Cruise Safety Dangers off the Ship

Much has been written about the dangers passengers face while on board a cruise ship, often the result of drinking too much or careless behavior. But how often do you hear stories of people being injured during a cruise while actually off the ship? It happens more often than people would think.

The simple act of getting on or off the cruise ship can be a treacherous one. A child once slipped off the gangplank underneath the railing to fall into the waters below while with his mother. It is an easy thing to stumble or trip in the throngs of people on the gangplank as guests take snapshots while walking and not seeing where they are headed. Guests disembarking the ship on far away ports to enjoy shore excursions have seen injuries as well, just from being so excited about their upcoming adventure that they forget safety.

Shore excursions are another danger of which many people are unaware. There have been reports of a woman falling to her death while participating in a zip line event sponsored by the cruise line Norwegian Spirit, although it is unsure as to whether the exact cause was the harness or the cable itself. Another woman embarked on a tubing adventure through caves in Belize, only to meet her death when water currents pulled her under. A snorkeling expedition in the waters off Cozumel, Mexico caused the death of yet another cruise ship passenger in 2008.

Traveling while on shore excursion can also be hazardous. Sixteen people who had disembarked from their Celebrity Cruise ship, Summit, were injured on board their tour bus transporting them when it crashed into a ditch. Another incident cited an airplane carrying multiple passengers from the Holland American ship, Zuiderdam crashing into Alaskan waters, killing 5 and injuring another 4 passengers.

While accidents can and do happen anywhere at anytime, cruise ship passengers should be aware that insurance claims are handled differently for incidences occurring off the ship. Examine insurance policies carefully before leaving on a cruise to determine exactly what is and isn’t covered so that you are fully prepared.

In most cases, cruises and excursions are safe and happy journeys. It does pay, however, to be aware of hidden dangers and to be prepared to deal with them.