Cruise ship

Coast Guard Lowers Ferries’ Capacities in Response to Fatter Passengers

Cruise ship
Cruise ship © milanboers

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Ferries and cruise ships will have to trim an average of 14-20 seats per boat, in response to ever-expanding passenger waistlines, according to new rules coming out from the U.S. Coast Guard.

The United States Coast Guard has scaled back the maximum number of passengers allowed on a given ferry, resulting in a lower maximum capacity rate for commercial vessels such as the Savannah Belles Ferry. According to documents provided to CBS Atlanta by the U.S. Coast Guard, the final rule for the “Passenger Weight and Inspected Vessel Stability Requirements” amendment goes into effect in March of 2012.

The Catch-22 of all-you-can-eat buffets for three meals a day on these ships: more customers want to come, but they’ve ballooned to such enormous sizes that you can fit fewer on the boat. The tragicomedy of cruise ship culture goes on.

Read the story at CBS News.

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