Viking Mani struck by barge

[KirkNC]

We are onboard the Viking Mani on the Rhine river. Last night around 4:00 am, we were struck by a barge that apparently had come lose. The barge struck the aft port side around the second deck. Good news is no one was injured but four cabins appear to have sustained damage. Obviously it gave many a fright as you might imagine. Several windows were broken out completely and apparently some interior walls at the point of impact were moved. They have been making temporary repairs while we are stopped in Cologne but it will take a dry dock to completely fix the damage.

[Daisi]

Wow, scary stuff. Glad no-one was hurt. Hopefully they will be able to get another ship for you to finish your cruise on.

[Cyber Kat]

We are onboard the Viking Mani on the Rhine river. Last night around 4:00 am, we were struck by a barge that apparently had come lose. The barge struck the aft port side around the second deck. Good news is no one was injured but four cabins appear to have sustained damage. Obviously it gave many a fright as you might imagine. Several windows were broken out completely and apparently some interior walls at the point of impact were moved. They have been making temporary repairs while we are stopped in Cologne but it will take a dry dock to completely fix the damage.

 

Oh no - was your cabin okay! Wonder what they did with the people in the damaged cabins. That had to be scary at 4am!

 

Hope they get it fixed before our cruise in August! We're on the Mani at the end of August - Amsterdam to Basel.

[KirkNC]

Wow, scary stuff. Glad no-one was hurt. Hopefully they will be able to get another ship for you to finish your cruise on.

 

No our voyage will continue but with a large rubber sheet covering the damage held on with duct tape :eek:. It really shoke up some of the people in the damaged cabins. One guy woke up on the floor. Many others, including me and my wife just thought we had hit bottom.

[KirkNC]

Oh no - was your cabin okay! Wonder what they did with the people in the damaged cabins. That had to be scary at 4am!

 

Hope they get it fixed before our cruise in August! We're on the Mani at the end of August - Amsterdam to Basel.

 

Yes, our cabin is fine, we were on the starboard side.

 

Not sure what they will do, rumor is they are trying to see if they can rotate another ship to pickup the cruises after this one. I would think it could take a week in dry dock to fix it.

[Cyber Kat]

Yes, our cabin is fine, we were on the starboard side.

 

Not sure what they will do, rumor is they are trying to see if they can rotate another ship to pickup the cruises after this one. I would think it could take a week in dry dock to fix it.

 

 

Glad to hear that! Sounds like they will have it ship shape by our cruise. We're in 231 on the Starboard side.

 

Poor guy that ended up on the floor - yikes!

[mimmy52]

Was your cruise nearing its end or was it near the beginning?

[KirkNC]

Was your cruise nearing its end or was it near the beginning?

 

It was our second full day, before we arrived in Cologne.

[Hydrokitty]

Yes, our cabin is fine, we were on the starboard side.

 

Not sure what they will do, rumor is they are trying to see if they can rotate another ship to pickup the cruises after this one. I would think it could take a week in dry dock to fix it.

 

That's one of the advantages that Viking has over all the other lines.....they have more boats than everyone else! Glad no one was hurt, but I don't see how they can continue sailing with plastic sheeting on one side....what about the people who were in those cabins? That doesn't make sense. At least there's lots to see and do in Cologne if you have to spend an unexpected night there.

[sharkster77]

This is just a guess, but perhaps the cruise wasn't sold out, so it's possible that the affected parties were moved into unused cabins?

[garycarla]

... but I don't see how they can continue sailing with plastic sheeting on one side....what about the people who were in those cabins? That doesn't make sense. ...

 

 

If the damage was above the water line, or confined to a water sealed compartment, it could easily continue sailing. And of course, the risk of further damage or sinking is far less on a river boat vs the open seas.

 

And, if the ship was not full, they can easily move people.

[beemer2]

Kirk,

 

Thanks for posting this. Our Mani trip Amsterdam to Basel is due to start on the 17th. If you hear any further news about what Viking plan to do please post it here.

 

Ian

[KirkNC]

The ship is full so there are no cabins to move into. I talked with two couples in the affected cabins and they were planning on sleeping in them. Their outside cabin has become an inside :eek:. I am sure Viking is doing something for those directly impacted but I don't know what. The damage is a good 10-12 feet above the water line. I will try and post pictures but when we dock it is against the dock.

Edited June 6, 2016 by KirkNC

[beemer2]

One of those aft portside cabins was to be ours next week :(

 

When I called Viking UK at 10:00 they had not heard anything about the incident.

