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5 ways to avoid going overboard on a cruise

Falling overboard is the stuff of cruising nightmares (and it happens surprisingly more frequently than you might think. Just this year we’ve brought you two stories about passengers falling overboard, but this fishy fate is by no means unavoidable. Here are five ways to ensure you keep your feet dry. 1. Limit your alcohol intake If the prices weren’t enough of a reason to go easy on the sauce on your cruise, perhaps the risk of tipping over the balcony will persuade you. Think of it this way – the effect of alcohol on a cruise is the same as the effect of alcohol on dry land, but when you’re on a cruise you’re travelling through sometimes heavy seas at about 20 knots. 2. Stay in your room during inclement weather If your ship is sailing into dicey conditions, you’re better off keeping to your quarters. You never know how a cruise liner is going to stand up to the ocean’s wrath, and even if you want a good view of Mother Nature’s nasty side, you’re safer below deck. 3. Keep clear of dark corners It’s not a very pleasant thing to think about, but when there are 4,000 passengers on a cruise they’re not all going to be good eggs. Be aware of your surroundings, just as you would be on land, and be sure to report any suspicious activity to a crew member. 4. Pay attention during the practice drills Even if you’ve been on 20 cruises it’s a good idea to pay attention during the practice drills. This will reinforce what you need to do in an event of an emergency, and might just save your life (or someone else’s by knowing where to find the safety gear). 5. Don’t re-enact the Titanic scene Because going overboard will make you look like anything but, “The king of the world.” Have you ever been on a cruise? Did you ever feel unsafe at any point? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you. Image credits: Getty Images

Cruising

Inside the frantic rescue mission to save woman who went overboard

A woman has been saved from waters near the Dominican Republic after going overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. The 42-year-old American citizen was rescued by the US Coast Guard, after she fell from the 10th deck of the ship. The Mariner of the Seas cruise ship was about 50 km south of Punta Cana on its way to Willemstad, Curaçao, when the passenger went overboard, a statement from the Coast Guard said. “The passenger was recovered alive and reported to be in good health, after reportedly falling into the water from the 10th deck of the ship,” it said. “No medical evacuation of the passenger was requested by the cruise ship.” “The passenger was being kept on the cruise ship’s medical facility and later transferred to the Hospital in Willemstad, Curacao for evaluation.” The Coast Guard said it was investigating the incident, looking into how and why the woman went overboard. Matthew Kuhn, who was on the cruise ship with his family, told a Florida news station that he watched rescue efforts from his balcony. “I think it was amazing to see everyone was on their balcony. Everyone was trying to help, and the crew was very receptive to everyone,” he said. In a statement released on Wednesday, Royal Caribbean confirmed a passenger went overboard but was rescued as was being cared for onboard. “The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and began searching for the guest. Thankfully, the guest was successfully recovered and was brought on board. Our Care team is now offering assistance and support to them and their travelling party. Out of privacy for the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share,” the statement said. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

Rude! 7 things you should never do in other countries

Travelling abroad is an ideal way to discover new cultures and find out more about yourself – and others. Just don’t make a fool of yourself by doing the following things. 1. Don’t talk with your hands in your pockets in Germany It’s considered bad manners. It’s also customary to keep your hands on the table while you’re eating. 2. Don’t tip in Japan Service at restaurants and hotels will likely be exceptional in Japan, but tipping isn’t done; and it could be seen as degrading. 3. Don’t smile at strangers in Russia They’ll see it as an intimate gesture, indicating a genuine affinity toward another person. If you don’t know them, they might consider you insincere. 4. Don’t use your left hand in India The left hand is thought of as unclean in Indian culture, so always use your right hand to greet someone, exchange money, or pick up merchandise. 5. Don’t wave your chopsticks around in China It’s like drumming with your knife and fork. Best not. 6. Don’t honk while driving in Norway It’s only used in an emergency – so your unnecessary beeping could cause drivers to panic. 7. Don’t forget to say hello in France “Bonjour madame, monsieur” should be the first words out of your mouth, otherwise you’re subtly showing you feel the person is beneath you. Written by Reader’s Digest Editors. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/rude-7-things-you-should-never-do-other-countries">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Travel Trouble

Aussie woman opens up about cruise ship horror: “My partner tried to push me overboard”

