GUILTY Italy - Costa Concordia Cruise Ship runs aground/flips, 2012

[Lera213]

why can't they throw a bunch of lines around the ship and anchor it on land, place those inflatable things around it, patch the hole...then use a large crane to raise it. Basically just like they did the USS Cole.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

That detail is rather surprising to me as well, especially with all the concerns regarding terrorism in the air.......one would think the same would apply for a cruise ship.

MOO

DH and I cruise frequently and have never experienced the above-described lack of security precautions. Ship security is extremely tight - similar to airport terminals and boarding aircraft. When you board a cruise ship, a security photo is taken as your cruise card (key) is scanned. Each time you disembark and re-embark the vessel, your card is scanned while security personnel view your photo. Some ports of call also require your passport or photo ID before you are even allowed on the dock to return to your cruise ship. All of your belongings must also be placed on a scanner while you walk through the security checkpoint just like in an airport terminal.

Guests are not allowed onboard unless they have been cleared beforehand as in the case of an onboard wedding that takes place prior to sailaway. These folks know that they have to disembark by a certain time, and the ship doesn't leave port until they're departed. Maybe some foreign cruise lines don't have the same safety and security standards as US-based companies. jmo

 

[panthera]

DH and I cruise frequently and have never experienced the above-described lack of security precautions. Ship security is extremely tight - similar to airport terminals and boarding aircraft. When you board a cruise ship, a security photo is taken as your cruise card (key) is scanned. Each time you disembark and re-embark the vessel, your card is scanned while security personnel view your photo. Some ports of call also require your passport or photo ID before you are even allowed on the dock to return to your cruise ship. All of your belongings must also be placed on a scanner while you walk through the security checkpoint just like in an airport terminal.

Guests are not allowed onboard unless they have been cleared beforehand as in the case of an onboard wedding that takes place prior to sailaway. These folks know that they have to disembark by a certain time, and the ship doesn't leave port until they're departed. Maybe some foreign cruise lines don't have the same safety and security standards as US-based companies. jmo

Based upon your experience, this is exactly what I thought was in place in regard to security with all cruise ships. Who are the "unregistered passengers" then and why would they be aboard this ship?

:waitasec:

MOO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Based upon your experience, this is exactly what I thought was in place in regard to security with all cruise ships. Who are the "unregistered passengers" then and why would they be aboard this ship?

:waitasec:

MOO

I'm guessing, but here's what I think. I've read that most of the crew/staff onboard Costa ships are "locals" or live in Italy and have family/friends who can visit them regularly when the ships are in port. These "guests" are probably permitted onboard while the vessel is docked for the day: spouses and/or other significant others, parents, grandkids, etc. Maybe the record-keeping of visitors is slack, so no one knows whether or not said "guests" leave the vessel before the ship departs.

As I said in my earlier post, there are instances when non-passengers are permitted onboard, but they have to leave the ship prior to departure. If for some reason they are offered sanctuary with a "legal" passenger, they would be found out at the next port when they don't have a valid cruise card to disembark the vessel. Additionally, most stateroom stewards are alert and aware of who is staying in the staterooms that they service. It wouldn't take long for a steward to figure out that someone who doesn't belong there is hiding out in a cabin along his section of the alleyway. jmo

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Cruise ship captain says he was told to perform fatal maneuver

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_n...in-says-he-was-told-to-perform-fatal-maneuver

"Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of steering the cruise ship too close to shore while performing a maneuver known as a "salute" in which liners draw up very close to land to make a display."

"Schettino, who is charged with multiple manslaughter and with abandoning ship before the evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew was complete, has told prosecutors he had been instructed to perform the maneuver by operator Costa Cruises."

 

[panthera]

I'm guessing, but here's what I think. I've read that most of the crew/staff onboard Costa ships are "locals" or live in Italy and have family/friends who can visit them regularly when the ships are in port. These "guests" are probably permitted onboard while the vessel is docked for the day: spouses and/or other significant others, parents, grandkids, etc. Maybe the record-keeping of visitors is slack, so no one knows whether or not said "guests" leave the vessel before the ship departs.

