Could you make the best out of the Carnival Cruise from Hell?

[runsandjumps]

I understand this wasn't at all close to what they hoped for. But I really think I would prefer something like this to say a plane crashing or a ship sinking. Yes they swam in their own waste, but they are alive. How many people survive poweer failures from aircraft? Considering everything I think I would be upset but thankful I could tell the tale.

I also think that other things like natural disasters are much worse than a pleasure cruise going south. People in other countries live like this everyday. I can't even begin to imagine what they are thinking.

 

[LisaR]

But Im thinking that people are reconsidering that bumper sticker that says, A bad day on a cruise is better than a good day at work!

At least 4,000 people deserve the amended version: A bad day on a cruise is better than a good day at work unless you were on the Triumph.

 

[Kitty 34]

The one and only cruise I've been on was Carnival. Went with lots of family and friends so.......

I would have been fine for a day or so but I know I would have started getting quite irriated with the lack of info management was giving to anyone. The not knowing would have started driving me crazy, hopefully in a quiet adult, manner.

 

[North of Mouse]

I don't *do* cruises, period. Just the thought of being in the middle of all that water with no land in sight would make me a nervous wreck. I've seen videos of rogue waves also, and that put the finishing touches on any thought of a cruise.

Irrational, yes! But , I'm very happily a land lubber!

But, under some stressful conditions that I've been in, I tend to handle them without becoming hysterical. I would not have enjoyed being stuck on that cruise in the conditions those passengers endured, but feel I would have made the most of the situation without undue complaining. Probably the hardest thing for me would have been *not* knowing exactly *what* was going to happen, and how long the situation would last.

Taking it out on the employees would have been the last thing I'd have wanted to do. They were doing their best having to work, plus they were also enduring the same hardships. I hope they received *just compensation* for going above and beyond their normal work, and schedules.

 

[MrsPete]

DH and I wouldn't be happy in a situation like this, but we wouldn't be the ones freaking out either. We always get a balcony cabin, and I'm sure that'd make it better. A balcony would've meant getting away from the crowds, having some natural light available, and avoiding the smells that seem to have been a key issue. We would've been able to accept less-than-ideal food, and we wouldn't have been the ones hoarding the food delivered from other ship's.

The harder part, I think would've been not knowing just how long the thing would've lasted.

DH does take medicine every day, but he's smart enough to bring extra. He often goes out on business trips and ends up staying a couple extra days,

 

[MsLeFever]

My friend Shannon was on that crusie - here are some of her facebook comments:

1. I love my husband. This is his status: "The funniest part of the Triumph cruise was when a guest took over the casino piano and began playing the theme from The Titanic." ROFLMAO!

2. Hey! We only got two towel animals the whole darn trip! How much will Carnival compensate me for that?

3. It was very disorienting being woken up by the smoke and the "Alpha Team" announcements. They were very secretive about there being a fire, but it happened right under us, and smoke forced us out of our cabins. That part was frightening - the result could have been different. They never even sounded a fire alarm! However, the rest of the cruise was more annoying, boring and stinky than frightening.

 

[a1tinkfans]

My friend Shannon was on that crusie - here are some of her facebook comments:

1. I love my husband. This is his status: "The funniest part of the Triumph cruise was when a guest took over the casino piano and began playing the theme from The Titanic." ROFLMAO!

2. Hey! We only got two towel animals the whole darn trip! How much will Carnival compensate me for that?

3. It was very disorienting being woken up by the smoke and the "Alpha Team" announcements. They were very secretive about there being a fire, but it happened right under us, and smoke forced us out of our cabins. That part was frightening - the result could have been different. They never even sounded a fire alarm! However, the rest of the cruise was more annoying, boring and stinky than frightening.

Disturbing on may levels.
I would have hated it, I would have been one of those that got SICK if what people said was true, it stank....I barf easily
I would be angry as hell that they had no way to get those people off the ship...THANK GOD there was no bad weather or we'd all be talking about a very different SAD story.

But most of all I/we never cruise carnival, Ever and this just again RE-supported our decision..
Rccl ,,,,,Princess !!

 

[mickeysgal]

I would hope that I would have made the best of it. Most likely we would have had a balcony so that would have been the saving grace there. Even if we didn't, as long as I didn't have to sit in the direct sun, I probably would have been ok. I think I would have had to stay away from those that were hysterical or creating more drama than necessary. You know, those that can't seem to handle any blip, delay, line, or inconvenience in life.

I'd hope that any kind of food handling was not allowed by passengers, but rather by servers. I know they had buffet lines, but often servers dole out what you'd like rather than you touching utensils yourself. I'd hope they had hand sanitizer pumps everywhere.

I'd be grateful we were being watched by the Coast Guard, I'd be grateful that supplies were brought in, I'd be grateful that in the big picture it was temporary at best, I'd be grateful that the fire didn't engulf the ship, I'd be grateful that I didn't have to listen to announcements about gold by the inch sales and art auctions...oh wait...did they still have these going on? (just kidding folks..., yes I know this was very serious...).

Those with small children in diapers, those that needed electricity for medical equipement reasons, those that needed their medicines refrigerated, etc...those are the folks that I was worried about.

 

[mickeysgal]

But most of all I/we never cruise carnival, Ever and this just again RE-supported our decision..
Rccl ,,,,,Princess !!

