Your questions on cruise safety answered
Firstly, we would like to express our deepest sympathies to all passengers and crew affected by the Costa Concordia incident this week. We pay special acknowledgment to those who bravely worked to evacuate the ship and help minimise casualties as well those who continue to work after the event.
Despite the tragic events of the weekend, cruising does remain one of the safest ways to travel. We understand that some of you may have concerns relating to either booking a cruise holiday or concerning an existing booking so we have collated both the information issued by ACE (Associated Cruise Experts) and a short clip from our TV Show presented by Jenny West, our founder.
Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Guidelines from ACE
- How could this happen to a modern cruise ship?
The investigation into what happened on January 13th is still under investigation by the appropriate authorities and the wider industry has pledged their full cooperation. Until the investigation is complete it would be wrong to pre-empt the outcome. What we can say with some clarity is that incidents of this kind are incredibly rare; the technology used on modern cruise ships is extremely advanced and the safety standards and crew training adopted by cruise lines are rigorous. - Does this mean that cruising is a safe holiday choice?
Absolutely. Cruising remains one of the safest forms of holiday available, and the cruise line industry has heavily invested in technology, procedures, in officers and crew training. While even one death is one too many, between 2005-2010 cruise lines carried nearly 100 million passengers with a total 16 deaths related to marine casualties. As the industry has grown, the IMO, United States, European Union and other regulators have updated and enhanced the safety regime in numerous ways, including: improvements in navigation equipment, implementing shipboard safety management systems, enhancing life saving equipment, safe return to port standards; revised training and certifications standards; etc. The cruise industry consistently works with the International Maritime Organisation, international maritime authorities, design and surveying experts, and shipbuilders to implement stringent safety standards and will continue to do so. - Who regulates the safety of cruise ships?
All cruise ships are designed and operated in compliance with the strict requirements of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which falls under the United Nations. This body sets the strict global standards for the operation of cruise ships. This is overlaid by regulations enforced by flag states, where the ship is registered, and port state control which represent the country where the ship is sailing.As you would expect, ships' crew undertake extensive training, certification, drills and scenarios for any emergency situation, including evacuation. - Are cruise ships safe?
All cruise ships and cruise lines have to comply with very strict regulations set by the IMO. One of the most important pieces of regulation set by the IMO is the treaty called Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) which includes comprehensive regulations covering safety equipment and procedures, and the standards set by this regulation cover all commercial ships carrying more than 12 passengers. Please remember that the safety of all passengers and crew onboard cruise ships is the highest priority for companies.
