Sinking of the Titanic

I have a friend who has no luck when it comes to sailing on cruise ships. Seriously, I swear this woman was on the voyage of the Titanic - in another life of course.

A few years back this friend went on a cruise with her sister and mother in tow. Her mother and sister flew in to Houston and the three of them drove to Galveston to board the ship. As it set sail, a tropical storm entered the Gulf. And as is the case for any storm that enters the Gulf, the National Weather Center makes predictions as to when and where it will make landfall. This prediction can change 50 times in the few days before it actually makes landfall. But it's on these predictions that ships make decisions about what they're going to do.

So anyway, the prediction that the decision was based on said that the storm was headed towards the Texas/Mexico border - first stop of the cruise ship. The ship decided it couldn't take the chance and turned around, deciding to dock in New Orleans instead.

As the ship docks in New Orleans, they learn that the storm has taken a turn and is headed straight for them! It's too late for them to pull out, so they have to stay and ride it out. Meanwhile, because the storm is headed towards them and they have no choice to stay, the crew won't allow any of the passengers to leave the ship! So, not only do they not get to go to the exotic ports of call they were supposed to go to, they can't even enjoy the one they were forced to stop at.

A lot of complaints were made and those making the complaints (my friend included) received a coupon for another cruise (only discounted - and not by that much). It had an expiration date and I don't think my friend got to utilize it before it expired.

Anyway, her mother finally talked her into going on another cruise out of Galveston. They left last Sunday. (Neither of them wanted to go again during hurricane season.) I spoke to my friend on Friday and she was sick as a dog and unable to get in to see her doctor. I'm sure that made for a fun cruise.

You know, now that I think about it, it's not just cruises she has problems with. Last September she scheduled a flight home to visit her family. Had it booked months in advance. And it just so happened that the weekend she was supposed to leave was the weekend we had a visit from Rita (that's Hurricane Rita to you) and all the flights were cancelled.

This friend has tried to talk me into taking vacations with her and the more I think about it, the more I'm glad they haven't worked out. I love you Suzanne but you and vacations just don't mix. :)