Just curious...and off topic, but why? Couldn't this very well happen to any cruise line?

 

[North of Mouse]

Just curious...and off topic, but why? Couldn't this very well happen to any cruise line?

Yes, it could, and a1tinkfans, things have happened on other cruise lines. People need to understand it was an *accident* and they can happen anytime and anywhere. There has even been fires on Disney cruise lines.

It's called life, things out of our control can, and do happen.

 

[Callie]

I can't lie, I'd be miserable and a total witch, and complaining. Without any stabilizers, I'd for sure be sea-sick, which I've experienced, and I feel like I'm dying. I also don't take heat well, and I have an extremely weak stomach, so the nasty stench would make me be puking my guts out on top of being sea-sick.

I'd also have anxiety overload. Panicking. Probably demanding to get me off that ship, because of how sick I'd be, and that I might go crazy.

 

[iheartdisney]

Disturbing on may levels.
I would have hated it, I would have been one of those that got SICK if what people said was true, it stank....I barf easily
I would be angry as hell that they had no way to get those people off the ship...THANK GOD there was no bad weather or we'd all be talking about a very different SAD story.

But most of all I/we never cruise carnival, Ever and this just again RE-supported our decision..
Rccl ,,,,,Princess !!

Ummmm, you do know that Princess is owned by....wait for it... CARNIVAL!!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I like to think that we would have been okay. I think, if we had a balcony cabin (which every rarely got up until the last 2 years and now nearly always do get) we would for sure have been fine--but if we had had only interior rooms it might be harder, especially if my DD got panicky and started having issues with being unable to get away from the crowds without sitting in a pitch black and hot interior room.
We have handled smaller travel issues well, things like sitting on the tarmac for 5 hours with young kids, me alone with a toddler and preschooler on a trip when not one, but TWO planes had mechanical difficulties which resulted in landing early, getting everyone off and waiting hours (once overnight in an otherwise shutdown section of DFW--with no employees staying) for new planes, etc.

Just curious...and off topic, but why? Couldn't this very well happen to any cruise line?

It could. However, Carnival seems to have more issue than most and when they do have issues they seem to be lacking in redundant systems which could keep the ship operable and ship's services going in the event of a fire knocking out the first system.

Ummmm, you do know that Princess is owned by....wait for it... CARNIVAL!!!!

True. However, while technically owned by Carnival now, Princess kept its management team in place and is still run separately out of the LA offices and not under the same policies or management as Carnival.

 

[mdsoccermom]

Ummmm, you do know that Princess is owned by....wait for it... CARNIVAL!!!!

It's owned by Carnival Corporation, not Carnival Cruise Lines.

Carnival Corp. also owns Seabourn, Holland America and Cunard.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I would be freaking out at first...fire and being trapped are huge fears for me...but would eventually resign myself to the situation and try to make the best of it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It has been interesting seeing the interviews with the passengers. I've seen some who said it was horrible but they powered through. They seem composed and didn't make it into the end of the world type event. Others have been hysterical.

Every single person interviewed agrees that the conditions were deplorable. However, the way in which some handled those conditions versus others is night and day.

Where do you think you would fall? Do you think you would be hysterical, laid back, or somewhere in between?

For me, I'd do much better if I could either be by myself (with my family, assuming they were there) or with a positive group of people. I know I would feed off of negative energy so if I was with a group who was hysterical, I would jump on that bandwagon, as well.

The conditions on that ship tested everyone on board and some likely have come off much stronger individuals and others will need therapy and medication for life.

I would be fine.

My kids and my dh not so much. It would be their worst nightmare.

 

[justmestace]

I think we've learned with politics, you have to be careful about listening to the media.
They're ALWAYS going to interview the people who had the worst experience, or think they did, and edit out anyone who doesn't complain.


For me....I guess it would depend upon my proximity to a bathroom. If I didn't have any problems in using a bathroom when I needed one, then I'd just chill. And I agree with others, always having a balcony helps...for the claustrophobia, if nothing else.

 

[Jessica14]

I would have been a disaster! I would have been the one with anxiety attacks and a sick stomach. I would hope though after the initial craziness, I would calm down to some extent. And yes, they did start to give away free drinks and then realized it was a bad idea. I've heard two different passengers say that it was a real problem.

I think that these passengers may have had it worse than the passengers on the Mayflower!
Jessica

 

[tink20]

Hard to say how I would have faired. I don't know. I do fine during hurricanes when we go days without electricity, but to be trapped on a ship and then add on the bathroom problems and smells. I would probably have been sick.

 

[kimmar067]

It has been interesting seeing the interviews with the passengers. I've seen some who said it was horrible but they powered through. They seem composed and didn't make it into the end of the world type event. Others have been hysterical.

Every single person interviewed agrees that the conditions were deplorable. However, the way in which some handled those conditions versus others is night and day.

Where do you think you would fall? Do you think you would be hysterical, laid back, or somewhere in between?

For me, I'd do much better if I could either be by myself (with my family, assuming they were there) or with a positive group of people. I know I would feed off of negative energy so if I was with a group who was hysterical, I would jump on that bandwagon, as well.

The conditions on that ship tested everyone on board and some likely have come off much stronger individuals and others will need therapy and medication for life.

....I look for the silver lining....you get a really cool white robe....