Liberty issue 10/31 sailing

[chengkp75]

Wife and I are currently on this cruise, waiting to debark in Galveston now (6:10 pm). The initial delay started around 7pm on day of embarkation. A lady broke her ankle on the Lido Deck Sail Away party, causing us to turn around back to Galveston, and taking off again around 9:30pm. Traveling at full speed to Cozumel, the back up generator failed causing Liberty unable to reach top speeds. Delaying the Cozumel visit from a scheduled 9am to 4pm instead. We didn't leave Cozumel until 7:30 pm. And here we are now. I'll make a review over the trip very soon

 

I don't believe this is a problem with the back-up generator, which was installed after the Triumph fire to provide power to hotel functions. Liberty has 6 diesel generators, and typically the ship can make full speed with only 5, allowing one to be down for maintenance at a time. They would have to have had a second generator fail while one is down for maintenance to prevent full speed. If it is a problem with the diesels, this can be repaired fairly quickly (couple weeks at tops). I'm suspecting another failure of a winding in one of the propulsion electric motors. Each motor has two windings, which provide half the power of the motor, so with one winding out, one propeller can give full power, and one propeller is limited to half power. Another Carnival ship (can't remember which) has this problem currently, and this type of problem can't be repaired without a drydocking, currently scheduled for December.

[chezelle95]

We are leaving on the Liberty the 10th (4 day cruise). They sent us an email earlier today stating they were changing our itinerary from stopping in Cozumel to Progreso, a $50 per person credit, & 25% discount on future 2-4 day cruise. I'm just happy to still be going and hope nothing else happens (fingers crossed)! :D

Edited November 1, 2016 by chezelle95

[BoDidly]

I don't believe this is a problem with the back-up generator, which was installed after the Triumph fire to provide power to hotel functions. Liberty has 6 diesel generators, and typically the ship can make full speed with only 5, allowing one to be down for maintenance at a time. They would have to have had a second generator fail while one is down for maintenance to prevent full speed. If it is a problem with the diesels, this can be repaired fairly quickly (couple weeks at tops). I'm suspecting another failure of a winding in one of the propulsion electric motors. Each motor has two windings, which provide half the power of the motor, so with one winding out, one propeller can give full power, and one propeller is limited to half power. Another Carnival ship (can't remember which) has this problem currently, and this type of problem can't be repaired without a drydocking, currently scheduled for December.

 

Love this info , even though I don't know ship about it ;)

[Razor_Poke]

Son and DIL will board at 9 pm. They skipped dinner to get their $50 [emoji3]. Lido buffet is open. Between this snafu and all the money they got in their Carnival registry they may come home with money[emoji383].

 

We will have to work out the 25% discount later. I mean it's only fair that I get it since I paid for this honeymoon right?[emoji12]

[Letmelivehereplease]

I am on the 5th sailing and when I heard of the issues late last night, I snagged travel insurance. I purchased the insurance at 12:45 AM October 31st. The letter from carnival about the port cancellation came out October 31 @ 3:15 PM.

 

Insure my trip is saying my coverage doesn't start until 12:01 AM the day after purchase, which would be November 1.

 

Man that ticks me off. Looks like I will miss out on $1300 I could have received for the missed port clause of the insurance.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Letmelivehereplease

[NHNEV2003]

I don't believe this is a problem with the back-up generator, which was installed after the Triumph fire to provide power to hotel functions. Liberty has 6 diesel generators, and typically the ship can make full speed with only 5, allowing one to be down for maintenance at a time. They would have to have had a second generator fail while one is down for maintenance to prevent full speed. If it is a problem with the diesels, this can be repaired fairly quickly (couple weeks at tops). I'm suspecting another failure of a winding in one of the propulsion electric motors. Each motor has two windings, which provide half the power of the motor, so with one winding out, one propeller can give full power, and one propeller is limited to half power. Another Carnival ship (can't remember which) has this problem currently, and this type of problem can't be repaired without a drydocking, currently scheduled for December.

 

Now I'm curious--how do they fix it? Is it a fix in the engine room? Do they have to be stopped to work on it?

 

Thx!

[Micahs Grandad]

I don't believe this is a problem with the back-up generator, which was installed after the Triumph fire to provide power to hotel functions. Liberty has 6 diesel generators, and typically the ship can make full speed with only 5, allowing one to be down for maintenance at a time. They would have to have had a second generator fail while one is down for maintenance to prevent full speed. If it is a problem with the diesels, this can be repaired fairly quickly (couple weeks at tops). I'm suspecting another failure of a winding in one of the propulsion electric motors. Each motor has two windings, which provide half the power of the motor, so with one winding out, one propeller can give full power, and one propeller is limited to half power. Another Carnival ship (can't remember which) has this problem currently, and this type of problem can't be repaired without a drydocking, currently scheduled for December.

 

Believe it is the Dream

[CruiseMomTX]

Were on the Nov 19th sailing wondering what will happen.

[JROBTX]

Wife and I are currently on this cruise, waiting to debark in Galveston now (6:10 pm). The initial delay started around 7pm on day of embarkation. A lady broke her ankle on the Lido Deck Sail Away party, causing us to turn around back to Galveston, and taking off again around 9:30pm. Traveling at full speed to Cozumel, the back up generator failed causing Liberty unable to reach top speeds. Delaying the Cozumel visit from a scheduled 9am to 4pm instead. We didn't leave Cozumel until 7:30 pm. And here we are now. I'll make a review over the trip very soon

 

What time did you have to vacate your rooms today? Did you still have to put luggage out last night. Casino open until close to port?

