THE BOOKS
​Working on cruise ships for over ten years, Patrick Coughlin has witnessed many outrageous incidents. Experienced crew members can also recount events that have shocked them to their core. “The Last Sail” features some of the unbelievable accounts that have happened while out at sea. “The Last Delta” tells a fictional tale of how a terrorist group can overtake even the largest cruise ships. Finally, “The Last Horizon” predicts the demise of the largest of all cruise ships; bigger isn’t always necessarily better. It is not a matter of what the worst maritime disaster will be- but a matter of when.
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The Last Sail
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Scot Armstrong, struggling with the recent death of his mother, falls into deeper despair after witnessing his college sweetheart having an affair. As a result, he drops out of college to seek another path in life. After months of soul searching and attempting to heal his broken heart, he comes across an employment opportunity for a position on a cruise ship.
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Looking to escape his current state, he pursues the low-paying position as an opportunity to start over. A six-month contract out at sea seemed too good to be true, and his fantasy of what it would be like to work on a cruise ship was quickly extinguished soon after embarking. Unable to find work on land, he reluctantly falls into the industry’s trap.
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As months turn into years, he is placed on the fast track for management with a higher level rank and more responsibility. Along the way, he is an eager participant in ship life- experiencing risqué late-night parties, traumatic accidents, and various other inconceivable occurrences. The truths he uncovers will shock readers to their cores.
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The main character embellishes each tale with colorful commentary and a dark sense of humor. Large and small vessels are featured as Scot is transferred throughout the industry, moving up the corporate ladder. Rape, murder, crime, comedy, and romance are among many controversial themes that make up his compelling journey.
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Readers are granted unrestricted access to everything beyond the smoke and mirrors. Join Scot as he exposes secrets that have been woven tightly into the fabric of the cruise industry.
The Last Delta
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With an ambition to send a strong message to terrorist groups worldwide, the US government decided to bolster the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and fill it with hundreds of deadly extremists.
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Seeking to build public confidence, a list of prisoners was deliberately leaked- including fifty-six of the Islamic State's most lethal leaders. The leak spread quickly online; the detained supporters and families now had confirmation of their exact location.
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"Jamboree," the newest cruise ship launched, had her passengers embark in Barcelona, Spain. With 4,600 other passengers anxiously awaiting their fifteen-day repositioning voyage, the crew did not realize that a small group of Islamic extremists also made their way on the manifest. These thirty men booked a group rate under the name "Rotary Club of Dubai" and played that part very well to not raise any suspicion.
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The radical zealots had every intention to use the passengers as hostages to gain their leaders' release.
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Six days were spent crossing the Atlantic during the voyage, which gave the "Rotarians" plenty of time to get to know the ship and its unprecedented access points. The crew and its officers were eager to show the latest and greatest technological advancements this new ship offered. Little did they know, the information they used to impress passengers would ultimately assist their enemy in controlling the entire vessel's fate.
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While their plan seems to successfully unfold, a group of retired military veterans led by a former Navy Seal prepares to fight back.
The Last Horizon
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Over the past several decades, cruise lines have annually launched bigger and better ships-known familiarly as “mega-ships”. With each vessel costing over one billion dollars, booking more passengers is imperative for profit.
Not long ago, a ship with 3,000 passengers was considered max capacity. Mega-ships make pushing 6,000+ passengers seem effortless. The newest addition to the Contessa Cruise Line is the Horizon- the largest ship to grace the seas in height, width, and length- with a max capacity of 9,500 passengers. What could go wrong?
Featuring twenty-one decks above the waterline and only four below, the zealous executives and aggressive engineers did not count on the storm of the century throwing the ship out of balance. No one knew this voyage would end in the world’s worst maritime disaster.
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© 2020 by Patrick T. Coughlin
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