operate the government as that's where the cruise ship pays its taxes. In exchange, the government of that country enacts laws that limit liability on the cruise ship.

If a serious crime is committed on board, they do time in Panama or wherever. Hit pause on the next cruise line ad you see on TV. You'll see something to the effect: "Ship Registry Liberia".

In fairness to the cruise lines, if something really serious happens the cruise line will usually offer something substantial in terms of compensation, not because they have to but because they want to do the right thing. 5000 people walking through urine, they'll get over it in a week. Losing a loved one with no trace and they family will probably be millionaires when they get home.
 
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I was thinking about taking a cruise when I got older but now , never.

I'm going on one this year. Probably great deal if you lock it in now!
 
Why is that the first thing people think of? Lawsuits? If your airplane has mechanical difficulties and sets down short of its destination, that's not lawsuit worthy. What makes you assume this is? **** happens.

If your plane had mechancal difficulties, set down in the middle of butt freaking nowhere and kept you onboard and in squallor for countless days - I'd sue, too . . . because there's 'normal problems' and then there's a 'horrific really ****ed up situation' - plane passengers were trapped onboard for over 8 hours and we came up with the passenger's bill of rights.

What I don't get is why they didn't just ferry people back to the mainland using other boats that were available. . .it was a possibility - they didn't bother? They could have gotten everyone offboard if they REALLY wanted to.
 
For that and other reasons, I do not do cruise ships. :roll:

I feel sorry for the poor folks on that ship.

after having a recurring dream of drowning in a shipwreck in the 1600s, I decided to never set foot on an ocean vessel.
 
after having a recurring dream of drowning in a shipwreck in the 1600s, I decided to never set foot on an ocean vessel.

The idea makes me ill . . . don't even need a nightmare. But it's the other things: the populated atmosphere for one that makes me just loath the idea. I don't want to hang out with my entire town just to - what - get motion sickness?

I don't get the appeal at all.
 
The idea makes me ill . . . don't even need a nightmare. But it's the other things: the populated atmosphere for one that makes me just loath the idea. I don't want to hang out with my entire town just to - what - get motion sickness?

I don't get the appeal at all.

I suppose the appeal is the idea that a wealthy lifestyle can be within your reach; endless food, booze, luxuries, and interesting foreign places.

however, I'm kind of with you on this. I see it as a chance to share strangers' germs on a piece of steel that is barely floating in a dangerous ocean. **** that. I can go to the casino and get a similar experience without risking my life.
 
Bingo.

Sorry Maggie, it's gonna happen.

The only Bingo is B-12.

When you are a passenger on a cruise ship, international law is rigid in its protection of cruise lines. That PLUS the fact that when you buys yer ticket, you automatically accept a very rigid contract limiting a cruise line's liability unless egregious misconduct can be proven. Mechanical breakdowns certainly don't fall under egregious misconduct.

For cruises that do not involve a United States port, the contract states, any litigation must be brought in Genoa, Italy, and be governed by Italian law. But when it comes to liability, the contract says the company can take advantage of any limits set by international treaties or the laws of the United States, which are very generous to owners of vessels. If there is a conflict among the patchwork of laws and treaties regarding liability, it says, “the Carrier shall be entitled to invoke whichever provisions provide the greatest limitations and immunities to the Carrier.”

I don't know if the cruise line involved a U.S. port, but even if it did, maritime law is very different from the bull**** civil liabilities we impute on land.
 
The idea makes me ill . . . don't even need a nightmare. But it's the other things: the populated atmosphere for one that makes me just loath the idea. I don't want to hang out with my entire town just to - what - get motion sickness?

I don't get the appeal at all.

I know the cruise liners are huge but you are still trapped on this boat with the same group of people 24 hours a day. The whole idea of the cruise industry is to get you on aboard and try to shake every last nickel out of your pocket.

I just don't see the attraction.
 
The only Bingo is B-12.

When you are a passenger on a cruise ship, international law is rigid in its protection of cruise lines. That PLUS the fact that when you buys yer ticket, you automatically accept a very rigid contract limiting a cruise line's liability unless egregious misconduct can be proven. Mechanical breakdowns certainly don't fall under egregious misconduct.

I don't know if the cruise line involved a U.S. port, but even if it did, maritime law is very different from the bull**** civil liabilities we impute on land.
I doubt the mechanical breakdown will be the lawsuit's point. It will be the conditions, lost wages, etc., Monday thru Thursday.
 
I know the cruise liners are huge but you are still trapped on this boat with the same group of people 24 hours a day. The whole idea of the cruise industry is to get you on aboard and try to shake every last nickel out of your pocket.

I just don't see the attraction.

You've obviously never been on a cruise. Yep, you're right, though, same 4,000 people every day for seven days. What a bore. During those seven days, you might have 3 or 4 ports of call. Guided tours to Mayan ruins, climb a pyramid, skeet shoot off the bow, masquerade parties, fabulous shopping, mostly duty-free, sun bathing on deck, gourmet food available 24 hours a day, gambling casino, five-star entertainment every night, massages, Salsa lessons, yoga, pilates, open-mike night, comedy club, nightclubs, themed bars, IMAX theater on deck, complete fitness center, rope climbing, special programs to keep kids entertained morning 'til night . . . boooooring.
 
You've obviously never been on a cruise. Yep, you're right, though, same 4,000 people every day for seven days. What a bore. During those seven days, you might have 3 or 4 ports of call. Guided tours to Mayan ruins, climb a pyramid, skeet shoot off the bow, masquerade parties, fabulous shopping, mostly duty-free, sun bathing on deck, gourmet food available 24 hours a day, gambling casino, five-star entertainment every night, massages, Salsa lessons, yoga, pilates, open-mike night, comedy club, nightclubs, themed bars, IMAX theater on deck, complete fitness center, rope climbing, special programs to keep kids entertained morning 'til night . . . boooooring.

I went on a cruise to Cozumel and decided not to take any of their tours. I got out, rented a moped, and toured the island by myself. It was great. I went away from the big city that most people went to on the island and found a Rasta bar by the Caribbean Sea. Dos Equis were a buck each, and the view was great. When I got back, all I heard was complaints about the tours being a rip off for costing them 100 bucks or more a person.

If you go on a cruise and dock somewhere...don't fall for the tour scams...rent a vehicle and go your own path. It makes for a much more memorable experience :)
 
lol I love the "emotional" reunion of families with those on board. They were going on a cruise you weren't supposed to see them for 10-14 days anyway...
 
lol I love the "emotional" reunion of families with those on board. They were going on a cruise you weren't supposed to see them for 10-14 days anyway...

Not true....the cruises to Cozumel like this one are only about a 3 or 4 day voyage.
 
Not true....the cruises to Cozumel like this one are only about a 3 or 4 day voyage.

even still they were a way for a few days longer. This whole thing got way too much TV coverage.
 
even still they were a way for a few days longer. This whole thing got way too much TV coverage.

I'll be honest...I'd rather watch this than the usual political bickering on the news. It was a refreshing change of pace even though those people went through hell. Glad they were safe.
 
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