HELP! 6 weeks to go and my DH wants to cancel!

[rmgoode]

We will be sailing in 6 weeks and my husband wants to cancel because of the impending war. Does anyone know of a specific web site that the government and/or Disney have that would outline their security policies in order to argue my point? My DH thinks we will be "sitting ducks" out in the ocean. I need facts to present to persuade him to continue as planned and not let a bunch of lunatics rule our life! Any help given would be appreciated.

 

[Melrosgirl]

Although I do see your dh's point (sitting ducks), part of me thinks you would be safer than anyone on land if there was a land attack.

Nothing at all may happen - ever!

You have to live life normally or you'll drive yourself crazy.

 

[BrianD]

Obviously it's a personal decision, but if you want the opinion of most everyone on this board it would be to go enjoy your cruise and don't let those b*st*rd terrorists intimidate you. That is what they want. The want us to be afraid and stay at home and see our economy weaken.

Also, going on a cruise isn't the only thing that makes you a sitting duck. How about going to a mall or a major sporting event. They want to attack us wherever we are.

We cannot live in fear. Disney has increased security at the ports. They are being more diligent (sp? - it's early) about knowing who is getting on and off the ships.

Go enjoy your cruise as will everyone else on this board.

 

[Hopkins]

I agree with whats been said. Disney really does care about the safety of their passengers and ship. I hope you go.

Live life!
Tina
Magic Western 10/11/03

 

[zurgswife]

You could just as easily be a target at home and not even suspect it....Don't let the terrorists make you scared.....we leave in 2 weeks and I haven't thought about the possiblity much.....You can't stop living about what might happen......Go and Live.....and do it on the Disney Cruise....

 

[AnnMorin]

I honestly don't think the terrorists have any plans to hunt down cruise ships and destroy them. It's not like they can hijack it and drive it into a building No icebergs in the caribbean. I really would not be concerned about that at all. Now going to a major sporting event etc maybe ...but would I stop DH and DS from seeing the superbowl (if they ever had tickets) because of a possible threat -nope. You have to live your life!

 

[vicnmickey]

That loser doesn't have enough air power to come over and blow up a cruise ship. It would have to come from onboard. They screen all bags like they do at the airport, so I believe all is safe.


I am sorry I don't now of any sites. You could call DCL directly and try talking to someone their.

 

[taswira]

I feel safer on a Disney cruise than anywhere else.

In addition to the aforementioned points, you might remind your DH that DCL uses an international crew (from 50 or so different countries) and the ships are registered in the Bahamas, not the U.S. An attack on DCL would not be targeting only Americans.

Don't <I>fret</I> over extremely remote scenarios. We should all live our lives to the fullest while we are able. Otherwise, the enemy will be the victor.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, I say Go!!!! Go!!! Go!!!!

However, I will be a little bit of a voice of dissent here when I say that, yes, cruise ships are indeed known targets of the terrorist... They are looking for 'soft' targets.... Not highly protected facilities..... Also, they are looking for targets that will inflict the most emotional damage.... And, the US authorities have hard evidence that 'Disney' has been researched as a possible target..... going back years ago.

Now, I am not going to go on and on here.... But, I am also not sticking my head in the sand and ignoring the facts.

I am looking forward to our cruise!!!! And, yes, it doesn't really matter where you travel, terrorist could strike any where at any time.

 

[mcnuss]

This is a very emotional issue for many people. I have to travel to NYC and DC for business, and with the heightened threat levels, I am nervous. But I remind myself daily that bad things happen everywhere and that frankly, I have a greater chance being in a car wreck on the way to the grocery store than a terror attack striking an area where I am visiting.

All this said, the idea of being a "sitting duck" may be just a teensy bit extreme. At any given time, there are probably 30 or more cruise ships in the waters near where you'll be - it's a very big ocean! The chances of a terror attack on a cruise ship are minute. There are many other "easier" targets that would have more of an impact - and impact is what they are looking for.

I hope you will not cancel your trip. Go and don't turn on the TV for the duration. It will make you all feel so much better.

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by Wishing on a star
US authorities have hard evidence that 'Disney' has been researched as a possible target..... going back years ago.

I believe the possible Disney target they were referring to was WDW in particular, not DCL. That would make sense (for them), but although I do not feel as safe at WDW, I am not going to stop going to the parks as long as they remain open. I agree with mcnuss. If you are going to <I>worry</I> about your safety <I>that much</I>, you had better not even get in a car to go anywhere!

 

[papa]

We were the first seven day cruise after 09/11 and we felt perfectly safe. Go by all means and enjoy yourselves. It will go a long way to reduce your stress levels. I would have one concern though, it would be should I go to scoops for ice cream first, or to pluto's for the chicken fingers first. You are safer on the ship than at the local convenience market to get a soft drink at 10:30pm.

 

[Michelle]

All good advice.

Honestly, life is a gift for LIVING and ENJOYING and I can't imagine not going on a scheduled vacation now. You could just as soon be killed in your own home as you could on a cruise ship. Hiding at home does not guarantee your safety.

