Star cruise, end of March, engine problems cancelling port?

[ECCruise]

5 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

Couldn't find anything that showed all the M class ships were pulled out if service for weeks at a time as soon as they had a problem. Stuff about repairs, but not weeks of canceled cruises. Just the obvious Google search as I don't know more specifics about it. 

 

Also want to point out those issues were known manufacturing defects that they eventually sued the manufacturer for and recovered lost revenue. From all I've seen on it the star issue is not a manufacturer defect, it's a things break sometimes issue. 

I was there.  Been sailing =X= since 1999 and seen lots of the situations.   Had a cruise cancelled because of a dry-dock repair.

Here is a handful of other dry dock repairs for the Rolls Royce Mermaid azipods.  There are lots more.

 

1) Next three scheduled Mexican Riviera itineraries (departures Feb 2, 13, 23) were cancelled for drydock repairs (replacement of the portside Azipod’s bearing).

2) In April 2002, two itineraries were canceled, allowing the vessel to enter drydock for propulsion system repairs.

3) In June 2001, two Alaskan voyages were canceled due to engine problems.

The ship entered drydock for the replacement of the portside Azipod’s bearing.

4)n November 17, 2006, a propulsion system issue (portside Azipod bearing) forced the ship to enter 1-week drydock (Dec 10 to 17) and to cancel the Dec 10th itinerary.

5)On March 9, 2009, propulsion issues (propeller shaft bearing) required the ship to enter drydock in Sydney NSW Australia for repairs   The ship returned to service on March 29 (departing from Auckland).

 

But honestly, whatever.  If you are sailing on the Star and want to go with what NCL is telling you, more power to you.  My experience, though, says question everything until you know different.  We didn't, largely listened to what they were telling us, and ended up dead in the water.  It was totally preventable.

[smplybcause]

27 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

I was there.  Been sailing =X= since 1999 and seen lots of the situations.   Had a cruise cancelled because of a dry-dock repair.

Here is a handful of other dry dock repairs for the Rolls Royce Mermaid azipods.  There are lots more.

 

1) Next three scheduled Mexican Riviera itineraries (departures Feb 2, 13, 23) were cancelled for drydock repairs (replacement of the portside Azipod’s bearing).

2) In April 2002, two itineraries were canceled, allowing the vessel to enter drydock for propulsion system repairs.

3) In June 2001, two Alaskan voyages were canceled due to engine problems.

The ship entered drydock for the replacement of the portside Azipod’s bearing.

4)n November 17, 2006, a propulsion system issue (portside Azipod bearing) forced the ship to enter 1-week drydock (Dec 10 to 17) and to cancel the Dec 10th itinerary.

5)On March 9, 2009, propulsion issues (propeller shaft bearing) required the ship to enter drydock in Sydney NSW Australia for repairs   The ship returned to service on March 29 (departing from Auckland).

 

But honestly, whatever.  If you are sailing on the Star and want to go with what NCL is telling you, more power to you.  My experience, though, says question everything until you know different.  We didn't, largely listened to what they were telling us, and ended up dead in the water.  It was totally preventable.

 

I wasn't questioning whether they were dry docked, I was questioning whether they were immediately pulled from service after a problem was known. Which is what you're saying celebrity did. Considering the vast amount of time between the repairs you listed I'm guessing not, but it's just a guess. 

 

And, again, want to point out these were known manufacturer defects so after the first few they knew what was wrong and that it was going to happen it was just a matter of time. The manufacturer would definitely have been in the process of producing parts once the defect was known. 

[ECCruise]

1 minute ago, smplybcause said:

 

I wasn't questioning whether they were dry docked, I was questioning whether they were immediately pulled from service after a problem was known. Which is what you're saying celebrity did. Considering the vast amount of time between the repairs you listed I'm guessing not, but it's just a guess. 

 

And, again, want to point out these were known manufacturer defects so after the first few they knew what was wrong and that it was going to happen it was just a matter of time. The manufacturer would definitely have been in the process of producing parts once the defect was known. 

Trust me, they were all pulled from service immediately.  Our cancellation was pulled 6 days before our sailing.  And those snippets I posted were from different M class ships so the time lines vary, but as you can see, the dry docks lasted between a week and 3 weeks.

[blueslily]

If anyone has a Star sailing coming up and happens to be on CC, I hope that they are checking out the Boards every now and then or sharing info in the roll calls. I have been watching some sailings in April and May, but have been reading these baords enough to decide not to book that ship until repairs are made and the issue has indeed been fixed during the April drydock. There are some great itineraries for Europe in May, but I'm waiting it out.  Will not pay in full for sure. Im optimistic, but I am also not going to wait for NCL to make a decision for me. I can decide for myself to not make final payment until I am more comfortable with the status of the ship's functioning. I just keep an eye on airfare and wait it out. Reduces stress. 

 

[smplybcause]

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

Trust me, they were all pulled from service immediately.  Our cancellation was pulled 6 days before our sailing.  And those snippets I posted were from different M class ships so the time lines vary, but as you can see, the dry docks lasted between a week and 3 weeks.

 

Your #4 and #5 weren't immediately. At least 3 weeks for both (ie 3 cruises). Which were both several years after knowing there was a problem. #1 & #2 didn't specify when the problem first popped up, just when the dry dock was. 