 

Ian

[Mark_T]

One of those aft portside cabins was to be ours next week :(

 

When I called Viking UK at 10:00 they had not heard anything about the incident.

 

The Swiss operations team are probably figuring out the details, I'd keep pushing the UK customer service people for an answer though.

 

Do you know if your cruise was fully booked?

[beemer2]

Mark,

 

Yes afaik it was fully booked. We are on the second level which i assume is the level that was damaged.

 

Ian

Edited June 6, 2016 by beemer2

[Mark_T]

Perhaps KirkNC can confirm the affected cabin numbers?

 

I imagine they are deciding right now where it will go into dry dock and the most efficient way to get it there.

 

I doubt they have an entire empty ship that just happens to be in the right place and a lot depends on where it has to dry dock and for how long...

 

 

[KirkNC]

Perhaps KirkNC can confirm the affected cabin numbers?

 

I imagine they are deciding right now where it will go into dry dock and the most efficient way to get it there.

 

I doubt they have an entire empty ship that just happens to be in the right place and a lot depends on where it has to dry dock and for how long...

 

 

 

I believe the cabins are the 6th thru 3rd rear most port side cabins on deck 2. Three had their windows knocked out or removed by interim repairs. The little French style balconies were crushed into the ship. They have very cleverly attempted to cover it ip. They have repainted all they could and the black rubber has been painted white. They have something, maybe plastic where the windows should be. I guess they have had similar incidents before.

Edited June 6, 2016 by KirkNC

[notamermaid]

Hello KirkNC,

 

glad to hear noone was hurt, although those in the affected cabins must have been quite shaken up.

 

Are you on your way to Basel or is this the long route to Budapest?

 

By the way, there have been accidents of Viking ships before but other companies have had accidents as well. But I am sure the crew are inventive and of course with technical training they will know through that how to do small repairs. Not necessarily knowledge from previous experiences.

 

A few day ago the Amadeus Silver touched a bridge in Passau. A single centimetre too little space between ship and bridge resulted in slight damage to the sundeck. Noone was hurt. The stop in Passau was cut short by an hour so the captain could navigate under the next, even lower, bridge before the river level rose again.

 

Hope you can continue on your trip safe and sound.

 

The Viking webpage gives no info of the accident or changes to the Viking Magni itineraries yet.

 

notamermaid

[Mark_T]

The Viking webpage gives no info of the accident or changes to the Viking Magni itineraries yet.

 

I think it is the Mani rather than the Magni...

[KirkNC]

Just to Basel.

 

Please don't misinterpret any of my comments to be disparaging of Viking. The initial collision was not there fault and the cruise has been great.

 

Given the traffic on the river and night time and fog, I think some amount of this is inevitable.

 

My goal was to let others know who are cruising after we get off.

[KirkNC]

I think it is the Mani rather than the Magni...

 

That's is correct, thanks for catching that.

[notamermaid]

Hello KirkNC,

 

Just to Basel.

 

Please don't misinterpret any of my comments to be disparaging of Viking. The initial collision was not there fault and the cruise has been great.

 

Given the traffic on the river and night time and fog, I think some amount of this is inevitable.

 

My goal was to let others know who are cruising after we get off.

 

eh, no, all is good. :)

 

The water being a bit high, incidents are more likely to happen. It was obviously very unfortunate, at night making quick reaction to the situation I would reckon even more difficult. I was puzzled to read a barge had come loose. That is something Viking will certainly have investigated in detail. It should not happen and is rare. I can see water police and insurances being busy with this.

 

Oops, thank you, Mark_T, for correcting my typing mistake. I did look up the Mani but the Magni got into the post.

 

notamermaid

[beemer2]

Uk and customer services managment are discussing the situation with US VP level.

Is the ship still at cologne? There is (was) a major dry dock at nearby Duisburg.

 

Ian

[KirkNC]

Hello KirkNC,

 

 

 

eh, no, all is good. :)

 

The water being a bit high, incidents are more likely to happen. It was obviously very unfortunate, at night making quick reaction to the situation I would reckon even more difficult. I was puzzled to read a barge had come loose. That is something Viking will certainly have investigated in detail. It should not happen and is rare. I can see water police and insurances being busy with this.

 

Oops, thank you, Mark_T, for correcting my typing mistake. I did look up the Mani but the Magni got into the post.

 

notamermaid

 

When we stopped at Cologne we were meet by police. Apparently all these vessels have some type of transponder so they know exactly who hit them, at least that's the shuttle butt.

 

I wonder if the barge coming lose may have been due to high water?? The way it was explained to me it was not completely loose, just one end swung out.