A week after Costa Concordia ran aground in Italy, Carnival Corporation has launched a comprehensive audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures across all of the company’s cruise lines.  The company owns nine cruise lines including Costa Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Seabourn Cruises, Cunard Line, P&O Cruises, Aida Cruises.

“This tragedy has called into question our company’s safety and emergency response procedures and practices,” said Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc.

At least 11 people are known to have died in the disaster, and 21 are still missing, according to the Italian Crisis Unit.  Poor weather and movement of the vessel hamper retrieval of bodies.  And, salvage operators are trying to prevent a half million gallons of fuel from escaping the ship and causing a major environmental disaster.

There are several remaining mysteries.

** A major criticism of rescued passengers was that they were not told what to do and the crew was noticeably absent during the crisis.  While a few crew members helped evacuate people, most passengers report that they didn’t see crew or the crew didn’t know what to do.   Seven bodies were found at muster stations (where passengers meet to board lifeboats) in life jackets.  This is the procedure passengers are told to follow during lifeboat drills, although crew weren’t present to tell them how to proceed.

** Costa Cruises CEO said Concordia made a close pass of Giglio Island last August although not closer than 500 meters.  However several days ago the British shipping journal Lloyd’s List Intelligence said that its satellite tracking information indicated that Costa Concordia sailed within 230 meters in August, even closer than it did last Friday.

** Costa Concordia is on a fixed itinerary, sailing each week to ports in France, Spain and Italy and passengers embark and disembark in each port.  The ship’s lifeboat drill was scheduled the following morning and roughly 600 passengers who boarded that day in Rome didn’t know how to proceed in an emergency.  At present maritime law stipulates cruise ships must schedule lifeboat drills within 24 hours of leaving home port.  Should laws be changed so than drill must take place before the ship leaves the port of embarkation?

** When Costa Concordia listed and sank into the water, most lifeboats — which hang out from the side — couldn’t be launched..  Should cruise lines be required to build ships with lifeboats sitting on deck instead of hanging over the side on davits?

** Why did the crew tell passengers to return to their cabins or walk in the hall, that it was an electrical problem — after water began pouring into the vessel?

** There was a 45 minute wait between the accident, when passengers were told it was an electrical problem, and the order to abandon ship was given.    During that time the situation deteriorated rapidly.  Why weren’t passengers immediately told to return to their cabins, get life vests and proceed to muster stations?

** Perhaps the most important question:  Can cruise ships be evacuated in 30 minutes (from the time when the abandon ship signal is given) which stipulated by international maritime law.   Costa Concordia’s passengers were stuck on board for five hours and longer.  It was 14 hours before the last person stepped off the ship.

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* Eleven people have been confirmed dead as divers continue to search for up to 29 people who are missing.

* According to a transcript of a telephone conversation between an irate Italian Coast Guard officer and Costa Concordia who Captain Francesco Schettinohad left the ship, the captain was ordered to return to the ship by the Coast Guard, which was in charge of the situation once the vessel crashed. On a recording of the conversation the Coast Guard officer sounds not only angry but also incredulous. After all, the international maritime law stipulates that the master of a stricken vessel should be the last person to disembark. To listen to a recording of the phone conversation, visit CNN

Gregorio De Falco: “Hello. Hello.”

Francesco Schettino: “Good evening, captain.”

De Falco: “Hello, I’m de Falco, from Livorno. I am speaking with the commander?”

Schettino: “I’m Commander Schettino.”

De Falco: “Listen Schettino, there are people trapped aboard, you go with your lifeboat under the prow of the ship on the port side and you go aboard the ship using the rope ladder. You go aboard and you tell me how many people there are. Is it clear? I’m recording this conversation, Commander Schettino.”

Schettino: “So, I’ll tell you something…”

De Falco: “Speak louder.”

Schettino: “Now, I’m in front of…”

De Falco: “Commander, speak louder, take the microphone and speak loud. Is that clear?”

