My idea of a nightmare vacation is going on a cruise.
I don't love being on a boat - seasickness never fails to hit me - and just the idea of being cooped up for a long period of time - yeah, I know they are big boats - makes my skin crawl.
Someone else can enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffets. I don't think I'm missing a thing. My heart will go on never experiencing being out on the open sea.
Now, this very sad AP story about a missing woman, who loved to cook, makes me more certain than ever that I'm never, ever, going on a cruise. (See below):
UPDATE: According to a story filed today, Dec. 30, by the AP, the woman's family believes she might have jumped overboard, but the FBI is still investigating whether someone pushed her.
Someone commented that I'm being unsensitive - and since this may now be a suicide, they're probably right. Mea culpa. But let me clarify why I don't like the idea of a cruise: The possibility of plunging into the ocean, alone, in the night, and no one knows you have fallen, reminds me of one of the most frightening movies I have ever seen Open Water.
MIAMI - The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Monday for a Florida woman who authorities believe plunged from a cruise ship balcony into the waters off Mexico's coast on Christmas night.
A surveillance camera on the Norwegian Pearl ship showed someone falling overboard at 8 p.m. that night, authorities said. About eight hours later, Raymond Seitz reported his wife, Jennifer, missing.
Coast Guard and Mexican naval vessels conducted an "exhaustive" search through the weekend covering more 4,200 square miles off the popular resort town of Cancun, where the Norwegian Pearl had just visited. Mexican authorities said they would continue their search for another 48 hours.
FBI spokesman Mike Leverock says agents met the ship at the dock in Miami on Sunday, collected materials and "are still trying to determine if a crime occurred."
Norwegian Cruise Line said it is "cooperating fully" with the FBI.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the guest during this difficult time," the company said in a news release.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the guest during this difficult time," the company said in a news release.
Raymond Seitz has not been charged with any crime, authorities said Monday.
His wife was a freelance writer, having written articles for The Tampa Tribune, Florida Today, and penned a story for an online site titled, "Battling the Bulge Onboard," about how not to gain weight while onboard a ship.
On her Web site, Seitz described herself as an "avid traveler and an amateur chef." She was previously a reporter for Florida Today, a newspaper in Melbourne.
A passenger on the ship said Seitz and her new husband stood out among the vacationers onboard with "large and raw personalities."
Many of the passengers saw them as contestants on an on-board game called "The Not-So-Newlywed Game," modeled after a 1960s TV quiz show. The game was also carried on the ship's closed-circuit TV channel.
"They stood out a lot more than other people," Jim Nestor, a retired police officer, told NBC's Today show. Nestor and his wife also appeared on the game show.
Starting in June, Jennifer Seitz worked as a temporary elections worker in Polk County. Co-worker Judy Walker said Seitz had a "very bubbly personality."
"Very likable," Walker said. "We're just really shocked now, to be honest."
2 comments:
I'm with you, Patricia...the thought of being on a huge ship with 1,000-plus people makes me cringe.
On the other hand, we took a Viking River cruise this fall and it was wonderful. No "forced frivolity", onboard quiz shows, all-you-can-eat buffets. Very low key and small.
I think you're off base with this one, Patricia. My husband and I love to cruise. The dining onboard the ship is excellent, and one gets to visit different places each day, while only unpacking suitcases once (which is convenient!). I also am prone to motion sickness of all kinds ... I stay on the upper levels of the ship, and a little Dramamine takes care of the rest.
I also think it's a tiny bit in poor taste to use a sad story such as this as a reason for not cruising. You've never posted regarding a car accident with your intention to never get behind the wheel, and car accidents happen with MUCH greater frequency than tragic accidents (if it was indeed an accident and not a purposeful act) such as this one.
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