5 Things We Can Learn From The Cruise Ship Disaster/Holiday Travel Tips

As a safety expert whose best friend's parents were stranded on the Carnival Cruise Ship, I wanted to share what we learned and some tips that would have made this process easier for the family of those traveling. This is great for Holiday travel safety, as well. First and foremost, be familiar with the Travel Bill of Rights for whatever mode of transporation you take. Know what you can expect if something goes wrong.



5 Things We Can Learn From The Cruise Ship Disaster/Holiday Travel Tips



1. Before traveling, make sure your family and friends know your itinerary and time-line. My friend and her sisters saw the news for days before realizing that the cruise ship in the news was the one carrying their parents!

Make sure someone in the family has the hotel, airline, train or cruise ship phone number. Leave them your confirmation and reservation numbers, arrival and departure times, etc.

2. Always prepare for emergencies. Take extra medication and supplies in case you are stranded, whether on the airport tarmac, at a crash site, on the ocean, etc.. Keep these items with you, on board, in a purse or carry-on bag. My friend's father has a medical issue, fortunately, he had enough medication and supplies on hand. Keep your passport and ID with you at all times, too. Best to keep these items close to your body to avoid pick pockets who target tourists, (an item like PortAPockets is ideal, as it is worn underneath clothing).

3. Make sure your family is tuned in to the news. Monitor news stories for any kind of travel disasters involving your mode of transportation so that they have a heads-up that there may be an issue.

4. Appoint someone in your family to be the resource (and spokesperson, if necessary). Make sure everyone knows whose FaceBook page to go to in order to get status updates on what's happening with the travelers and recent news. Or give text info contact, which is easier than everyone calling. They should be level-headed, calm and connected (online and accessible).

5. Always trust your instinct. My friend's mother was packing and something told her to take a flashlight. She talked herself out of it because it seemed silly. It would have come in handy when the power failed and they were in the dark. No matter what the topic, if you have a bad or persistant feeling about something, listen to your gut and respect it.