A woman, who was lucky to survive a five-day cruise, has bravely discussed the terrifying moment her partner attempted to throw her off their balcony. Kim and her partner David James Fysh, 46, saved up to cruise from Sydney to Tasmania on Radiance of the Seas for almost a year before they embarked on their holiday. However, less than 48 hours after departing on October 16, their getaway quickly turned into a nightmare, reported A Current Affair. Kim claimed David was uninterested in the cruise they had worked so hard to experience, focusing his time on drinking and sleeping instead. She also alleged that her fiancé packed Valium for the cruise. After growing frustrated by his disinterest, Kim confronted him before the pair got into an argument about him wasting the holiday. Kim then said the argument took a violent turn. “He locked me outside on the balcony and pulled the room out looking for them (Valium) and then when he couldn't find them, he came outside on to the balcony,” she said. “Had me by the back of my arms and was trying to push me overboard and I was just screaming.” When asked if she thought she was going to die during the ACA interview, Kim replied with an emotional: “Yep.” “I was screaming, 'Please don't kill me, please don't kill me, please don't throw me overboard.’” Remembering the terrifying ideal, Kim said her partner didn’t say much as he allegedly held her over the balcony. She explained that she managed to free herself because she was wearing a silky robe and “slipped out of his grip like a ninja”. After escaping from her attacker, she locked him on the balcony and called cruise staff immediately. David was arrested and charged with attempted murder after the cruise docked in Hobart. Police allege that David tried to throw Kim from the cruise balcony by grabbing her under the arms at 3:30am. Kim claimed that passengers in nearby rooms heard her piercing screams. In the emotional interview, Kim said her relationship with David had been volatile and she felt guilty she let the abuse get as far as it did. David pleaded not guilty at Hobart Magistrates Court on October 19 and bail was not granted. In February, the case will appear before the Supreme Court.

Travel Trouble

TV star vanishes from cruise ship

A massive search is underway for a German TV star and singer who has gone missing while on a cruise to Canada. The cruise operator, Aida Cruises, said there was reason to believe Daniel Kueblboeck may have jumped into the sea on Sunday morning. “That is our suspicion,” spokesman Hansjoerg Kunze said. Kueblboeck first entered stardom after appearing on Germany’s version of Pop Idol in 2003. However, the star’s disappearance follows a recent post the 33-year-old wrote about being bullied. Kueblboeck revealed on his official fan club page that he had suffered “months of bullying” as a child at school, that shook him “deeply”. “Dear fans. Unfortunately, I still do not feel better mentally and physically,” he wrote. “I have yet to cope with this pain of the past months.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgiiwEmjKKS/?utm_source=ig_embed_loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Daniel Kaiser-Küblböck (@daniel_kaiserkueblboeck)</a> on Mar 20, 2018 at 2:18am PDT </div> </blockquote> Kueblboeck, who auditioned but was not selected as Germany’s Eurovision entry in 2014, was travelling to Newfoundland, Canada, with 2200 passengers. When Kueblboeck was found to be missing, Aida said the ship was stopped and returned to the spot off the coast of Newfoundland where it is believed he went overboard. The incident occurred 185km north of the city of St John’s, Newfoundland. The Canadian coastguard confirmed on Sunday that it was using a surveillance plane and helicopter to search the Labrador Sea for Kueblboeck. Two other cruise ships also reportedly assisted with the search. Kueblboeck, who was born in Bavaria, made his last major TV appearance in the eighth season of Let’s Dance in 2015 and was studying to be an actor at the European Theatre Institute Berlin. Kueblboeck's cruise ship disappearance comes months after an Australian woman died after she fell from an upper-level deck of the Pacific Dawn into the ocean off the coast of New Caledonia. Last month, a British cruise passenger was rescued after surviving 10 hours floating in the Adriatic Sea off Croatia. The 46-year-old claimed that she fell over the balcony, but passengers have since claimed that she jumped after a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/bizarre-twist-in-case-of-woman-who-was-lost-at-sea-for-10-hours/">drunken argument</a> with her boyfriend.

Travel Trouble

Cruise ship worker rescued 22 hours after falling overboard

A cruise ship worked who fell overboard has been miraculously rescued by another passing cruise ship. The 33-year-old man, who was working for Norwegian Cruise Line, is in a stable condition after reportedly treading water for 22 hours to stay alive. According to the US Coast Guard, the worker went overboard at around 3.20 pm local time on Saturday, 45 kilometres north west of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The man fell off the Norwegian Getaway and was rescued by Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Glory. “It was nothing short of miraculous,” president of Carnival Cruise Line, Christine Duffy, said in a statement. The search for the man was suspended on Saturday evening, but a cabin steward from the Carnival Glory spotted him in the water at around 1.20 pm on Sunday. Carnival spokeswoman AnnMarie Matthews said the man did not have any safety device on when he was rescued and they “can only surmise that he was likely treading water the entire time”. “Kudos to the Carnival Glory team for this amazing effort to rescue a fellow seafarer,” Ms Duffy said. Speaking to <a href="https://miami.cbslocal.com/2018/07/01/missing-cruise-employee-found/" target="_blank">CBS Miami</a>, US Coast Guard spokesman Jonathan Lally said: "The Carnival Glory had found someone in the water waving their arms and they rescued him and he was the missing Norwegian Getaway crew member and that was roughly about 21 miles north of Cuba.” Norwegian said in a statement that the line is “extremely thankful” to Carnival Cruise line. “We are so happy to know that the individual is safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family,” the Norwegian statement said.

