Whats with all the incidents occurring aboard cruise ships these days?
Based on news reports, you’d think that shipboard incidents (guests falling overboard or lost at sea, fires, viruses, etc.) were at an epidemic stage. They’re not. But several factors are probably at work, including: • A significant growth in the number of cruise passengers • A significant growth in the number of cruise ships • A significant growth in the number of first-time cruisers • A significant growth in the number of private balconies All of these factors will work to bump up the number of incidents, just by the very numbers of cruise passengers sailing out to sea every day. Big as cruise ships are, thousands of passengers, staff and crew are traveling in relatively close quarters. Colds, flus and viruses may spread quickly, if unchecked. And shipboard staff are not as likely to spot potentially dangerous behavior (careless cigarette smoking, for instance) taking place upon passengers’ private balconies. To all this, a zealous media (“fire tragedy aboard luxury cruise! Film at E
