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Quantum of the Seas Loses a Lifeboat

Oakman58

By Oakman58,
in Royal Caribbean International

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Oakman58 said:

Here's a video of the incident that happened on Dec 1st.  I have no other details.

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5B2SD7HFFBQ

 

1 hour ago, UnregisteredUser said:

Wow! I always thought that these kind of lifeboats were selfleveling, obviously not...

They are "self-leveling", if they are being lowered.  This boat dropped from height.

36 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Looks like Quantum was docked at the time. An exercise or maintenance activity gone bad?

From the lack of damage to the falls (wires), or attachment ring, this looks like someone was testing the "on-load release" mechanism, and it worked.  Passenger ship lifeboats are designed so that the hooks that hold the boat to the falls will only release when the load comes off ("off-load release") (i.e. the boat is floating in the water), just to prevent this type of incident.  (Note that cargo ships with davits have only "on-load" release)  However, the passenger ship boats also have a means to bypass the "off-load" release in an emergency.  (In heavy seas, one end of the boat may be supported by a wave, while the other end is over the trough, so the two hooks "don't agree" about being "off-load", and so won't release).  This "on-load" release bypass has to be tested regularly, but is done with the boat only a foot off the water.  This looks like testing gone wrong.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, UnregisteredUser said:

Yes, but I meant that I thought that they were always self leveling, even if knocked over by a huge wave or after collision with another boat.

You are referring to "self-righting", meaning the boat will come back up to upright when rolled over.  Cruise ship lifeboats are not self-righting, since they are not totally enclosed.  Cruise ship boats are "semi-enclosed", meaning they have a top, but not sealable doors (just curtains).  Many cargo ships have "self-righting" boats, but that requires a boat that has doors that seal with watertight latches, and also you are seat belted into the boat.  If the crew are belted in place, when the boat rolls over, the weight of the crew causes the boat to roll back upright.  Cruise ship boats are not this way.  Cruise ship boats are "unsinkable", in that even if fully filled with water, and full of passengers, there is sufficient floatation to keep the boat afloat.

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neverbeenhere

neverbeenhere

Posted
Posted

 

"We are experiencing a bit of turbulence at the moment, we will start drink service in a few minutes."

 

Perhaps testing a new exciting attraction for Royal Ships?

 

One more: They could send the Pink Bear to the same fate as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

 

Cruise...

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
45 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

 

"We are experiencing a bit of turbulence at the moment, we will start drink service in a few minutes."

 

Perhaps testing a new exciting attraction for Royal Ships?

 

One more: They could send the Pink Bear to the same fate as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

 

Cruise...

 

What do you have against the Pink Bear?  😞

Quantum of the seas bear - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community

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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

Posted
Posted
45 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

 

"We are experiencing a bit of turbulence at the moment, we will start drink service in a few minutes."

 

Perhaps testing a new exciting attraction for Royal Ships?

 

One more: They could send the Pink Bear to the same fate as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

 

Cruise...

 

The bear doesn't have a floatie on like Gigi does though, he might sink!

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shellunderwater

shellunderwater

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Oakman58 said:

I'm sure the passengers who witnessed this weren't inspired with confidence in the crew.  😁

As a guest, I'm glad this happened in training/maintenance. People are gonna learn, procedures checked.  This is what training, etc is for.

Edited by shellunderwater
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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, shellunderwater said:

As a guest, I'm glad this happened in training/maintenance. People are gonna learn, procedures checked.  This is what training, etc is for.

 

We don't know if it was during training or not.  I just saw a second video from a different angle that shows three lifeboats being readied and this one drops.  There is also a report stating that they were getting ready to tender into Mystery Island.

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flamingos

flamingos

Posted
Posted
36 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

It is actually right side up.  The other video is twice as long and shows more.  Someone curses in the video, so I am not going to post it here as it might just get deleted.

Can you suggest where we might find this video?

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flamingos

flamingos

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I searched "Quantum of the Seas lifeboat incident" on another social media site.

I searched the facial social media, and youtube.  Found only the one shown above.  Perhaps it will come later.  I'll search again in a few hours.  Thanks.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
30 minutes ago, death_star said:

I assume they have enough backup raft space to keep full capacity? Do they have any lifting equipment to get it out on their own? I assume they dispatched the rescue boat and tied up to it since it won't sink. 

Since they are operating at reduced capacity, it should be no problem.  But, the ship's have 125% capacity for all passengers and crew.

 

They flipped the boat over, and used the normal davit to raise the boat.  Even with "slight damage" to the fiberglass, it won't affect the floatation of the boat, and they will do repairs to the fiberglass during the cruise.

 

I believe they were getting ready to tender, so there was likely a tender boat either in the water already, or would be shortlly.

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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Since they are operating at reduced capacity, it should be no problem.  But, the ship's have 125% capacity for all passengers and crew.

 

They flipped the boat over, and used the normal davit to raise the boat.  Even with "slight damage" to the fiberglass, it won't affect the floatation of the boat, and they will do repairs to the fiberglass during the cruise.

 

I believe they were getting ready to tender, so there was likely a tender boat either in the water already, or would be shortlly.

 

The ships are sailing at full capacity and have been for a while.

 

There was no need to flip the boat over as you say they did as the lifeboat did not flip over.  The lifeboat does hit the side of the boat as it landed in the water and a couple more times as it floated down the length of the ship.  The two other lifeboats that were being prepared for tendering had their davits extended while the lifeboat that falls only had the davits partially moved which is why the lifeboat hit the deck as it falls and then the side of the ship.

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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, flamingos said:

I searched the facial social media, and youtube.  Found only the one shown above.  Perhaps it will come later.  I'll search again in a few hours.  Thanks.

 

I was going to post the video to clear up a few posts in this thread but it was taken by a guy who works for a consulting firm.  There is a copyright on the video and an email for media requests for access to his video, so I can't even copy it if I wanted as it is locked.

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