Heidi13

I used to work for Princess, having completed 2 Alaska seasons as navigator. However, you could not pay me now to suffer a Princess Cruise, since the standards have significantly eroded. However, you are not comparing apples to apples, as Princess is a mega ship mainstream cruise line, while Viking is a smaller vessel premium cruise line. May I suggest you to need to determine your preferences for cruising, by developing a Statement of Requirements, and then conduct some research on which cruise line and itinerary best meets your needs.

There is no Maritime Law that expects the Master to go down with the vessel. In fact, the Master is responsible and accountable for the safety of the vessel, cargo and the entire ship's compliment, which includes the Master. Being in overall Command and Control, the Master has a number of Senior Officers and Managers who manage individual components of the emergency response. Unless the Bridge is compromised, the best location for the Master is the Bridge. During an emergency, the Master is still responsible for navigating the vessel and collision avoidance. Tough tasks to perform from a position where you could "Fall" into a survival craft (lifeboat). The Master has officers and ratings on the Bridge to assist with internal/external communications and propulsion control/navigation. He/she has other officers in charge of engineering, emergency response, preparing survival craft, mustering pax, etc. This is best accomplished from the Bridge, which has excellent communications, both internal and external. Once the Master determines the situation warrants the mustering of pax to the Assembly Stations, he/she orders sounding the General Emergency Signal ( at least 7 short + 1 prolonged ring on the General Alarm). In the Concordia incident, I would have done this immediately after the grounding. If not already sounded, it SHOULD have been sounded immediately after the Master was advised of 3 compartments breeched. At that point the Master should have been looking for a safe area to beach the vessel. With 4 compartments breached, if a safe beaching area was not available, it would have been prudent to immediately order the orderly movement of pax from the Assembly Stations to the Survival Craft. At that point, I would have issued the order to Abandon Ship, after discussing the situation with the Chief Engineer, to determine the resources he/she required to manage the flooding and resultant issues. All other crew would be released from Emergency Stations to Abandon Ship Stations. At this point, the Master should remain on the Bridge, managing the evacuation through the designated Officers and Managers. The Master receives information regarding the status of mustering pax and crew members, so would be aware of any unaccounted for, and efforts being taken to locate. Once all pax are evacuated, they would commence with the remaining crew members, using any remaining lifeboats and liferafts. The Bridge should receive updated counts of those evacuated off the vessel. As the evacuation of all less essential crew is complete, the Master would then have a call with the Chief Engineer to evacuate the machinery spaces and get all remaining crew to the liferafts. The Master may remain aboard with key Deck & Engineering Officers, if they have a reasonable chance of saving the vessel, otherwise the Master will be in the last raft with the logbook and other key documents.

Yes, the Captain is clearly in overall command, but the Purser/Hotel Manager is not responsible for the evacuation of the crew and pax. The Purser/Hotel Manager directs the hotel crew responsible for mustering the pax, following the orders of the Master. In the event of an evacuation, the Survival Craft Stations are managed by an Officer, most likely a Deck Officer, but could be an Engineering Officer. BTW - there is NO signal for abandon ship, it is a verbal command issued by the Master, or his/her designate. The Master will only issue the Abandon Ship Order, when the risk of remaining aboard the vessel exceeds the risk of abandoning the vessel. Lets also not forget, more people have been killed/seriously injured by Survival Craft than have been saved by them. The biggest issue on Concordia, was the Master did not sound the General Emergency Signal to muster pax at the Assembly Stations, immediately after the grounding and especially after being advised the hull was breached.

Further to the exceptional posts from our resident Chief Engineer, while not an American, I can provide examples from serving as a Master on Cabotage tonnage in Canadian Waters. Yes, we have similar Acts, as do most maritime nations. As a Senior Master for many years, I have been provided hundreds of candidates to familiarise with the vessel and route navigation. All candidates had valid certificates of competency and were cleared to sail on any foreign-flagged vessel, up to the rank of their certification. I have experienced numerous foreign-going Masters with many years of command experience, who I wouldn't even consider as my most junior officer - 3rd Officer. I recall a ULCC Master, who could not adapt to coastal navigation, as every time he saw another vessel he wanted to slow down. This was in waters over 1 mile wide, which we considered open ocean. If he could have been retrained, it would have taken many, many years, before he could be left on the Bridge alone as a junior watchkeeper. This individual could never accept our routine of navigating a narrow channel with 2 ninety degree turns and high tides at 20 kts. We did this 8 times per day. All of my many rejects are operating FoC ships. Without the Cabotage Acts, these officers and Masters could be operating ships sailing in local coastal waters and harbours. Are you prepared to accept the significant increase in accidents and the resultant coastal pollution to eliminate the Cabotage Acts. Based on my 30 + years sailing these waters, I most certainly am not in favour.

