Image via WikipediaIn the wake of the Costa Concordia tragedy, many vacationers are asking if a cruise is really safe. The Costa Concordia incident is extraordinarily rare, especially since the cruise industry has been deemed the safest form of commercial transportation.
To place this tragedy into perspective, Cruise Market Watch points out over 19 million passengers have enjoyed safe cruise experiences around the world in the last year. And according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) over 90 million passengers have safely enjoyed cruise vacations over the past two decades. There are currently 456 cruise ships sailing throughout the world’s waterways with a total capacity of over 425,000 passengers.
The cruise industry complies with all International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards governing the operation of cruise vessels worldwide. These regulations are closely monitored by both flag and port states. These internationally mandated standards govern the design, construction and operation of ocean-going vessels and are codified in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention and its amendments. (CLIA)
As a travel agent, we strongly advise our clients to heed all passenger preparedness drills in the event of an emergency. Muster Drills are mandatory on all cruise ships prior to leaving the port of embarkation. As boring as they seem, we should all pay a little more attention to what is being said and demonstrated during these drills for our own safety and the safety of other passengers and crew.
