On 3/14/13 4:10 PM, Gogarty wrote:
Going to sea is a risk. I have no sympathy for people who start yelling and
screaming (and contacting lawyers) when anything goes wrong. All gangplanks
should have a huge sign "Board at your own risk."


There's an expectation that public conveyances are being maintained and
operated properly. Apparently that is not the case with the Carnival
cruise line ships and others that serve mainly U.S. ports but are flying
flags of convenience in nations that apparently aren't rigorous in
establishing, maintaining and enforcing standards.

Perhaps a solution might be to insist that these ships be U.S. flagged,
and therefore subject to U.S. rules regarding construction, operation,
crew training and safety. One rule might be that critical shipboard
personnel share a common language.