For most travelers, so far the engine room fire aboard the Carnival Splendor has merely been an interesting news story. And fortunately, it appears as if no one has been injured. A larger question now looms. How might this incident affect cruising in future.
Although those who wouldn’t want to get on a cruise ship in the first place will no doubt use it as confirmation of their desire not to sail.
Since the ship is still being towed as I write, however, no doubt we will hear more stories once passengers get back to dry land and can actually get cellphone coverage to call home. (Or to call their friends in the media.)
At the moment, the only travelers not on the ship who have definite issues to deal with are passengers booked on the November 14 sailing, which has already been canceled. But it’s really hard to imagine just how Carnival will get the Splendor fixed and ready to sail again.
Especially as outside inspectors will no doubt have to sign off on the repairs. Which all means that if I had clients booked for Thanksgiving week I would be nervous.
For the further future?
There’s always the worry that the whole episode scares off future cruisers, but my sense is that many of those people would find an excuse not to cruise anyway. And most seasoned cruisers will probably shrug it off as an isolated incident.
On the other hand, if inspectors find anything on board that might have been a previously unknown risk factor, it’s possible other cruise lines might have to make pre-emptive repairs on their own ships, much as airlines have had to do after certain crashes and incidents.
In a best case scenario, such repairs could be done as part of an annual dry-dock. Or if cruise lines have to add smoke detectors or fire-fighting equipment, perhaps it could be done during between cruises while the ships are in port.
If, however, cruise lines are directed to make substantial changes as soon as possible, that could result in some canceled sailings.
Another issue is that everyone on board the Carnival ship not only is being offered a full refund, but also a future cruise credit. No word, yet, on when it has to be used.
Right now, sailings to the Pacific coast of Mexico have been severely cut back, and as a California agency we’ve already had clients complaining of not being able to get space during peak periods.
But the Splendor is Carnival’s only ship in California sailing seven-day cruises. (Which appeal strongly to passengers who like to be able to drive to the port.)
So while it’s not a guarantee that passengers on the Splendor will try to book the same cruise again, it does seem likely that sailings around the President’s Day and Easter holidays will be particularly crowded in 2011.
Another future issue could be travel insurance, and whether insurance companies adjust their coverage based on this incident. It does seem, however, like Carnival is going to do their best to make things right with passengers. Either out of the goodness of their heart, or with respect for a possible class-action suit.
On a lighter note, for those who already find the lifeboat drill too long and unnecessary, it’s probably about to get longer.
And we can probably say “good-bye” to the remaining dinner parades of flaming Baked Alaska.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
