Keep faith in cruising, says Carnival

The current death toll is 11 with more than 20 others missing after the cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground off the island of Giglio.

The Costa Concordia’s captain has since been arrested.
Costa Concordia is operated by Costa Cruises, part of the American company Carnival, which includes Australian division Carnival Australia.

The head of Costa Cruises has already accused the captain of changing the ship’s route without permission.

Carnival Australia corporate communications manager David Jones said people should have confidence in local cruise ship operations, which are subject to “the highest maritime safety standards and onboard training of crew”.

“Cruise ships here operate in a highly regulated environment, which includes strict internal fleet regulations, flag state requirements and local legislative and regulatory requirements,” Mr Jones said.

“Passengers become aware of the strong emphasis on safety when they board their ship.

“For example, compulsory passenger musters and safety briefings are conducted before a ship sails from the port of embarkation.”

He said evacuation policies and procedures were regularly monitored and are subject to an internal fleet safety training program and “monitored via internal audits and inspections by government agencies”.

“As with all serious shipping events, the Costa Concordia grounding will be fully investigated by maritime authorities and the results shared with cruise shipping organisations worldwide,” Mr Jones said.