By now, everyone’s heard about the sinking of the cruise ship in the Aegean several weeks ago. But the post-disaster coverage did have some useful info.
USA Today reviewed some of the rules involving passenger safety, particularly safety drills with life jacket instruction within 24 hours of sailing, as well as requirements for how many life vests must be carried (15 percent more than the number of passengers).
It also provided some useful websites, including the detailed and informative CruiseJunkie.com, run by Canadian professor Ross Klein, which tracks illness outbreaks, marine accident reports, as well as even labor and environmental issues in the cruise universe. You can check out the record of a cruise company before you go. They also mention the flashy CruiseCritic.com, a broad-based cruise-travel site that provides general info and allows you to purchase packages.