Here's a sobering question that probably won't have a conclusive answer:
Following the gut-wrenching and tragic ferry accident last week off the shores of South Korea, how is the fear of dying in a ship going to impact the cruise industry?
Seasoned cruisers are unlikely to develop such a fear and are more likely to classify the tragedy as an accident, the kind that could also happen in a car or a train or a plane. People new to cruising might think twice about booking a cruise and the greatest number of new cruisers these days comes from Asia.
Yes, it was a ferry that sank, not a cruise ship. However, news organizations were drawing parallels this week between the ferry in South Korea and the Costa Concordia in Italy, where 32 people died when the big cruise ship hit rocks and tipped onto its side.
The point is, something that's new can be fragile, and judging by the way cruise lines are moving ships across the Pacific, that's the newest hotbed for cruising.
Today at portsandbows.com: The latest in cruise news
Carnival Glory
7 nights
May 31, 2014
Miami (return): Nassau, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk
Inside: $349
Cost per day: $49
www.carnival.com