In Rosyth, the ships docks on the north shore, after passing underneath both Forth Road Bridges and the Railway Bridge. The berth is just before the lock entrance to the basin. If you are hiring a car, you should be able to drive to the RY at Leith in 1/2 hr. While I have driven the road many times, I have never looked for parking, so will need to rely on one of the locals to assist with availability of parking. Rosyth has a train station at the north end of town, but it isn't on the main Aberdeen to London line, so I have no idea how many trains head to Edinburgh Waverly. North and South Queensferry are both on the mainline, so I expect have more trains stopping. I suggest checking the Network Rail site and checking which station has service when you want to head into Edinburgh. A taxi from the port to the station would be your best best, unless Viking has a shuttle. North Queensferry is closer, but the mainline express trains rarely stop there, probably only the local trains. From Edinburgh Waverly Station, you can get a city bus outside the station down to Leith, which stops at the Royal Yacht. Depending on connections, should take 35 - 45 mins.

Apologies for the delayed response. Just read the post. With respect to the alarms sounded, I am not aware of the crew signals used by Oceania. Therefore, unable to comment on the 3 or 4 activations of the crew alarm, especially as it didn't specify short or prolonged. The sounding of the whistle is unusual, as that is most commonly used for manoeuvring signals and man overboard. However, as should be promulgated in the embarkation drill, pax should not be concerned with any of the crew signals, only the General Emergency Signal, which is at least 7 short rings followed by a prolonged ring. Without further information it would be impossible to speculate as the the reason for a power outage, especially without knowing the entire scope. Was it a total blackout or brown out? Since it was resolved quickly, I suspect it wasn't propulsion related and probably as the Captain mentioned, a failure in a single distribution panel.

It can vary by cruise line, as in addition to having the equipment the ship's doctor must be qualified in giving the required sedation and using the equipment. However, most ships I have sailed, the medical centre has the shock machine, pads and the doctor was qualified.

Having both a Canadian & UK passports, I have experienced a multitude of Visa issues when booking World Cruises, or cruises in Asia, South America etc. Therefore, Visas are not just an issue for non Americans/Europeans. You also need to consult your cruise contract, as every cruise line I have sailed with includes a clause that the onus to provide all required documentation is the sole responsibility of each pax. This sheds the liability from the cruise line, as having a vessel refused entry into a port due to Visa issues is extremely expensive. This is the primary reason liability of transferred to the pax. Cruise lines could make money providing a Visa service, but they could quickly lose more, in the event of an error. In researching Visas, I use the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website and the Canadian equivalent. They maintain a database of every country in the World, which is updated on a regular basis. These websites advise what, if any, Visa is required and any limitations. I then pick the passport which has the most favourable requirements. In addition, they provide extensive additional information relevant to tourists. You may want to check your Govt's website to determine if they provide a similar service. The other option is contracting with a Visa procurement company, but they can be very expensive, and you still retain the liability of ensuring your documentation is correct prior to embarkation.

You are so correct that a single poor culinary experience may not be representative of the overall quality of the culinary experience due to the number of variables. The cruise line's daily budget per pax is a major determining factor, but in our experience, the Executive Chef and Sous Chefs are also a major factor. On the same cruise where the Executive Chef changes in the middle of the cruise, we have seen the quality change, sometimes better, others not so much. Therefore, a poor experience on a single cruise may not be reflective of the normal quality on the ship and certainly not the cruise line. With respect to Princess, we experienced their quality deteriorate for almost 40 yrs before we gave up and stopped sailing with them. It was a combination of menu planning reducing the daily cost/pax, cheaper victuals and on the last World Cruise a very poor Executive Chef.

