Ohio woman reported missing from Carnival cruise ship

ap on San Diego Union - Tribune ^ | 9/11/06 | AP

[Cobra64]

Series. If you haven't had sex, you don't know what it's like. Same goes for many things in life that have not been experienced first hand.

[Hildy]

24 missing people in two years out of how many millions of passengers? I'd say that's a pretty good record.

[EggsAckley]

You're right, of course. But *I* wasn't the one being hard on the folks. ~</;o)

[mewzilla]

Great, something new for Greta van Susteren to beat on wall-to-wall for the next 8 weeks.

But Hilliary's still booked for tonight...

[kittymyrib]

With a record like that, the news headlines will soon read: Carnival Cruise Returns With All Passengers. Really, it looks like an awful lot of passengers are too drunk to stay on deck, or someone has discovered a great way of getting rid of unwanted relatives.

[freedumb2003]

But *I* wasn't the one being hard on the folks.

I did address the original poster -- but sometimes I wish we had a "cc:" function so people could tell whether they are the addressee or just an interested party.

On more than one occassion I have done a CP and been climbed over because the Pingee thought I was addressing them.

FRetiquette is tougher than people realize.

[Kaylee Frye]

Not all cruise ships have cell phone service. Ours did not. It also usually costs extra. Many groups bring a set of radios to talk while running around the huge ships.

[freedumb2003]

Really, it looks like an awful lot of passengers are too drunk to stay on deck, or someone has discovered a great way of getting rid of unwanted relatives.

My wife is sure that it is spousicide in every case. You have to admit a moonlit night, a private balcony and a little push could make an almost perfect crime.

[Cobra64]

You do NOT want to drive in Mexico unless you like jails.

[Thinkin' Gal]

I'll never understand why people waste money on cruises when there are so many REAL vacations and destinations to enjoy.

Maybe that's why they chose the "Imagination".

[Thinkin' Gal]

I would get bored and want to get off within hours. I won't go on one.

Two words: fire trap.

[Cobra64]

Really, it looks like an awful lot of passengers are too drunk to stay on deck,

Are there really a lot of drunks on cruises?

[Blue Jays]

Hi Thinkin' Gal-

A modern oceangoing vessel is safer than your living room in terms of firefighting capability.

~ Blue Jays ~

[EggsAckley]

Not a problem. I know how that happens.
Cheers!

[TWfromTEXAS]

we spent whole days exploring the cities we visited. In St. Petersburg there was a full day at the Hermitage

I have heard my dad and grandmother say this is the greatest art museum in the west that neither of them has seen. It must be wonderful.

[packrat35]

Actually it was the plot of a Travis McGee book many years ago.

[Arthalion]

You do NOT want to drive in Mexico unless you like jails.

Funny, I've driven in Mexico many times and have never had that problem. In fact, the most dangerous things on the Mexican highways are the other Mexican drivers and the conditions of the roads themselves. DUI is common and an acceptable practice there, pavement is only sporadically maintained, many roads are unstriped, and streetlights are only found on main thoroughfares inside the larger cities.

There's a few basic safety tips for driving in Mexico that Americans need to be aware of. Follow them and you'll be fine:
1) Don't take your Jaguar to Nuevo Laredo or Tijuana. People there aren't going to care if you're American, Mexican, or Chinese, they're just going to see several years worth of income in stripping it, and you WILL get jacked. If you're going to Mexico, take an older car or, better yet, stop by a car rental place and pick up a Mexican rental (with the bonus Mexican plates).

2) Get through the border areas quickly, but don't speed. The border is controlled by drug gangs and is NOT a place that ANYONE (American or Mexican) really wants to spend a lot of time. The danger fades an hour or two south of the border, so skip Tijuana and head south. On the other hand, ticket revenue is a major resource for the border towns, and Mexican speed limits tend to be lower in towns. If you're speeding, you can expect to be pulled over. The officer will either demand that you pay him the fine on the spot (where a substantial portion will end up in his pocket), or you'll be taken to jail until you can pay it. The trick to avoiding this is...DON'T SPEED.

3) Don't drive after dark. No, there are no gangs of roving banditos waiting to ambush you, but the darkened and unstriped Mexican highways tend to have sharp dropoffs and run through unfenced rangeland. Nothing will screw your vacation faster than a sheep through the windshield.

4) Don't go exploring the back roads unless you have a knowledgeable local with you. They tend to be even more poorly maintained than the highway, and many run into villages that don't like outsiders or which grow various drugs. A lily white American tourist showing up in one of these towns is NOT going to be treated well

5) Keep $40 in your wallet, and the rest of your money in your sock. If you do run into problems, pull out the $40, tell the cop it's all you have, and 95% of the time they'll take your money and let you walk.

Is Mexico the safest place in the world to visit? Nope, but it's safe enough with a little common sense.