Cruise liner fends off pirate attack (Spirit)

[norm2002]

Hi guys

I shouldn't have called that one the last post.

First and most important all the passengers are safe and only one crew member was slightly injured by a ricocheting bullet - but he stayed at his post.

You've read my interview with the Press Association so I won't tell the whole story again. I was interviewed live on Sky News and they have been showing some of my pictures. I have also been interviewed by a BBC radio station and ABC in New York.

I think while it was happening and I was taking pictures it wasn't real. It is only afterwards that we start to think what might have been.

The Captain and crew were great! We have just put our clocks forward so it is now 1am and I have been up since 5.30 and I didn't have time for lunch or dinner today. So I am feeling rather tired at the moment. Tomorrow we get to the Seychelles. Ath the moment, I don't known when we are disembarking or whether the safari will still go ahead. In some ways, I wouldn't mind the peace and quiet of a few days in the Seychelles.

Just read the Sky report above. I did not say the passengers were terrified. They were most definitely not.

I will leave you with just one picture for now. Please, I have given Sky exclusive rights on it so it must not be used for broadcasting or newspapers.

[Martita B.]

Norm......You were just on US FOX news......your picture and your voice!

Sooo happy that all aboard are safe......

Get some rest......we are all thinking of you and the beloved Spirit ship!

Yea and Three Cheers to Captain Sven-Erik Pedersen and the Crew!

Hugs sent!

Martita

[Archipelago]

Norm,

Glad to hear that you and the other passengers and crew are o.k. !!!

[giustot]

Thanks for your help Norman. You did everyone a great service by telling your story. That's a pretty frightening picture. Tom.

[Host Dan]

Norm,

Thanks so much for your reports! After all this time, who would have ever thought that we would be looking at THAT as your last photo!

Thanks again!

 

Host Dan

[bldsld]

Norm,

 

So glad to hear that everyone is well. Sounds like Captain Pedersen and crew were outstanding.

 

Denyse

[sandbag7]

What a great picture! It's interesting how the thought process works in times of stress isn't it?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

It is so great that Seabourn Spirit passengers and crew escaped unscathed except for the one crew member who had an injury. It is also awesome that Cruise Critics had an insider witness to give us first hand commentary and that very scarey photo.

 

It is the oddest coincidence. On a cruise last month Hubby and I got to thinking about a new movie for Disney ,"Pirates of the Caribbean: Cruise Ship Attack. We amused ourselves by trying to work out the scenario in which Johhny Depp and his crew come into modern times by some fluke and attack a cruise ship. Then we decided such an attack by old fashioned pirates sailing the Black Pearl would be an impossiblity because of the size differential and speed advantages of the cruise ship. Of course, Disney designers can make anything happen.

 

But this attack today is very sobering in light of what nearly could have happened if the Somali pirates had been greater in number or better armed. Now it is evident the wild scenario Hubby and I were dreaming up can indeed take place one way or another and it wouldn't be pretty. I truly hope Seabourn plans a new itinerary and stays out of the troubled waters of East Africa.

 

Breaking news!!! The president of Seabourne was just on CNN at 6:15PM, Nov 5 and said the passengers would be "well taken care of and get a refund" for their cruise. The anchor woman said they should all get a "good, stiff drink" too. The president said these pirates are not "Johnny Depp" characters but are criminals." The anchor woman called the ship's crew "heroes." (I agree with that.)

[mrscrab]

Norm, you have been on the Australian Broadcasting Commission as well - our ABC has been running the story this morning. Glad everyone is OK. We leave Western Australia in 2 hours to join the Spirit, we have been told to proceed to Mombasa as arranged and then wait for instructions, it looks like Seabourn may charter a plane to get us from there to the ship. What a frightening experience, the laundry may have some extra underwear today!!

[CruiserJen]

Kudos to the Seabourn crew & passengers for their bravery and quick response in averting a potential disaster at sea.

