Local Travel Agent Says Different Entities at fault for Cruise Disaster

3 months ago by Denise Donley

Some of the blame lies with passengers, says Travel House owner

A LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT SAYS CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES HANDLED THE DISABLED SHIP FIASCO POORLY, BUT, SHE SAYS, IN SOME WAY THE PASSENGERS WERE TO BLAME FOR THE EXTENDED MISERY AT SEA.

MECKI KOSIN RUNS THE TRAVEL HOUSE OF QUINCY.

KOSIN SAYS 900 OF THE FOUR THOUSAND PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE DISABLED SHIP DID NOT HAVE AMERICAN PASSPORTS WITH THEM.

THAT MEANT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ACCEPT HELP FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES CLOSER TO THE SHIP. THE SHIP HAD TO BE TOWED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERNATIONAL WATERS, BECAUSE THOSE 900 FOLKS WITHOUT PASSPORTS COULD NOT ENTER A FOREIGN PORT.

“But because people want to go on a bargain basement cruise and then they don’t want to spend the $135 for the passport, which I think is stupid because it doesn’t only endanger yourself if you don’t have it, but those 3,100 other people that were on there,” said Kosin. “If I’d been on that ship, I would have really been mad at those people that didn’t bring their passport.”

PASSPORTS LAST FOR TEN YEARS, SO THE COST IS ONLY 13.50 CENTS PER YEAR. KOSIN SAYS SHE TAKES HER PASSPORT WITH HER ON ALL TRAVEL --EVEN IN THE UNITED STATES. A PASSPORT IS A SURE WAY TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF AS A U.S. CITIZEN IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE.