Cruise Bruise Blog
January 13, 2009
January 13, 2009
Cruise Bruise Cheap Cruise Disaster Prediction Becomes Reality

Most of the time, it seems to me, my crystal ball is in fine working condition, rarely failing me. Back on December 9, 2008 I made a prediction in this blog, that to be fair, really was a given, not much of a guess. The prediction titled, Dirt Cheap Cruises May Bring Unsavory Clientele, took only about three weeks to become a reality.

Passengers aboard P&O's Ventura for their New Year's Caribbean cruise found out how these unsavory passengers act when they can scrape up enough cash to grab a last minute cruise deal, at rock bottom prices.

Passengers are reporting that passengers were fighting over deck chairs and the cursing language was in an abundant flow. Other incidents included fires set, one in a restaurant, the other on a Christmas tree. Some of the offenders were caught, and a couple were kicked off the ship.

A large group of passengers were seen throwing their cigarette butts over the side, only to land on the cabin balconies below. We all know what happens when flying cigarette butts land on cruise ship balconies.

A blaze on March 23, 2006 started by a cigarette butt caused major damage, and loss of life, aboard the Star Princess. Our case is here.

Barbara Stone, 69, from Old Windsor, Berkshire, said: “I booked months in advance and paid £8,000 for four people. I then heard on board that people had picked up tickets for £900 per person a few weeks before the cruise started.

“I’ve been on 14 cruises now and this one was definitely the worst. My friend saw a 14-year-old boy who was blind drunk in the lift. We also heard that a fight took place because a waiter wouldn’t serve alcohol to a 14-year-old and the boy’s father became aggressive.”

The disruption was blamed on "Chavs". The stereotypical image of a chav is a white aggressive teen or young adult, of working class background, who wears branded sports and casual clothing (baseball caps are also common) who often fights and engages in petty criminality and are often assumed to be unemployed or in a low paid job.

All this was more than enough to disgust regular cruisers, who took the detour for a a medical evacuation in the Caribbean in stride. Yet, when three islands were missed and no compensation offered tempers were no doubt beginning to flare, when topped with discounted scum bags.

January 13, 2009
Another Blow To Cruise Industry - Canceled Cruise
With only 200 people interested in coughing a heft amount for the 2009 Inaugural Cruise to Washington DC, the deal has fallen through leaving 200 passengers the option to take a bus instead, a much more economical option.

The organizers of the cruise, which was originally aimed at providing an affordable way for local Barack Obama campaign volunteers to attend his inauguration in Washington, D.C., were unable to gather enough people to commit to the eight-day boat trip.

''We just couldn't get the critical mass going, because I don't think the timing was in our favor,'' said Lauderhill City Commissioner Dale Holness, who helped spearhead the cruise effort. ``I know there are budgetary concerns because of the economic times, but I think more than anything else the people were too focused on the holiday season within the time frame we had to make it happen.''

Regular passengers were offered a rate of $1,500 for the all-inclusive trip, while 200 Obama volunteers were reserved a special rate of $1,100. The organizers had to sell 300 of the full-price tickets to meet the cruise line's minimum requirement, but the deadline came during Christmas week, which organizers say made sales difficult.

January 13, 2009
Media Claims Of Cruise Line Settlement In O'Brien Death Untrue
The family of Ireland teen Lynsey O'Brien said they haven't received a penny in compensation after she died falling from a luxury cruise ship, contrary to Irish media reports.

Lynsey's devastated mother Sandra O'Brien says that reports suggesting there was a payment of $1 million are totally untrue and extremely hurtful.

The incident in which Lynsey died occurred in the Gulf of Mexico around 20 miles off the coast of the popular Mexican holiday resort of Cancun.

Despite intensive searches, Lynsey's body was never found after the 140ft fall into the sea on January 5, 2006. Our story is here

January 13, 2009
Cruise Companies Merge On Cruise Ship Terminal Project
Italian cruise ship operator Costa Crociere SpA, controlled by the U.S. Carnival Corp (CCL.N); and Swiss cruise ship operator MSC Crociere SA, controlled by Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding SA, take joint control of Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal SAS, a newly created French venture that manages a cruise terminal in Marseille