Ships in trouble!
So Carnival cruise lines have had 2 ships in trouble this last week, this is the 3rd ship to have problems this year. Lots of cruise ships have been sailing for many years and just like a car or a bus things can go wrong the more they are used. And talk of another one having to be towed – but how true is this?
The news crews are keen to slate the cruise lines when this happens and it’s all over the TV & the papers. Cruise ships are tested regularly to ensure all is in working order and the safety of the passengers is their main priority. So why do people complain that they didn’t get to see a particular ‘Port of Call’ due the the ship having technical problems.
What would they prefer?
To carry on without an emergency back up generator just so they can get what they paid for, or for the cruise line to dock the ship to carry out the work needed to make sure the vessel is safe.
These poeple would soon be complaining if the ship continued it’s course then broke down at sea and the passengers would have worse problems than being docked at St. Maarten for a couple of days. I know what I would prefer.
The Carnival Dream had a technical issue with the ship’s backup emergency diesel generator which the engineering team discovered during regularly scheduled testing of the ship’s emergency diesel generator, when a malfunction occurred. This was found whilst the ship was docked. The crew carry out test after test whilst the ship is in port so passengers don’t see the behind the sceens while they are on shore for the day.
The Carnival Legend is experienced a technical issue with one of the ship’s Azipod units that is affecting the vessel’s sailing speed. The ship’s safety systems and hotel services are all functioning normally. The only problem was the ships had to sail a bit slower but no other service was affected. Is this such an issue? Of course the papers make it sound worse than it actually is.
I follow Carnival Cruises on Facebook so have seen some of the comments passengers have made – most of them are not phased and are looking forward to their next cruise on Carnival.
Here is the latest statement from Carnival regarding the Dream & the Legend & the Elation:-
Carnival Cruise Lines Update March 16, 2013
We would like to share an update with you regarding the status of Carnival Dream, Legend and Elation and to answer your questions and clarify many misperceptions that are being driven by confusing and, in many cases, inaccurate media coverage. We would also like to update you on the status of our ongoing internal review in the wake of the Carnival Triumph incident.
Carnival Dream
As of this evening, we will have nearly completed the process of flying all guests from St. Maarten to either Orlando or their final destination via a combination of 21 charter flights and multiple commercial air flights. Additionally, we are providing some 600 hotel rooms in Orlando as needed based on travel plans, along with all motor coach transportation needs. Once all guests have left the ship, Carnival Dream will make preparations to sail back to Port Canaveral with the crew on board and we expect to sail on Sunday. The ship’s power plant, propulsion and hotel systems are fully operational. Aside from some periodic interruptions to restroom and elevator service for a few hours Tuesday night, at no time have any of the ship’s systems and services not been functional. One public restroom was taken offline for cleaning Tuesday evening, but otherwise there were no issues with sanitation functionality or cleanliness on the vessel. Reports to the contrary are completely false. We have had permission from all necessary regulatory authorities to depart from St. Maarten and sail to Port Canaveral since earlier this week. However, it was our decision not to sail with guests on board without a functioning back-up emergency generator. Upon arrival in Port Canaveral early next week, we will install a replacement emergency generator, followed by the appropriate inspections and approvals to operate our next scheduled voyage on Saturday, March 23rd.
Carnival Legend
Carnival Legend is experiencing a technical issue with the ship’s propulsion system which is having a minor effect on the ship’s maximum speed which is being reduced by a few nautical miles per hour versus normal capacity. The ship’s safety systems, steering and all hotel services are functioning normally and the ship, which has been achieving speeds of 19 knots, is scheduled to arrive in Tampa on time tomorrow morning.
On Sunday afternoon, Carnival Legend is expected to depart on schedule while technicians continue to make progress on the repairs. The ship is expected to operate its normal itinerary with the exception of one port – Grand Cayman – which is being replaced by Costa Maya. Any guests wishing not to proceed based on the change to one port of call have been given the option of cancelling and receiving a full refund.
On Sunday afternoon, Carnival Legend is expected to depart on schedule while technicians continue to make progress on the repairs. The ship is expected to operate its normal itinerary with the exception of one port – Grand Cayman – which is being replaced by Costa Maya. Any guests wishing not to proceed based on the change to one port of call have been given the option of cancelling and receiving a full refund.
Carnival Elation
At no time has the Carnival Elation been under tow or required the assistance of a tug boat. The ship continues to operate its normally scheduled itineraries. The ship is experiencing a minor technical issue with the steering function of one of its two redundant Azipod propulsion units and the tug that is trailing the ship while it travels on the Mississippi River is purely a precautionary measure. The ship is scheduled to return on time from its current voyage on Monday. Repairs are expected to be fully completed prior to the ship’s departure for its next cruise on Monday afternoon.
Our Commitment to Safety and Security We would like to sincerely apologize to our guests for the disruption to their vacation plans as a result of these occurrences. The cause of each one is unrelated although we take each of them very seriously. As always, the safety of our guests and crew is our foremost priority. Carnival Cruise Lines carries some 4.5 million passengers a year and operates thousands of cruises without incident. Our historical safety record is outstanding. We have comprehensive maintenance programs in place that meet or exceed all regulatory standards and requirements. We are committed to learning from any incident that may occur on one of our vessels to apply lessons learned and prevent future occurrences. We are presently conducting a comprehensive fleet-wide review that encompasses multiple operational areas, systems and training. We have assembled an expert team from across the company, as well as a variety of outside experts to complete the assessment. We expect to make an announcement early next week on the initial steps of our implementation program based on the results of our review. In the meantime, we are confident that we will continue to provide our guests with a safe, fun and memorable vacation experience and look forward to welcoming them on board.
Passengers are compensated by the cruise line for their inconvenience to fulfil the holiday they paid for and being offered discount off their next cruise.
So it’s safe to say it is similar to having your car MOT or service then the car breaking down on a motorway a week later when you thought it was road worthy or the bus you are travelling to work on breaks down making you late – things can go wrong but do we hear about this on TV & in the press – NO we don’t – because it’s everyday life.
But as soon as a cruise ship or an aeroplane has technical problems a huge can of worms is opened up.
It’s a similar situation when there is the ‘Noro virus’ on board a ship – passengers are quick to complain about being ill but do they know that is more likely that a fellow passengers has boarded that ship after being ill for a few days but still carry on as they want their holiday and have brought the virus on board with them. Again the TV & the papers jump on the band wagon & blame the cruise lines.
The declaration form passengers need to fill in before they board is there for a reason, asking if they have had any sickness or diarrhoea, cold or flu symptoms in the last 48 hours – how many people actually take notice of this and think ‘Should I really be travelling?’ If passengers did this and were honest then the risk of illness on board would be hugely reduced.
What do you think? I would love to hear you views. Why not join our ‘forum’ and have your say?
Click on the following link to join in:-
http://www.cruises.co.uk/?cid=tnavck
About Me
My name is Barbara Hopley (my real surname is now Neale) but most people call me ‘Babs’ – doesn’t sound as old as I’m not really that old. I am passionate about Cruise and have over 30 years of experience of travel knowledge. After working for various travel companies I…
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