The arrival time at LHR will depend on the traffic conditions and which terminal you are using. If the M3 and/or M25 motorways are congested your arrival at LHR could be delayed. Even traffic around Stonehenge can be busy.

It is a weather buoy permanently moored at the intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian. It is secured to the ocean bed by a long chain.

There is nothing to prevent you from disembarking in Victoria, but since you are sailing on a foreign-flagged cruise ship, you would be in contravention of the Coasting Trade Act. The cruise line is liable for a fine of up to $50,000, which in accordance with their terms & conditions will be charged to the pax. Returning from Seattle may be less convenient, but disembarking in Victoria could be rather expensive. If you experience heavy weather in the Pacific, the cruise line could easily cancel the Victoria call, as it is not required for PVSA compliance. So you may not have the option of disembarking in Victoria, being disembarked in Seattle. If the cruise is late in the season, the potential for heavy weather is increased.

Whether you feel an obligation to tip tour guides is predominantly based on your Nationality. Personally, I feel no obligation to tip any guide. However, if a guide provides my wife or i with exceptional service, we will provide a tip, with the size of tip relating to how we valued the service. If they just did the minimum, they get nothing, but a thank you.

Unfortunately, the Master has a number of additional factors to consider in addition to berth availability and weather. Currents are also a concern, with the current favourable until you reach the Equator and then you are bucking the current. Delaying departure by a day means the speed required is the key factor. I'll suggest that if the vessel departs on time, if the speed required is over 15.5 to 16 kts, you have a risk of being late at the next port. Using 16 kts, the vessel steams 384 miles in a day, discounting any cloxs, as the voyage is predominantly Northerly. If you delay departure by a day, those 384 miles must be steamed on the now only 6 available days, so each day requires and additional 64 miles, or an additional 2.7 kts. If the original speed was 16 kts, to delay departure, the new speed is 18.7 kts, which would place a significant risk of being late for the next port, if you encountered any weather.

I can relate to the disappointment. While Viking can't control the weather, they can build ships that can be handled safely in higher wind speeds. Based on the fixed props, basics rudders, installed HP and thrusters, my best guess is the Master can comfortably hold the ship against a sustained 25kt beam wind, possibly as high as say 28 kts. I would be surprised if they can comfortably handle a sustained 30 kt beam wind. My last command was comfortable up to 33 kts and I have seen cruise ships handle 40 kts. I suspect the Queen Victoria, waiting outside Cape Town could handle 40 kts. The Viking ships are well designed to handle ocean seas, but not so much for docking in winds. This is becoming more evident, as I am seeing increasing instances where Viking ships miss ports due to wind, while other ships are docked safely. Some may be due to the respective Master's risk tolerance, but it happens too frequently, to only involve risk tolerance. I'll suggest the Viking ships need high-lift rudders and double/triple the HP in stern thrusters and a little more thruster capacity at the bow. This would require an additional DG in each E/R. Even with high lift rudders, they require more power on each shaft, as they have about the same as my last command, which was about 1/2 the gross tonnage and 200' shorter.

Which port will you board the vessel?

Just checked Marine traffic and they have departed.

The breadth of a ship is actually known as the "Beam". Length and beam have totally zero impact in a ship's ability to manoeuvre in wind. The ability to dock has nothing to do with sea and all to do with wind speed and the resultant force applied to the ship's windage.

Sorry, but Queen Victoria and Viking Neptune aren't even close to being comparable vessels with respect to handling characteristics. Queen Victoria has 2 Azimuthing thrusters, which are commonly called Azipods, whereas the Viking ships have fixed bladed props with non-high lift rudders. Any vessel with Azipod type propulsion is considerably more manoeuvrable than a vessel with conventional rudders & props. Also consider the installed horsepower, with Queen Victoria having almost triple the installed power than Viking ships. Masters are also required to operate the vessel in accordance with the company's Safety Management System, with the latest SMS providing Master's with limiting wind conditions. The Master cannot sail, as that would be a serious non-conformity. The only option provided to the Master in these circumstances is the ISM Code 5.2, where the Master has overriding authority to take any action required for the safety of the vessel. This would only apply if the Master deemed the risks of staying alongside were greater than the risks of departing. Having spent almost 30 yrs in command of pax vessels, I have made similar decisions many times. If you believe the Master can sail, please advise regarding your professional experience in making this determination? BTW - gotta love the "Armchair Experts"

