Koningsdam adrift for an hour in Med on Friday

[bennybear]

First time on board Koningsdam,   Nearing end of a long cruise the power went off during the mariners luncheon and emergency power came on.   We had some sort of IT problem and for awhile no engines were functional.  Finally got one on back up and running and then the others. Spent some time off Messina before entering the straights.   Coast guard, tugs escorted us through the straits of Messina and the captain reported everything was checked out in Naples yesterday.  It was a good location for this to happen, very near land and Messina.  I would hate to be drifting far from shore,  

 

The  ship is beautiful,  other than the promenade and lack of library, not even a Book exchange unless you read German!   We had a great cruise other than this incident but I could not believe people talked over the captains announcements when it was clearly so important!   Thankfully a couple of former teachers got the crowd quieted down enough to hear.  I would be fearful what might happen if things took a turn! 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, bennybear said:

 I would hate to be drifting far from shore,  

It's actually far safer to be drifting far from shore, just ask the folks on the Viking ship that grounded off Norway.

[bennybear]

Yikes!  You are right!  I guess I was thinking we could be towed into Messina if Needed!   Appreciated those tugs that shadowed us.  

Edited October 6, 2019 by bennybear

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry your cruise ended with a rough bump.  Glad you all are safe.  Engine failure can happen any time.

[Himself]

I am sorry the power went off.  I am glad they got it back on and that all is going well once again

[GeezerCouple]

17 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

It's actually far safer to be drifting far from shore, just ask the folks on the Viking ship that grounded off Norway.

 

Did the Viking Sky actually run aground?

I thought that was the deep fear, as she started drifting towards shore and those rocks?

 

That was one scary event (especially with images of Costa Concordia just a bit too fresh in memory), but the Norwegian SAR, plus all on the ground... VERY impressive!

 

GC

[Gigi1977]

We lost all power on Zuiderdam briefly in July but thankfully we were far from shore!  Safer to be adrift far far from land!   The very adapt crew of engineers got us up and running quickly.  

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the info.

Glad everything turned out okay.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Did the Viking Sky actually run aground?

I thought that was the deep fear, as she started drifting towards shore and those rocks?

 

That was one scary event (especially with images of Costa Concordia just a bit too fresh in memory), but the Norwegian SAR, plus all on the ground... VERY impressive!

 

GC

The anchor fetched up just before she would have grounded.

[Hlitner]

5 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

The anchor fetched up just before she would have grounded.

We spent last weekend with some family members who were on that fated Viking Sky voyage.  They were evacuated by helicopter around 4am in pretty bad conditions, and at one point (when sea water was sloshing over their ankles in a Deck 2 Lounge) they thought the end had come :(.  They told me that the Captain actually was able to get two anchors out (first time we had heard this).  They also had nothing but praise for the crew and the Norwegians who rescued them off the vessel.  Viking has apparently done an excellent job compensating the passengers (and crew) who were on the Voyage which has created lots of Goodwill.  Our relatives are looking forward to two future Viking cruises including one maiden voyage of a future newbuild that might turn into somewhat of a reunion cruise for many who were on the Viking Sky.

 

Hank

P.S.  I know this is off-topic but thought you might be interested.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

It's actually far safer to be drifting far from shore, just ask the folks on the Viking ship that grounded off Norway.

 

That is likely true, yet the experience of the Rotterdam (back in 2004) losing power for 3.5 hours in the face of Hurricane Karl in the middle of the Atlantic was rather terrifying, at least according to my parents who were on board...  The ship really got tossed around.

[RuthC]

5 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

That is likely true, yet the experience of the Rotterdam (back in 2004) losing power for 3.5 hours in the face of Hurricane Karl in the middle of the Atlantic was rather terrifying, at least according to my parents who were on board...  The ship really got tossed around.

I remember that. Everyone on board was fortunate that the ship did not get hit broadside by a huge wave. 
Very, very dangerous situation. 

[TAD2005]

7 hours ago, bennybear said:

We had a great cruise other than this incident but I could not believe people talked over the captains announcements when it was clearly so important!

 

People talking during the captain's announcements is a daily annoyance.   For important announcements like port information,  upcoming rough weather, schedule changes, or just the usual 12 noon position and weather report, some folks just can't seem to pause in their conversations out of courtesy to the people who would actually like to hear what's being said.  In actuality, the people talking just raise their voices even louder to override the captain's announcement.   I guess whatever they are saying is so important that it is OK to deprive others from hearing the announcements.

[rkacruiser]

7 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

 

People talking during the captain's announcements is a daily annoyance.   For important announcements like port information,  upcoming rough weather, schedule changes, or just the usual 12 noon position and weather report, some folks just can't seem to pause in their conversations out of courtesy to the people who would actually like to hear what's being said.  In actuality, the people talking just raise their voices even louder to override the captain's announcement.   I guess whatever they are saying is so important that it is OK to deprive others from hearing the announcements.

