CNN reporting another Carnival Ship having trouble (The Dream)

[dvdkndy]

Carnival just called and said it was cancelled. Full refund, travel expenses, and 25% on next cruise. All we can do now is roll with the punches.

[Warm Breezes]

I just love people who want answers before the answers are available to give them. I'm sure Carnival is working on getting all the logistics worked out, some things take time when you are talking that many people. Have you people forgotten what patience is??? I'm sure they will communicate as soon as they have something to communicate. Give them enough time to figure it all out.....

[Seago2]

People are flying home and next voyage canceled.

 

Bummer.

[cmhatter]

Someone I know on the boat texted me saying they are being flown back. The boat is broken.

[reerun25]

Update on Carnival Dream

March 14, 2013- 10:45 am

 

The Carnival Dream has a technical issue with the ship’s backup emergency diesel generator which our engineering team is currently working on. Yesterday, during regularly scheduled testing of the ship’s emergency diesel generator, a malfunction occurred. At no time did the ship lose power and the ship’s propulsion systems and primary power source was not impacted. The ship is at dock in St. Maarten. All guests are safe and comfortable. There were periodic interruptions to elevators and restroom services for a few hours last night. However, all hotel systems are functioning normally and have been functional since approximately 12.30am.

 

While personnel continue to work on the technical issue we are making arrangements to fly all guests home via private charter flights and scheduled flights from St. Maarten. Guests on the current voyage will receive a refund equivalent to three days of the voyage and 50 percent off a future cruise.

 

We are also cancelling the ship's next voyage which is scheduled to depart on Saturday, March 16. Guests scheduled to sail on this cruise will receive a full refund and 25 percent off a future seven-day cruise. Guests who re-book will have their current rate protected on the future sailing.

Additionally, any non-refundable transportation related expenses will be reimbursed.

 

Yesterday was a scheduled port of call visit to St. Maarten. Guests were able to spend the full day in port and have the option of continuing to do so until their scheduled return home. All of the ship's activities and facilities are fully operational.

 

We are very sorry for this disruption to our guests' vacation plans and extend our sincere apologies. We look forward to welcoming them back on another Carnival cruise.

 

The Carnival Dream was on the last leg of a seven-day cruise and was docked in St. Maarten when the technical problem arose. The ship is based in Port Canaveral, Fla.

[dwjoe]

Wow, the buzzards are circling again. Hard to get a post in here before there are two more pages!

 

Let me repeat my credentials as a former cruise ship Chief Engineer with nearly 40 years of total seagoing time.

 

1. USCG would not normally be notified unless the problem related to propulsion or safe navigation; see my previous post. They would get notified if the arrival time was delayed, as all ship arrivals in US waters are required to be tracked, and notification made 48 hours in advance.

 

2. Vacuum toilets will only overflow if people who have used them continue to press the flush button after the first attempt to flush fails. To all cruisers out there: one push only, please. Further pushes on the button will only add water to the toilet, but the discharge valve (what makes the dirty go away) will not open. This causes the toilet to overflow, and deposit your deposit on the deck.

 

3. Do not compare this with the Triumph or Splendor. There was never any fire or loss of power.

 

4. Everyone is guessing right about letting the guests ashore. Carnival is trying to only tick off the current cruisers, and not the next cruise, by keeping the guests where they can sail immediately when the Chief says the problem is fixed. Is this right? Is this good PR? That's a decision that will need to pass the test of time.

 

5. To my thinking, they are right to delay at port until all problems are corrected, to prevent a POSSIBLE Triumph-like loss of power.

 

6. Is this indicative of poor maintenance? Maybe. The real driving force will be Carnival's insurance rates. The more they have to pay out, the more pressure from the other shipping companies in their P&I club to fix things and force the underwriters to more thoroughly inspect the vessels. I know the pressure of the cruise industry to have a "zero down time" product, meaning that everything must work 100% of the time. This results in massive redundancies of equipment and spare parts, and sometimes near super-human effort by those behind the scenes of your cruise to keep things working, even when the problem is not caused by poor maintenance, but by passengers flushing hand towels down the toilets.

 

7. Am I cheerleading for Carnival? No. Personally, I would not cruise a Carnival ship, I only started posting on CC after the Triumph, to try to shed some light on the technical aspects of the industry. I do enjoy cruising (probably one of the very few who have worked the ships that like coming back on their time off). Does Carnival have a problem? You bet. The negative PR is going to cost them plenty. Does this happen to other ships? You bet. Mostly it is not reported on, as the crew will work to keep it from impacting the guests.

 

8. Does this impact the movement for US flag, US crew cruise ships? I hope so, but I doubt it. Too many people are not willing to vote with their feet, and don't consider expanding their "support local" lifestyle to shipping.

 

Enough rant. Fire away.

Thank you for the factual, well reasoned post.

 

I have a hunch that the Dream might be able to sail, but is being held by CCL in St Maarten as a precaution to avoid risks of a ship-adrift situation.

 

This is indeed a PR nightmare for CCL. They should have learned from the Triumph that they need to get out ahead of this with press conferences, full transparency, and frequent online updates - and not hide under the table. Or the media will eat them alive.

[spj8705]

I think they should receive a FULL refund, not just a 3 day refund.

[lizziez00]

We sail in 17 days and all I keep thinking now is THANK GOODNESS WE SPRUNG FOR PASSPORTS THIS TIME!!! :eek::eek: At this rate we may need them!!! :D

[nofears2day]

It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out for the people without passports.

 

I've taken charter flights and didn't need a ticket. So I think rules are different on who can fly on private flights. Not to mention there's no other option. I can't imagine St. Marteen being difficult with a top industry company.