Schettino: “Commander, right now the ship is skewed.”

De Falco: “Understood. Listen there are people going down from the prow using the rope ladder; you take that rope ladder on the opposite side, you go aboard and you tell me the number of people and what they have on board. Is that clear? You tell me whether there are children, women or people needing assistance. And you tell me the number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Schettino, maybe you saved yourself from the sea, but I’ll make you pay for sure. Go aboard.”

Schettino: “Commander, please?”

De Falco: “Please, now you go aboard.”

Schettino: “I am on the life boat, under the ship, I haven’t gone anywhere, I’m here.”

De Falco: “What are you doing, commander?”

Schettino: “I’m here to coordinate rescues.”

De Falco: “What are you coordinating there? Go on board and coordinate rescues from on board. Do you refuse?”

Schettino: “No, no I’m not refusing.”

De Falco: “You’re refusing to go aboard, commander, tell me why you’re not going.”

Schettino: “I’m not going because there is another lifeboat stopped there.”

De Falco: “Go aboard: it’s an order. You have no evaluation to make, you declared abandon ship, now I give orders: go aboard. Is it clear?”

Schettino: “Commander I’m going aboard.”

De Falco: “Call me from aboard, my rescuer is there at the prow of the ship. There are already dead bodies, Schettino.”

Schettino: “How many dead bodies?”

De Falco: “I do not know. One for sure. You have to tell me how many.”

Schettino: “Do you realise that it’s dark here and we can’t see a thing?”

De Falco: “And what, do you want to go home, Schettino? It’s dark, so you want to go home…? Go on the prow of the ship, using the rope ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what are their needs. Do it now.”

Schettino: “Here there is also the vice commander. I’m together with him.”

De Falco: “Then go aboard together. Together. What’s his name?”

Schettino: “Dimitri.”

De Falco: “Dimitri what? You and your vice go aboard. Now, is it clear?”

Schettino: “Commander, I want to go aboard, but here there is the other lifeboat, there are other rescuers who stopped. Now I called other rescuers.”

De Falco: “You’ve been telling me this for one hour. Go aboard. Go aboard. And you tell me right away how many people there are.”

Schettino: “Ok commander.”

De Falco: “Go, quickly.”

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

*What is also curious is that local residents have told reporters that Costa has a history of bringing ships very close. According to the Washington Post, “Costa captains have occasionally steered the ship near port and sounded the siren in a special salute, Arienti said. Such a nautical “fly-by” was staged last August, prompting the town’s mayor to send a note of thanks to the commander for the treat it provided tourists who flock to the island, local news portal”

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It took me 24 hours to write about the Costa Concordia’s disastrous cruise from Rome which resulted in five deaths and the latest estimate of 17 missing passengers because I’ve been covering the cruise industry for almost two decades.   I know that Carnival Corporation, which owns Costa Cruises, is a leader  in terms of building vessels that meet the highest safety specifications.  (Photo:  Solaro/AFP/Getty Images)

It was astonishing to see photos of a five year old 115,000 -ton cruise ship lying on its side roughly 600 feet from shore, hearing the harrowing tales of passengers swimming to shore, the utter pandemonium and panic of abandoning a dark listing ship.   Not only is it the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic but some of the details are scarily similar: a 160-foot gash in the ship’s hull that looks like someone tried to open it with a can opener coupled with people jumping in the water, the crew unable to launch many of the ship’s lifeboats and utter panic.

I attended this ship’s splashy Italian christening in 2006, toured half-built ships in dozens of visits to European shipyard,  spent a great deal of time over the years interviewing ship builders and cruise line execs about cruise ship safety.  I’ve written that the only threat to a modern cruise ship is fire.

So, how could this happen to cruise ship in the 21st century?

(Update: Costa Cruises publicly blames Captain Schettino saying he made  “unapproved, unauthorized maneuver” to divert from its programmed course.)

