[KayakerNC]

Originally Posted by Mack184

In a much smaller context many years ago I used to make extra money on the weekends by driving Greyhound-sized charter buses on trips. We were based in upstate NY and used to make a lot of runs to NYC for Yankees or Giants games and Manhattan shopping. We also did a lot of weekend trips to the casinos in Atlantic City.

Being that the buses were used in interstate commerce the maintence records of the bus were in a binder on board. Before ever moving the bus you are required by federal law to make a full pre-trip inspection and check the maintenence records before taking the bus out on the road to carry passengers. If things were not right, we refused the bus. Now any good driver would do those inspections even if there wasn't a law to require it. I don't know any driver who would want the responsibility of 40 passengers knowing that you were driving a machine with unfixed problems. Occasionally despite our best efforts sometimes a bus would break down on a trip. It makes for a lousy time. But Sewage happens.

Have you ever had your car break down on the road even though you gave it reasonable care? Sewage happens.

Take that into a larger context, how many times have you had to wait at an airport because the plane's captain found something that MIGHT cause a problem and refused to take the plane?

A ship's master is no different. I cannot believe that a ship's captain is going to put out to sea KNOWING that his boat has problems and he's taking a chance for the liability of thousands of people. And, Carnival or any other company knows their liability if they send out something that they KNOW to be unfit for operation. Companies like Carnival are in business to make money..not pay lawyers to defend them and pay out judgements for faulty operation.

Yes, there was that dolt at the helm of that Italian liner a year or so ago, but you do not hear many stories of that magnitude.

If the captain and the company knowingly sent out a ship that was not seaworthy you are talking about possible criminal charges. I really doubt that this was the case. Sewage happens. It made for a terrible situation. I think Carnival and the ship's captain did the best they could under the circumstances.