Princesss fined $40 million for pollution

US Justice Department fines Princess $40 million for pollution.

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/16070-u-s-justice-department-fines-princess-cruises-40-million-for-pollution.html

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US Justice Department fines Princess $40 million for pollution.

 

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/16070-u-s-justice-department-fines-princess-cruises-40-million-for-pollution.html

I hope the Chief Engineer and Senior First Engineer were fired and banned from holding a similar position on any other cruise line.

Its a close knit community and word travels fast. :mad:

Princess response.

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/16071-princess-cruises-responds-to-u-s-justice-department.html

USA Today article.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/12/01/princess-cruises-felony-plea-pollution/94726786/

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I hope the Chief Engineer and Senior First Engineer were fired and banned from holding a similar position on any other cruise line.

Its a close knit community and word travels fast. :mad:

It is such a close knit community that I can't help but think that these practices might have been SOP throughout the fleet. I hope not.

It is such a close knit community that I can't help but think that these practices might have been SOP throughout the fleet. I hope not.

Well they found issues on other ships so I think you are correct.

I'm so disappointed by this news. I always tout the greatness of cruising to friends and such and now this.

Can someone more nautically inclined the I explain the benefits gained by bypassing the filters and discharging these substances overboard. Less weight? Better fuel economy? Cost savings? Do the engineers see a bonus if they can run the ship more efficiently? And is any item that great to warrant illegal measures and lying? Please tell, me cause I'm dumbfounded.

Plus, my stock took hit. Grrrr.

So sad

The ocean is our home away from home

I'm so disappointed by this news. I always tout the greatness of cruising to friends and such and now this.

 

Can someone more nautically inclined the I explain the benefits gained by bypassing the filters and discharging these substances overboard. Less weight? Better fuel economy? Cost savings? Do the engineers see a bonus if they can run the ship more efficiently? And is any item that great to warrant illegal measures and lying? Please tell, me cause I'm dumbfounded.

 

Plus, my stock took hit. Grrrr.

Primarily there is a cost savings by not having to pump oily waste to a barge while in port. It is also a much easier process.

This reminds of a cruise on NCL a few years back when the chief engineer, at a crew introduction, made disparaging remarks about the Coast Guard and their ridiculous regulations. That night in the reception line I told him that I was a retired Coast Guard engineering officer and that I found his comments to be both interesting and concerning. He, and the Captain standing next to him, couldn't get rid of me fast enough. I saw the Captain at breakfast every morning and he wouldn't even look at me. Makes you wonder, doesn't it/

This is the sort of thing that could end up costing them the privilege of sailing Glacier Bay. Stupid, very stupid.

This is the sort of thing that could end up costing them the privilege of sailing Glacier Bay. Stupid, very stupid.

That's what I was thinking too. I wonder where else they've done this.:mad:

This is the sort of thing that could end up costing them the privilege of sailing Glacier Bay. Stupid, very stupid.

If they are guilty of Felony charges they will not be allowed to be a government services contractor. That would prevent them from competing for Glacier Bay access slots (which are allocated under government services vendor contracts.

That is what kept Royal Caribbean and Celebrity out of Glacier Bay after RCI plead guilty to similar felony charges. They were not allowed to participate for 5 years after the guilty plea. While they have not submitted bids since, this may change that, if CCL lines are kept out.

I'm so disappointed by this news. I always tout the greatness of cruising to friends and such and now this.

 

Can someone more nautically inclined the I explain the benefits gained by bypassing the filters and discharging these substances overboard. Less weight? Better fuel economy? Cost savings? Do the engineers see a bonus if they can run the ship more efficiently? And is any item that great to warrant illegal measures and lying? Please tell, me cause I'm dumbfounded.

 

Plus, my stock took hit. Grrrr.

I am also curious what the advantage to this was? I am also wondering what the original purpose of the "magic pipe" was? Was it supposed to be for emergencies only i.e. bypass the filters and quickly discharge contaminated water to avoid a larger disaster? Or was it part of the design before use of the filters was required? Or was it being used in a manner never intended sort of "off label use" as it were? The fact that it was removed with apparently no ill effects to the running of the ship makes me wonder.

My wife and I are on the Grand Princess anchored off Lahaina (Maui). Just woke up to the captain telling us that port security would not allow passengers to embark using tenders as is on our itinerary. Came to Cruise Critic and found this thread.

Interestingly enough, last night after we left Kauai, the captain said that we might not be able to land tenders in Lahaina because of high winds. It was indeed quite windy as we sailed towards Maui, but it is totally calm right now, so that cover story wasn't going to fly.

Can't help but wonder if there's a connection.

I just sent an email to the contracting officer for Glacier Bay, asking if this is expected to impact the current allocation of cruise ship visits to Glacier Bay.

Very disappointed.