 

I will now feel more confident on board a Seabourn cruise ship knowing that they are trained & prepared to deal with an unexpected attack such as what happened off Somalia.

 

Great job, but I think it's time for all cruise ships to revisit the itinerary fairy!

 

Norman, outstanding photograph. Thanks for sharing your adventure at sea with us.

 

Jen

[Arubalisa]

Great job, but I think it's time for all cruise ships to revisit the itinerary fairy!

 

Norman, outstanding photograph. Thanks for sharing your adventure at sea with us.

 

Jen

I'll second that motion! In that the area has been a problem for awhile now, I am surprised the ship would be in that area in the first place. Why tempt fate???

[safein]

What a very scary thing to happen when you consider what could have happened. I have on CNN right now and listening to passengers accounts.

 

Norm, that is some picture!!!!!!!!

 

Anita

[AnnapolisSailors]

My husband and I cruised on the Spirit in August. During the bridge tour, a fellow passenger asked the First Officer what would be done in case of attack by pirates. As we were cruising the Ionian Sea at the time, I nearly laughed myself senseless, but the First Officer just replied that there was a protocol in place and not to worry about it.

 

Apparently he meant it.

 

And can you believe these guys were ONE HUNDRED MILES off the coast in that little runabout? My husband, who is on the US Sailing Team, reckons that little boat probably goes 20 kts on a good day. A pirate ship with a tiller-drive outboard motor! So those guys would have had to leave the coast at about midnight to intercept the Spirit. Or maybe they just hang around in the shipping lanes until promising prey putters by. I have to say, though, taking on a cruise ship seems pretty ambitious.

[CruisinMatt]

Incredible!!! I would have been terrified!!! Norm, I can't believe you say they were not. Maybe because it all seemed surreal?? :confused:

[bragstarr]

I'm a visitor over from the NCL Boards looking for information on this story; all I can say is a picture is worth a thousand words--and more--in this situation. Wow. Kudos to the crew of this ship for pulling everyone out of this one with no major mishap. Knew I could probably find the best information over on these boards rather than on the broadcast media!

 

Norman, glad you and all your sailing companions are safe...

 

Robin

[Holgerdanske]

Pirates attack cruising sailors also, http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2005/0305/Mar18/Mar18.html . The Spirit was lucky to escape.

[drwong]

And can you believe these guys were ONE HUNDRED MILES off the coast in that little runabout? My husband, who is on the US Sailing Team, reckons that little boat probably goes 20 kts on a good day. A pirate ship with a tiller-drive outboard motor! So those guys would have had to leave the coast at about midnight to intercept the Spirit. Or maybe they just hang around in the shipping lanes until promising prey putters by. I have to say, though, taking on a cruise ship seems pretty ambitious.

 

I suspect the whaleboats were launched from a larger "mother ship" that hovers near shipping lanes. Let see if the Spirit's radar tracked the boats back to their point of origin, and whether any navies were able to locate and identify the mother ship.

 

Back in the day, we'd run out the fire hoses preparing to repel boarders, ready to force them back into the sea if they attempted to scale the rails. Sounds like Seabourn's got a little more high-tech, with that acoutic sound machine!

[uk1]

The management of Seabourn were negligent to send cruises to these waters.

 

It has been well known and well reported that cruising these waters particularly with a small craft with some of the richest people in the world was inviting trouble. The wherwabouts of these craft are public knowledge for g*d sake!

 

The International Maritime Bureau have reported that before this attack (and I quote) "since 15 March 2005, there have been 23 attacks against vessels off the southern and eastern coast of Somalia. Once the vessels have been taken over they are taken close in-shore and the pirates typically demand a ransom for the return of the vessel and the crew. " These people are prepared and happy to kill and it is well known and well reported. That is a reported attack on a vessel every week.

 

The reaction to the threat was successful but with all the waters in the world what sort of management decide to go there with the current known dangers.