Naw Jim, you need to remove 922 pax for the ultimate experience, but retain the full crew.😁

Territorial waters extend for 12 miles off-shore, so the casino can open at that point. Ships also need to be 12 miles offshore before making fresh water from the evaps or RO's. Therefore, unless cruising narrow channels, or similar passages, the Master normally sets courses at least 12 miles offshore and in my experience, it is usually further offshore. The Hotel Supervisors are not ship's officers, as they do not require a Certificate of Competency. Viking does an excellent job differentiating the Officers from Hotel Supervisors/Managers, with the Master and Officers (Deck/Engineering/Medical) having gold stripes and Hotel Supervisors/Managers silver stripes. You may be surprised at how many and how often auditors/mentors are onboard the vessels, and they rotate through the ships on a regular basis, so no, it is not a "Very Small Chance", as it is very possible with having a small fleet, that auditors/mentors have been on the old Viking Sun at some point during the past 3 years. I have performed this role extensively as a Master and shore based manager, visiting most of the ships in the fleet.

That may not be an accurate statement. They clearly can't work in an operational capacity, unless they were a Chinese National. However, if the vessel continues to use the Viking Safety Management System, any auditor or mentor does not require to be a Chinese National. Vessel audits by the company are a regular occurence, especially in preparation for Class Document of Compliance Inspections and SMS Audits. Therefore. it is entirely possible that Viking Officers have been aboard the vessel in a auditing or mentoring capacity. I also note that at least one of the senior managers in Basle also relieves onboard as GM, and he has been aboard the vessel in China.

You're options for getting to limited when travelling with baggage. In addition to the harbour to harbour float plane service, you also have Helijet from Vancouver Harbour to Ogden Point, but that is most likely not a viable option due to baggage. Therefore, your flight options are commercial airlines YVR to Victoria International, with Air Canada and Pacific Coastal Airlines both having flights. Sorry, but have no idea on costs. The other option is taking the BC Ferry from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay. The Wilson Connector is a bus service that goes from downtown to downtown. It will depart Vancouver about 90 mins before the ferry departs, so about 09:30 to catch the 11:00 ferry. The ferry arrives in Swartz Bay about 12:35 and it takes about an hour from docking to arriving in downtown Victoria. So leaving Vancouver at 09:30, you would arrive Victoria about 13:30, provided the ferry is on time. You can also reach Tsawwassen Ferry terminal using a combination of Skytrain and buses, and then on arrival Swartz Bay you can also catch a city bus into downtown. These options are cheaper, but take more time. Not an easy option with baggage. Another option is hiring a car, which may get you to the ferry terminal faster, but you must arrive 30 - 60 minutes before departure to maintain a reservation. I'll suggest making a reservation is mandatory. The Wilson Bus does not have this 30 - 60 min arrival and if late, the ferry often waits for the bus. This is a more costly option, as in addition to car hire costs, you must also pay for the car + foot passengers on the ferry. All in all, with baggage, I'll suggest the Wilson Connector is the most convenient and cost effective option.

The additional longer term consideration is Carnival's inability to submit numerous orders for new tonnage, to replace the older tonnage sold at fire sale prices during Covid. Other cruise lines are jumping on the newbuild bandwagon with Viking having 6 confirmed and 4 options this year and NCL just announcing 8 newbuilds. Due to low order books, they are getting advantageous pricing, so by the time Carnival's debt is written down, newbuild prices will have increased significantly. At present, I believe Carnival have only recently ordered 2 newbuilds across all their brands. Once they can finally order additional new tonnage, the cost per lower berth will be significantly higher.

Having significant cash reserves is an improvement, but they still have a negative ROI, haven't paid dividends for 4 years and have a debt/equity ratio of >4.5. All poor metrics that trump improvements in their cash flow, at least in my experience. They are improving the debt position, but they have a long way to go before they can be considered a prudent investment. One more major marine incident and the cash flow could evaporate.