Latest Safety Policy for the Cruise Industry (It’s about time)

By Elaine N. Schoch

Big news in the cruise industry – a new safety standard has been adopted. Ok, really? I mean after six cruise liners have either sank or had collisions since Jan. 2011, this shouldn’t really be a surprise. I had to chuckle as I read through the news release though as it seems like something they should already be doing.

According to the press release, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) announced that the cruise industry has adopted an additional safety policy. This policy, which exceeds current international regulatory requirements, addresses issues related to the loading of lifeboats by crewmembers for training purposes. It is an outcome of the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review, which was launched in January 2012. 

The Life Boat Loading for Training Purposes policy requires the launching and full loading of a lifeboat at least once every six months for crew training purposes for all oceangoing members of CLIA and ECC, effective immediately. During the training, the lifeboat is filled to capacity with crewmembers and maneuvered in the water to facilitate familiarization with lifeboat operations. It is mandatory that all crewmembers involved in operating or loading of lifeboats attend the drill. Smaller ships with less than 300 crewmembers will conduct similar training as appropriate.  

I’m sorry but this seems like it should have been a standard practice to begin with? As a passenger, you have to go through a safety training when you board so why wouldn’t crewmembers be required to do regular trainings such as this?

I have to wonder if this something that is going to help restore the traveling public’s faith in cruise travel? What do you think? Do you have more “faith” in cruising? And with that, I leave you a video from our contributing writer, Shell R. who was on-board a sinking cruise ship…