Yes Cruising was interesting in 2010. Those that know me know that I LOVE TO CRUISE!!! I usually will be cruising 3 - 4 times a year! This year I cruised the Caribbean twice and Alaska once! I loved every minute!
2010 had some interesting events for Cruising. Their were some new ships (there usually are each year), there were some Hurricane's and also some trouble passengers!
The most famous event this year is The Year They Didn't Eat Spam! That was from the Carnival Splendor incident that happened in November. There was a fire in the engine room while they were off the Mexican coast. You probably heard about it on the news! And though the Navy did deliver Spam during the rescue operation and it never was served. Although, I believe there are worse things to eat than Spam!
I picked my TOP 5 events that effected the Cruising industry in 2010 to share with you!
1. Haiti hit by the Earth Quake- Everyone had an opinion about whether Royal Caribbeans return to Labadee, Haiti after the earthquake that affected nearby Port-au-Prince in early 2010. The cruise line made the decision to continue to the port and delivered supplies and financial aid despite criticism from the media and some of the public.
2. Crime on the Islands- Something you don't generally see or hear about is crime against cruise passengers. In January though a Star Clippers passenger was murdered on Antiqua, 17 passengers on a Celebrity cruise were robbed in St. Kitts and while at St. Thomas a 14 year old Carnival cruiser was accidentally killed in July while riding in an open-air Safari cab. She was caught in gang crossfire of opposing gangs. All of these events happened in established tourist areas. It makes you ponder is crime just out of control in the Caribbean??
3. Passengers Out of Control- So what does it take to get you thrown off a cruise ship? Well on the Queen Mary 2 in October it was belligerent behavior. A wealthy Manhattan couple 82 and 81 got in a spat on formal night with some other guest. After being escorted back to their cabin (without any more alcohol) they had to remain there until their return to New York! Then in December a drunken passenger still in his tux entered a restricted area on the Ryndam and managed to release the ship's anchor! Everything ended up alright but this was no laughing matter and made alot of people question how secure off-limit areas are on a cruise ship.
4. To Spam or Not To Spam - Everyone heard the reports about the Carnival Splendor who had a fire that broke out in the engine room leaving the ship adrift off the coast of Mexico for 4 days. Dark cabins and corridors, bobbing around in the Pacific, cold food and more! Our Navy did come to the rescue with their relief mission and made sure the ship was safely tugged in to San Diego! While they never did get to eat the Spam only they can decide if This was the cruise from hell or the adventure of a lifetime
5. You Can't Bring What???- Those that travel are use to being told what they can and can not bring when boarding an airplane. But, this year in May when Carnival announced that they had a new list of banned items some cruisers were not too happy! They determined that hair dryers, curling irons/straightening irons, fans and power strips could not be brought on board. Well you can imagine that the Ladies were a little fashade! Since this time and after the loud out-cry from angry would be passengers, Carnival did amend their list of banned items. I guess there is nothing like an angry mob of frizzy haired cruisers to get you to change your mind!
As for me and my cruises this year - I didn't have any of the issues above, though, on the last cruise a couple of weeks ago, we did have one person who passed away while on board and another air lifted by helicopter from the ship while in the Caribbean to a local Hospital. We last heard that she was doing fine!
Will any of these events keep me from cruising?? NO WAY! There is just something about being on that huge ship in the middle of the vast ocean that makes you feel so very small in this world yet very peaceful!
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