I’ve always had what some might consider an irrational fear of cruise ships. As in, I’ve seen Titanic. Consequently, I will never — not ever — so much as entertain the notion of taking a cruise so help me god you’ll have to pry the land from my cold dead hands or something.
You wouldn’t be smiling if you knew what happens after he draws you in the buff. I mean, immediately after is pretty good, but after after? Not so good.
You’ll recall January’s tragedy involving Costa Concordia, the Italian cruise ship that ran aground and capsized off of Italy’s western coast. While the majority of the 3,229 passengers and 1,023 crew were saved, 32 weren’t as lucky.
The Costa Concordia was Italy’s largest cruise ship ever conceived, which sounds vaguely familiar and would have had me avoiding it like the plagues usually contracted on cruise ships.
Jayne Thomas followed the news of the disaster in horror knowing her 19 year old son, James, was working on the ship as a dancer. Hailed a hero for aiding in the rescue effort by using his body as a ladder to guide passengers to safety, James survived and was back at home recovering from his ordeal when news broke this week of Costa Allegra, one of Costa Concordia‘s sister ships.
On Monday, fire erupted in the generator room of Costa Allegra, knocking out power to its engines, lights, and air conditioning. The ship is currently being towed — through waters prowled by pirates — to the main island of the Seychelles.
Mrs. Thomas’s daughter and James’s sister, Rebecca, also a dancer, is on that ship.
A Costa company rep assures that “The speed of the ship, despite the hot and humid climate, creates a slight breeze that helps make the situation more comfortable.” WELL OKAY, then.
Thankfully, the passengers and crew are safe. Helicopters are flying in fresh bread, phones, and flashlights as the ship continues on to its destination, where it’s expected to arrive by Thursday. Still, while Mrs. Thomas has had assurance through the media that her daughter is safe, she’s had no direct contact with Rebecca, 23, or with anyone from Costa. Her son, as a result of his own experience just six weeks earlier, was understandably shaken by the incident. ”It’s brought it all back and he’s very worried about his sister,” Mrs. Thomas said.
Remarkably, Mrs. Thomas says she has no ill feelings toward Costa, saying it’s just a “twist of fate” that both her children had been involved in two such unfortunate incidents, and that she will not discourage them from working on cruise ships in the future.
“Becki has always wanted to travel as well as dance,” she said. “I think this might be the end for James though. He had a big ordeal and has already turned down one offer of a job on a Norwegian cruise ship. He doesn’t feel he can get on board a ship in the near future.”
Props to Rebecca and her mother for being able to look past this experience and move on with such confidence that it doesn’t affect they way they’ll live their lives going forward. As for James? He can come sit next to me.
Ah, cruise ships. They sure don’t make ‘em like they used to.