As I said in my earlier post, there are instances when non-passengers are permitted onboard, but they have to leave the ship prior to departure. If for some reason they are offered sanctuary with a "legal" passenger, they would be found out at the next port when they don't have a valid cruise card to disembark the vessel. Additionally, most stateroom stewards are alert and aware of who is staying in the staterooms that they service. It wouldn't take long for a steward to figure out that someone who doesn't belong there is hiding out in a cabin along his section of the alleyway. jmo

Thank you for the explanation. With this particular ship, a lot of things appear to be lax or out of the norm; therefore it wouldn't be surprising if there actually were unregistered passengers aboard.



MOO

 

[redheadedgal]

"Schettino, who is charged with multiple manslaughter and with abandoning ship before the evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew was complete, has told prosecutors he had been instructed to perform the maneuver by operator Costa Cruises."

presuming this is another lie, how many is that now?

* it's just an electrical problem
* i was on the bridge
* i was not drinking
* i fell into the lifeboat
* i was trying to check the damage
* Costa Cruises told me to perform the salute

 

[redheadedgal]

13th body recovered Sunday--


http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/22/world/europe/italy-cruise-main/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

 

[redheadedgal]

dancer is not a chicken lover--

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Cos...lover+says+Moldovan+dancer/6030390/story.html

 

[passionflower]

dancer is not a chicken lover--

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Cos...lover+says+Moldovan+dancer/6030390/story.html

Truth will surface sooner than later, I am sure.
Everyone will be all over this.
I hope she is telling the truth, but is CS a playboy???

 

[Lera213]

Truth will surface sooner than later, I am sure.
Everyone will be all over this.
I hope she is telling the truth, but is CS a playboy???

"I'm sure that he was still on the bridge (around midnight) because it was at that time that he told us to leave, to abandon ship. I and another colleague said that we wanted to stay. But he told us to run. I saw him a long time later, on the island."

Miss Cemortan, who has joint Romanian and Moldovan nationality, was born in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. Last night an aunt said she had gone into hiding to get over the trauma of the experience.



Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Cos...dovan+dancer/6030390/story.html#ixzz1kGcqakmW

This tells me that once they were on the Island they got their stories lined up. Then when press started to question her and investigator's her story wasn't holding water. Now she claims the trauma is too much. Could it be because she doesn't want to talk anymore so her story doesn't unravel even more? lol

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Deadly shipwreck line offers victims 30% off their NEXT voyage

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/wait_there_more_PidmMh9ghuAW2ZOYYtYR7J#ixzz1kHPvy6SU


"It’s an offer they can refuse."

"Carnival Corp. is pitching a tasteless “30 percent discount on future cruises” to survivors of its deadly Costa Concordia shipwreck off the Italian coast, in an apparent bid to stave off lawsuits."

"The tactless move by Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival, came as rescuers pulled a 13th body from the crashed cruise liner, reports surfaced of possibly unaccounted-for stowaways killed in the disaster — and investigators hunted for a laptop computer hurriedly discarded by the disgraced ship captain."

"Prosecutors believe there may be important data on the computer because of the “haste” with which Capt. Francesco Schettino gave it to a woman — believed to be a lawyer — after he hopped aboard a lifeboat carrying it in a bright plastic bag, according to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica."

 

[lillygator]

30%? that is crap - they should get a free cruise.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

dancer is not a chicken lover--

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Cos...lover+says+Moldovan+dancer/6030390/story.html

:waitasec: Early reports about the 25-year-old blonde suggested that she was a "ship's liason" because of her dual citizenship and fluency in several languages. Is she a dancer on the ship, too? Dancers on cruise ships have demanding and rigorous daily schedules with classes, rehearsals, learning new routines, performances, etc. They might also have other minor assignments aboard the ship when they are not engaged in their dance duties. Somehow, acting as an interpreter or liaison for passengers who have language issues seems like a major responsibility in its own right. I have another thought about what a "liaison" might do :innocent:, but I'll keep that to myself jmo

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

30%? that is crap - they should get a free cruise.

