Mum the boat will sink !!!

Last night I was watching titanic, my 6-year-old son came into the living room and watched the ending with me. He turned around to me with concern on his little face and said, Mum sure we will never go on a boat for our holiday, when I replied yes the concern turned to fear. But mum the boat will sink and we will die he said. This got me thinking about why he felt safe to fly every year for the past 6 years of his life but the thought to going on a cruise scared the life out of him.

Here are 4 reasons people fear cruising

What if the ship sinks (just like my son’s question)?

When i worked on the high street booking all different types of holidays, sometimes people would tell me they wont go a cruise as they have a fear the ship may sink. Cruise ship disasters such as the sinking of the Costa Concordia are always massive news stories that may frighten those who have never cruised before, Fortunately, disasters like this are rare and cruise ships operate under a number of international rules as well as having a variety of safety procedures and emergency equipment on board to handle unusual situations quickly and safely.

Sea Sickness

People often worry that they will get sea sick, you shouldn’t let that deter you from taking a cruise. It only means you’ll have to pick your destination and ship a little more carefully, newer cruise ships are equipped with motion stabilizers that keep the boat steady even in the rockiest of waters and if the ship is older choose a larger ship. I’ve had many customers tell me that a mid-ship cabin always helps. If the worst happens and you do get sick, don’t worry the ship will have something on board for you.

No lifeguards at the pools

Its every parent’s worst nightmare if their child is to get into difficulty while swimming and don’t notice until it’s too late. Most ships don’t have lift guards at the pools so this means parents need to be extra vigilant and always keep an eye on children regardless of age, taking your concentration away from them for 5 minutes to read your book as its getting to the good chapter could be the difference between life and death. If you want a cruise line with trained life guards then Disney Cruise Line would be worth considering as they have life guards at family pools certain times of the day.

What if I fall overboard?

Its Common sense really, don’t go drinking too much and start climbing on the railings like you are playing a part in the scene of Kate and Jack in Titanic. Staff from barmen through to security guards are sharply trained in “man overboard” procedures and in identifying guests who may be a risk to themselves or to others. Cruise lines also now focus heavily on food more than drink, promoting celebrity chefs and cooking classes. As for kids, again common sense says always keep your eye on them and make sure they are aware of the dangers.

Do you have a fear of cruising, if so what is it ?