The cause of the
fire aboard the Star Princess has not been officially determined,
but Oceania Cruises is not waiting.
The Star Princess
brought to light a very serious problem that everyone has always
known existed, said Tim Rubacky, Oceanias director of corporate
communications. Smoking in staterooms and on verandas has always
been the pink elephant in the living room.
Last week Oceania
implemented a zero tolerance smoking policy. Any guest found
smoking outside designated areas will be disembarked at the next
port of call, Rubacky said, and a letter detailing the policy will
be distributed to all passengers at embarkation and reiterated
during the sailing.
No second or third
chances will be given, said Rubacky. Fire at sea is the worse thing
that can happen to a ship.
The Star Princess
fire broke out on March 23 on a sailing from Grand Cayman to
Jamaica, leading to one passenger death following cardiac arrest
and 11 smoke inhalation injuries. At least 100 cabins were damaged
before crew extinguished the flames.
A Jamaican official
toured the charred ship that day and told the Associated Press that
a cigarette was suspected of starting the blaze. Since then,
smoking on cruise ships has been the talk of the industry.
No cruise line
besides Oceania has made changes to their smoking policies.
Princess allows guests to smoke in their cabins.
Cruise lines have
stamped out smoking in dining rooms, but nonsmoking ships are a
thing of the past. Carnivals attempt at a nonsmoking ship, the
Paradise, ended when it began allowing smoking onboard in
2004.
Nobody wants to
know more than the cruise lines how [the Star Princess fire]
happened and what we can do to make cruise ships safer than they
already are, said Tim Gallagher, Carnival Cruise Lines vice
president of corporate communications. But until the experts finish
their investigation and issue findings we should all wait and not
speculate.
The United Kingdom
Marine Accident Investigation Board is handling the investigation
at the invitation of authorities in Bermuda, where the Star
Princess is flagged. The U.S. Coast Guard is assisting with the
investigation.
Andy Foulkes, an
MAIB spokesman, said, an investigation of four to 12 months is not
uncommon.
Michael Crye,
president of the International Council of Cruise Lines, said that
all cruise ships fire safety standards are determined by the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea treaty of
1974. Solas has been updated 29 times in 30 years, and ships are
constantly inspected to make sure they are in compliance with the
treaty.
To contact
reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].