chengkp75

Of course SOLAS requirements are being followed. Every time a USCG inspector comes on the ship and holds drills, and every time a class society surveyor witnesses drills onboard, they are using SOLAS requirements as the basis of whether the ship is meeting SOLAS or not. If the muster stations were not in accordance with SOLAS, the ship wouldn't sail. Muster stations are determined, by the class society, not the cruise line, at newbuilding, and the locations are based on the primary SOLAS consideration: "the muster location should be as close to the lifeboat embarkation point as practicable", and the locations must meet ingress/egress standards, volume standards, escape route standards, lighting and ventilation standards, and structural fire protection standards that are set by the class societies based on computer crowd and crisis management paradigms. Older ships, that have larger promenade decks, will still have muster stations outdoors, under the boats, and will for the life of the vessel, they won't change. Newer ships have reduced the size of the promenade decks (to maximize internal revenue generating space, i.e. more balcony cabins), and so the muster stations had to be moved indoors. This was not for passenger comfort.

After 46 years in marine engineering, on all types of ships, dealing with all kinds of marine vendors in ports around the world, I know this is not correct. But, JMHO.

Most of the things onboard cannot be found at Home Depot, or even most wholesale hardware suppliers, so "getting a part" in a port call is not likely.

Figured you might be gigging me for correcting you. No worries.

The Diamond Princess was never "cleared" for entry into Japan, so no one was allowed to disembark, as the ship was not legally in port. It was only to manage the quarantine better that they allowed the ship to dock, but it still was not cleared for entry. Of course, if the Captain detains someone for a crime onboard, according to flag state law, then that person has forfeited their right to leave the ship, but the Captain is under no obligation to turn the person over to local (port state) law enforcement if he/she does not wish to. But, at that point, the person is no longer a passenger, but a criminal. Let's not get too literal here. Children under the age of 18 are not considered to be adults, and therefore on common carriers (like cruise ships) can be subject to "unaccompanied minor" procedures, which for a cruise line means restricting the S&S card of the minor to not allow disembarking without an accompanying parent or guardian. Again, let's not get to literal here.

Just because you don't see the logic in the in person muster drill (since you don't see the vast majority of the drill) doesn't mean it isn't there. The basic argument against the in person drill is what you have in parenthesis: my vacation time. Again, sure hope you never have a real emergency on a ship that does the e-muster. Just as you said about your experience with the in person muster, neither the passengers nor the crew knew how to handle the situation. If the e-muster is providing adequate information to the passengers, why was there chaos? If the e-muster is training the crew to handle an actual muster situation adequately, why was there chaos?

This is not the way I read the tax laws. The employee reports and pays taxes on tips actually received. If the reported tips are less than 8% of the employer's gross sales, the employer has to "allocate" (or pay) the employee the amount under 8%. The employee then pays taxes on the "allocated" tips, but they don't pay taxes on an amount they didn't receive. The 8% figure is well below the standard US tipping rate, so if you stiff the waiter, he will receive 8% from the employer, and pay taxes on that, but not for any amount he/she did not receive.

Uh, the housekeeping staff on a cruise ship do work 7 days a week for up to 10 months. They also work a 12-14 hour/day shift. Do the hotel workers you know work these many hours? And, the DSC makes up, by contract, the majority of the salary of these crew members. If you don't tip the land hotel workers, they still make their wage/salary. Crew members don't. The reason there are the same staffing issues on land as on a ship, is because it is a menial task that most US citizens won't do, for pay they can't live on. The difference is that the crew pay, in their home country, is adequate, but that the living and working conditions are more restrictive. How many of your land hotel workers are forced to share a tiny room with a complete stranger, and are subject to random alcohol and drug testing?

If the other parent still has parental rights, then they need to document their approval for the children to travel outside the US. If the other parents are deceased or have had parental rights removed, then this needs to be documented (death certificate or court order).

Where did this number come from? Besides, the only breakdown I've seen for Carnival DSC has been that a certain percentage goes to the "housekeeping team". This team likely is not limited to your cabin steward, or even the assistant. There are "hotel utilities" that do general clean up and errands around the ship, and the laundry crew as well. The DSC pool on virtually every line has expanded beyond the guest facing crew.

While they cannot make you stay, they can place an "innkeeper's lien" on you, which means you cannot take your possessions (baggage) away with you. They will hold the luggage until the bill is paid.

The ship cannot deny you disembarkation, for any reason, in any port. They can make it difficult, and they can point to costs involved, but they cannot hold you on the ship, even for an unpaid account.

But, I don't think Gramps would be satisfied with the swim diaper splash pool! 😁

That limits you to the Disney ships, and the RCI Oasis, Quantum, and Freedom class ships, and a few Voyager class ships. Splash areas for toddlers are different from splash areas that allow non-potty trained kids. Many cruise lines do not allow non-potty trained kids in the Kids Club.

Which has just wasted 150+ gallons of water, not to mention the fuel needed to make that water in the first place, and the fuel needed to treat the wastewater after.

