Know the code – Cruise Ship Safety and Me.

What I have learned from Costa Concordia

A week has passed since the Costa Concordia tragedy. And just when I thought that the news had peaked, one more body has been found by divers searching the Costa Concordia shipwreck. The death toll is now 12.

Safety First

With every news report, email, query, tweet, post, status update or comment I encounter brings me right back to square-one asking myself, “what would I do?”

I cruise a lot. In fact when I am not on a ship, I am writing about cruising, pitching a new cruise related story, or dreaming of new cruise itineraries. Now since the Costa Concordia tragedy, I have had to put myself on mute while I wait for facts and confirmed news.  As much as I want to, there is little I can do to help the search and recovery efforts, and for some reason I have not been asked to fly to Italy to interview the Captain (but I am available.)  So I wait.

Drilled. But how much will I recall in a real emergency?

My little cruiser on a boat in Cabo

@CruiseJess: all dressed for mustering: compliant and ready to "fall-in."

I ask myself “how much do I really know about cruise ship general emergency procedures?” Sadly, the answer is not much beyond what I have learned at mustering, which does not really answer my deeper questions, which are:

1. Do I go collect my kids at kids club? I know the protocol is no. But do I really think that I can resist? What about the wrist band? My kids have tried taking those off only to be quickly returned to a staff member to get one on.
2. Do I go to the cabin to get my life jacket? How about my valuables in the safe? At what point do I not do that and head to the muster location? But which muster station?
3. If the ship is listing and the electricity is out, what should I do? Do I jump in and help everyone or do I fall-in and follow instructions? What is the chain of command?
4. Is there really an announcement that says “abandon ship?”
5. If I hear everyone shouting “abandon ship” what does that mean? Jump overboard, head to a lifeboat?
6. At what point does a tender become a lifeboat?

Where to get more information about cruise ship safety

• Coast Guard: Ensuring Cruise Ship Safety
• Cruise Ship Disaster Puts Focus On Safety Concerns
• International Maritime Organization
• Maritime laws including rules about mustering 

Set sail for a fun look at family cruising in Europe

Join @KidTravel and @CruiseRadio as we tackle cruising through Europe with the family.

• Listen to the interview that inspired the chat from Cruise Radio.
• Looking for a guide for what to look for when cruising with teens? Check out Family Travel Networks 12 tips for cruising with a teen

Join us for #CruiseChat on Twitter every Tues. 2pm EST.

Family Cruising

• Planning your family cruise
• Age Minimums: The ABCs
• Top Tested Tips for Cruising with Babies and Toddlers
• Family Affair: Cruising with the Whole Crew, Grandpa, Grandma & The Kids
• Choosing A Family Stateroom
• Cruise Ship Kid Programs
• Cruise Ship Safety and Security For Families

What is unique about family cruising?

What makes a family cruise unique is that the needs of all members of the group should be addressed – with multiple ages it is not “one size fits all” vacation planning.

For example, the ages of the members traveling with the family should weigh into the equation when selecting a  cruise itinerary, cruise duration, and a cruise line. All ships, although they share a lot of similarities, do vary based on size of vessel, onboard amenities and kid-friendliness.

Your VIP invitation to family cruising 411

Join us on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 at 2pm EST for #CruiseChat. Bring your European cruise tips, family cruising thinking-caps, and European port knowledge to the Twitter Party.

Do tell

Have you been on a family cruise in Europe? Leave us a comment and tell us what your best tips are.

The first step for planning a family vacation is …. picking the location.

Looking for inspiration at the library.

Researching destinations. Where do you find inspiration for picking the perfect family vacation location?

If you are traveling with young kids, older children or teenagers the perfect location should include the right combination of food, activities, other kids, and supervised daycare (just in case).

For ease of use, I will always recommend a cruise or a stay at an all-inclusive resort. However, I am no stranger to camping, hotel stays, and the staycation concept.

Since I live near the beach (a mere 15 minutes by car), I have spent many a day playing in the sand, teaching the kids how to swim and having good old-fashioned cookouts.

I suppose based on my location, I should also mention the merits of taking the family on a trip to the amusement park: Disneyland and Legoland are a couple of our favorites.

Picking the right location for your family vacation will help you make sure that everyone has a great break.

What are your favorite places to visit for family vacation?

Handy-dandy list of travel links

Looking for a quick list of travel links to help cruisers plan for their vacations.

Dealing with money

• Currency Calculator

Time Zones:

• Official U.S. Time
• World Time Zones
• Time and Date
• Greenwich Mean Time
• Atomic Clock

Warnings

• U.S. Department of State – Travel.State.Gov
• Foreign and Commenwealth Office Travel

Health

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• World Health Organization

Maps

• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

Flight Info

• Domestic Flight Delay Information
• Flight Delay Information – Alaska & Hawaii

Tips

• Transportation Security Administration
• Lost or stolen Passports in the U.S.
• Lost or stolen Passports Abroad

Weather

• United States and International Weather Conditions
• National Oceanographic Data Center – Coastal Water Temperature Guide
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

Airport Maps

Alaska | American | Continental | Delta | United | USAir

Why Alaska?

Cruise visitors setting out to explore Alaska on a cruise ship will have a lot to discover.  There are 30 ports in Alaska and with almost 34, 000 miles of shoreline, an Alaska cruise is the best way to see and enjoy the great land of Alaska.

Entering Glacier Bay National Park on Coral Princess

Good to know

• The word Alaska comes from an Eskimo word “Alakshak” meaning great lands or peninsula.
• Mountains: Of the nation’s 20 highest peaks, 17 are in Alaska. That includes the legendary Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet.
• Glaciers: Alaska has an estimated 100,000 glaciers, which cover almost five percent of the state. There are more active glaciers in Alaska than in the rest of the inhabited world.
• Alaska Marine Highway System: Alaskan ferries travel a route covering 3,500 miles and serving 30 Alaskan ports.
• Bald Eagles: The largest known concentration of bald eagles, over 3,000, converges near Haines from October through January to feed on late run salmon in the Chilkat River.
• Water: Alaska has 3 million lakes, over 3,000 rivers and more coastline (47,300 miles) than the entire contiguous United States.
• Parks: Alaska has 15 National Parks, Preserves and Monuments, and 3.2 million acres of State Park lands.
• Time Zones: Alaska has its own time zone, which is one hour earlier than Pacific Time. The westernmost Aleutian Islands are on Hawaii-Aleutian Time, two hours earlier than Pacific Time.