 

Agree with you. The best thing is to fly them home a.s.a.p. to avoid them getting stuck in the middle of the ocean and being in an unhygenic, unsafe situation that can be avoided.

 

 

Fixed that for you, but i'm sure your thoughts match Carnivals

[lil nemo]

I'm on the next cruise when will they let us know its a no go for us?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[julesbravo]

I wonder if they'll let me cancel my Glory cruise... there's another post about her having propulsion problems.

[Warm Breezes]

I'm finished with Carnival! :mad:

 

Good bye then...

[nbsjcruiser]

This is just bad for the entire cruise industry. I know people who have been on the fence about cruising for years and this Carnival garbage is just another excuse to say "no thanks" and who can blame them.

 

Carnival's obviously poorly run maintenance department needs a shake up and its time that the company as a whole had a long look at how they conduct themselves. To call them the Walmart of the cruise industry would be insulting Walmart.

[mrak]

Told me what? I never stated any theories about this ship and if/when it would sail.

 

 

Don't get all wrapped around the axle. I wasn't directing anything at you. I had previously posted that they were flying guests home before your post and it seemed to go unnoticed. I was just jokin'. Chill!

[justjim312]

This is all I need to be finished with Carnival. They have too many maint issues and safety has gone to pot. Good riddance CCL!

[discjoker]

I've taken charter flights and didn't need a ticket. So I think rules are different on who can fly on private flights. Not to mention there's no other option. I can't imagine St. Marteen being difficult with a top industry company.

 

Ticketing is one thing. Immigration and customs are another. All immigration and customs rules/regs/procedures apply the same to charters, private, and commercial operations.

[P&C4/16/67]

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT WHAT FOX REPORTED!!! Fox reported that the ship's captain had notified the US Coast Guard that the "back up generator" that would be used for propulsion was not working! THE BACK UP GENERATOR. The Cruise ship has full power they didn't want to go to sea with a non functioning back up generator.

 

Does that mean they've been sailing around without a back up generator? Or did that just break down?

[stevenr597]

I do hope that Carnival can either get the ship functioning, or fly the passengers home in a timely manner and not put them through a nightmare as the individuals experienced on the Carnival Triiumph.

 

This is the second ship to experience major problems in several weeks, this does not count the "minor" problems that Carnival seems to be experiencing with many of their ships.

 

Carnival has had a very aggressive cost cutting program in an attempt to keep their cruise prices low. This has affected service and enteretainment. But one should ask if this if also affecting the management and upkeep of their vessels.

 

One has only to read about the problems with the Boeing 787 to realize that management can make big mistakes.

 

I think it is time for Carnival to take a close look an their organization and see if in an attempt to save money they are putting their passengers at risk.

[mondello]

Sounds to me like they caught this during routine maintenance checks. Good to see they are fixing the problem rather than risk another debacle at sea a la Triumph.

[dwjoe]

Yeah, but only by a couple ships. That pie chart is not proportionate on number of ships. Carnivals mishaps are much larger, even considering a few extra ships.

I was under the impression that CCL was 50% of the industry. Do you have stats available or a source you can refer me to?

[MrsKC08]

I'm on the next cruise when will they let us know its a no go for us?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

Just saw a post that someone on the 16th cruise was called this morning that their cruise has been cancelled. Full refund and travel expenses along with 25% off a future cruise.

[kbad]

Oh wow! I bet those without passports are wishing they had spent the money to get one. What a PITA.

 

OP, sorry your cruise is cancelled. I'm scheduled to sail on May 18th on the Dream. I hope she is all fixed up by then!

[ducklite]

Yeah, but only by a couple ships. That pie chart is not proportionate on number of ships. Carnivals mishaps are much larger, even considering a few extra ships.

 

Agree. I did some math after the Triumph incident and I think it worked out to over 350% more incidents than RCI and their associated lines. That's not insignificant. (RCI has a much higher rate of missing passengers though, and I didn't count those to determine the 350%.)

[dwjoe]

Update on Carnival Dream

March 14, 2013- 10:45 am

 

The Carnival Dream has a technical issue with the ship’s backup emergency diesel generator which our engineering team is currently working on. Yesterday, during regularly scheduled testing of the ship’s emergency diesel generator, a malfunction occurred. At no time did the ship lose power and the ship’s propulsion systems and primary power source was not impacted. The ship is at dock in St. Maarten. All guests are safe and comfortable. There were periodic interruptions to elevators and restroom services for a few hours last night. However, all hotel systems are functioning normally and have been functional since approximately 12.30am.

 

While personnel continue to work on the technical issue we are making arrangements to fly all guests home via private charter flights and scheduled flights from St. Maarten. Guests on the current voyage will receive a refund equivalent to three days of the voyage and 50 percent off a future cruise.

 

We are also cancelling the ship's next voyage which is scheduled to depart on Saturday, March 16. Guests scheduled to sail on this cruise will receive a full refund and 25 percent off a future seven-day cruise. Guests who re-book will have their current rate protected on the future sailing.

Additionally, any non-refundable transportation related expenses will be reimbursed.

 

Yesterday was a scheduled port of call visit to St. Maarten. Guests were able to spend the full day in port and have the option of continuing to do so until their scheduled return home. All of the ship's activities and facilities are fully operational.

 

We are very sorry for this disruption to our guests' vacation plans and extend our sincere apologies. We look forward to welcoming them back on another Carnival cruise.

 

The Carnival Dream was on the last leg of a seven-day cruise and was docked in St. Maarten when the technical problem arose. The ship is based in Port Canaveral, Fla.

Great statement - early and transparent about the problems and what they're doing about it.

[TonyFred]

Just popped in to read what folks are saying about the Dream situation. All I will say is that I am glad I decided to only sail Royal Caribbean from now on. Not a knock on you Carnival lovers. But it is not a line for me.