Cruise Bruise Blog
May 19, 2009
May 19, 2009
Mexico Swine Flu Brings Cruise Ship Plague To Seattle Neighborhoods
When the swine flu hit Mexico and the cruise industry had to buckle under the pressure of Americans fit to be tied that the cruise ships would continue to sail into Mexico inspite of a CDC warning that Mexico was to be avoided, ships began calling, unexpectedly to western American port cities instead.
In no time flat, politicians and tourism leaders in those cities lured the media to hook up to the gold rush wagons as dollar signs filled the eyes of some who had so little common sense, the reality of what a cruise ship calling at port meant, would never be seen.
Then, those cruise ships pulled into port, and the stark reality of what it meant to have a cruise ship in port set in. The cruise industry, never a good bed partner, always comes into port with their long list of abuses ready to deal out. Normally, this happens in small foreign ports, having it happen in American ports has been more rare. Though Alaskans can you tell you a thing or two about noise and pollution from the industry in their ports.
The city of Seattle, their press quick to call the cruise ships arriving a thankful pot of gold, found that not everybody was pleased to have an abusive industry in the north end of their city.
What does having a cruise ship in port mean? For Seattle, Washington it meant loud, blaring Calypso music and announcements over the public address system that could not only be heard on the ship, but in port, and in local neighborhoods as well.
The complaints came flooding in during Swine Flu Seattle Cruise Ship Fest with Terminal 91 just opened to the cruise industry for the first time. Terminal 91, positioned in the middle of two communities of private homes, is sandwiched between the Queen Anne and Magnolia Bluff neighborhoods with homes within a mile of the terminal.
It meant buses rushing back and forth on traffic clogged roads and passenger vehicles racing in and out of the port parking lot onto local streets, not stopping to spend a single a dime.
This is nothing new. Both locals and land-based tourists visiting Key West, Florida have been complaining that paradise has been lost to the cruise industry noise and pollution. The problem is so bad, many travelers are no longer making Key West their annual holiday spot. It used to be visitors only had to dodge the hurricanes, now they have to dodge the cruise ships too.
What cruise line's ships are involved in the problems at Seattle?
- Holland America Line's Amsterdam, Zaandam and Westerdam depart from Terminal 91
- Princess Cruises' Golden Princess, Star Princess and Pacific Princess depart Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays from Terminal 91.
- Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Rhapsody of the Seas departs Terminal 91 every Friday.
Though ships that were headed to Mexico during Swine Flu Fest, weren't normally disembarking out of Seattle. Seattle is traditionally a home port for ships bound for Alaska. Still, these offending ships are owned by the same disrespectful lines that call Seattle a home port.
Royal Caribbean for example, returns to Seattle at 0600 hours, while many residents are still in bed. Imagine awakening to the sound of the ship's horn and the public address system only a quarter mile away with constant announcements at that hour, when it is normally peaceful and quiet, after you just got into bed at 0100 hours after arriving home from a night shift that ended at midnight.
Princess and Holland America Line aren't much better returning from cruises at 0700 hours. That is still pretty early in the summer, when the stay-at-home-parent and kids are catching an extra hour or two of sleep while school is out.
Back when this new cruise ship terminal was being announced, I was critical of it for being too close to neighborhoods.
There are half a dozen area schools, daycare centers and over a dozen children's playgrounds all within a mile or two of the terminal.
Hover your mouse on the map to the right to see the homes.
Bay View Playground is only a dozen blocks away. Terminal 91 has a cruise ship terminal is bringing in massive tourism into an area that should have been protected. That criticism was fired upon by pro-cruise industry propagandists as overblown and fear mongering when I first addressed this situation last year.
The only piers used for the cruise industry prior to terminal 91 were pier 30 and pier 66 both located in an industrial, retail and tourism area adjacent to downtown, where the noise, heavy traffic and pollution from the ships had been readily accepted as the price to be paid to fill the downtown restaurants, hotels and shops.
In keeping with industry history, the cruise lines had to be told to "tone down" their noise at terminal 91. Why that is something that ever had to be addressed, given the close proximity to homes, sums up why the industry has to be regulated. They do not do anything for anyone unless they are pushed into it. It is all about them, and what they want.
May 19, 2009
Class Action Law Suit Being Eyed In Carnival Ecstasy April 27 Cruise
After Carnival Cruise Line ignored warnings to stay out of Mexico unless people really no choice but to travel there for "essential" travel, the cruise line boarded passengers anyway and took them on a cruise to nowhere, sailing around the Caribbean without stopping and then arriving back in Galveston a half day early.
Irate passengers are now chatting up the term "Class Action Law Suit" across the web, as they seek remedies to a situation they call "blatant fraud" on the behalf of carnival.
May 19, 2009
Carnival Cruise Line Profits Down As They Avoid Mexico
The Miami-based company said 27 ships have been redirected for a six-week period that will end in mid-June. That is the reason they claim their Q2 profits will be disappointing.
