Dark Ship

Although this title is of a fictious ship, I did experience these unpleasant events aboard a once, highly reputed luxury cruise ship. Incompetency, negligence, and mismanagement were rampant aboard, what I have named, Dark Ship. This book was written months before the Corona Virus pandemic but the first chapter, The Floating Petri Dish, was a reaction to the large number of illnesses aboard. The ship's unhealthy cleaning practices are clearly described.

In the early days of sailing vessels ship board superstitions abounded. A ship thought to be cursed was referred to as a dark ship. Experienced travelers with this cruise line, recognized these shortcomings, and were thoroughly disappointed with the downfall of a once well-run cruise line. There were many of us that sailed the entire world cruise, that were largely dissatisfied.

Prior to this disappointing cruise, this writer pleasantly experienced a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's, Symphony of the Seas. The differences were profound. The Symphony, with 6000 passengers, at this writing, is the largest ship afloat. It has more than twice the number of passengers than Dark Ship. It was run in a far more efficient manner. I think the Dark Ship's cruise line would be well served if they employed many of the procedures as the Symphony of the Seas.

The writer has devoted significant space in this book comparing the differences of the two ships.