With so many people scared of plane crashes, the number of holidaymakers going on cruises have risen by quite a bit! People assume that cruise ships are safer than planes, with far less accidents and deaths. Unfortunately, there are some things you probably should know. Here are the things you didn’t know about cruise ships, which might just put you off.
1. Diseases
When you put a lot of people into one small space, you’re likely to get problems. One of the biggest worries for any cruiser is the outbreak of disease. The most common issues come from contaminated food or water, such as E. coli. Back in 2013 there was a highly contagious norovirus which swept through two separate cruise ships, leading to some people being put in quarantine. It just goes to show, cruise ships aren’t always the safest option.
2. Sinking Ship
You may think that ships going down are a thing of the past, reserved only for The Titanic. However, in 2012 the Costa Concordia made headlines after hitting a rock and tipping over. Even after an intense rescue mission, there were dozens of injuries and 30 dead bodies found. Two people were never discovered. Many of the crew, including the captain, were later charged with manslaughter. The captain, who was having an affair with a dancer at the time, is yet to be sentenced.
3. Pirates
We’re not talking the handsome Jack Sparrow here, we’re talking real-life pirates. You see, cruise ships are an attractive target for pirates from places such as Somalia. Just think, there’s hundreds of people on board, all carrying money and valuables. Once the pirates have robbed the ship, they tend to hold everyone to ransom. A cruise ship isn’t exactly equipped to battle pirates, so it’s easy pickings for them. And no, Orlando Bloom won’t be there to save you unfortunately.
4. Disappearing Ships
There have been numerous cases of ships which just seem to disappear, without a trace. Especially those which sail close to the Bermuda Triangle. It’s likely that these cruise boats have sunk and then been swept underwater by the tide. However, it could also be pirates which have captured the ship. Either way, a disappearing ship is a pretty scary thing. Especially as no one is ever found, when a cruise boat goes missing. Perhaps there’s some Castaway island somewhere, full of missing passengers.
5. Disappearing People
Sometimes, it’s not the whole ship that goes missing, but passengers instead. There have been over 200 incidents of passengers going missing on cruise ships, since 2000. Normally, it’s not discovered that a person is missing until their luggage goes unclaimed. This means it’s almost too late to search for them and find them. Whether it’s suicides or secret murders, it is quite a common occurrence for people to go missing on cruise ships. That kind of gives us the creeps a little bit.
6. Fires
Between 1990 and 2011 there were 79 fires on cruise ships, with numbers doubling since 2006. It’s one of the most common problems, and also one of the scariest. When you’re stuck out in the middle of the sea, the last thing you want is a fire. Even if you are surrounded by water! These are typically caused by accidents or electrical failures, which can then quickly spread across the decks. Luckily, cruise ships are equipped with water cannons and hoses to help quickly put the flames out.
7. Unregulated
Cruise ship companies can get away with avoiding strict regulations and rules, with one simple trick. All they need to do is register their ships to foreign countries such as Liberia or Panama. These countries have much less stringent rules on things such as health and safety. It’s called “flying flags of convenience” and is something that’s more common than it should be! It also means cruise companies can hire in cheap labor and cause pollution. Not the best news we’ve ever heard…
8. Morgues
If this little fact doesn’t put you off cruise ships, we don’t know what will. Most cruise liners will have a morgue that can hold around three bodies. Is it because of all the potential for disease, fires and suicides? Not quite. It’s simply because older people are big fans of cruising, and there are a few natural deaths that occur each year. If someone passes away on a cruise ship then they have to be kept somewhere until they can be sailed home.
9. Hurricanes and Bad Weather
Imagine this, you’re having the time of your life on your cruise ship, sailing around the Caribbean. All of a sudden, there’s a hurricane. This is easily one of the most horrifying things to happen when you’re at sea, as you’re practically trapped in a big, metal bucket. Not only that, but things such as hurricanes can be more powerful over the water. You may just want to hope that your ship ports in the storm, instead of getting caught in it.
10. The Largest Cruise Ships in the World
Imagine a giant metal vessel that’s the length of four football fields. There are two cruise ships in the world that are this big and both weigh around the same as 9,000 army tanks. Yep, something that big and heavy can somehow float on the water. One of these cruise ships can carry over 6,000 passengers in total. Both the MS Oasis and MS Allure are this size, with the latter actually having a Central Park replica inside the boat.
11. Pollution
If you think that planes and cars are bad for the environment, just wait until you see how much pollution boats pump out. There is an Alaskan cruise ship, called Sapphire Princes, which creates the same amount of sulfur dioxide pollution is 13.1 million cars on a daily basis. It’s not just the air that cruise liners pollute, it’s the waters too. It’s thought that the average ship dumps 210,000 gallons of raw sewage into the waters every week.
12. Crew Members
While they may seem like all smiles and happiness on board, what happens behind the scenes with crew members is actually quite disturbing. Many foreign nationals pay in excess of $3,500 for interviews, airfare, uniforms and everything else. Each crew member tends to owe their employer money before they’ve even begun working. Many are recruited from third world countries, with the promise of a better life, yet work extremely long hours for very little money.
13. Retire at Sea
If all of these facts haven’t put you off cruise ships then you may be quite pleased with this last bit of information. Did you know you can retire on a cruise liner? Instead of moving into social housing, many older people consider living on a cruise ship instead. It tends to be a little cheaper and you get all of the luxuries, including having your room cleaned and bedding changed. Just watch out for pirates!
