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Insights for Passengers After Ship Blaze Allegedly Caused by One Cigarette
His comment came after a fire apparently was ignited by a cigarette aboard a ship, carrying approximately 2,689 passengers and 1,123 crew members during a Caribbean trip. As a result, one passenger died (of cardiac arrest, probably not as a direct result of the fire), 11 people suffered from smoke inhalation, and it is estimated that 100-150 cabins endured fire or water damage. Ward says, “Carnival Cruise Lines had one ship, Paradise, which was non-smoking, while the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises was a totally non-smoking cruise line. Perhaps it's time to consider banning smoking in cruise ship cabins, and to allow smoking only on outside decks (but not cabin balconies). However, this would undoubtedly upset the many smokers that take cruises. In the days of ocean liner travel, special smoking lounges were the place to see and be seen, but today’s ships are different, and infinitely more complicated.” He continues, “It is unfortunate that, because of the actions of just one cigarette accident, the vacations of 2,689 passengers were terminated, not to mention the difficulties they must have faced while the fire was in progress. I am, however, delighted that the situation was brought under control with the ship's own safety systems, procedures, and the efforts of the crew without any significant loss of life.” Mr. Ward lauds the crew aboard Star Princess that put out the fire by themselves. He says, “Although the ship was near Montego Bay, it is reported that Montego Bay’s only fireboat was in dry dock!” Throughout the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships 2006, Ward comments on ships with a heavy percentage of passengers who smoke. This book delivers detailed analyses and ratings for 269 cruise ships on today’s seas with dispassionate and clever information. It’s a “must buy” for anyone considering a cruise. To find out where to purchase, contact: Berlitz Publishing: 800-432-3294 or visit www.berlitzbooks.com. Edited by Madelyn Miller, the Travellady Madelyn is a writer and web entrepreneur who writes for www.travellady.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com , www.carladynews.com and www.todaysgooddeeds.com Other Great Cruise GuidebooksHAPPY SAILS PLAN AND ENJOY YOUR CRUISE STERN’S GUIDE TO THE CRUISE VACATION INSIGHT GUIDES Caribbean Cruises Fodor’s ALASKA PORTS OF CALL Fodor’s EUROPE PORTS OF CALL Passporter’s Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line ESCAPES FROM SOMEDAY ISLES Camper and Nicholsons International Charter Annual
Feedback From A ReaderDear Editor: Five friends, my cousin, and I were on the first regularly scheduled 7-day voyage that began on Dec. 6, 1998, and four of those friends, my cousin, and I were on the last smokefree cruise. That voyage going from Miami to Long Beach, CA was shortened by a day because of Hurricane Frances thus it was 14-days long. We all thought that smokefree was a marvelous idea. We could go anywhere on the ship, and it was pure freedom-freedom from tobacco smoke. The air was clean and fresh EVERYWHERE! It was a great breathing experience. I went on seven voyages-5 week-long ones, on their western itinerary twice and their eastern one thrice, plus an 11-day to Aruba and Panama, then the planned 15-day downgraded to 14 went through the Panama Canal, and we missed Cabo San Lucas because of Hurricane Javiar (?)--sounds like Hurricane John did the same thing. What was strange is they made it a smoking ship leaving from a California port. The first smokefree state hosted a newly polluted PARADISE beginning September 20, 2004. What was really sad, is they allowed smoking after the shipbuilders couldn't smoke on her, none of the crew members from captain on down could smoke while on the PARADISE, and some passengers were kicked off because they smoked on her. But the company said they weren't making as much money off the PARADISE as their other ships. However, they may not have considered that if they take their fleet and shake it so many nonsmokers flowed over to PARADISE, they probably were making as much money across the fleet. I also heard that they found it difficult to find 1,000 workers willing to forego smoking on the ship. In all the world, they had a hard time finding 1,000 nonsmokers? BALONEY! One of the considerations is that PARADISE was family friendly. It also catered to groups such as church groups that refrained from smoking, drinking and gambling. Some of those groups may have cruised on smoky ships in the past-while not smoking, not drinking, and not gambling On one voyage, there were 750 Jehovah's Witnesses, or 1/3 of the passengers. So Carnival didn't make as much money from selling tobacco and alcohol, or on gambling during that cruise. But, you don't know how many drinkers and gamblers were encouraged to go cruising because of the good stories from these satisfied customers. PARADISE also gave a great service for people that must stay away from tobacco smoke. There were people in wheelchairs, some with oxygen tubes, with probably some of them smoking until they were disabled, and now could only be on a totally smokefree ship. PARADISE provided a safe place for those with asthma, other respiratory conditions and cardiovascular problems that require smokefree air. But apparently Carnival decided on making money instead. That last remark shows some of the frustration I have with them making the smokefree PARADISE into just another Ashtray of the Sea. But to the contrary, I was extremely happy that there was a totally smokefree cruise ship for 6 years, I only wish that it hadn't died. I had 60 great days on the great smokefree ship PARADISE. Now to the fire: Just because of one cigaret, the vacations of 2,689 passengers were lost, and probably most of the 1,123 crew members lost tips and may have been laid-off for awhile or sent home, and the company lost a lot of money. Ward wrote of the fire aboard the Star Princess as being "without any significant loss of life." I am pretty sure that to family and friends of the person who died, they might think that was a "significant loss". Maybe a better choice of words could have been, "Without
any more lose of As for the death, would the person have died without the fire? Or did the person run for his or her life, and the strain was too much? A cigaret-caused fire may kill people without any fire or smoke getting to them, if those persons are frail and the trauma of fleeing just demands more than their reserves. I think that it is totally stupid to allow smoking in nursing homes, hospitals, mental health facilities, and prisons. Those and other places where escape is difficult, including on the ocean, smoking presents a huge risk. The cruise industry has been extraordinarily lucky when smoking and alcohol mix. Thanks for the good article about the fire on the ship. I hope that owners will continue to increase smoking restrictions on ships so one day they can go totally smokefree. The smoke is dangerous to everyone who breaths it, and everyone is at danger from this source of fires, whether on a ship or in a building, such as a hotel. D. Gordon Draves |
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Douglas Ward, author of Berlitz Publishing’s Complete Guide
to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2006, commented that now may be the time for cruise
lines to begin the elimination of smoking in cabins, restricting smokers to
designated public areas and ship’s decks.