Westerdam Damaged When it Hits Ice 5/11/11

[kazu]

Hard to tell because the water line keeps getting higher. :D

 

I am sure there are some divers checking it out ;) at least, I sure hope so ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

since this happened a couple of days - if the coast guard had indicated that once they did their inspection there were problems -- the ship would not be sailing right now

[Boytjie]

Question is how does she look below the water line? :D

 

They checked it at low tide... :D

[catl331]

Question is how does she look below the water line? :D

A little scraped:

 

SEATTLE – The hull of a cruise ship that left Seattle last week was slightly damaged Wednesday after hitting a large piece of ice in Alaska.

 

The 936-foot Holland America Westerdam, carrying 1,916 people, was traveling through Yakutat Bay, and received a "mild indentation" while manuevering through ice near Hubbard Glacier in high winds.

[GASPARTY]

Oh well what a non story, we where with family that run the Sitka newspaper having lunch at their home when the report came over the wire. We did have some icebergs, captain was manevering ship horizontailly too hubbard. no big deal that we heard of. We have the newspaper from Sitka and LL it was never reported to guests it was a non factor the Ship is ok.

 

Lisa it was very bright and we did see some caving 3 too be exact and many whales. my lnternet time is running short hope to see you at home you will enjoy the westie she is in good shape.

[dan1618]

When she gets back to port, HAL will be officially rechristening her the Titanadam.

[jmss1950]

I'm begining to feel like an albatross!

Several years ago I was excited to book the QM2 for a Thanksgiving Caribbean cruise for DH and myself, but low and behold during the January of that year, she hit one of her azipods while sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. Never mind, I thought, it's a long time until Thanksgiving, but guess what, the week they decided to replace the engine was - yes, Thanksgiving week. Cunard did not contact us. I read about it first here on the CC boards. We received our original deposit back, and on offer of $50 towards another cruise if we booked immediately. Well, we still have not sailed with Cunard.

Never mind, I thought, let's just book another cruise. We did and choose Star Princess - anyone remember the fire? Yes, our cruise was cancelled again. However, Princess did treat us better than Cunard. The only last minute cruise we could get was with Carnival.

Now I have booked the Westerdam for our Christmas cruise and just read about the encounter with the iceberg! Please HAL, make any repairs before December.

I've been thinking about asking the cruise lines to pay us NOT to book with them. LOL!

Happy cruising everyone.;)

[IRL_Joanie]

Oh well what a non story, we where with family that run the Sitka newspaper having lunch at their home when the report came over the wire. We did have some icebergs, captain was manevering ship horizontailly too hubbard. no big deal that we heard of. We have the newspaper from Sitka and LL it was never reported to guests it was a non factor the Ship is ok.

 

Lisa it was very bright and we did see some caving 3 too be exact and many whales. my lnternet time is running short hope to see you at home you will enjoy the westie she is in good shape.

 

Off topic only because you are friends with the family that runs the Sitka Newspaper.

 

I have a photo I took of 2 people (think they are the owners/Editors) of the SItka Paper rolling out a HUGE roll of paper. Wanted to know if I send you the photo if you think they'd like to have it? They posed for me when I asked if they would:)

 

Joanie

[iceleven]

That's how I am beginning to feel. I was booked to sail the Splendor three weeks after the fire last year. The cruise was cancelled and we received 25% towards another cruise but that only covered the airfare for our next one which we had to fly to on the east coast.

 

Now we are two weeks away (sailing on the 28th) from our Westerdam-Alaska cruise. Sure hope they don't find anything wrong with her in the next couple of weeks. Or if there is something wrong with her, I HOPE THEY DO FIND IT.

[shof515]

I think based on reading various news site, this is nothing more then just a big DENT in the steel hull similar to regular car ding and dents that could be buffed out or fixed in some way

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Oh well what a non story, we where with family that run the Sitka newspaper having lunch at their home when the report came over the wire. We did have some icebergs, captain was manevering ship horizontailly too hubbard. no big deal that we heard of. We have the newspaper from Sitka and LL it was never reported to guests it was a non factor the Ship is ok.

 

Lisa it was very bright and we did see some caving 3 too be exact and many whales. my lnternet time is running short hope to see you at home you will enjoy the westie she is in good shape.

 

I have heard you were having a good time ;) That is great it was Sunny at Hubbard on Tuesday hope it continues to be sunny every Tuesday :D I am thrilled there are lots of whale sightings. If you want you can call me at work on Sunday. Maybe we can meet at the GVT Buffet Sunday before we leave.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I think based on reading various news site, this is nothing more then just a big DENT in the steel hull similar to regular car ding and dents that could be buffed out or fixed in some way

That's exactly what it was and no need for anyone to worry about a thing :)

[prescott]

Iceleven,

 

I hope so too, I'd been planing this for a LONG time and it would S-U-C-K BIG time. Come and join our rollcall!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=323

 

That's how I am beginning to feel. I was booked to sail the Splendor three weeks after the fire last year. The cruise was cancelled and we received 25% towards another cruise but that only covered the airfare for our next one which we had to fly to on the east coast.

 

Now we are two weeks away (sailing on the 28th) from our Westerdam-Alaska cruise. Sure hope they don't find anything wrong with her in the next couple of weeks. Or if there is something wrong with her, I HOPE THEY DO FIND IT.

