CNN reporting another Carnival Ship having trouble (The Dream)

[ParrotHeadCruiser1]

Weird comparison. No one got sick. Would you never go to a Red Lobster again anywhere if one had issues? Would you never go to another Darden owned restaurant? We are not talking about issues with every ship. Also, this is something totally different than Triumph. Not an engine issue. Actually, neither is an engine issue. A leak in the fuel line caused the fire on the Triumph and the way they put out the fire is what caused the ship to lose power. This time, the engine was fine, in fact everything was fine except the back-up generator and the Captain did not want to sail back without it working. No one was ever in harms way. I would not complain if it happened to me because sh*t happens everywhere. Carnival is being smart not sending the ship out without a back-up generator. With the Triumph it was a leak, not shoddy maintenance.

 

It amazes me how people can take the same story and put their own spin on it. But it should not. I am not a Carnival cheerleader, but I am also not going to let something like this change my mind about sailing the Conquest in October. There have been two recent issues with 2 different ships - that would be like saying there are two different issues with two different models of Fords and only happened with two different cars but I will never drive a Ford again.

 

I have noticed some of the same people who do not sail with Carnival but still want to put in their negative 2 cents worth are showing up here again. If you have no dog in the right why are you here except to stir up trouble?

 

Actually, i got food poisoning at an O'Charley's...never been back since...also do not buy Firestone anymore because of the Ford Explorer fiasco a few years back...I have considered CCL and have explored/interacted with these boards for advice/experiences...but I actually take recorded incidents seriously...I know people will continue to defend, especially if they have put money down and do not want to look the fool...but IF something happens again...I hope the CC boards are not inundated with complaints and panic...the record is there for all to see...

[Georgiagolfer]

Wow, what a fast moving thread. Took 45 minutes to read all posts and catch up with the latest info. Many different comments and opinions. DW and I are Platinum on CCL and RCI, so we do have experience with CCL.

 

We sailed Dream in May 2011. Great cruise but awful crowded at buffet and Lido deck. Not enough room for that many people.

 

We looked at Dream and RCI Freedom of the Seas, same week-end, both doing Western Caribbean. Lo and behold, contrary to what is posted here, Freedom did not cost twice as much as Dream. We actually got the cruise for $50 less. With the latest issues for CCL in general and Dream in particular, glad now we chose the Freedom of the Seas.

[Mikel1733]

When it rains it pours................but it does seem too many of these incidents are happening to Carnival. Thank goodness the ship wasn't in the middle of the Caribbean.

[waldocruiser1]

Does anyone write music,

 

How about a new version of the Gilligans Island song,

 

You could switch in the names

 

The skipper would be Garry Cahill

The millionair would be the owner of Carnival and the Miami Heat (not sure of his name)

 

Who would be the rest of the names?

[LTS1960]

We are sailing on the Dream on the 23rd, well I think we are! I hope 9 days is enough to sort out the issues and get back to Port Canaveral. I'm not too worried at this point. I guess if our cruise is cancelled then we will spend the week in Orlando, not a good as a cruise but still fun.

[Floridian821]

I'm cancelling dream in Nov. Likely headed to rccl.

 

I also have a cruise on the Dream in November. I hope more cancel. Smaller lines on the Lido deck.

[Cyber Kat]

Airlines have engine issues, the difference is that they will switch out an airplane for another and only 100 to 300 people on that flight are affected (sometimes the next stop as well). Many flights are delayed or cancelled due to mechanical issues but these issues are remedied quickly because of the nature of the industry having planes in circulation. Little different case when you have 3000 people on board a ship with no "spares" in the system. There are so many flight delays now that it is no longer news...

 

Airlines don't have spare airplanes hanging around anymore than cruise lines do.

 

A number of years ago we were stranded in London for over 12 hours while they replaced an engine on a 747. The time to fix the engine was only 2 or 3 hours but they had to take the plane up an fly it for so many hours before they could put passengers on it. When we left they had the broken engine attached to one of the wings. That's how they got it back to the US. When I asked about it - because it kind of freaked me out, the flight attendant assured me that they did it all the time. I expressed skepticism :rolleyes: and she asked if I would like it if they left my luggage behind and flew it home in the luggage compartment. I said - fine with me, sounds safer, you can send my luggage later.

 

Another time we were flying to Bermuda, and the luggage cart guy ran into the engine and put a dent in it. I think they had half the airline exes and FAA guys standing there looking at it - lots of suits. I figured they were showing porn flicks or something in there. Suits walk a few feet away and conference. Guy in blue coveralls rides up. Looks at the engine. Goes over to his truck, takes out a piece of metal, forms it around the dent, puts some pop rivets in it, then calls the suits over. Suits approve. Flight Engineer approves and the make the boarding call. Took about an hour or two for all this to happen. Anyone who wasn't looking out the window - as I was. Had no clue. Technical difficulties. They put a bandaid on it and we took off.

 

They did serve us coffee, Danish and juice - this was in the olden days :D

[bguppies]

I feel horrible for the poor people whose vacations have been ruined. On the bright side, maybe this means lower prices industry wide for future sailings! Nothing will ever deter me from cruising. It's still the best vacation ever.

 

We were about to book a Carnival cruise last weekend.

 

Sooo glad we didn't now.

 

Can't wait to keep checking the prices on the cruises we were looking at.

 

Bil

[Spring Valley]

Boeing currently has several really large jets "sitting around idle" that could remedy the situation . . . unfortunately their current maintenance is about equal to Carnival's.

 

.