 

👍👍👍

 

Too many of today's cruisers do not understand that the most important person on Earth at that time they are aboard a ship is the Master of their ship.  This "talking over" of whatever is being said by the Captain is disrespectful to the Captain and is rude to those of us who wish to hear whatever is being said.

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

👍👍👍

 

Too many of today's cruisers do not understand that the most important person on Earth at that time they are aboard a ship is the Master of their ship.  This "talking over" of whatever is being said by the Captain is disrespectful to the Captain and is rude to those of us who wish to hear whatever is being said.

Maybe HAL should add the listening capabilities to the app.   Just pick up your phone and hear the announcement.  Maybe I will write them and make that suggestion. 

[rkacruiser]

Just now, Mary229 said:

Maybe HAL should add the listening capabilities to the app.   Just pick up your phone and hear the announcement.  Maybe I will write them and make that suggestion. 

 

Good suggestion.  But, some of us do not have a phone that has the capability of such an app.

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Good suggestion.  But, some of us do not have a phone that has the capability of such an app.

They should do something. I witnessed the same thing on the Koningsdam last April.  Actually it was the first time I was on a HAL cruise where I could not hear the announcements 

[rjbean4]

6 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

That is likely true, yet the experience of the Rotterdam (back in 2004) losing power for 3.5 hours in the face of Hurricane Karl in the middle of the Atlantic was rather terrifying, at least according to my parents who were on board...  The ship really got tossed around.

My mom and I were also on this Trans Atlantic back in 04 and no it was not fun. We were trying to go around Karl and I remember our Captain during the 1pm update warning us that it would get worse but by that evening would start to improve. Didn't work out that way when Karl decided to start falling apart and despite that we  were close enough to get the big and I mean big waves from it. Oh well. As much as people tried to say what they did Captain Fred and staff told us more than once we were not in any danger and kept us updated regularly during that hair raising event.

[Walfam]

Is there a way to hear the messages on the PA system when in our cabin?  We always have to step out into the hall, from our room. 

[rjbean4]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

I remember that. Everyone on board was fortunate that the ship did not get hit broadside by a huge wave. 
Very, very dangerous situation. 

Hi.   When this happened as while we were dead in the water the waves were coming at us from different directions. I watched a lot of it from the Crows Nest ( I have some good video and pictures) till it got dark and eventually went back to our cabin where my mom was when this happened. I was walking down the hallway with my hands up a bit so that I could protect myself when we would take a roll. In all the years we have been cruising those were the biggest waves I have ever seen till this day. I had heard that we went as far over as 28 degrees and did so multiple times. Don't know if this was true but we were gong over side to side far enough that while I was in the Crows Nest when looking to one side we could only see sky and the other only water. We were also on the Rotterdam for the holidays 04-05 but after the problems that took place we just said that we are not cruising on the Rotterdam any more and till this day we haven't. 

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

I remember that. Everyone on board was fortunate that the ship did not get hit broadside by a huge wave. 
Very, very dangerous situation. 

While it would be very, very uncomfortable, it would take a truly massive sea (on the order of 60 feet or more, and with a long period between seas) to roll a ship that has intact stability over, even from broadside.  Ships are a lot like the "punching clowns" that kids have, you can push them almost flat and they will roll right back up.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Walfam said:

Is there a way to hear the messages on the PA system when in our cabin?  We always have to step out into the hall, from our room. 

It depends on what switches are thrown on the bridge to direct the messages to various areas of the ship.  True emergency messages will be sent to all cabins.

[Mary229]

When I was on the Koningsdam in April the Viking incident was recent news, I guess. At the talk with the Captain this was a question.  This is not a direct quote but an approximation of what he said, that the Viking was not carrying enough fuel to act as ballast and that HAL for sometime had required their ships to always carry enough fuel to help maintain the stability of their ships. 

[AmazedByCruising]

43 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Maybe HAL should add the listening capabilities to the app.   Just pick up your phone and hear the announcement.  Maybe I will write them and make that suggestion. 

 

While at it, tell them to simply put the important messages on your TV. Good if you missed them, good if you're deaf, and a wide range of other messages that I'd be interested in as well (weather in port, why aren't we sailing yet, when will the pool be re-opened). 

 

[Mary229]

Just now, AmazedByCruising said:

 

While at it, tell them to simply put the important messages on your TV. Good if you missed them, good if you're deaf, and a wide range of other messages that I'd be interested in as well (weather in port, why aren't we sailing yet, when will the pool be re-opened). 

 

I will.  I think that used to be a thing but by time you find the channel the message is over.