[Travelandtourism] Costa Cruises issues over the weekend in Italy

[Cindy Handel]

Cheryl,

Why won't Carnival allow you to tour their ships with your guide dog? We've 
been on two Carnival cruises, and my husband has a guide dog. There was no 
problem.

Cindy

-----Original Message----- 
From: cheryl echevarria
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 10:56 AM
To: travelandtourism ; Echevarria Travelblog
Subject: [Travelandtourism] Costa Cruises issues over the weekend in Italy








If you haven't already heard about this disaster in Italy, I will let you 
all know, and this also should deter anyone from cruising in the future.
Many of what I am saying are my own opinions plus, what happened as well.
I am not a big fan of Carnival Cruise Lines, and over the last 2 years there 
has been many issues with the ships, such as the same week last year when I 
was on the Norwegian Epic, one of Carnival's ships was off the coast of 
California adrift due to fire in one of the engine rooms ,and other issues 
with the company as well.
Why am I mentioning this, Well Carnival Cruise Lines is the parent Company 
of Costa Cruise Lines.
I don't advertise any of there sales on my website or on my blog as 
postings, only because in the past, they have not allowed me as a travel 
partner come on the ships to do a ship inspection with my guide dog, all the 
other ones will.
The also do not belong to many of the Cruise Lines Organizations, I belong 
to both CLIA (which is the Cruise Lines International Association), which I 
am part of and I have taken all of there training courses, when I first 
started with my agency.
They are not associated or come to the trade shows of the organizations that 
I belong to when they do have supplier trade shows such as ASTA (American 
Society of Travel Agents) and TASC (Travel Agents of Suffolk County).
I have mentioned in the past, if I am not allowed to do the other things 
that all other travel professionals are allowed to do and go, then I will 
not advertise it, unless my clients want to go on there cruise lines, and 
then the client comes first.
I am not saying if in the past you have had no issues with Carnival, and 
they are your favorite cruise lines, we all have our favorites.
Getting back to Costa Cruise Lines.
On January 13, 2012. the ship came a ground in shallow waters, and hit a 
rock, and made a gash in the side of the vessel, of the coast of 
Civitavecchia (Rome) on a 7 day cruise, carrying over 3200 passengers and 
1000 crew members.
At this point in time, the authorities in Rome have arrested the Captain, 
for violating orders and going off course.
I was watching Good Morning America this morning, and a couple who was 
celebrating their honeymoon, stated that none of the crew came and helped, 
in fact, about an hour after the ship hit, they were saying it was 
electrical problems, which by this time, the ship was already on her side. 
Also, the Captain and some crew members had abandoned ship.
The passengers were at the mercy of there own devices until people came to 
rescue.  Mostly everyone was rescued there were about 6 casualties as of 
now.
I am still cruising myself, I love cruising and will always tell people it 
is the best vacation ever.
But I don't trust this cruise lines at all, the staff that was there, were 
not trained properly in evacuations, etc.
I will keep everyone up to date on this.  But my own feelings on Carnival as 
a whole I do not like.
My own opinions, and my own experiences.


Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com

For daily updates read our blog at
http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com


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