Please assure your husband that DCL stepped up security post 9/11 and that security is still in place today. GO and enjoy your cruise.

 

[CruellaDuVille]

I live in earthquake country. My midwest mother is terrified of earthquakes when she is here. I never think about them.

My mother is also terrified of flying (and she has to fly to get here). My response: "An airplane is the safest place to be in an earthquake".

 

[Lilly's Dad]

Unfortunately, although everyone replying to this thread meant well, they inadvertantly sidestepped the problem. Get many people telling a patient with a headache: "You don't have a headache"; and guess what....it doesn't cure the problem, the person still has a headache. Confronting serious phobias requires serious, professional help, not lay people telling the patient not to be afraid. Its not a weakness, you are not crazy, to ask a psychiatrist for advice...to the contrary it is a healthy, smart thing to do.....everyone could use a little "reality check" once in a while. Dr. Phil is great with that. Ministers are often well trained in this area as well. A person should not be afraid of cruising, but they need to hear their subconscious tell them that.......not us. Wish you well, God bless.

 

[DISNEYGATOR]

I am sure no one thought they were a sitting duck when the headed to work at the WTC on Sept 11, 2001.

But if it makes your husband feel better, security at the port is very tight, everyone needs documentation just to get IN the terminal, and all baggage is screened. Also, I believe there is a radius around large liners where no other watercraft should be in; similar to a no-fly zone. When the ship is docked in Nassau, only guests on the ships are allowed anywhere near them.

But like most said, it's a personal choice. Terrorists want us to be afraid, but also, if you don't think you can enjoy the trip, because of fear, then it won't really be a vacation, so why invest all the money. Terrorism will always be in the back of our mind, it just depends how we let it effect our decisions and choices.

It's a scary scary world, thank goodness we have places like Walt Disney World, and DCL to give us a little bit of happiness, and that child-like innocence back, even if it is for a week or so.

 

[pbans]

We cruised five weeks "Post 9/11" and one week after an airline crash (I feel terrible I don't remember the details).....it was very unnerving for us. My DH wanted to cancel and was prepare to throw all of the $$ in to the wind as it was too late for any refunds.
I told him I would support his decision, but he would have to be the one to explain it to our daughter. After some discussion, we decided that Oklahoma City and WTC proved that no one is truly "safe".....safe meaning the absence of risk...."it" could happen anywhere.
Bottom line, we were going to be together, as a family, on one of the most magnificent vessels in the water........bring it on.
My perception changed when we got out in to the ocean.....no one is really 'alone' out there....we passed other ships and vessels....it's not like you're big floating bullseye.
I live next door to a Strategic Air Command Air Force Base.....sitting ducks?? Maybe, but with the Wasatch Mountains on the horizon and the sunset over the Great Salt Lake....bring it on. I'll do my part to keep my family as safe as I can, I'll put my trust in the American military, and pray for the wisdom of our leaders.....that's the best we can do....
If your DH truly doesn't think he can go forward, hear him out, but remember that there's no such thing as "safety" in this world....I hope you go and have a fabulous time~~

 

[sandygirl]

If your husband wants to check out the State Depts site they have travel warnings posted. This may help him decide if the threat he feels is valid. Their site is http://travel.state.gov.

Maybe knowing the facts will help him feel more confident in making a decision. I hope you go and have a wonderful time.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Re-reading the original post... I do not necessarily think that rmgoode or her DH are dealing with what I would call a 'Phobia' or a totally unfounded and unreasonable fear. With the world we live in, and what seems to be an inevitable war, and, yes, it is a war.... what rmgoode was requesting were places to look for specific information relating to cruise security... Specific information to show that a cruise ship right now would probably be completely safe.

I did a quick search and found this statement from the Director of the FBI, to the Congressional committee, issued just two days ago. Cruise ships are NOT listed as probable targets at this time.

Here is an excerpt:

______________________________________________
As we think about where the next attack might come, al-Qaeda will probably continue to favor spectacular attacks that meet several criteria: high symbolic value, mass casualties, severe damage to the US economy, and maximum psychological trauma. Based on al-Qaeda's previous pattern, the organization may attempt to destroy objectives it has targeted in the past. On the basis of these criteria, we judge that al-Qaeda's highest priority targets are high-profile government or private facilities, commercial airliners, famous landmarks, and critical infrastructure such as energy-production facilities and transportation nodes.
________________________________________________

 

[mjbarnard]

The risk is unquantifiable but statistically probably EXTREMELY low. It is a well rehearsed argument that you are at much greater personal risk getting in your car or crossing the road. Personally I wouldn’t worry very much about the direct risk.

However there is an another aspect to this. I was on vacation in Europe during 9/11 and it was very uncomfortable. To me the real question is – how enjoyable is a vacation when a (potentially devastating and catastrophic) conflict is occurring? Is it easy to enjoy oneself when suffering and trauma are threatening one’s fellow citizens? Would it be very difficult if a terrorist outrage occurred elsewhere (potentially affecting friends or family) while you were away from home and relatively isolated? Also if things got difficult for the allied forces would travel, transportation, hotels and shops close down or restrict access? These are the issues I am weighing up.