The answer is that we won’t know for sure until Costa Concordia’s little black box reveals moment-by-moment sequence of events that resulted in the 4,000-passenger vessel crashing on rocks of Isola del Giglio on the Italian Riviera.  At present the ship’s master, Captain Francesco Schettino, has been arrested, charged with multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.   In an interview, the visibly distraught Captain said the “rocks not detected” on the navigational chart. Three people trapped inside the ship have been rescued as the search for 17 missing people continues.

Shipbuilding, even in this advanced age, remains an imperfect science and proves that even with the most advanced technology, things can and will go wrong. We also know that no amount of planning, drilling, detailed evacuation studies and preparation can predict how people will react during a disaster when facing their own mortality.

The Details

On January 13, Costa Concordia had set sail from Civitavecchia (port of Rome) on a seven day cruise at 4:00 p.m. with scheduled port calls in Savonna, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari and Palermo. Seas were calm and the Italian officers certainly knew this itinerary well since Concordia sails on this fixed itinerary each week.   On board the vessels were 3200 passengers and a crew of 1000.  International maritime laws stipulate that a mandatory lifeboat drill must take place within 24 hours of departing the port of embarkation and, as is quite common in this industry, Concordia’s was scheduled the following morning.

Shortly before 10:00 p.m. there was a sudden “boom and crash” followed by loss of electricity as water began spilling into the ship.  Costa Concordia immediately started to list and passengers in the main dining room report that dishes and glasses crashed to the floor.  An announcement from the bridge told passengers not to panic, that everything was under control.

But passengers and crew did panic   There are reports of people being shoved down stairways as people raced to their staterooms to don life jackets.  After 45 minutes the order to abandon ship created more chaos since passengers didn’t know where to go.  In an interview one passenger said he was unable to board a lifeboat and swam to shore while a video taken on board a lifeboat illustrates how terrified its passengers were.   Because the ship was listing many lifeboats couldn’t be launched.

While it may be true that the only real threat to a cruise ship is fire, there are clearly two other factors which can turn a cruise into a disaster:  technical problems and human error.  An example of the first is Carnival Splendor, which lost power in 2010 off the coast of Mexico.   While the ship sat in the ocean for days there was nothing remotely frightening or dangerous about the experience.   As for human error, we’ve seen that since the first human went to sea.

Again, nobody knows what caused this terrible accident.  But several maritime experts interviewed about Costa Concordia expressed the a concern — ships carrying thousands of people have become too large to evacuate everyone safely.We must also remember that despite all of the reported panic and chaos, many, if not most of the ship’s crew did act valiantly and more than 4,000 people’s lives were saved.

While there has been an abundance of speculation, armchair quarterbacking and tabloid sensationalism, three things remain certain:

1)     This was most certainly a preventable disaster

2)     It will be some time before we know all the facts and circumstances surrounding it

3)     The cruise industry is already busy examining and re-examining every facet of its safety planning, procedures and protocols

For further information……….

BBC has the most comprehensive information and video interviews.

I was very dismayed to read that ships in Costa Cruises (headquartered in Rome) fleet have had a larger than normal number of mishaps.   See the report in the Daily Mirror (UK)

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Norwegian Cruise Line’s new  4,000 passenger ship, Norwegian Breakaway, will sail from her year-round homeport of New York City to the Bahamas & Florida and the Caribbean during her inaugural winter season.  The 144,037-ton ship will enter service in April, 2013.

Following a summer inaugural season sailing seven-day cruises from New York to Bermuda, Norwegian Breakaway will embark on a series of 25 seven-day cruises to the Bahamas & Florida beginning on Sunday, October 13, 2013. The ship will also sail two 12-day Southern Caribbean itineraries on January 5 and 19, 2014, along with two Weekend Escape cruises on January 17 and 31, 2014.

These cruises go on sale to Norwegian’s top travel partners and Latitudes Rewards members (past guests) today and to the general public on Friday, January 6.

