I can't think of a safer way to travel the world than the cruising. In my opinion the 'cruise and shore tour' combination offers unparalleled levels of safety, compared with land based vacations.

Your floating Hotel is a much more securer environment than most of the worlds Hotels. The shore tours effectively give you the services of a local expert and insulate you from the cities 'no go' areas.

Serious crime aboard ships is a very rare occurrence. Terrorist threats and activities afloat have also been very rare. I don't have the statistics, but cruising has got to be safer than walking or even driving in your own neighbourhood!

Lets not forget flying is still an incredible safe way to travel. If you get the time or inclination, compare the loss of life on your countries roads to aeroplane fatalities. If the number of road fatalities and injuries were caused by a disease, they would call it an "epidemic"! You are probably a thousand times more likely to be injured, or worse, driving to the Airport than you are in an Aeroplane. In fact more of us probably eat ourselves to an early grave!

Cruising the safest way to travel.

(I do not work for Travelpage or the Travel industry!)

Although I'm not afraid to fly or travel, I have to admit that my wife and I have postponed visiting Europe in 2002. With the air strikes taking place in Afghanistan as I type, my thoughts are more concerned with the safety of their civilians and all those defending freedom. I want to be able to enjoy all the culture and beauty Europe has to offer when we go. I don't think that will be possible as long as Americans are a target for fanatics. I look forward to visiting soon. You're absolutely correct that a cruise ship is a very safe way to see different parts of the world. I will continue to travel and fly, but within areas I feel secure. The opportunity to attack the U.S. mainland has become more difficult for bin Laden, so I believe he will strike at Americans whenever or wherever he can. Hopefully, this mad-man and others like him will finally be stopped, God willing.
God Bless America.

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Originally posted by cruznut6:
I have to admit that my wife and I have postponed visiting Europe in 2002...I want to be able to enjoy all the culture and beauty Europe has to offer when we go. I don't think that will be possible as long as Americans are a target for fanatics.

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As the air strikes have now begun, this is becoming an increasingly emotive topic. However, never the less it is a very important one for both the individual and the tourism industry. (Trust me to start another hot topic!)

I am pleased to say that we seem able to debate this sensitive topic with maturity. After all we are all on the same side! We all want world piece and to be able to enjoy a safe vacation!

We must all follow our own instincts and Government advice, as regards weather to cancel or book a vacation. However I think that Americans and other Nationalities will be the target for fanatics for many years to come. As in Europe, America will probably have to live with the threat of terrorism, the rest of their lives.

I'm not convinced that military, political or economic action can not simply make it go away - permanently. Unfortunatly, the children of todays fanatical leaders will step into their shoes and become tomorrows leaders.

The cruise and tourism industry, as well as the travelling public, will simply have to adapt to this new world.

When we were on the Grand Princess, we were very impressed with their security precautions and common-sense approach.

I agree with the other comments about wanting to be near home or be in a place where you can manage the situation. Americans are staying at home more -- not even travelling very far in their cars.

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Originally posted by labrador2:
WE are sailing on the Disney Magic very soon and to say I am worried is an understatement.

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Welcome aboard labrador2.

I still don't really get it? You are from NY I see, the site of the worlds worst terrorist atrocities in modern history, but you are worried about leaving home for a cruise???

There must be thousands of ships in the Caribbean and around the coast of America? The likely hood of terrorist deciding to attack a cruise ship in the first place, let alone the very one you are on, on that very week, must be less that the chances of getting hit on the head by a meteorite!

I'm sorry to sound so patronising, but I can't believe the level of fear that seems to have been drummed up in America! Yes it's a bit scary, but lets keep it all in perspective.

For example, last winter in the UK we lost about 3000 people to Flu! We do EVERY year. The figure must be many times greater that in America?

How many of you are sitting at home right now worrying about dying of flu this winter...none, I suspect! Well statistically it is more likely that some of the scenarios that American's are worrying about at present!

Many of the increased security measures are not being put in place primarily to stop terrorism, they are there to try and pacify paranoid passengers!

I'm sorry to sound so rude and insensitive labrador about this, but as you have probably gathered, I really think that people are panicking unnecessarily! I am not trying to dismiss the terrible loss that America has suffered as meaningless. However, you really must not let fear distroy your great Nation!

However, you might want to worry about the entertainment onboard, I'm told that it is not to everyones liking!

Sorry to rave on, have a great cruise.

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Originally posted by fondaenergy:
The Times of London has mentioned that Britian is also at risk.

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Yes, of course we are at risk.

We are a small island, with a small military capability. Yet we have joined in a War to support our good friends, against an almost invisible enemy!

We the British people, could have easily chosen to say "What happened in New York has nothing to do with us". It would have been the cheap, safe and easy option. Other more powerful nations have chosen to take a back seat. Tony Blair and our miliray forces have put our heads above the parapet, so to speak, for America and for Freedom.

How are we coping? We are ALL simply going about our daily lives as normal. Cruising is no exception to this, in my opinion.

And if they do bomb our cities, we will still go about our everyday lives, just as have done before. Just as we did in the nightly 'blitz' of London.

However, it is difficult to do so. The American media is so open. There is something on every evening's newcast that is disturbing -- maybe scary to some people. I can understand OCEANSDEVINE's feelings. They are justified.

Even if terrorism is not occurring, there is the uncertainty of not knowing when something could happen next. That is why these criminal acts are terrorism. There's the act (the attacks) and then the terror (fear) that lingers.

America is not being destroyed by this. It is being strengthened. However, it's only prudent to be cautious.