We agree with figmentdj wondering why this would be happening. Also sad for crew members who knew what was going on but afraid of losing their jobs if they spoke up.

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I am also curious what the advantage to this was? I am also wondering what the original purpose of the "magic pipe" was? Was it supposed to be for emergencies only i.e. bypass the filters and quickly discharge contaminated water to avoid a larger disaster? Or was it part of the design before use of the filters was required? Or was it being used in a manner never intended sort of "off label use" as it were? The fact that it was removed with apparently no ill effects to the running of the ship makes me wonder.

The one and only reason corporations commit crimes like this is greed. They are more concerned about making money than the environment. The installation of pipes and deliberately faking logs to deceive regulators comes from the CEO level to improve the bottom line. My wife and I fell in love with cruising 15 years ago and have cruised only on Princess. We were so disgusted by this guilty plea we are selling our CCL stock and will never book a cruise with Princess again.

My wife and I are on the Grand Princess anchored off Lahaina (Maui). Just woke up to the captain telling us that port security would not allow passengers to embark using tenders as is on our itinerary. Came to Cruise Critic and found this thread.

 

Interestingly enough, last night after we left Kauai, the captain said that we might not be able to land tenders in Lahaina because of high winds. It was indeed quite windy as we sailed towards Maui, but it is totally calm right now, so that cover story wasn't going to fly.

 

Can't help but wonder if there's a connection.

Hold off on your judgement. Spent 10 days there ending on Thanksgiving. It was very windy most afternoons- 40 mph gusts. So you can't assume the pollution issue is the reason.

My wife and I are on the Grand Princess anchored off Lahaina (Maui). Just woke up to the captain telling us that port security would not allow passengers to embark using tenders as is on our itinerary. Came to Cruise Critic and found this thread.

 

Interestingly enough, last night after we left Kauai, the captain said that we might not be able to land tenders in Lahaina because of high winds. It was indeed quite windy as we sailed towards Maui, but it is totally calm right now, so that cover story wasn't going to fly.

 

Can't help but wonder if there's a connection.

Hold your horses on your supposed superior judgement there.

We've dine the Hawaii cruise out of LA 4 times and only been able to tender into Lahaina once out of all 4. Just because you're not feeling the wind currently doesn't mean it isn't rougher in shore where the tenders land, or that it isn't forecast to be higher winds later on - which could prevent tenders from returning to the ship, thus stranding passengers.

I highly, highly doubt it has anything to do with this news - as the violations were three plus years ago, and the investigation and court cases have just wrapped up...and Princess has made major changes since the initial incident...

Much, much more likely that it actually is high winds/seas as the Captain noted to you all last night.

Not surprised.....We all knew save the waves program was BS.

Greedy greedy companies.Sitting on the pool deck onRoyal princess right now. Not a bad cruise but something seems off. A few snarky employees ,staff seems lost. They were literally tieing their ties at the pub lunch today. Horizon court last night we were not asked if we wanted a drink. I went behind a station and poured us some ice water.few other strange happenings...sorry about typos on iPad wind is fierce.

This is a back to back ,New Captain,did not know the other was leaving.

Never had a bad cruise and thi is certainly not bad just has as strange vibe.

Back to my rum & coke

Very disappointed to hear this. The seas are their bread and butter. Makes me wonder too, have other lines tried to do the same thing?

Also sad for crew members who knew what was going on but afraid of losing their jobs if they spoke up.

 

 

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Can't blame the crews if they were forced to lie by their superiors. Their job was more important for them. Just sad it happened.

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Very disappointed to hear this. The seas are their bread and butter. Makes me wonder too, have other lines tried to do the same thing?

RCI had a similar situation in 1999, where they also plead guilty to felony violations. The nature of the violations were very similar.

The one and only reason corporations commit crimes like this is greed. They are more concerned about making money than the environment. The installation of pipes and deliberately faking logs to deceive regulators comes from the CEO level to improve the bottom line. My wife and I fell in love with cruising 15 years ago and have cruised only on Princess. We were so disgusted by this guilty plea we are selling our CCL stock and will never book a cruise with Princess again.

The official statement from the DOJ doesn't really support the idea that the corruption came "from the top":

Following the MCA’s inquiry, the chief engineer held a sham meeting in the engine control room to pretend to look into the allegations while holding up a sign stating: “LA is listening.” The engineers present understood that anything said might be heard by those at the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles, California, because the engine control room contained a recording device intended to monitor conversations in the event of an incident.

From https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/princess-cruise-lines-pay-largest-ever-criminal-penalty-deliberate-vessel-pollution

Just decided to cancel our May Alaska B2B.

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We are booked on the Voyage of the Glaciers next year. Any chance this news changes anything for us?

As a proponent for the ocean and its wildlife, it is very disappointing news indeed.