Norwegian Breakaway’s Bahamas & Florida cruises depart on Sundays and include stops in Nassau, Bahamas; Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay; and Orlando & the Beaches (Port Canaveral), Florida; along with three relaxing days at sea. These sailings run through April 27, 2014.  The ship’s 12-day Southern Caribbean cruises include the following ports of call: San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St. Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Basseterre, St. Kitts; along with five relaxing days at sea.

In October of 2011, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Norwegian Cruise Line announced that beginning in May 2013, Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest ship to homeport year-round in New York City, bringing 140,000 additional embarking passengers into New York City over two years, resulting in an estimated $35 million in additional direct spending.

Information on Norwegian Breakaway’s accommodations and itineraries can be found on Norwegian’s website.

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Until I stepped ashore in Costa Rica, my style of cruising consisted of sitting contentedly in a deck chair as the sea passed by, a trashy novel in one hand, a cool cocktail in the other.    But then a shore excursion manager gently twisted my arm to join fellow passengers in an afternoon of white water rafting that, he promised, even a couch potato like me would have a blast.  And, after donning a life vest and climbing into an eight-man raft, the river looked fairly tame.  What followed was a three-hour adrenalin-rush thrill ride of battling rapids to stay afloat as I channeled Meryl Streep in one of the most exhilarating experiences on earth.  It was so exciting I became addicted to shore excursions guaranteeing maximum high-energy thrills and spills and the chance to push my own limits.

One of the best reasons to take a warm-water cruise is the chance to try something new.  I imagine many of the people I see walking off ships toting their own snorkeling equipment were introduced to it on an earlier cruise.   Each year cruise lines ad new excursions that promise adventure you never dreamed possible.

It wasn’t that long ago that the word “zip-line” didn’t exist but the experience of being strapped into a harness for a ride moving 30 to 40 miles per hour above a forest canopy is so popular you’ll find it on most Caribbean islands, Mexico and even Alaska.  The typical zip-line experience involves a drive to a hilly area where you’re supplied with harness, gloves and a safety harness.  After climbing a winding staircase to a platform, you’re connected to a cable and told to raise your legs when the guide releases a safety clip.  Suddenly you’re airborne above a jungle canopy for a ride to another platform, a thrilling 10- to 30-second ride.  The longest zip ride over water, stretching 4,000 feet, is found at Royal Caribbean’s private island at Labadee, Haiti.

If you happen to arrive in Ocho Rios, Jamaica aboard a Carnival ship be sure to sign up for the Bobsled (you read it right!) ride.  Custom-designed bobsleds travel on winding, plunging stainless steel rails on a 3,290-foot gravity-driven ride through the forest.  The bobsled track was laid to avoid disturbing the natural landscape, curving around ancient trees, hugging majestic cliff faces and limestone outcroppings through narrow chutes of dense forest. Riders control their rate of descent with an in-sled handbrake, allowing for either a leisurely tour through the forest or a pulse-quickening ride.

A more laid-back airborne ride awaits those lucky enough to dock in Roatan, Honduras where the “Magical Flying Beach Chair” awaits.  Built by Carnival Corp, it is the first chair lift that transports cruisers between the ship terminal and Mahogany Beach.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers several off-beat excursions that promise a thrilling time ashore.   In St. Maarten, try the “Power-rafting, Snorkel and Beach” outing, a high-speed ride to a secluded cove and snorkeling followed by a leisurely stroll in the laid-back town of Marigot.  Those in good shape may want to keep fit on NCL’s “Bike & Kayak Adventure” in Costa Maya.   After riding past a small mangrove lagoon you’ll paddle along a reef past a palm tree-lined beach.

Fortunately, for those of us who aren’t athletically inclined, so many of the new high-adrenalin excursion don’t require us to join a gym – get up the courage, simply show up and the shore excursion staff sets the stage for unforgettable adventure.

Here’s a tip:  since these are the most popular excursions be sure to reserve them at the cruise line’s website before leaving home.  You can always cancel if you change your mind (or get too comfortable in the deck chair).

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