[dominichunter]

Heard there're not leaving till sometime tomorrow morning & only going to Progreso.

Edited November 1, 2016 by dominichunter
1 s

[dominichunter]

I take that back, I see a tug right by her. It might leave soon.

[prattmom]

I take that back, I see a tug right by her. It might leave soon.

 

She's still sitting in Port.

[chengkp75]

Now I'm curious--how do they fix it? Is it a fix in the engine room? Do they have to be stopped to work on it?

 

Thx!

 

If it is an engine problem, that can be done even underway, though at reduced speed as they are planning. Typically, the engines are completely torn apart and overhauled every 12k hours (about every 2 years) while in service, and these overhauls take about 2-3 weeks, so you may well have sailed on a ship with an engine down for overhaul and not known it.

 

If if is in fact a propulsion motor winding, that requires cutting a hole in the side of the ship and skidding the motor (10'x15'x10', about 60 tons) out the side of the ship and repairing ashore.

 

There are other scenarios as well, if the controls or power supply (a frequency converter, for those technically minded) could have failed, taking one winding out of service. This could be repaired onboard, underway. It could be a propeller shaft bearing, which would require being repaired onboard, but without the ship moving.

 

I didn't catch the note that they are spending an extra night and day in Galveston, which may mean the propeller shaft seal has failed, and they have divers down renewing it overnight.

 

It will be interesting to hear from those onboard, whether there was evidence of divers, and whether the aft part of the ship had an oil containment boom floating around it, as this would lead me to the shaft seal, which once repaired ends the problem. If the speed problem continues, it will be interesting to see if there are two wakes or one, and if one is more pronounced than the other. This can hint to me whether it is a motor or diesel problem.

[Hose A De RR]

We were on the Oct 22nd sailing. On the first sea day, Oct 23rd, my wife and I were on the lido deck aft and she mentioned that the "swirly water" (her name for the ships wake) looked different. And indeed it did; the port wake was considerably less than the starboard wake. Later in the cruise, they seem to be equal.

 

Time for her to go into the shop for some over due maintenance.

[mroden2699]

I don't believe this is a problem with the back-up generator, which was installed after the Triumph fire to provide power to hotel functions. Liberty has 6 diesel generators, and typically the ship can make full speed with only 5, allowing one to be down for maintenance at a time. They would have to have had a second generator fail while one is down for maintenance to prevent full speed. If it is a problem with the diesels, this can be repaired fairly quickly (couple weeks at tops). I'm suspecting another failure of a winding in one of the propulsion electric motors. Each motor has two windings, which provide half the power of the motor, so with one winding out, one propeller can give full power, and one propeller is limited to half power. Another Carnival ship (can't remember which) has this problem currently, and this type of problem can't be repaired without a drydocking, currently scheduled for December.

 

Interesting. While on board Oct 28th (on the way to Cozumel), all the captain announced was that a backup generator has failed.

 

We were hauling ass most the day (Oct 27th, and half the day of the 28th) after we had to turn around for that lady's medical issue. Around 3pm in the afternoon on October 28th, the ship moved noticeably slower. This is when the captain made the announcement a diesel generator has failed.

[mroden2699]

What time did you have to vacate your rooms today? Did you still have to put luggage out last night. Casino open until close to port?

 

7pm last night was the latest we could stay in our staterooms.

 

And yes, luggage could still be put out, but we elected to carry on everything. Everybody was in a panic to leave, and the whole debarkation process took almost 2 hours.

[mroden2699]

MRoden Thank you, I hope it was still a good cruise. I would appreciate any insight on the good, bad and ugly of the problem we are on Liberty when it returns Saturday Nov 5th

 

Will do! I'll make a thread with review very shortly.

[Margaritaville TX]

Just for info, the traffic around the port will be horrendous on November 5th due to the Lone Star Motorcycle Rally November 3-6.

[BoDidly]

Interesting. While on board Oct 28th (on the way to Cozumel), all the captain announced was that a backup generator has failed.

 

We were hauling ass most the day (Oct 27th, and half the day of the 28th) after we had to turn around for that lady's medical issue. Around 3pm in the afternoon on October 28th, the ship moved noticeably slower. This is when the captain made the announcement a diesel generator has failed.

 

Wonder IF the Captain is actually giving out enough information for the passengers to fully understand the problem ;) Don't think so :D

Edited November 1, 2016 by BoDidly

[mroden2699]

Wonder IF the Captain is actually giving out enough information for the passengers to fully understand the problem ;) Don't think so :D

 

Agreed, the term backup generator is easier to understand than 'windings for electric propulsion motors'.

[JROBTX]

Oh yes. Traffic will be awful. :eek:

[Razor_Poke]

Cruise is cancelled per my son just now. Just announced over the intercom:mad::mad::mad:

[swodog94]

Ouch! That sucks. :( Sorry to hear their honeymoon cruise is a no go. Are they getting a full refund? Partial refund? Deep discount on future cruise?

[Razor_Poke]

I'm so ticked off right now I can't see straight. I know stuff happens and they don't need to put a ship out in the middle of the ocean that might get stranded.

 

It's just that this was a honeymoon. They picked it out. I don't even know what to tell them to do now. Hang out in Galveston, or Houston? Drive up to SA, Austin or Dallas?

 

Just no words.... unbelievable.

 

sorry for the venting.

[seekingamid]

I'm so sorry Razor_Poke. Houston is no consolation prize but there are some neat things to do there. If they haven't ever seen the space center I can recommend that especially (I'm kind of a nerd though, so...).

 

I'm definitely nervous about what's going on with the Liberty now.