Impact of Tsunami on the Cruising World

I have always wanted to find out what impact tsunamis have on the cruising world. Yes, truly huge tsunamis like the one that happened in Asia are quite rare. But the fact remains that, smaller tsunamis happen all the time, and the cumulative effect of all this could really be quite devastating for the cruise liners. After all, who would like to sail on a vessel and stay exposed to the risks?

So what is the impact? Are fewer people booking or asking about a cruise vacation now? What are the cruise liners doing to allay the fears of the general public? Can the ships really do anything at all? And what about the bottom-line? Has there been any major impact there?

I was really keen to find this out, and started doing the research. I reached out to a few major liners, and asked them the critical questions. I visited the office of the Cruise Lines International Association to get their side of the story. I consulted various travel agents to find out whether there has been any major drop in the bookings or enquiries. I even went on a cruise myself, to find out what the on-board passengers felt.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason for taking the cruise. I really love cruising, and can sail the ocean absolutely anytime. You just have to mention the word “cruise” to me, and off I go. LOL.

And here’s what I discovered.

Luckily, there has been little impact. Those who love to cruise would go anyway. Of course, they are concerned about their safety, but it seems that most people have retained their confidence in the ability of the companies to take timely action in case of such eventualities. And it seems that there is certainly a lot of logic here.

With the forecasting systems much better today than they were before, it is possible to know about an earthquake or a tsunami hours in advance. Since the ship is always wired or connected, call what you like, the captain can take timely decision and change the course to avert a crisis. Sure enough, you will miss a few ports-of-call, but then, your life will be saved. And certainly, that is all that matters. Doesn’t it.

Certainly the liners are all on a perennial red alert, ever since the big one in Asia, and the other smaller ones. They are always tuned in, listening particularly to such signals, and that’s precisely why there hasn’t been an incident in the last few years.

In fact, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, those who are on a cruise during the tsunami are always safe. This is what Lanie Fagan the spokeswoman of the Cruise Lines International Association said, “because a tsunami causes a rise in the height of the sea, a ship at sea is one of the safest places to be. It is when a tsunami approaches the coast that it causes damages as the wave builds in height and causes widespread flooding.”

That is certainly an interesting take. Who am I to challenge that?