[Cbears]

hard to tell because the water line keeps getting higher. :d

 

lmao! :d

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am going to make a bold statement here that I have not heard from no one but it was rather a matter of putting 2 and 2 together and looking at the facts.

 

First how many here on the HAL CC Board have been to Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm? (I have beento all three many times) Many of you I know, and how many times do you guess that ships have scraped against the ice? Yeah kind of a no brainer there is no way to avoid it right. We have heard thru the years that ships often go into a brief dry dock after Alaska Season for some touch up painting. Ships have been getting scratched and scraped by ice in Alaska for years. Now throw into the mix this is the first ship of the season to go to Hubbard, then next throw into the mix that starting next year the state of Alaska is drasticially limiting the number of permits allowing ships into Hubbard Glacier and that I have read reports that the enviromentalist want to prohibit the ships going into these areas totally. The cruise lines are not happy about this, Alaska is still a big money maker and having one less glacier to go to is not good for them.

Now I find it interesting that those on board the ship had no idea this even occurred. Certainly those on board would feel something major.... it took till the next day to hear it on a news wire about something they were involved in. :eek:

 

Who do you think pushed this out to the news wires/media? I personally think this was a planned agenda to stress a point. Never before has anything like this come out when you know darn well it happens every year.

 

This is just my humble opinion and unfortunately the Westerdam was the first ship to go into Hubbard this year so it who who they wanted to make an example of. Remember the Captain is not the only driver of the ship when in places like Hubbard, there would have been a Harbor Pilot brought on board and maybe others brought on board.

Just some food for thought folks ;)

[Cbears]

I don't doubt it Lisa. It's only a matter of time before regulations prohibit cruise ships from getting anywhere near a glacier. Its one of the reasons why we wanted to take our once in a lifetime cruise to Alaska sooner rather than later.

[kazu]

Lisa, I think you make some very good points. Very similar to the situation at the other end of the globe where only certain cruise ships are being allowed in.

 

It happens all the time - because this came on the news, we all thought that she sustained a lot more damage than she probably really did.

[trvlcrzy]

I've seen a bergy-bit come out from the stern with the ship's paint on it! :D (Does that count as environmental pollution or something?)

[IRL_Joanie]

I've seen a bergy-bit come out from the stern with the ship's paint on it! :D (Does that count as environmental pollution or something?)

 

And I have seen photos of one of the HAL ships last year with a whale on the front point (at the water line, not sure what the thingy was called.) Does that mean that HAL should not sail at all where whales are possibly inhabiting the waters?;)

 

I saw the grin in your post, so am not 'picking on ya:)' just using your post to reply:)

 

Joanie

[iceleven]

Iceleven,

 

I hope so too, I'd been planing this for a LONG time and it would S-U-C-K BIG time. Come and join our rollcall!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=323

 

Thanks for the invite - I'm pretty sure I'm already on the "very quiet" roll call. Someone needs to stir it up.:)

[Laminator]

And I have seen photos of one of the HAL ships last year with a whale on the front point (at the water line, not sure what the thingy was called.) Does that mean that HAL should not sail at all where whales are possibly inhabiting the waters?;)

 

I saw the grin in your post, so am not 'picking on ya:)' just using your post to reply:)

 

Joanie

 

That was a Princess cruise ship that struck the whale last year.

 

http://www.gadling.com/2010/08/01/cruise-ship-hits-whale-off-alaska/

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have also been to Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm quite a few times -- and there are pilots on board.

it is sad that the news media has made a big deal out of this

[CruisinBrett]

I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but I have a friend that is a staff member on the Westerdam. This was certainly more than the usual rubs and scrapes that happen weekly in Alaska. A ship does not call the Coast Guard unless they have concerns. Let's please not create a conspiracy theory and blame in on environmentalists.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but I have a friend that is a staff member on the Westerdam. This was certainly more than the usual rubs and scrapes that happen weekly in Alaska. A ship does not call the Coast Guard unless they have concerns. Let's please not create a conspiracy theory and blame in on environmentalists.

 

I never said it was a conspiracy theory, I said it was MY Opinion and I stand by My Opinion. I just find it interesting that passengers had no idea :rolleyes: And no one had any idea this happened till the next day because of the news wires. And while yes it was more than the usual rub and scrape that happens daily while ships visit glacier areas in Alaska this is certainly not the first time that this has occured nor will it be the last this year I am sure but of those that have happened in the past how many were made such a big deal on the news wires?????? While it is not a conspiracy there is an agenda that they want made known out to the public.

 

I am guessing from now on they will be watching this more closely and they will start reporting every incident.

It is just unfortunately that the Westerdam had to be the first :o

[jcrandle]

I am hearing that it really was not a big deal and yes everything will go as scheduled for the Westerdam with no problems.

 

Actually in reading the thing from Cruise law they almost make it sound like a car accident and that the Westerdam collided with the iceberg and that the Westerdam was at fault :D I can just see a cop pulling up on a small boat with lights on and giving the Captain a ticket for hitting an iceberg :D :eek: I think the ice berg was at fault ;)

 

I'm not an expert on maritime law (though I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express) but my understanding is that when a vessel under power hits an object that is not under power, it is always the fault of the powered vessel.

 

We have a similar traffic citation here, called striking a fixed object (I realize that an iceberg is not fixed).