It's nothing more than a token peace offering, and I'm guessing that very few folks who were aboard that ship will be interested. In fact, it's probably safe to say that most will never want to cruise again. Those who had travel insurance will be able to make claims for lost belongings, but most passengers will be waiting a while for compensation from the cruise line and/or its parent company. jmo

 

[Velouria]

30%? that is crap - they should get a free cruise.

And what about the bereaved families of those who perished in this sudden and completely avoidable tragedy? Do they get 30% off a cruise, too? :furious:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Message from Princess President Alan Buckelew Regarding Costa Concordia Tragedy

All of us at Princess Cruises continue to be deeply saddened by the grounding of the Costa Concordia and the tragic aftermath. We are stunned that this incident occurred, and our hearts go out to all those affected, especially the families of the deceased, and to everyone at our sister company Costa Cruises as they cope with this difficult situation.

We want to assure our passengers that the safety of all those aboard our ships is always our constant focus and top priority, and that Princess operates to the highest safety standards. Princess has a multitude of measures in place to ensure a safe and secure shipboard environment including advanced navigation technology, extensive training of all officers and crew, and regular safety drills. We meet or exceed all international safety requirements, and our safety record during our 45 years of cruising is excellent. Incidents such as the recent tragedy are a rare occurrence, and cruising continues to be a safe vacation choice.

We expect that some important lessons will be learned from this recent incident, and we will use these to further refine our own safety practices so we can continue to provide our passengers and crew a safe and secure environment.

************************************

Email sent to Royal Caribbean passengers:

Dear _____,

All of us at Royal Caribbean International continue to extend our heartfelt sympathies to those affected by Carnival Corporation's recent tragic incident on the Costa Concordia. As a Crown & Anchor Society member and loyal Royal Caribbean guest, we know you may have some questions as the situation continues to unfold.

At Royal Caribbean International, the safety and security of our guests and crew is our highest priority. It is fundamental to our operations. Our maritime safety record over our 42-year history illustrates our commitment to the safety of the millions of guests and crew that sail on our ships. The measures we take in the interest of safety are many, often exceeding the regulatory requirements – these are all part of our ongoing commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in every aspect of our business.

To address some of your questions and concerns, here is a video that will provide an overview of safety onboard our ships; the training of our crew, officers and captains; and the many regulations that govern our practices. Click here to watch.

As a past cruiser, we know your friends and family may be asking about your own time at sea. We hope that you'll share this video along with your personal Royal Caribbean experiences with them, and reinforce that cruising continues to maintain the best safety record of any industry in travel.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to welcoming you aboard again soon on one of our ships sailing to 270 destinations worldwide.

Sincerely,

Adam Goldstein
President and CEO
Royal Caribbean International

 

[passionflower]

Since this disaster, I hope cruise lines have learned a lesson and put 'spies' on the ships and watch the actions of questionable staff and captains in the future.
Stricter requirements!
No more 'salutes' to island people.
No more going off said route etc.
We all learned allot from the Titanic (unsinkable) .....now this one, speak up for drills
and interpertators!
All cruises I have been on spoke English, broken with accents but English, and other languages also.

 

[SuziQ]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...15-divers-reveal-unbreathable-air-search.html

Rescue workers find two more bodies today on stricken ship
Divers now seeking 25 people - eight more than previously known missing
One of victims found at weekend is thought to be unregistered passenger
Engineers say ship is stable so three-month fuel-pumping task can begin


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...al-unbreathable-air-search.html#ixzz1kLBoqjnz

 

[CarolinaMoon]

SuziQ, looking at the pictures in the Daily Mail was a heartbreaking experience. My heart goes out to the survivors, the dead, the missing, and the many families who are grief-stricken. And now, more than ever, to those brave rescue divers. They risk their lives over and over to locate the remains of those who went down with the ship.

All this for the moment of "glory" for the Chicken of the Sea.