 

Perhaps Carnival Dream should allow this unfortunate repeat experience to be an 'excursion' of sorts, and have the passengers line up along Maho Beach to watch their charter aircraft fly in low overhead, and then walk across the street and get on them. Could be fun.

 

.

Maybe the Coast Guard should "ground" the Carnival fleet until they figure out the problem that Carnival is having with their ships! I think Carnival needs to feel some monetary pain to get their attention!!:eek::eek:

[jimbo5544]

This is going to affect every line, not just CCL. The Splendor and Concordia both caused an overall reduction in cruise ship bookings.

Any factual links to back that up?

[MrPete]

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

 

Why? There was no or little hardship, and they got a 4 days cruise.

[chengkp75]

People during our attempt to get the back up generator functioning we did cut power causing intermittent power outages in the early morning hours . This did cause some toilets not to work for a short period of time*

As you know all power is restored*

A couple other announcements*

1 The*Thalassotherapy Pool is not a designated public toilet

2 we have plenty of food , please no abducting /eating the several service animals on board*

3. Will the person who managed to deficate *on the ceiling in the karaoke room plz contact us , the US gymnast committee would like to see / recruit *you **

 

LMAO

 

You have definitely been crew on some of the voyages I worked on. Amazing what people can do. Amazing what people think is okay to do, just because they are not in their home.

[jimbo5544]

Does anyone write music,

 

How about a new version of the Gilligans Island song,

 

You could switch in the names

 

The skipper would be Garry Cahill

The millionair would be the owner of Carnival and the Miami Heat (not sure of his name)

 

Who would be the rest of the names?

Who is Garry Cahill?

[mojitodiva]

Way to many maintenance issues with Carnival.....The good old saying goes...all things happen in three's....I had a feeling the Splender and Triumph were not the end of it.....And I bet it will happen once again on a Carnival ship.

 

This is so not good for Carnival....Cutbacks galore and safety issues among their ships....

 

Yes it can happen on any cruiseline once after the second time you have to wonder and question.....

 

At least those cruisers will be able to fly home..who the heck would want to cruise back to Orlando on that ship??

 

Did receive an email this morning from Carnival something about $200. off booking a cruise....No thanks keep it. :rolleyes:;)

[Boytjie]

But fret not! HAL is quickly becoming what Carnival once was - a fairly decent mass market cruise line. AND it goes to Half Moon Cay, and the prices are not much more than CCL's were when it was a reliable line.

 

HAL owns Half Moon Cay. ;)

[wildcatlh]

Any factual links to back that up?

 

Can't find numbers, but a quick google search gave me these, among others:

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/12/2894843/cruise-industry-still-in-troubled.html

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/costa_concordia_disaster_crash.html

http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/cruises/shipcriticblog/post/2012/02/Cruise-Bookings-Decline-Following-Costa-Concordia-Disaster/619151/1

[fuddrules]

Per your red Lobster comparison...If I heard on the news someone got salmonella at a Red Lobster, then heard a month later someone got salmonella at another Red Lobster, yeah, I would stop eating at Red Lobsters.

 

Would you eat at the Olive Garden?

[cruiseguy83]

Directly from Carnival-

 

Carnival released the following statement at 10:45 a.m. EDT

 

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 canceling 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.

 

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/world/carnival-dream-cruise-stuck-in-philipsburg-st-maarten-passengers-report-overflowing-toilets#ixzz2NWtiPNeI

[MrPete]

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

 

Why? They are on a charter flight and are not required for close loop cruises.

 

Why do people with passports bring this up each time? It's a non issue?

[LoriSan]

Atleast the problem was detected during scheduled maintenance rather than during an actual emergency, and Kudos to Carnival for not sailing with knowledge of the problem.

 

 

I agree.

[mojitodiva]

Does anyone write music,

 

How about a new version of the Gilligans Island song,

 

You could switch in the names

 

The skipper would be Garry Cahill

The millionair would be the owner of Carnival and the Miami Heat (not sure of his name)

 

Who would be the rest of the names?

 

I would cast CD Butch as Gilligan...:D:eek:;)

[zqvol]

.

 

 

.

 

 

This means nothing unless it is based on a percentage of the fleet that suffered issues. With Carnival having the largest fleet, they are always going to have the largest slice using raw numbers.

 

Good try at confusing the masses.

[wildcatlh]

Why? They are on a charter flight and are not required for close loop cruises.

 

Why do people with passports bring this up each time? It's a non issue?

 

Charter flights are not exempt from customs rules, and they're no longer on a close loop cruise. They'd be required to have passports, and CCL is going to have to work that out before they can fly those people home.

[zenful6219]

No matter what is going on on the Dream, this is so awful for Carnival. What a PR nightmare. Scares away first time cruisers and turns other cruisers off from the line. I've only cruised RCL and will continue to do so. Carnival might be a good cruise line, but its not good to develop a bad reputation.

 

It's much worse for the customers who have made travel arrangements, arranged for time off, and paid significant amounts of money only to be let down by a corporation who's top executive admitted a few days ago that the company needs a ramped-up maintenance program. So, I feel absolutely no sympathy for Carnival. I feel sorry for myself and the thousands of other Carnival customers who trusted this company.

[ElvisAndretti]

I've seem some amatuer cheerleaders but in the first five or six pages I haven't seen any really good shills yet. Somebody in the social media department is asleep while on duty.

 

Me, I'm trying to decide between Holland America and Celebrity for next year's cruise. If you MUST sail the big C, try the Ecstasy, we had a great time and she's already been on fire once, so the odds are with you. :eek: