Is Carnival Cruise lines just having a bad couple of years, or do they just suck?

[randomness]

The news about the Carnival Triumph and its recent troubles got me to looking into the line's recent record:

• On November 8, 2010, a fire broke out in the generator room of the Carnival Splendor and the ship lost most power.


• On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia, operated by a Carnival subsidiary, ran aground off Isola del Giglio, Tuscany. The ship capsized and partially sank, killing 32 people.


• In March 2012, the Costa Allegra, owned by Carnival Cruise Lines' Costa Cruises subsidiary, suffered an engine room fire and went adrift in the Indian Ocean.


• In February 2013, the Carnival Triumph, with 3,143 passengers aboard, suffered an engine room fire, leaving the ship adrift for days in the Gulf of Mexico.

Is this number of incidents normal for cruise lines? Is Carnival Cruise lines known to be more accident prone than other lines? They do have a large fleet, so I suppose it could just be random chance, but it doesn't seem like a good record.

I don't know the first thing about cruise lines and their reputations, so I'm asking.

Comments

[cerridwynn.livejournal.com]

I went on a short (4 day) Celebrity cruise once and was pleasantly surprised. (My parents took me as a "congrats" gift when I got my scuba certification -- they said "we have to get this girl diving in some warm water!")

Anyway, in particular, I was impressed by the food! I figured it would be pleasant, fattening, and nondescript, which in the main dining hall it mostly was. But we made reservations for a night in the on-board restaurant, which was as good and creative/innovative as any fine dining in a major U.S. city or tourist destination. And I was particularly impressed by the on-board bakery -- the baguettes and croissants were, honestly, comparable to those I had in Paris. I'm not kidding -- they were amazing!

Also,bloodstones' JV-travel term came up in a conversation with me. Jeff and I want to go somewhere in the next few months -- while we still can! :-) -- and I realized I just don't have the energy for my usual "run around and try to see/experience/eat everything" kind of travel. I'm looking for more of a "sit on the beach and have someone bring me virgin pina coladas" kind of travel. So I was thinking short cruise... but this story has me thinking again -- especially right now! (Though I was certainly thinking less Carnival and more Celebrity for a cruise line...)

Actually, if you have recommendations for non-cruise-based JV (intramural?) travel in countries where, as my doctor said,"you'd feel comfortable getting a blood transfusion" then I'm all ears! :-) (ETA -- with the complication that it also needs to be someplace pleasant to visit in March or April...)

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

someplace pleasant to visit in March or April...

Probably somewhere warm, then? If it's a short trip I wouldn't go any farther than the Caribbean. One of the richer islands is probably best if you're concerned about health care.

That having been said if you really want to play it safe you don't even have to leave the States. There are plenty of warm places in the lower 48 that will work for a "sit on the beach and have someone bring me virgin pina coladas" trip.