April 2, 2023
On the trail to Petra, we dodged camels, mules, horses, golf carts, and even
stray cats and dogs.
Another Storm
Less than one hour after I posted Ravenna, Italy, the Captain announced that a storm is bringing high winds and heavy seas throughout the Adriatic Sea. Therefore, we are spending tonight in port and not leaving until noon tomorrow (April 3) in the hope that we will avoid the worst of the weather system.
We will miss the stops in Koper, Slovenia and Croatia. Croatia was one of the top five countries that Cliff and I were excited about, so of course we are disappointed. However, this is one of many unexpected things that can happen on a cruise, so we just roll with the punches.
So far, ports cancelled during this cruise due to weather were:
Picton, NZ
Wellington, NZ
New Plymouth, NZ
Darwin, Australia
Koper (Ljubljana), Slovenia
Split, Croatia
Anticipate the possibility that ports will be unexpectedly cancelled due to weather, or even because a country suddenly decides not to allow cruise ships any more. That happened with us -- Venice and Nicaragua both cancelled our stops at their ports.
Accidents and Illnesses
Just like traveling on the road, by train or by plane -- or even going to a baseball game, playing golf, going to work, taking a walk or just staying home, anything can happen. That's life. It's no different on a cruise ship.
Cabin Cough
We've often heard it said that a cruise ship is a giant floating Petri dish. In the past, Norovirus has been a huge issue on cruise ships, long before COVID. Almost fanatic sanitizing and hand washing has helped tremendously.
In a longer cruise such as ours, people develop the dreaded "Cabin Cough." The air runs continually in the cabins. You can adjust the temperature, but you can't turn it off. This dries out your mucous membranes, leaving you susceptible to bacteria or viruses. It can race through the cruise ship. Soon people all around you have a deep, non-stop, gut-wrenching, hacking cough. Riding in tour buses, people all around you are coughing. Once you get it, you can't seem to get over it. The worst part is that it keeps coming back. People get secondary infections -- pharyngitis, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, strep throat. We can hear people in cabins all around us coughing throughout the day and night. We were not immune, either. However, the bar staff makes a great hot toddy!
Nelsie and Aboo make great drinks, including a hot
toddy for a sore throat. And yes, they are just as
sweet as they look!
Seasickness
Even for those not prone to sea sickness, it can happen with exceptionally rough seas. When returning from Gythion, Greece, the water shuttle was rocking so hard as it paused a short distance from the ship, that we were sure it would capsize. One passenger who has never been seasick before had to run to the restroom immediately after getting off the shuttle.
Bonine (Meclizine), sea bands, Dramamine, seasick patches behind the ear, and ginger ale can be very helpful, yet all of your defenses against seasickness might not work in the roughest seas. For me, the world cruise is definitely worth those bad nights.
Food Poisoning
What's worse than food poisoning or other food borne illnesses? Having it on vacation! Be careful about what you eat and drink in foreign ports. One fellow passenger suffered food poisoning after enjoying a delicious chicken dish in Thailand.
Watch that Step!
Most accidents happen in the home, right? When on a cruise, the ship is your home, and there are plenty of hazards to watch out for on the ship itself.
Examples:
ALWAYS hold onto the handrails -- especially on the lovely, rounded white marble stairs in the atrium area, and of course rounded stairs on the upper outside decks, which can be wet and slippery. Those rounded steps play with your vision, making it easy for missteps. Take them very slowly. Additionally built-in treads or fancy trim on stairs can catch your shoe, tripping you up.
Uneven floors -- In the main dining room of our ship, there are step-ups and step-downs. While these transitions are marked with yellow tape, if you are waving at a friend or otherwise distracted, you will trip or twist your ankle. Not long after embarking on the world cruise, a woman fell in the main dining room and spent many weeks with a full soft leg cast and in a wheelchair.
Rough seas can have you walking like a drunk, weaving back and forth across the hallways, and running into people. The buffet is particularly difficult to navigate in those situations. Take it slow, and be sure to wear shoes with low heels that won't slip on your feet. Cheap rubber flip flops or high heels just aren't safe on a cruise ship. They are a recipe for a twisted ankle, a fall, or even worse -- especially on stairs. Even around the pool, you need footwear that won't let your heel slip around or become slippery. The Captain even warned us about our bathroom doors closing on our fingers during rough seas.
Leaving and returning to the ship can be hazardous as well because of the humps and bumps in ramps and the slippery metal steps. Avoid wearing leather soled shoes on a ship. Rubber soled shoes are best.
