Cool Lay Up's

[Laszlo]

http://www.crew-center.com/nclh-cruise-ships-go-cool-lay-manning

 

Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas which are all part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) will further reduce its crew that are currently on board the ships as they enter a cool lay-up manning. The crew level will be below specified by the ship’s minimum safe manning operation, but still sufficient to satisfy maintenance and security requirements.

According to a document sent by a crew member -who wishes to remain anonymous- most of the ships have already started the cool lay-up manning process. With exception of NCL’s Pride of America which is the only ship to stay as is, most of the vessels will enter cool lay-up manning by mid-September.

“They will be letting many crew go home very soon. I am only hearing about how people I know are all being sent home Many that were due to return have been told not to.” says one crew member.

The document doesn’t say how long the ships will remain in this phase; however, it gives an insight about NCLH dry dock schedule which most of the ships will enter before resuming voyages. The dry dock dates are far out and might change since the final decision on when this will happen depends on CDC.

This decision is another setback for the company and, especially, for the crew member’s back home waiting for positive news about the restart of the cruise ships and hoping they will finally receive sign-on dates. Most crew will probably have to wait for the sign-on dates longer than they expected because there are still many unknowns of the relaunch plan as the company is still working with the health sail panel and CDC to establish protocols.

NCLH is aware of all crew awaiting future assignment and they look forward to bring crew members to a regular rotation as soon as possible. However, at this time future assignment dates cannot be confirmed due to ongoing suspensions.

In an article published a couple of days ago entitled “Cruise Lines might lose the most valuable asset, the crew” we warned about the danger that many experienced crew members might decide to seek for a permanent job back home and not return on cruise ships. The long suspension of cruises might result in a loss of a great talent and experience these crew members gained during all years spent working on the cruise ships. Even after cruises resume it will take years for the cruise lines to get back to the level before the Covid-19 crisis.

[98420934]

Yes, I can confirm this is correct. Heard about it a few days ago but the information was not public at that time.

[Trimone]

Sad news, it’s a great shame that NCL are fooling their loyal customers into booking cruises fully aware that they won’t be happening.

[JustAPilot]

"But wait my Personal Cruise Consultant is telling me cabins are booking up fast I better secure my room now!" Is the next reply we will see from our loyalist here. 

[beerman2]

Thanks Cole, I don’t do well copy and pasteing

LOL

[beerman2]

57 minutes ago, Trimone said:

Sad news, it’s a great shame that NCL are fooling their loyal customers into booking cruises fully aware that they won’t be happening.

They aren’t alone!

[shof515]

from what i  read on a different site , most of the ships will remain in cool layout for a long time like until spring 2021 and they will need a quick drydock after cool layout to resume cruising

[Jamesatgsu]

1 hour ago, Trimone said:

Sad news, it’s a great shame that NCL are fooling their loyal customers into booking cruises fully aware that they won’t be happening.

I don't really know what it means, but I'll take it this is extremely bad news for my Thanksgiving cruise.  It would make for my 3rd cancelled cruise, which makes it hard to bother booking again until I know a date. They moved my first cruise's payment/credit to my November 2021. I'm still waiting before re-booking my 2nd. Unless there is a deal I can't pass up, I'll probably just get my money back (however long that ends up taking) for this 3rd one.

[Laszlo]

25 minutes ago, shof515 said:

from what i  read on a different site , most of the ships will remain in cool layout for a long time like until spring 2021 and they will need a quick drydock after cool layout to resume cruising

 

Why would then need a quick dry dock? Unless they have to bottom paint etc... I don't see a reason for a dry dock unless anything below the waterline needs to be inspected X amount of months or years

[shof515]

17 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

 

Why would then need a quick dry dock? Unless they have to bottom paint etc... I don't see a reason for a dry dock unless anything below the waterline needs to be inspected X amount of months or years

it is a required by either the flag state or the classification society to re-certify the ship is seaworthy

[Trimone]

How many dry docks are empty in the world? 

[hallux]

@chengkp75 might be able to provide some insight on what they need a dry dock for when coming out of this "cool lay-up."

[Pcardad]

Engine/safety recert is required.

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, Laszlo said:

 

Why would then need a quick dry dock? Unless they have to bottom paint etc... I don't see a reason for a dry dock unless anything below the waterline needs to be inspected X amount of months or years

If they are reducing crew below the statutory minimum manning, the ship is "laid up" in status, and all class certificates are suspended.  Then any certificates or surveys that were due during the "laid up" period will need to be cleared before the ship can resume service, and some certificates would need to be "restarted", and would require a bottom survey.  It is possible for ships less than 15 years old, that they could get away with an in water bottom survey (diver), unless the statutory 5 year drydocking is missed.

[Lupush]

39 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

If they are reducing crew below the statutory minimum manning, the ship is "laid up" in status, and all class certificates are suspended.  Then any certificates or surveys that were due during the "laid up" period will need to be cleared before the ship can resume service, and some certificates would need to be "restarted", and would require a bottom survey.  It is possible for ships less than 15 years old, that they could get away with an in water bottom survey (diver), unless the statutory 5 year drydocking is missed.