This would be legal, but up to the cruise line to determine whether or not they wish to incur the additional expense of filing new manifests with both Canadian and US Customs and Immigration, and whether they want the potential complaints when US CBP no longer treats the cruise as a "closed loop" cruise, and subjects the disembarking passengers to additional screening. No, "getting sick" does not warrant a waiver of the fine, automatically. I've seen cases where a deceased passenger's spouse was disembarked early and triggered the fine. In those cases, and with a medical disembarkation, the cruise line passes the fine to the passenger, and then it is up to the passenger to appeal to CBP for a waiver. The cruise lines frequently give the passenger all the documentation needed for the appeal, but don't want to actually do the appeal. I would beg to differ on whether a fine was ever levied for a crewmember, as they are not considered passengers, by legal definition. CBP is very specific about the definition of a "passenger". From the CBP PVSA "Informed Compliance" Manual: "CBP has interpreted this regulation to mean that a “passenger” within the meaning of the PVSA is any person transported on a vessel who is not directly and substantially connected with the operation of the vessel, her navigation, ownership, or business." "Examples of who is not a "passenger" per the definition of "directly or substantially connected with the operation of the vessel" are listed as: Pursuant to 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b), a passenger is any person carried on a vessel who is not connected with the operation of such vessel, her navigation, ownership, or business. Operation or Navigation of the Vessel • Auditors and inspectors conducting surveys pursuant to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, International Safety Management (ISM) Code, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). 22 • Cargo hold cleaning crews performing cargo hold cleaning operations.23 • Safety and maintenance inspectors24 • Individuals conducting safety trainings for the crew.25 • Technicians conducting maintenance or repairs on the vessel. 26 Ownership or Business of the Vessel • The officers of a company owning a vessel, and, if the corporate owner, the members of its board of directors, if acting in their official capacities while onboard the vessel.2 The spouse and children of officers of a vessel are not passengers. The children must be a part of the officer’s household.28 CBP has found the following positions to be officers of the vessel: • Captain/Master/Chief Officer;29 • Chief/First Mate;30 • Second Officer;31 • Third Officer;32 • Radio Officer;33 • Chief Engineer;34 and • First Assistant Engineer" The PVSA fine has gone up to $798. Notice the bolding above for outside technicians. And, crew are signed onto ship's articles, and therefore not being transported "for hire".

Sorry, but the crew's food is under the same restrictions as the passenger's food, since an ill crew member could pass the disease to a passenger.

It can imply that, but it isn't correct. Bringing pot into a cruise terminal is a federal offense. Once on the ship, the flag state laws apply, except in certain limited circumstances. The main thing against this article, is that once in international waters, the US has almost no jurisdiction (they have claimed "extra-territorial jurisdiction" over certain major crimes committed against US citizens), and in a foreign port, they have absolutely no jurisdiction. Even when in a US port, international law allows that "port state" (US) law only applies to actions that are "external" to the ship (taxes for commerce done in the port, pollution, etc). Actions and policies "internal" to the ship are under the flag state, unless the "safety or well being" of the port state are adversely affected. People think the DEA can enforce laws on the ships, but anytime the DEA is brought onto a foreign flag ship, it is either at US Customs request (returning from a cruise is importing pot), or at the Captain's request for assistance. Even flag state laws are somewhat limited on ships. Countries like Holland, where pot is "de-criminalized" (but still not legal), do not allow pot on ships that fly their flag, because the IMO has mandated a no drug policy for all ships. Lots of people think the USCG has jurisdiction over foreign flag cruise ships. In fact, the USCG can only enforce the IMO convention regulations (SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, etc), not the stricter regulations that the USCG has placed on US flag ships.

Not even then. US federal law has very little jurisdiction on a foreign flag cruise ship. The laws of the "flag state" (Bahamas for RCI) apply.

As noted in the article, the incidents involve several flag states. As "interested parties" the USCG and NTSB can witness the investigation, and discuss it with the lead investigators, but cannot do any investigation on their own, unless requested to by the flag state. They can issue recommendation reports as subsidiary to the flag state final report. This happens with virtually all cruise ship incidents that involve US citizens, unless the incident happens in US waters, where the flag state will still be lead investigator, but the US can conduct an investigation as "port state". Based on anyone's reports, the USCG and NTSB can only make recommendations for remedial measures, or requests to the IMO for changes in conventions (compliance not mandatory). The flag state can make requirements (mandatory) for ships flying their flag, and can also make requests to the IMO.

Heald is just a mouthpiece for those he calls "the beards". They are so out of touch with the crew in general, that this is what they believe.

Many government agencies, and notaries, no longer use an embossed seal, as it does not show on faxes. They use inked stamps instead, and are just as acceptable.

I can just about guarantee that I know what happened. A USPH inspector found unsealed food in a crew cabin, and marked the ship down for it. The crew are not supposed to have any open food in their cabins. Even things like chips should be in individual serving packages.

Just know that even on a closed loop cruise, some countries that are port calls require the passports for US green card holders, depending on where their citizenship is.

No, since the WHO still considers covid to be a health emergency, the IMO will keep the conditional approval for the e-muster, but still consider it subject to review of effectiveness of the training aspect.