Cruise Injury Blog

Cruise ships have plenty of onboard activities to keep passengers entertained, but they also frequently offer shore excursions when they make port. Shore excursions give you the opportunity to explore a new culture, soak up local history, or even take part in a once-in-a-lifetime activity like dogsledding. Going on one might just be the highlight of your cruise, especially if your ship is making port at a locale you’ve never visited before.

 

However, choosing to go on a shore excursion isn’t a decision to make lightly. Read on to learn more about why you should (or shouldn’t) go on a shore excursion, how to choose the right activities for you, and how to make sure that you stay safe while having fun.

 

Reasons for Going on a Shore Excursion

 

When your ship makes port, you’ve essentially got three choices:

Go on

Drowning deaths occur every year on major cruise lines, yet almost none of those cruise lines bother to employ lifeguards. Now, the parents of a Central Florida boy who drowned on a Carnival cruise last fall are speaking out about this gross negligence.

 

Caselle and Tashara Hunter lost their 6-year-old son, Qwentyn, on the final day of their five-day cruise on the Carnival Victory. The decks and midship pool were packed for a final party when Qwentyn, who was playing in the pool, went under the water. A ship DJ noticed and yelled for someone to rescue Qwentyn, but it was too late. Passengers and cruise ship staff attempted to revive the young boy using CPR, but to no effect.

 

Tashara and Casselle are devastated, and they’re now questioning Carnival’s failure to employ lifeguards. Of the major cruise lines, only Disney, who

Does buying a cruise ticket still conjure images of a fantasy dream-like vacation, basking in the sun all day long, and sipping umbrella drinks? You might want to reconsider that perspective: in the wake of the tragic fires, power failures, and virus outbreaks occurred on world’s greatest cruise vessels in recent years, here are 5 surprising truths you should know before embarking on one.

 

 

A man who went missing from the cruise ship Bahamas Celebration on April 27th has still not been recovered, and search efforts have been suspended.

 

Although it’s unclear exactly what happened, 30-year-old passenger James Miller apparently jumped off the cruise ship while it was sailing between the Bahamas and South Florida, according to the Coast Guard. The South Carolina man was reported missing when the ship was sailing about 27 miles east of Florida’s Delray Beach. Witnesses who saw Miller go over the railing say it looked like he was arguing with his girlfriend shortly before the incident. Several passengers at the scene also said they saw Miller hit the water face down and float.

 

The crew of the ocean liner, which is part of Celebration Cruise Line’s fleet, turned the ship around when Miller was reported missing at 2 am

 

With all the recent reports of Norovirus outbreaks, slip and fall accidents, shore excursion injuries, and even passengers going overboard, it’s understandable if you’re questioning the wisdom of going on a cruise. However, news of cruise ship accidents shouldn’t deter you from booking your next vacation on one of these ocean liners, especially if it’s been a dream of yours for a long time. Many people go on cruises every year and have a great time without getting sick or becoming injured. Still there are always risks, so if you want to be one of these people who gets to enjoy their trip without any major incidents, keep these safety tips in mind.

 

Before You Board

 

 

You have a lot of options when it comes to choosing your cruise line, and you need to make your decision based on more

 

Vacationing in style. For some, that is synonym with spending hours tasting the wines and pastries at exquisite French restaurants, while taking long strolls hand-in-hand admiring historic boulevards on the romantic streets of Paris. Others cannot imagine the perfect vacation without the exuberance and excitement of cities with an active night life such as New York, where the local energy and vibe are a guaranteed recipe for success. Yet others consider it a luxury to run away from the noise and tumult of urban areas and hide in 5-star resorts on the glamorous shores of the Italian or Spanish rivieras. But for the typical American family who wants to travel in style, glamour automatically conjures the image of a cruise ship.

 

And it couldn’t be truer. Every day spent on a cruise is one step closer to paradise: first-class, personalized service, fine

 

Every year, around 20,000,000 people choose to spend their vacation on the board of a cruise ship (21,556,000 passengers reported in 2014, expected to increase to 24,146,000 by 2018). With amenities such as piazza-style atriums, planetariums, water parks, rock climbing walls, full-sized carousels, skydiving, and bumper cars, cruise ships are more like floating cities offering infinite opportunities for world-class food and leisure. And some of them are true behemoths. The largest ship ever constructed, the Allure of the Seas, measures 1,181 ft., has around 100,000 metric tons, a theater with 1,380 seats, a two-deck dance hall, an ice skating rink, and even its own Starbucks, the first ever to be built on the board of a cruise ship. It cost a staggering $1.5 billion to build.

 

But despite the incredible amenities and hard-to-refuse perks, the “once-in-a-lifetime” experience as a cruise tourist has