NCL Star now under tow with 2 tugs

[soloadventurer]

The Tug Hastings from Geelong is towing the NCL Star and the Tug Tom Tough from Westernport is assisting - current speed is 4.9knts

 

ETA to Melbourne 2017-02-11 15:00

[teamflames]

Yep 5th straight cruise with problems but "safety is ncl main priority". Would love to know what would have happened if in the middle of the Tasman Sea ... Hardly a pond!?

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

Did you just leave Melbourne?

[ilovetotravel1977]

MIL wants to do the Greek Isles cruise but it would be on the Star. I think she will be waiting for another ship to take that one over at this rate!

[biker@sea]

Yep 5th straight cruise with problems but "safety is ncl main priority". Would love to know what would have happened if in the middle of the Tasman Sea ... Hardly a pond!?

 

 

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A Longer Tow?? :confused:

[teamflames]

A Longer Tow?? :confused:

 

 

I presume much longer given it took the tugs 12 hours to reach the ship which was only 20 miles from the coast.

 

 

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[soloadventurer]

ETA now 12th Feb 2am - slow progress

[tempus137]

I presume much longer given it took the tugs 12 hours to reach the ship which was only 20 miles from the coast.

 

 

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20 miles from the coast, but 230 miles from port.

[Heather1972]

Poor Star. I hope NCL just fixes the darn thing completely before sending her out on any more cruises. I think people would rather have cruises cancelled than a crappy cruise with 1 port.

[CruisinMaterial]

Poor Star. I hope NCL just fixes the darn thing completely before sending her out on any more cruises. I think people would rather have cruises cancelled than a crappy cruise with 1 port.

 

This should've been addressed more in Singapore with the other azipod and taking the ship out of service in a dry dock facility there. Instead they over taxed the other azipod which seemingly also had faults waiting and then it went down causing them to go back onto the other azipod which wasn't fully operational. Now they're dead in the water and egg on their face. At least hotel operations are functional so it's not as bad as Carnival but don't tell me this isn't going to hurt NCL's chances down under. It's all over the news down there! :eek: Luckily it's not as much up here. I guess NCL can hope that someone else continues to dominate the headlines. ;)

[ChrisOz]

Yep 5th straight cruise with problems but "safety is ncl main priority". Would love to know what would have happened if in the middle of the Tasman Sea ... Hardly a pond!?

 

 

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FIFTH? Heck. Has somebody got the message yet at Norwegian that the ship needs some actual long lasting repairs?

[biker@sea]

FIFTH? Heck. Has somebody got the message yet at Norwegian that the ship needs some actual long lasting repairs?

 

They finally fix the dent in the aft. After She smashed into Royals ship in Bermuda. :roll eyes:

 

 

.

[chengkp75]

This should've been addressed more in Singapore with the other azipod and taking the ship out of service in a dry dock facility there. Instead they over taxed the other azipod which seemingly also had faults waiting and then it went down causing them to go back onto the other azipod which wasn't fully operational. Now they're dead in the water and egg on their face. At least hotel operations are functional so it's not as bad as Carnival but don't tell me this isn't going to hurt NCL's chances down under. It's all over the news down there! :eek: Luckily it's not as much up here. I guess NCL can hope that someone else continues to dominate the headlines. ;)

 

Wow, lots of assumptions here. Why do you think a drydock was needed? Do you know what failed, what was done to repair it from inside that could have been done better from the outside in drydock? You know that the first pod "wasn't fully operational"? What was wrong? "Faults waiting" or component failure?

 

FIFTH? Heck. Has somebody got the message yet at Norwegian that the ship needs some actual long lasting repairs?

 

Please advise what "long term lasting repairs" are needed? Do you know that things were not repaired to original manufacturer's specs each and every time there has been a failure? Do you know that components failed repeatedly or that substandard practices were used to make the repair, so that the same failure occurred again?

 

Hey, I work with ship's propulsion, and azipods, and have worked for NCL in the past, and I don't have the answers to any of the above questions, so I don't throw out accusations of "jury-rigged" or "incomplete" repairs. I guess the company likes to damage its P&I insurance premiums with additional damage and repair costs, and the crew love to make half hearted repairs over and over.

[casofilia]

Thank you "chengkp75"; those of us who know nothing about marine engineering are pleased to read your informed comments about what you see as the problems. I certainly am pleased when you ask those very difficult questions of the marine engineering experts who challenge your inside knowledge.

[RustyRollock]

Weather conditions in the Bass Straight off Melbourne are very calm and benign at the moment (Saturday AM local) so the long, slow tow back to port shouldn't be too unpleasant, albeit frustrating. It would have been a different story halfway across the notorious Tasman Sea.

[soloadventurer]

Still under tow :eek:

 

ETA: 2017-02-11 15:00

[diamondj]

I'm hoping that this doesn't keep being a recurring problem as we are taking another couple for their first cruise out of Venice in September on Star. Not paid balance yet, but paid quite a hefty deposit, and itinerary is just what I wanted. Hmmm!

[Fred Quimby]

Norwegian Cruise Line said the Norwegian Star lost propulsion about 20 miles offshore in Australia and is being towed to Melbourne.

 

The cruise line said the ship has full power and all onboard services are fully operational. All guest amenities remain open and available and the weather conditions are favorable.

 

Norwegian cited a technical problem with the ship’s azipods. When the ship arrives in Melbourne a technical team will assess the repair timeline and additional details about the remaining itinerary will be issued.

 

It said guests can stay onboard while the ship is docked and enjoy additional time exploring Melbourne and then continue on to Auckland on the revised itinerary once the repairs are complete. Norwegian said it expects to operate the Feb. 18 departure from Auckland.

 

The Norwegian Star departed on the current cruise Feb. 6. Guests on that cruise will get a full refund and a 50% future cruise credit. Guests wishing to disembark once the ship reaches Melbourne will get a credit of up to $350 per person for a flight to Auckland and up to $300 per ticket for an airfare change fee allowance.

[NMLady]

Did you just leave Melbourne?

 

Melbourne is where the Star was being towed TO.

[Logger1]

Going to change lines and do Trans Atlantic on Nov.5 on Star. Don't need no tow half way do we! Yikes:eek: