Did anyone watch the 20/20 cruise ship special last night?

[obamanut2012]

I found a few things very interesting. Not the "scandals" within the cruise industry (violence, drinking, etc.), because those are already pretty well known.

They had Coast Guard camera footage of the night of the shipwreck. A huge amount of passengers were crawling in a gigantic ant line across the hull of the ship, down to a rope where they were rappelling into boats. You can read about it all you want, but to see it was chilling.

They also showed phone camera footage from the passageways, with rising water and with only a few life jacket strobe lights showing the way. It really was like watching Titanic (except the captain on there went down with the ship). No wonder people got trapped and couldn't find their way out.

[geckosfeet]

1. Cruise ship special?!?

Good fu*#ing god.

on edit: Appealing to human morbid curiosity is money in the bank.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Were the few specials about Fukushima also morbid curiosity?

Were the specials on the Indonesian tsunami morbid curiosity?

The story of the Peruvian miners?

Katrina?

A sign of humanity is curiosity. Further, the mass media telling of such stories raises awareness among the unaware. Sure, there is some morbid curiosity, but I think that's a minor factor.

[bluerum]

9. As you wish. I do not watch tv so I am out of my element.

On edit: but from my position, yes, it all seems morbid.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. So then you're talking about something about which you know nothing.

And what is it you think I'm "wishing" for?

[geckosfeet]

23. I know that half this country, millions of people, sit and watch

television. They all watch the same thing, from the comfort of their own homes. They watch other people suffering and dying. They watch disasters unfolding, in progress, and their aftermaths.

I used to watch television. I stopped for a reason. I opted for reality rather than reality tv. On the other hand, I am a DU addict.

What are you wishing for? Don't you know?

[Stinky The Clown]

24. One electronic diversion substituted for another . . . . .

. . . . . okay . . . . .

I don't know what I was wishing for because I was wishing for nothing. You're the one who inserted the notion of "wish" into our conversation.

[geckosfeet]

25. As you wish. A figure of speech meant to convey, 'have it your way'.

[obamanut2012]

4. That's not what it was about at all

It gave an update on the shipwreck, and then discussed safety problems in the industry.

[rufus dog]

7. OP was fine

Someone just twisted your intent of the title.

[obamanut2012]

14. Thanks

[KT2000]

26. not really

it was informative. I did not know that they do not have much of a mechanism for controlling violence when it breaks out in drunken mobs. I did not know that so many people have gone overboard. I did not know that employees are trained to lie to the passengers. Anyone considering a cruise should watch it.

[sulphurdunn]

3. The miracle is that

the ship didn't come off the rocks and go down quickly in deep water. Casualties would have been massive, perhaps in the thousands. It could easily have been worse than the Titanic.

[obamanut2012]

5. I thought about that, too

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Latest word is they are trying to develop a way to hold the wreck in place

The fuel off loading could take weeks. If the ship slips off the edge of the cliff top on which it sits, the disaster could well be orders of magnitude worse. Engineers are said to be looking at ways to use cable and deep rock anchor bolts to secure the ship to the rocky shore. Like many places on the coast of Italy, the land approaches the water at a steep decline, the decline continuing deep into the water just feet off shore.

[obamanut2012]

15. I have been wondering about the fuel off loading

Because I know it can't be done if the ship keeps moving. Thanks for the update.

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. I wonder if the reason it capsized was that it got into shallow water while trying to turn

The huge hole is on the port side - now exposed. And that's the side that was near the island, as it went north and struck a rock while it was still south of the small island port. However, the captain decided he had to turn and head back to the port, and that manoeuvre did not finish until the ship was north of the port - which means the ship now faces south, and is on its starboard side, resting on the sea-floor shelf very close to the island.

I think this means that what happened was that water was gradually coming in, but, at first, the ship was not tipping considerably. When it did start tipping, it tipped to starboard - which would mean, I think, that its keel had hit bottom due to the gradual sinking. That tipping meant that the normal evacuation via launching lifeboats became difficult, and then impossible, and so people had to get off via the rope ladders. It also would have made it far more difficult for anyone inside to get out, with stairs etc. not being in the proper orientation. I think it might have been better just to halt the ship, and start launching lifeboats with the ship upright.