Cruising

Overboard cruise passenger Fiordland cup or piece of clothing

A major rescue mission was <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/2016/06/cruise-in-new-zealand-time-lapse-video/">launched in Fiordland</a> for an overboard passenger - that wasn't. All passengers and crew have been accounted for aboard the Queen Victoria cruise ship on Thursday. Maritime NZ media spokesman Vince Cholewa said the ship's master called Maritime NZ at about 1pm to say all passengers and crew had been accounted for. Earlier today, the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/2016/06/10-lesser-known-new-zealand-holiday-spots/">ship had radioed Maritime NZ</a> to say a passenger was overboard in Sutherland Sound and a rescue mission was launched. The ship's electronic monitoring system had been triggered after its thermal imaging showed something had entered the water, Cholewa said. However, no person had actually gone overboard. A review of the data suggested an item, such as a cup or a piece of clothing, had gone overboard, which triggered the alarm, he said. "The ship did all the right things and now they're able to carry on their cruise to Dunedin," he said. The two helicopters sent out have been stood down. The rescue mission was launched this morning after the ship's crew radioed Maritime NZ to say a passenger had fallen overboard in <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/2016/05/new-zealand-by-a-cruise-ship/">Sutherland Sound in Fiordland</a>, about three kilometres from Bell Point. The Queen Victoria co-ordinated its own search and a helicopter from Milford Helicopters was dispatched to aid the search as "an eye in the sky" to locate the passenger, but it was not equipped with rescue gear, Cholewa said. A second helicopter from Southern Lakes Helicopters in Te Anau was dispatched carrying rescue gear and paramedics, he said. A police media spokeswoman said police were aware of the situation but were not involved in the search, and it was in the hands of the Rescue Coordination Centre. Written by Briar Babington. First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Cruising

Remake of Overboard in the works

The 80s comedy classic Overboard starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russel is being remade. Anna Faris will star in this remake with Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez. This film will have a gender-reversal of character roles, meaning Faris will play Kurt Russell’s character. The film will follow a spoiled Mexican playboy who is from an extremely wealthy family. Eugenio’s character will fall off a yacht and then get amnesia and Faris’ character will be a single mum who convinces the playboy that they are married. MGM boss Jonathan Glickman said, “The original Overboard was beloved and the only way to bring it back is to reinvent the story in a whole new way. Anna and Eugenio are two of the most charismatic forces in comedy whose take on the material will modernize the story for a whole new generation of moviegoers." The movie will start filming in May in Vancouver. Katherine Heigl, Jenifer Lopez and Kate Hudson, daughter of Goldie Hawn, were all once previously attached to the film. This film follows over movies from the 80s being remade such as Ghostbusters and the upcoming Splash with Jillian Bell and Chinning Tatum. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/2017/03/first-look-at-emily-blunt-as-mary-poppins/">First look at Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/2017/02/16-oscar-winning-costumes/">16 Oscar winning costumes</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/2017/02/co-stars-whose-romance-continued-off-screen/">Co-stars whose movie romance continued off-screen</a>

Movies

Frantic search for overboard cruise passenger

The US coast guard is currently engaging in a frantic search of waters in and around the Bahamas, where a cruise ship passenger went overboard this week. According to a statement from Carnival Cruise Lines, Rina Patel, a 32-year-old woman of Interlaken, New York, was on the 11th deck of the Carnival Ecstasy as the ship passed near the island of Grand Bahama, before she reportedly jumped overboard. Emergency procedures were initiated immediately and US coast guard aircraft and ships are now searching an area about 43 kilometres southwest of Grand Bahama. While initial reports have many fearing the worse, a recent story of a tourist who survived 32 hours at sea after <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/woman-survives-38-hours-at-sea-after-falling-off-cruise/">falling from a Royal Caribbean ship</a> cruising from China to Japan have some parties optimistic that a positive outcome can still be reached. In the Carnival Cruise Line statement, the cruise line said, “The company’s CareTeam is providing assistance and support to the missing guest’s family on board and our thoughts and prayers are with her and family and loved ones during this difficult time.” Our thoughts are with Rina’s family. We’ll update as more details come to light, but here’s hoping for a positive outcome. Image credit: Facebook / WFSB - Channel 3 Eyewitness News Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/06/man-kicked-off-p-and-o-cruise-after-flicking-cigarette-butt/">Man kicked off cruise after flicking cigarette butt off the side</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/woman-survives-38-hours-at-sea-after-falling-off-cruise/">Woman survives 38 hours at sea after falling off cruise</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/09/anthem-of-the-seas-rocked-by-massive-storm/">Anthem of the Seas rocked by another massive storm</a>

Cruising

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5 ways to avoid going overboard on a cruise

Inside the frantic rescue mission to save woman who went overboard

Rude! 7 things you should never do in other countries

Aussie woman opens up about cruise ship horror: “My partner tried to push me overboard”

TV star vanishes from cruise ship

Cruise ship worker rescued 22 hours after falling overboard

Overboard cruise passenger Fiordland cup or piece of clothing

Remake of Overboard in the works

Frantic search for overboard cruise passenger