" We 're in a race with a catastrophe , " says John Pollock of the National Transportation Safety Board on efforts to improve cruise ship safety . He said a cruise ship disaster would create overwhelming pressure for new safety regulations , but he would rather take preventive action . Safety concerns are primarily concerned with fire protection , especially in the big new cruise ships , the ability of crewmembers to give safety instructions in a language that passengers understand and the aging of the world fleet of cruise ships . ; American passengers frequently assume that any ship they board in a U.S. port has met all Coast Guard safety requirements, a notion reinforced by "Coast Guard approved" labels on most life jackets, and fire systems on smaller boats and domestic ferries. Jim Bennett , chairman of the National Transportation and Safety Board said , " The potential for loss of life is enormous . "
" We 're in a race with a catastrophe , " says John Pollock of the National Transportation Safety Board on efforts to improve cruise ship safety . He said a cruise ship disaster would create overwhelming pressure for new safety regulations , but he would rather take preventive action . Safety concerns are primarily concerned with fire protection , especially in the big new cruise ships , the ability of crewmembers to give safety instructions in a language that passengers understand and the aging of the world fleet of cruise ships . Jim Bennett , chairman of the National Transportation and Safety Board said , " The potential for loss of life is enormous . "