[sulphurdunn]

27. Yes. It might

well have been better to begin evacuation in deep water, depending on how fast she was sinking. I didn't know the hole was on the port side. That's interesting. I can't find any data on the Coast Guard investigation yet. Depending upon how the ship was constructed internally and where the damage occurred (photos appear to show damage toward the stern), that would have determined how she eventually went down. Had she gone down stern first there might have been time to evacuate. Had she begun listing to port that would have impeded the evacuation. Had she capsized, I think it would have been much worse than running her aground proved to be. Just my thoughts on what I know so far.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. How sad about a cruise of a lifetime up in smoke. I saw alittle ad prior to the show about the

fighting on board. Honestly I haven't travelled lately but I did when I was young. I don't remember alcohol on board. We had to it in dinning room with an assigned table and we had a waiter for our table. Then they had games everybody played. Fun games and dances. They need to get back to the basics on board a ship.

[gateley]

10. Was it the Nina or Pinta?

Your cruises sound more "real" than ones I was on. I bet you had wonderful times!

[southernyankeebelle]

12. Funny. LOL. I had wonderful memories on my trips. You know it was something to see at night

coming in to NY habor and seeing the statue of liberty lit up. It brought tears to my eyes especially because I was coming back to the states after being gone for 3 yrs. Course when I was on the ship we didn't have those pools and all that stuff they have on them now.

[gateley]

13. Wow, just reading your post and envisioning that sight gave me chills. THEN I

got to the part about coming home after three years.

Wow.

The first cruise I was on was originally the SS France (the Norway when I was on it) and it was the last ship built for transatlantic crossings since more and more people were flying. It was HUGE and couldn't make it into the ports of call that the other cruise ships could zip into. I was enchanted because of the history of "crossing" but even it was pretty modern. After that, I was on the standard, current-sized ships which were like big malls.

[southernyankeebelle]

18. Well I haven't travelled on ships of today. My father was in the military I remember many things

about travelling. Like we went from PA all the way to CA by train (I was a child but I have great memories of that time even when I was young). My mom could hardly speak english and my brother was maybe 8 and he sometimes interpreted for her. Remember going across the states with 4 little kids. We were going to the Philippine Island at that time. We got on a ship in CA. I remember on board having assigned areas where you ate. They had a play room for the kids. People were so nice. They kept us pretty busy the majority of time. I lived most of my childhood overseas. After the Philippines we went by plane to Germany stayed there and when I was 13 we came back to the states. Then when my dad retired we retired to Italy. Then we came back by ship again. We had a ball. Coming into the harbor is something to see. Coming back to the states was like another culture. You learn pretty fast to get back into the american life. I would never ever change my life experiences. Travelling on the ship was the most fun. Then on a train.

[gateley]

19. How wonderful for you! I'm envious!

Italy is my favorite place in the entire world, so I'm DOUBLY envious!

I'm grateful there are people like you who share experiences, and wonderful photographs so I can virtually "see" all the places I'll probably never get to!

[southernyankeebelle]

22. Don't say that. Do you realize travelling to Italy you could get some really good deals now. I

mean less than $1,000. Really. The trick is not to go to the most popular sites. Take out on your own on the side streets. You can find some great deals and wonderful places to eat cheap. Does your family have any relatives in Italy left? You must take a trip once. The saying see Italy than you can die is very true. Swimming in the ocean is like heaven. Nothing better then going spear fishing and bring home the kill you caught. Food is great but the people are friendly. So don't say never. Believe me you can spend just as much going to Vegas. Go to one of the travel agencies like Perillo. They could help you get a good deal.

[Turbineguy]

16. No, but this showed up this morning:

[Arugula Latte]

17. Travel tip: Always bring a little flashlight with you.

It might help if you have to get out of your hotel, ship, whatever, quickly in the night.

[obamanut2012]

20. That's a really good tip