Although the
risk of injury or illness is small, this doesn’t mean it’s non-existent and
this is important to remember. If you want to prevent a cruise ship accident
and keep the experience as an enjoyable one, follow the tips below!
1.
Do Your Research with the CDC
Firstly, did
you know that the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has a
resource that allows you to check cruise ships and cruise lines for safety inspections? Before booking, check the CDC
score and how the line has performed in their previous inspections. As well as
the date of when these inspections took place, you should also find information
on violations and recommended actions.
Ultimately,
violations can occur in a number of ways including;
- No
toilet paper in the bathrooms - Food
servers wearing jewelry - Empty
soap dispensers - No
protection against rodents for mooring lines
When violations
are present in the report, cruise ships can fix the errors and then file a
corrective action report. If your chosen ship has addressed all violations, you
can be confident they’re doing all they can to provide a positive experience
for passengers. If the violations are severe and haven’t been addressed, steer
clear of the cruise.
2.
Check the Medical Facilities
Currently,
medical care on cruise ships is something that isn’t regulated so it’s worth
your attention. While one cruise will have extensive medical facilities, others
will be limited, and it comes down to the ship’s size, duration, itinerary, and
passenger demographics. Thanks to the ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians), there are at least some
guidelines that have been developed by consensus.
Medical
facilities should have the ability to;
- Stabilize
patients and provide emergency care for both crew and passengers - Provide
diagnostic and therapeutic interventions - Evacuate
those who have been seriously injured or are very ill
If you’re
involved in a cruise ship accident, you need to know you’re in good hands and
this is why we recommend checking the medical facilities before booking.
3.
Don’t Blindly Trust the Crew
If the ship is
in trouble, we aren’t saying you should reject their instructions and make
their jobs difficult. However, you should be aware that there will be rogue
crew members just as there are in every other part of society. While most will
do everything that they can to ensure you’re enjoying the experience, there has
been stories of others taking advantage of passengers.
NEVER go to the
crew quarters because this could be a ruse for sexual assault, or they could
just be distracting you while other crew members steal possessions from your
room. Of course, we would never want to spread rumors that aren’t true about
cruise lines, but we just want all passengers to be careful.
What’s more,
know that crew members can be fired immediately for inviting passengers to the
crew quarters. If it happens, simply reject the offer, walk away, and report
the request.
4.
Take Advantage of the Safe
In fact, this
starts before you even leave home; carefully consider what valuables you’re
going to take on a cruise. If you’re going to be worrying about something the
whole time, why not leave it at home and have peace of mind?
For other
valuables, take advantage of the two safes. While the one in your room will be
ideal for your phone and petty cash, the ship’s safe will hold all valuables
and ensure that absolutely nobody has access to it.
With the safe
in your room, this is a great tool, but you should be aware that there’s a
bypass code. Often, people set codes and forget it, or they leave it locked
after the cruise is over. Therefore, the manufacturer sets a code, and this can
be used to open the safe regardless. In a dream world, each safe will have a
unique code and the security system would be an advanced one. In reality, many
cruise ships use the same bypass code for all rooms, and this means crew
members and other passengers may be able to learn this number and steal
important items.
Instead, the
ship’s safe will be much better for items you can’t afford to lose.
5.
Learn the Doors
With your room
door, this may not close automatically so close it behind you and put the lock
on while inside. If you’re lucky enough to have a balcony for the wondrous
views, always close the door after coming inside. We understand, you may want
to romantically fall asleep with the sound of the ocean outside the door. Yet,
this is dangerous and could allow an intruder easy access to your room; you
wouldn’t leave your back door open at home through the night, right?
6.
Listen to the Muster Drill
Much like a
safety drill on a plane, you will need to attend a muster drill which explains the lifejackets, the muster station,
the alarms, and what you should do in an emergency or after a cruise ship
accident. Yes, you just want to get started and enjoy the sun (and lack of work
deadlines), but you need this information. When something goes wrong, this
might just save a life.
Contact
The Injury Firm
With these six
tips, you should have a better idea of how to stay safe on a cruise. If you’ve
already experienced a cruise ship accident, incident, or illness, please feel
free to contact The Injury Firm. Whether you slipped on a hazard that shouldn’t
have been present, or even if you were assaulted, we can help build a case and
fight your corner. You won’t pay anything unless we win the case.
