_ You didn’t read my post. I said the question is not whether a cruise is suitable for me. There are larger issues involved, many of them historic. It is amazing how many of the so-called updates are superficial at best. Human nature takes over in a disaster. Human nature never changes. People panic during a disaster unless they are met with exceptional leadership. Just think how many “routs” in battles were turned around by generals worthy of the name. If someone on the Costa Concordia had demonstrated exceptional leadership and told the passengers exactly how to evacuate in an orderly fashion and had maintained a sense of complete calm I think you would have seen a different result. Of course, technology would have had to solve the issue of lifeboats being launched when a ship was listing. I’m not an engineer. I don’t know how this works. Someone has suggested to me that a double hull might help, the kind that container ships have. That would have helped the Titanic, the Lusitania, and the Costa Concordia.

If you wonder where I’m coming from, I’m a suspense novelist. I’m looking for sinkings, sabotage, terrorist acts, etc. That’s why I dwell on them, not for any other reason. Actually you would be amazed. I have actually gone on a Mediterranean cruise. Did you read that? I’VE ACTUALLY SAILED.