Boarding and disembarking from water shuttles is particularly risky. When the water is rough and that shuttle is rocking up and down, chances for a misstep are very high. Grab the forearm of the staff member trying to help you, not his hand. Wait for his signal before hopping on or off.
Heavy doors that lead to the outside are another hazard. If it is windy, the doors can slam back quickly on you. If you are walking around on deck in windy or damp weather, always use the handrail.
Bring your collapsible walking stick(s) for trails, uneven terrain, and rocky or slippery surfaces.
Dangers Onshore
Be forewarned! Many other countries just do not have the safety standards that we have in the United States. Some of the things we saw were a bit shocking. We don't realize how much we take for granted until we visit other countries. It is always frightening to have an accident in a foreign country, especially if there is a chance you can be stuck in a hospital overseas.
Examples:
Lack of walls or handrails separating the concrete walkways from a sharp drop or the water. In lovely Greece, for example, tables and chairs were set up close to the drop off from concrete seawall to the shallow water below. If you are sitting with your back to the water and scoot your chair back just an inch too far, you will suffer severe injuries.
Uneven sidewalks and walkways with holes, dips, and unexpected drop-offs. We encountered many very old cobbled, stone, and brick streets with constant tripping hazards, as well as crooked and aged stone steps of uneven heights. Unexpected ramps rise up or shoot down on sidewalks, so if you aren't watching your step, you can trip or twist an ankle. Cliff was taking a photo in Puerto Vallarta, and stepped left to improve his shot, not realizing there was a steep drop in the walkway. He twisted and almost fell.
Very high curbs -- it is best to hold onto each other when navigating these.
Bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, cars, horses and camels weaving through crowds.
Crowds in general are hazardous, not only because of pickpockets, but also because shoving people seems acceptable in many countries. When you are chest to back in a crowd and can't even see your feet, that is an extremely dangerous situation for tripping and falling. In several countries, I was intentionally shoved by local women in crowds.
Rustic boats in some countries have no safety standards at all -- no handrails and nothing to hang onto, maybe only two lifesavers for 16 people, and a driver who takes off when people are still standing. Be very careful on such vessels.
Stay away from wild animals, no matter how cute they are -- especially Komodo dragons. Don't pet feral dogs or cats.
Stay away from ledges when taking photos. We saw one young man step on the edge of a cliff with wet grass and loose rocks to take a photo of the sea.
Riding a tuktuk? How fun! And how EXTREMELY dangerous. You've heard the warning to keep your hands, arms, head and feet inside the vehicle? Remember that if you ever take a tuktuk! When our friend Joan was in India, she had her elbow slightly outside the vehicle as she was holding on tight, and her elbow got caught between her tuktuk and another one trying to pass hers. Her arm was cut, and the underside of her upper arm had the biggest bruise I've ever seen. Another passenger told us that her foot got caught between two tuktuks and she had to have foot surgery.
If you are cut or have an abrasion in a foreign country (especially developing countries), do not wait. Immediately get it cleaned, sanitized well, and covered immediately. If you are on an excursion, let your guide know, because the guides usually carry or have access to first aid kits with isopropyl alcohol and strong antibiotic ointments. If you are not on an excursion, it would be wise to carry your own small first aid kit. Use bottled water for washing the wound, because in some countries, even the drinking water can be contaminated.
Be sure, if you ever go on a cruise, that you purchase good travel insurance. If you have an accident or mishap, you will be very glad you did. Even better is if you do have travel insurance, but you never need it!
People Can Die on Cruises
We all know that cruise ships have morgues, because people can die on cruises. Bad accidents can happen, but more likely, especially on our cruise, elderly people who are already in poor health can die during the cruise. People can have unanticipated heart attacks or strokes, or develop pneumonia. We suspect that at least two people on this cruise passed away. If it did happen, it was kept very quiet and private, as it should be.
A Big Thank You to the Crew
While all of this may sound very negative, you shouldn't let it deter you from taking a cruise. Simply be even more aware of the risks than you are back home. Have a contingency plan if something happens. Enjoy every day, because "We are never promised tomorrow." Buy that trip insurance.
Our steward, Menino, is the BEST! He checks on us every
day, laughs at Cliff's jokes, and helped make Cliff's 79th
birthday special.
The Island Princess crew is amazing, and we love them all. They strive to protect us and watch out for our safety every moment, with a big smile all the while. Listen to warnings that they issue, follow safety protocols, and Bon Voyage!
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