Widow Of Cruise Ship Storm Victim Criticises Maintenance On Board

The widow of a man who was killed by a huge wave hitting a cruise ship during a storm on 14 February has criticized the maintenance aboard the vessel.

The 22,000 tonne ship was heading to the Essex port of Tilbury at the end of its 42-night trip when Helen Swinstead's husband died as the windows of the Marco Polo vessel blew out and hit him on the head while he was dining in the restaurant.

Water crashed through the window and injured several of the 735 passengers, many of whom were British. Among the passengers injured was an elderly woman who had to be airlifted to hospital after the wave hit the boat.

Swinstead's widow praised the crew, but criticized the shipping company, saying that the ship was badly maintained and the operator should compensate people. She said that four of the windows blew and added that she had mentioned to her husband that there was a rusty puddle on the window sill. Swinstead is waiting to hear from the cruise company.

Operator Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) commented that the ship was fully compliant with strict maritime regulations. The safety and comfort of passengers is and will be number one priority and of significant importance to the company, said Christian Verhounig, chief executive of CMV. The Marco Polo undergoes stringent and thorough surveys, it is regularly inspected and an annual dry docking survey and certification were conducted recently, he noted.

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Scotland, Italy Among Top Fishing Spots

Fishing trips often combine the sport with great sightseeing. Among the best places to enjoy your hobby and also take in the magnificence of nature are Scotland, Sicily and Thailand, according to Canadian travel website Cheapflights, which has compiled a list of locations especially suitable for fishing enthusiasts that would allow them to both practise their hobby and get to see some of the most beautiful parts of the world.

First among these destinations is Sutherland in Scotland. The area is famous for salmon and brown and sea trout, and fishing at the Kyle estuary is allowed every day except Sunday. Offering magnificent scenery, the location is suitable for novice anglers, with the local Angling Association providing them and their more experienced fellow fishermen with a booklet listing the best spots to make a catch. The daily permit for sea trout fishing is priced at £8.

Still in Europe, another great spot for fishing enthusiasts is Sicily, Italy. Although the fish population has started to dwindle as a result of too much fishing, it is still a perfect location to try spearfishing. This ancient form of fishing allows you to combine the activity with diving, adding charm to the experience. The most common fish around the coasts of Sicily are tuna, blue fish and sardines.

If you have a passion for deep sea fishing, visiting the Thai island of Phuket is a perfect choice. The Andaman Sea is one of the best places for deep sea fishing with its crystal clear waters and populations of tuna, marlin - blue and black - and swordfish. Although fishing there is only on a catch-and-release basis, the experience is still unique.

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Over 70 And Need Travel Insurance? Here's What You Should Be Looking For

If you're over 70 and planning a holiday, it's likely that you'll be looking for the appropriate travel insurance. Some over-70s may have postponed trips of a lifetime due to pre-existing medical conditions. If this is you, you may have found the prospect of flying away to a foreign country, or even travelling to other parts of the UK, somewhat daunting - largely due to concerns about such conditions flaring up whilst away from home. However, if you know what to look out for during your hunt for holiday insurance, you can ensure you are covered, and this feeling of having a 'safety net' in place can help give you peace of mind whilst away.

Firstly, it is important to choose an insurer specialising in travel insurance for all ages. They will often have comprehensive plans in place to suit your circumstances.

Depending on the type of holiday you have booked, and what activities you have planned, you may have differing insurance requirements to others. For example, a European long weekend away will have a different rate than if you plan on travelling across Asia for six months. You may be planning a cruise, in which case a specialist cruise insurance policy will be the option for you.

The length of your holiday will, of course, be a factor when choosing the correct policy for you. If you are away for an extended period of time (travelling for many months, on a working holiday or sabbatical, for example) you will need to opt for a 'long stay policy'. However, even if you are simply planning a UK mini-break, it is still a good idea to have cancellation cover in place. If you've booked to rent an expensive cottage or stay in an upmarket hotel, you wouldn't want to lose any money if, for whatever reason, you could not attend.

If you enjoy caravanning holidays, consider taking out a special caravan insurance policy to cover you whilst you are on your trip. You will be able to enjoy your holiday to the maximum, safe in the knowledge that you, your caravan, and even your pets, are covered.

Also take into account how frequently you travel. If you are an avid holidaymaker, or even if you go on holiday more than twice a year, you may want to search for an annual policy.

66 Fall Ill On Royal Caribbean Cruise

Sixty-six passengers fell ill aboard the Majesty of the Seas cruise ship last week, according to a statement from Royal Caribbean International.

During the four-night cruise 66 of the 2,300 passengers became sick with a stomach illness, vomiting and diarrhoea, with two of the more than 800 crew members also experiencing gastrointestinal issues, the statement said. The company believes that the cause is norovirus, which is described by the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a highly contagious bug that can be spread by an infected person, contaminated water or food, or if a person is in contact with contaminated surfaces, Royal Caribbean reported.

The company said that passengers responded well to drugs administered onboard and that it had undertaken enhanced cleaning of the ship during the journey to help prevent the illness from spreading further.

The ship docked in Miami and after that Royal Caribbean conducted an "extensive and thorough sanitizing" onboard and within the cruise terminal in an effort to prevent the sickness from affecting the next sailing.

Before boarding, the passengers on the next trip received a letter asking if they had experienced any gastrointestinal issues over the past three days. Those who did not feel well were allowed to reschedule their trip, according to the company.

Back in May 2013, a fire broke out on another Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Grandeur of the Seas, which forced people to fly back home. And in February last year a fire in the engine-room of the Carnival Triumph, operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, forced the ship to drift in the Gulf of Mexico for several days.

Cruise Travel Insurance provided by Onestop4 steps in to financially compensate passengers affected by these types of events. ‘Withdrawal of Services’ cover is just one of the many comprehensive benefits provided as standard as part of this specialist cruise insurance.

Kate Huet, MD, International Travel and Healthcare Limited said  “ It is no fun being on a cruise ship with a norovirus outbreak. Until the ship has been fully sanitised passengers are confined to stop the virus spreading. Amenities are immediately withdrawn and it is not unusual for passengers to be confined to their cabins until the sanitising has been completed, a long job on a cruise ship with 4000+ passengers.

Similarly, the loss of engines after a fire results in no power, and with that no air conditioning, refrigeration of food, heating of food, flushing toilets and many other discomforts materialise.

We encourage all cruise passengers to ensure that they have adequate cruise insurance, which recognises that once on board you are unable to simply check out and relocate to the nearest hotel, as you would be able to if your holiday hotel was not meeting your expectations. Cruising is a different “risk” and passengers need to be aware that they could be affected by more events than a typical hotel-type holiday would normally present”

Onestop4 Cruise Insurance is available via the Onestop4 website or calling 0800 848 8448.