You learn something new everyday!  Thanks for this!

[beerman2]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

If they are reducing crew below the statutory minimum manning, the ship is "laid up" in status, and all class certificates are suspended.  Then any certificates or surveys that were due during the "laid up" period will need to be cleared before the ship can resume service, and some certificates would need to be "restarted", and would require a bottom survey.  It is possible for ships less than 15 years old, that they could get away with an in water bottom survey (diver), unless the statutory 5 year drydocking is missed.

Is it difficult to gets the recertification/surveys? Short timeframe?

[Comi.uy]

Dang well this is bad news...

[chengkp75]

14 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

Is it difficult to gets the recertification/surveys? Short timeframe?

Depends on what the certificates that have expired, and whether surveyors are available.  Some are done in a day, and some, like a bottom survey may need a docking and several days.  And, of course, docking depend on dock availability.

[drvmywifecrzy]

Surprised they don't have to file a 10-Q before making this public

[fstuff1]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

If they are reducing crew below the statutory minimum manning, the ship is "laid up" in status, and all class certificates are suspended.  Then any certificates or surveys that were due during the "laid up" period will need to be cleared before the ship can resume service, and some certificates would need to be "restarted", and would require a bottom survey.  It is possible for ships less than 15 years old, that they could get away with an in water bottom survey (diver), unless the statutory 5 year drydocking is missed.

 

"The crew level will be below specified by the ship’s minimum safe manning operation, but still sufficient to satisfy maintenance and security requirements."

 

so what types of crew is being let go and which stay during cool layup?

and whats the minimum time a cool layup lasts?

 

also, what is the crew level during COLD layup?

Edited September 1, 2020 by fstuff1

[chengkp75]

32 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

 

"The crew level will be below specified by the ship’s minimum safe manning operation, but still sufficient to satisfy maintenance and security requirements."

 

so what types of crew is being let go and which stay during cool layup?

and whats the minimum time a cool layup lasts?

 

also, what is the crew level during COLD layup?

More of the hotel staff, any security staff, and any senior supervisors who may remain.  Manning will be down to a few deck and engine officers and crew, and just a handful of galley types to feed the remaining crew.  Minimum time can be anything, the longer it lasts the more has to be done to restart.

 

In a cold layup, there is no power on the ship (hence cold), so manning goes down to a couple of people to make security and fire rounds daily.  No cruise ship will enter a cold layup, as they would require significant investment to seal up the ship and dehumidify it, to keep mold and mildew from destroying the hotel.  Also, ship's systems need to be "mothballed" (drain all water systems, purge salt from sea water piping (fresh water flushing or nitrogen inerting), fuel removal and tank cleaning, engine mothballing like special oil to prevent rusting, etc, etc, etc.

[billyu]

Was hoping this day wouldn’t come. But it has.

 

Time to cancel my four cruises with NCL and get the deposit money back before its gone 

[AKR2011]

@chengkp75 The Gem is already drydocking, then set to sail November 20th - my cruise. Does the fact that it's doing the drydock after this so-called cool layup right now give me some hope? I have not been following CC here for quite awhile, and this whole Cool Layup thing confuses me.

[chengkp75]

33 minutes ago, AKR2011 said:

@chengkp75 The Gem is already drydocking, then set to sail November 20th - my cruise. Does the fact that it's doing the drydock after this so-called cool layup right now give me some hope? I have not been following CC here for quite awhile, and this whole Cool Layup thing confuses me.

The main impediment is the CDC requirements and whether the no sail order ends or is extended, and whether the requirements in the no sail order are kept as part of "normal" public health port clearance.  They could have had the drydock date, and not a lot of cost planned for the docking, so they will go ahead, and then they can go back to warm layup or down to a cool layup.  I would not say that this is a positive thing or not.

[98420934]

6 hours ago, shof515 said:

from what i  read on a different site , most of the ships will remain in cool layout for a long time like until spring 2021 and they will need a quick drydock after cool layout to resume cruising

 

Interesting. Would you be able to post a link to that? Would like to know what else has been published about it.

 

42 minutes ago, billyu said:

Was hoping this day wouldn’t come. But it has.

 

Time to cancel my four cruises with NCL and get the deposit money back before its gone 

 

Fair enough. Also, all three of the major carriers are / will be in the same situation. So if you decide to cancel your NCL cruises, also cancel your Carnival and RC cruises.

 

1 hour ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

Surprised they don't have to file a 10-Q before making this public

 

Yes, quite possibly, if the release of this information were intentional. However, the article linked above indicates that the company had not chosen to make this information public at the time that the information was leaked.

 

37 minutes ago, AKR2011 said:

@chengkp75 The Gem is already drydocking, then set to sail November 20th - my cruise. Does the fact that it's doing the drydock after this so-called cool layup right now give me some hope? I have not been following CC here for quite awhile, and this whole Cool Layup thing confuses me.

 

Completely understand your confusion. However, I wouldn't get your hopes up. The article linked above indicates that Gem was not excluded from the company-wide order and will also be entering a cold ("cool", to borrow @chengkp75's excellent term) layup period.