All I am going to say is, that I appreciate Captain Rynd’s comments and opinion. He is a very well respected Captain in all of the industry, and one that should receive respect from everyone on here. He stated facts from his experience and stood up for an industry that he loved and excelled in.
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I agree with some of his statements, but his peers and fellow shipmates threw him under the rug by their actions after knowing what was going on. Although my bride has always looked forward to a cruise and the fun times to be had, I will always have second thoughts. Think I will jump in my new , very unutilized SUV and tour the places in the good ole USA I always wanted to visit. Cross country, here we come.
I’m not sold on how wonderful the industry is from reading his soliloquy. The thing that comes most to mind is how aware their industry must be to contagion outbreaks, and he touts the Norovirus experience. What is missing is the Legionnaire’s disease outbreaks that have occurred. Considering the experience the cruise industry has had and the sensitivity to communicable disease, I can only imagine all onboard medical and onshore corporate personnel must have been on very high alert. Certainly there were some good and bad decisions made at all levels. Ultimately, it appears that the balance between acceptable risk and profitability had to be factored in. Tell me cruise ships have unoccupied cabins in a quarantine capable section of the ship as standard practice, and I may be impressed that the industry does all it can, versus all it must…
Money and profit were factored in. Money lost this time, so did a few people who died a bit sooner than predicted. Not a dime to these industries. They invariably will get some relief through whatever means, but don’t deserve it. Did not protect our citizens, senior or not.
Honor among thieves comes to mind.
I knew nothing about him until that rancid bit of apologia. Now I know that he has not earned my respect (and probably lost much from many others) for his attempt to gloss over a corrupt and filthy business.
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And another thing about the good captain’s perspective… He mentions norovirus and how cruise lines have worked hard to prevent a disease that causes puking, pooping and cramps. Great! No one likes to puke at the pool or have to make a dash for the WC while at the buffet. I’m not sure how the prevention of an inconvenient disease like norovirus buys the the right to knowingly and willfully spread a fatal disease to passengers, communities and crew.
I respect the captain and I absolutely don’t mean to attack the man or his years of service. He simply had the impossible task of defending an industry that would literally kill for a buck.
About one in every 15 people in America get norovirus every year, according to CDC data. But it’s only reported by about one of every 5,500 passengers on a cruise ship . Thats simple google.
Like others who try to compare Corvid-19 to a case of the shits rather than a potentially fatal disease, he would have done more to honor his service and protect his reputation had he simply chosen not to make an embarrassing attempt at public relations on behalf of a corrupt and filthy industry.
Not comforting to those who were exposed to Covid-19 and to those who lost loved ones due to negligence.
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Passing economic externalities, risk to the public and exploitation,the cruise industry is hardly unique in this.
As to the commodification of cultural experiences, if that’s the right term:
This is climbers on Everest, what would Sir Edmund Hillary thought of this?
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Probably something rude about how Everest has been turned into a rich man’s ego trip.
At least the people who buy that experience know that 6 to 9 of every hundred in that mob will probably go home in a bag, if at all.
The Sherpas don’t try to convince everyone that it is as safe and fun as a Vegas casino.
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Are you guys seriously accusing hundreds of cruise ship Captains of deliberately risking the live of their crew and passengers?
I know that there are only a few Americans among them, but that don’t mean that they are all some sort of monsters (or suicidal?) that would risk anything to save a few $ for their company.
I know that the hater of the cruise industry and everything associated with it runs deep here on the forum, but isn’t it to go a bit too far to accuse hundreds of fellow mariners of being that incompetent and cruel? (or stupid??)
Lots of statements about ships putting to sea “knowing that they had corona virus on board”, but exactly how and when that happened has not been documented. (Not “conspiracy theories” in social media,the tabloid press and in other unreliable sources)
There have been several documented cases of cruise ship sailing from port to port asking for assistance for sick passengers and crew and to repatriate passengers and crews that did not show symptoms of sickness, but have been refused access to ports around the world.
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No, and please, stop trying to excuse the actions of (mostly) one company by pointing out that others may be less corrupt.
Pointing out what should at best be seen as criminal negligence by a few is hardly “accusing hundreds.” Please do try to pay attention.
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I am not talking about the Cruise line companies (Although not all are bad). But accusing the Masters of cruise ships of deliberately risking the life of their crew and passengers?
I’m asking for what proof there is for this accusation??
PS> Luckily the last passenger on board any cruise ship have now disembarked. (But there are still thousands of crew members in limbo around the world)
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Ain’t drinking that kool aid. They knew.
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You can’t be serious! Proof? How about the fact that people died, ships bypassed flag state ports in order to reposition for the next cruise while diseased passengers were in effect held hostage.
The case that defines the entire industry for me is that of the Zaandam. I am sure the documents filed all over the world in way of lawsuits and criminal investigations might enlighten you.
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Are you saying that the MASTER decided to do so?
Or are you blaming HAL as Manager? (or Carnival as majority shear holder?)
There were suggestions on this forum that he should have proceeded to the vessel’s registered home port (Rotterdam) with the dead and sick passengers and crew on board, (possibly resulting in dozens of death) Would he then be “acting responsibly”, since he didn’t inconvenience any foreign port?
You couldn’t be more wrong. I began my career on cruise ships many years ago. First as a busboy, then a waiter. After a few years of hard work and effort I was promoted to captain’s waiter - I’d serve the ship’s master and his guests in the dining room and the occasional VIPs for special occasions. I worked on four cruise ships for over a hundred cruises before finally going to deck and leaving that life behind.
Cruise ships can be an excellent opportunity for a hard worker. They can be an enjoyable way for old geezers to donate some of their money to a needing community. They can bring in opportunity to otherwise forgotten communities in unique locations.
Or they can be exploitive, dangerous, ruinous and operated by sacks of shit.
@ombugge As a Norwegian I thought you would be a human rights kind of guy. Why are you supporting the sacks of shit anyhow?
Your “fact” is grossly contradicted by the CLIA report on 2019 Industry Trends:
Edit: note those are Millions of Passengers per country of origin, not percentages of a whole.
11.9 is quite important. 8.5 % above total passengers.