Q #2. Are there risks?
Answer: YES! ....you're on a
boat..surrounded by lots of water...very, very,
VERY DEEP WATER! The good news is... the captain
wants to make it home too so he's REALLY careful with his boat and tries
hard not to sink it! They swerve to miss things in the ocean like other big
boats, icebergs, trees, etc. But, rest assured, all cruise ships have two,
that's right, two (2) guys assigned to do nothing all day (and night) but
watch for objects like icebergs. They are pretty good too! They haven't
spotted one in the Caribbean for years!
Q. #3. Could we be hit by another ship?
Answer: YES! Actually,
mid-ocean collisions between ships are quite commonplace! The ships are
separated by only a couple dozen nautical miles. One little-known rule of
the sea is that ship captains are required to "blow their horn" at on-coming
ships for a warning. If the on-coming ship's captain is
asleep-at-the-wheel, the horn blast will wake him up an allow time for him
to react by swerving out of the way! Sometimes this works, sometimes it
don't. If it don't, bam.. a collision at sea! But, don't let this worry
you either, Cruise ships have a lot of little boats called life boats in
case a situation like this occurs! There's enough for everyone on the
ship! (A lesson learned by ship captains in Big Boat School by watching the
movie Titanic over and over again).
Q. #4. There are sharks in the ocean. Will I get
eaten by one of them? Another great and timely question!
Answer: YES! If the ship is in
an area where sharks like to hang out and you hang a couple of fresh steaks
around your neck and jump overboard! My suggestion is... Don't Do That!
Stay onboard and go get yourself something to eat, like....... shark!
Q. # 5. I've heard that pirates really like to
attack cruise ships. Is this true, and if so, could this happen while we
are on this cruise? Yet another great question! Let's explore
this possibility!
Answer: YES! Almost everyone's
seen Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean".
That's where we are headed! The Carib! He's out there, so be on the
lookout for him!
But seriously, Something else people not acquainted with the business of
seafaring don't know is, all cruise ships come from the factory with it's
own squad of Marines as standard equipment. They actually reside in the
bottom of the boat, or hull, and are just waiting for those pesky pirates to
try something! If the pirates are able to get aboard the ship using
grappling hooks and ropes, the Marines charge out of the hull and kick the
pirates off the Poop Deck into the shark-infested waters! Then, it's
good-by pirates!
Q. # 6. I've never been at sea or on a cruise.
Will I get sea-sick?
Answer: YES! Why miss out on
any of the fun! You want to have a story to tell your friends and family
about when you get home! There's just no way to describe the thrill of just
eating a large meal at the mid-night buffet then getting hit by a rogue
wave! It's something you will never forget and will want to share with
others when you get home!
Q. #7. I don't like being confined to small
spaces. Won't being on a cruise ship be confining?
Answer: YES! It is! But there
is good news! The ships have gotten larger since the Nina, the Pinta, and
the Santa Maria set sail. And, the accommodations are somewhat better for
guests as well! New cruise ships tend to be about the size of....Detroit!
Another great thing about a cruise is that if you get lost and can't find
your cabin, there are plenty of people to help you find it. These people
work there and dress different that the guests. They tend to wear white
uniforms, that stand out in the crowd. Look for them. They won't be the
ones wearing a floral print shirt, plaid shorts, white socks, and wing-tip
dress shoes!
Q. # 8. I have heard that cruises are
all-inclusive regarding price. Is this true?
Answer: YES!....If you don't
want beer, cigars, liquor, souvenirs and don't do any shopping on-board the
ship or at any ports-of-call! You will leave the ship with a lot of free
stuff like, memories of the rogue wave, pirates, sharks, icebergs, and
almost colliding with an on-coming vessel in mid-ocean!
Q. # 9. Will I have fun on this cruise?
Answer: Only you can decide as to whether you have fun or not. the
possibilities
for enjoyment is endless, but you have to make the decision for yourself!
My best
advice for first time cruisers is.. Go!, Try!, Enjoy Yourselves, and have a
GREAT TIME!
See you on-board! Let's "Get on the Boat"!
Larry L. Conner, Magellan Travel and Tours. The Woodlands, TX
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