Anyone in the NYC area is an indirect victim. I have visited another disaster site some years ago. It is something that stays with you the rest of your life.

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Originally posted by Marcia:
...the difference was that we all watched it happen in living color and then watched it played over and over by the media.

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Very true Marcia, and we have never seen it's likes before! Sorry to sound a little insensitive to the tragedy, but my theme is simply "life MUST go on regardless".

There danger of Military and Police overeaction, is that the day to day crime on your home-front may exploit this and go unchallenged?

I was particularly thinking of the new measures of placing Marshals on ships or even escorting Cruise ships with gun boats, in what are relatively safe waters! You simply can't protect every ship, plane and train in this manner!

See: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/10/12/MN183296.DTL

I notice that the two Marshals in the artical are normally attached to a drug enforcement team operating out of San Diego. I bet the 'pushers' approve of these measures!

It is the airlines that are the problem. And until we have uniformed, Goverment Security Agents, the way we have customs, immigration, police, Coast Guard, whatever, on the line, checking things, flying in the USA will be a white knuckled operation.

The US Senate voted 100-0 yesterday to make this happen. But the Republican Yahoos in the House of Representative, fueled by massive contributions from the airlines (using the bucks we just provided them in a crisis bailout) want the "lowest bidder" private contractors to continue their incompetent ways. They oppose "big gummint!"

Yesterday the contractor was charged with putting those with felony records on the payroll to be baggage sceeners.

I assume they would turn the Army and Navy over to private contractors if they could. Can't have "big gummint" involved.

In the meanwhile news reports of in-flight incidents; successful attempts to smuggle knives and such; and other failures of security continue to proliferate.

And draconian measures even prevent the passengers from using restrooms for much of the flights.

Not a fun experience.

So if cruise lines are dependent upon airlines for connections, they won't get my business or those of many others.

I am sure that it is hard for people who live in the Middle East, and in the UK, who experience what terrorists can do on a regular basis, and who experienced living in London during the blitz, to appreciate how suddenly childlike and irrational(?) our fears as Americans have become.

I think we will, at some point in time, begin to adjust to a way of life in which a new level of uncertainty becomes a minor factor in our day to day decision making.

But for the moment, the memory of Sept 11 is still too fresh in our minds, and the apprehension that was borne from those events--reinforced daily by regular government security warnings--for any of us to be able to dismiss our fears and go about our daily lives as if nothing has changed.

Side Note: Cruise ships have a large number of Fillipinos and Indonesians as crew. From what i have read, their countries have a large number of people who sympathize with whomever were the perpetrators of the Sept 11 attacks. I just hope that some of these crew members aren't sympathetic enough to the cause of these terrorists to become quislings on their own ships, jeopardizing themselves and their fellow passengers.

We are also dealing with "bad guys" of different attitudes and morals. They will do anything to "win" their battle. It is reported everywhere now that they contemplated to blow up Disneyland, Disney World, the Mall of America or the Sears Tower.

Now we have the anthrax problem.

We in Florida are not panicked, but we are pretty concerned.

And there appear to be continuing "situations" arising on airplanes.

I am not a worrying type of person, but I need a little reasurance about flying from Chicago to London, and then our 6 days in the city.

It is widely known that Noraid in NYC was a principal source of the funds that have supported these madmen for thirty bloody years. Dont take offence or go ballistic - it is common knowledge and I know it was very difficult not to give when "asked" to!

New York is now in shock from the worst atrocity committed anywhere; ever. I am as shocked and appalled as anyone, and sat in my cabin on the Norway in disbelief sharing my utter disbelief and horror with all who we met and millions that we have not.

We in Europe have lived with terrorism since about fifteen years after world war two. It makes us more careful, but we go about our daily lives just the same because we have learnt how to.

The same is now true on the West side of the Atlantic. You are just going to have to shake your resolve, accept inconvenience and extra expense and face down these invisible enemies of all of us on the civilised side of the street. One day all our numbers are up, and staying at home will not reduce the probability of that event taking place.

I love to visit the states and its free and easy life style, but I know that those days are over now.

On one cruise board recently I took issue about smuggling liquor through boarding on principle, as for a terrorist it may be a bottle of flammable or viral material and in today's scenario any covert attempt to bring contraband on board any conveyance is irresponsible and bordering on the criminal.

I was told to lighten up which proves that the security message has still not got through.

As Dubya said - (good God I am agreeing with him!) "Get back to the skies" - - and the seas - - and the stores - or else the cowardly little bxxxxxxds who want to drag us back to 640 a.d. have won!!

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Originally posted by sweetsue:
...but I need a little reasurance about flying from Chicago to London, and then our 6 days in the city.

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Hi sweetsue, Some American friends who debarked the SS Norway in Southampton recently, spent some time in London, before flying back to the states. They had a great time! They were also impressed with our security measures - remember we have had terrorism for decades! It's not a new concept in Europe.

The Transatlantic flight soon goes, they never feel as long as they sound!

And what's wrong with spending time in London? I've spent all my life here! In London the general public does not have guns. We do not have no-go areas either!

We have not had any major Terrorism in London for a long time. O.K it could happen tomorrow, but it could happen in Minnesota too!

Lets dispel the myth once and for all, that that staying a home is "safe" and being anywhere "abroad" is dangerous! I would have thought that the NY tragedy taught American's that anywhere can be a target?

Most American's will still die in automobile accidents, or heart disease, much of it caused by smoking, diet and lack of exercise. These are the things to really worry about!