 

Once again no doubt the usual apologists will cook up some story for what is by any normal criteria a criminal decision to go there. Seabourn customers should be outraged.

 

Jeff

 

eg: http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=57

[tomtwice]

Hey Norm,

You're a star! Just watched you on the TV news in Perth. Glad you and everyone else onboard OK. You'll be able to 'dine out' on your story for a good few years after this.... I'd better make that TWO beers I owe you when you visit Australia.

BTW, GREAT photos....

t2

[frequent traveler]

To UK 1

 

I am not a Seabourn cruiser, never have been on a Seabourn ship (prefer Sea Dream - hate formal nights) so I don't think I qualify as an "apologist"

 

However, whenever I travel, just as you mentioned, I always look up the ports and areas through which my plane or ship will pass. I love the INternet making the most recent info available.

 

I also check out very carefully the security proceedures of the vessel or airline I'm traveling (to the extent possible with details having to remain confidential) Because the risks with Somalia are known world wide and have been, I'm assuming that most of the passengers knew there was some risk but trusted Seabourn. If not, shame on them for signing up for a cruise that would pass through such an area.

 

Thanks for letting me express my views.

 

FT

[Keith1010]

As usual Martha is correct and I would like to second and echo her comments.

 

This is not the time to play Monday morning quarterback. This is the time to be thankful that those on board did not suffer physical harm from this incident.

 

Unfortunately, we live in an age where there is risk wherever you travel in the world whether you travel on land, by sea or in the air.

 

At this point, the most important thing is that no lives were lost and that from what I have read that the Captain and the crew took the approrpriate steps to safeguard passengers, crew, and the ship.

 

I don't think blaming Seabourn or those Passenger's who made the decision to cruise is approrpriate or constructive. Again, this incident could have happened in many others places throughout the world.

 

I'm sure that over the coming weeks and monthst that there will be post-mortems on this incident done by those with the expertise to perform them.

 

Keith

[frequent traveler]

my earlier posting was not an attempt to cast blame or allocate responsibility. I don't believe criticizing Seabourn is the right thing to do. They appeared prepared for the risk and handled appropriately. As a passenger we have to do our homework and unfortunately, in these time, understand the risks.

FT

[Titan(ic)5.6]

I don't think it takes a Rhodes scholar to figure out that a cruise ship shouldn't be sailing near Somalia. I also don't think this is Monday morning quarterbacking either since a couple of dozen attacks on ships near Somalia have happened within the last year!

 

If this isn't the time to debate whether a cruise ship should be near Somalia, when is it?

[uk1]

I don't think it takes a Rhodes scholar to figure out that a cruise ship shouldn't be sailing near Somalia. I also don't think this is Monday morning quarterbacking either since a couple of dozen attacks on ships near Somalia have happened within the last year!

 

If this isn't the time to debate whether a cruise ship should be near Somalia, when is it?

 

Correct. A very predictable response, which is again " ooooh ..... let's not criticise those very nice misunderstood Seabourn people"

 

The facts are incontrovertible. Somalia has been without a recognised government since 1991 and the IMB have been advising against sailing there for some time. Nobody in their right mind would club together with other rich people and sail anywhere near there which was basically inviting trouble by saying "come and get us". A pirate attack every week for six months is enough of a warning for any half-savvy management.

 

Jeff

[KatWag]

Heroes!!!!!

 

Irregardless of whether some folks here believe the home office made a mistake in sending the ship on this itinerary, let's not lose sight of the heroics of Captain and Crew. But for their quick action, some of the passengers could well be dead right now. An attack so early in the morning could easily have gone un-noticed until it was too late.

 

The Captain and Crew deserve our admiration and thanks. I, too, saw the CNN interview. I thought it was absurd that the anchor suggested refunds. If I were on this ship, I think I'd be looking to shower the Captain and Crew with gifts. I certainly wouldn't be expecting the line to "compensate" me for their staff saving my life.

 

Kathy