[julig22]

7 hours ago, blueslily said:

If anyone has a Star sailing coming up and happens to be on CC, I hope that they are checking out the Boards every now and then or sharing info in the roll calls. I have been watching some sailings in April and May, but have been reading these baords enough to decide not to book that ship until repairs are made and the issue has indeed been fixed during the April drydock. There are some great itineraries for Europe in May, but I'm waiting it out.  Will not pay in full for sure. Im optimistic, but I am also not going to wait for NCL to make a decision for me. I can decide for myself to not make final payment until I am more comfortable with the status of the ship's functioning. I just keep an eye on airfare and wait it out. Reduces stress. 

 

Yes in the waiting game now.  Lucky me, booked B2B on both Star cruises in April.  So now booked on 2 concurrent cruises due to changes.  Leaving Apr 9 for Bermuda on a sister ship and on the Star which is now leaving for Europe also on the 9th with a slightly modified itinerary.  So it's looking like drydock or whatever is late April.  And I haven't a clue what I'll be doing!

[luv2kroooz]

8 hours ago, ECCruise said:

Trust me, they were all pulled from service immediately.  Our cancellation was pulled 6 days before our sailing.  And those snippets I posted were from different M class ships so the time lines vary, but as you can see, the dry docks lasted between a week and 3 weeks.

Thanks for posting the reality of your situation with X. I've found that it isn't worth wasting your energy with certain people on here. It is futile, and they'll argue with you even when presented with a first hand account of reality. They rarely acknowledge anything that could put NCL in a negative light.

[ECCruise]

44 minutes ago, blcruising said:

Thanks for posting the reality of your situation with X. I've found that it isn't worth wasting your energy with certain people on here. It is futile, and they'll argue with you even when presented with a first hand account of reality. They rarely acknowledge anything that could put NCL in a negative light.

Thanks. Yes, I should know better.  Just wanting to relate actual experience (being on the same NCL ship that died at the entrance to the Tasman Sea and having a Celebrity cruise cancelled 6 days before sailing).

But some people stay at Holiday Inns and use Google so there is that....😉

[njkate]

I get they can cancel/change ports but can they push a cruise up by 10 days without allowing cancellations with full refund? Do they plan on taking her across the Atlantic without repairing? Was under the assumption the reason the April 9 cruise was canceled to make the repairs before the crossing now my reservation is showing leaving on April 9 from NYC not Brooklyn on April 19 and my air and transfers are gone

[old nutter]

As has been said a number of times on this board, the engine issue is an electrical power problem, not an azipod mechanical one.  She normally has four engines to supply the electrical power for the ship, including all electricity around the ship and enough electrical power for full speed on the azipods.  Star and Dawn have the highest top speed in the fleet and can make up to around 25 knots with all four engines running which they rarely use only when they have to because it is expensive to run at full speed for long.  With only three at present it looks like she can only make about 20-ish knots max, so they do not have the leeway on some longer legs for even minor delays such as late passengers or bad weather, hence a few port changes.

 

Since the fire, only three engines are available at present and they did the recent mainly uneventfultransatlantic crossing on those three.  The cancellation of the Azores stop on that run was purely to do with bad weather on that northern route.  At the time she went across, virtually every ship of all types went south because of that storm.

 

If I was trying to second guess about the transatlantic date advance, I would assume that they can accommodate a single cruise cancellation while over there because there is a lot more capacity to absorb changed bookings than in Europe at that time to make free headroom for some dry dock time once across the Atlantic - or maybe European dry docking will be cheaper.

[julig22]

2 hours ago, old nutter said:

 

If I was trying to second guess about the transatlantic date advance, I would assume that they can accommodate a single cruise cancellation while over there because there is a lot more capacity to absorb changed bookings than in Europe at that time to make free headroom for some dry dock time once across the Atlantic - or maybe European dry docking will be cheaper.

Technically they haven't had to cancel anything.  All of the Bermuda passengers have been moved to the Dawn, with the same itinerary, just in reverse.  Still cruising during the same time period. 

The TA has been moved up by 10 days, with some port modifications, not cancelled.

[old nutter]

I was trying to describe the rationale to make space for a short dry dock to repair the bad engine in a pre-booked full schedule.  The cancellation I talked about was the one needed to be able to advance the TA without actually cancelling anyone's cruise.  Clearly that is what they did and now they have a gap when she arrives in Europe to do the repairs without removing a cruise all together.  Quite a clever compromise really for the business, unless the TA advance disruption is causing you impossible problems or if you were looking forward to a B2B in Europe after the TA.

[mugtech]

1 hour ago, old nutter said:

 Quite a clever compromise really for the business, unless the TA advance disruption is causing you impossible problems or if you were looking forward to a B2B in Europe after the TA.

Can't imagine crossing the ocean and not taking a cruise when I get there.  People already made reservations in Europe based on the original sailing dates, airfare etc.  

[old nutter]

3 hours ago, mugtech said:

Can't imagine crossing the ocean and not taking a cruise when I get there.  People already made reservations in Europe based on the original sailing dates, airfare etc.  

Maybe use the time to explore some of the beautiful and historic inland places around Europe this time, or perhaps switch to a river cruise - there is much to see that will never be possible from port stops.