If you are planning a cruise ship vacation this year, you have a lot to look forward to. Whether you want to escape the winter cold or spend summer with the kids in the Caribbean, there are many adventures awaiting you at Florida ports.
Unfortunately, many people let their guards down aboard cruise ships and may not take safety warnings seriously. Sometimes the cruise ships and their operators themselves are to blame. Other times, Mother Nature may have plans of her own. Here are four scary facts about injuries aboard cruise ships, according to Insider.
1. Many people die aboard cruise ships
Before you panic, remember that retirees love cruise ship vacations. Subsequently, old age and other natural causes tend to account for many of these deaths. Other potential reasons include passengers falling — or jumping — overboard and overdoses.
2. Fires and explosions are possible
Operational mishaps account for the injury of 60 people per year aboard cruise ships. These mishaps often include small fires and larger explosions. There are other incidents that get classed under this category as well, such as the ship sinking or getting stranded at sea.
3. Ships can and do sink
Note, however, that this is an extremely rare phenomenon. Roughly 16 ships sank between 1980 and 2012. Many people may also remember the water rushing into the cruise ship struck by a storm off the coast of Norway recently. It did not sink, but the ship sustained damage and many people were injured.
4. You may encounter pirates
An even more rare possibility is getting attacked by real-life pirates. Most of these are off the coast of Somalia. In 2017, one cruise ship put in place a full blackout for 10 days from sunset to sunrise to avoid attracting pirates. Moving around a cruise ship in the dark leaves plenty of room for not just potential injuries but assault and other crimes.
Cruise ships offer an inexpensive alternative to world travel by plane. It is also often less dangerous than backpacking across Asia or Europe. Even so, it is not without its fair share of risks and unwanted adventures.
Recent Comments