Dry Dock & Q.Vic

[RAL72]

It wasn't just one change of port. It was a port cancellation, and many days of severe vibration in the main dining room, all known by Cunard before the ship sailed.  Also looking out of your balcony at an industrial dry dock is hardly what they advertise in their "fine line" adverts 

 

We'd have cancelled had we known, we had 3 other options we were juggling, this trip was just one option.

[Solent Richard]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

The main reason I can find that was disappointing is Cunard obviously knew about dry dock and missing Lisbon prior to leaving Southampton. They should have told customers and given option of cancelling or at least an amount of OBC as a gesture.

Good morning Major. 

 

May I draw your attention to my comment # 72 and in particular the actual comment on the screenshot...' they must have brought the correct sized spanner this time'.

 

That is, I believe,  a reference to an attempt(s) at a previous blade change by divers prior to her sailing on this particular voyage. That indeed could have, and it's only my speculation, have been on embarkation day in Southampton.

 

Food for thought maybe?

 

 

[exlondoner]

20 minutes ago, RAL72 said:

It wasn't just one change of port. It was a port cancellation, and many days of severe vibration in the main dining room, all known by Cunard before the ship sailed.  Also looking out of your balcony at an industrial dry dock is hardly what they advertise in their "fine line" adverts 

 

We'd have cancelled had we known, we had 3 other options we were juggling, this trip was just one option.

I’m not sure an industrial dry dock is any more disagreeable than the container ports the ships sometimes dock in. As I have said, I should find it fascinating. Surely you should be pleased they are, we hope, fixing the vibration problem so your journey back is less tiresome?

[Solent Richard]

It's a funny old world. I always smile when, for whatever reason,  there is a 'port of call' cancelled and that port was the very one that some complainant specifically booked that cruise for.

 

I have to admit that on one occasion I did feel a degree of sympathy for a certain group of French passengers while on a South African 'Line Voyage' onboard QE2 in 2002. On the return leg we had been scheduled to stop at St Helena and, due to high winds and rough seas, the Captain decided it was unsafe to tender. That group of course were members of an appreciation society for some chap called Napoleon and were on a pilgrimage to pay their respects. As I said, I afforded a degree of sympathy, it was a particularly genuine reason to be on the ship.

 

Meanwhile of course, those onboard Queen Victoria today could have made good use of their extended time in Cadiz to head to Seville without too many time restrictions...

 

 

Every cloud has a silver lining.

[exlondoner]

We once had a call at Izmir cancelled in advance, because of the political/terrorist situation in Turkey, which I thought a rather over cautious reaction, but nonetheless understandable. This meant I still haven’t got to see Ephesus, which, as a classicist, I think is one of the few ancient ruins actually worth visiting. Sarande was in no way a worthy substitute. But that’s life.

[rakkor]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

We once had a call at Izmir cancelled in advance, because of the political/terrorist situation in Turkey, which I thought a rather over cautious reaction, but nonetheless understandable. This meant I still haven’t got to see Ephesus, which, as a classicist, I think is one of the few ancient ruins actually worth visiting. Sarande was in no way a worthy substitute. But that’s life.

 

I too was also going to comment on the change to Sarande from (Ephesus), but it did allow us to see Gjirokastër which was nice and add Albania to our visited countries list. I never saw any option to cancel on that cruise because of the port changes.

[TheOldBear]

4 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

Good morning from the Solent. 

 

Good to see that there are a number of CC members onboard.

 

Still pleased  to share my friend's photographs which have been kindly posted 'elsewhere'.

 

 

There were other photographs on a Cunard fb group of which I am a member but not the Admin: hence I do not have the authority to copy and post them.

 

However, what I can do is mention that that were very informative and showed that many passengers went out into Cadiz last night for meals. Now that's what I call making the most of the situation which for me would have been a bonus.

One of the included photos - showing the blade to hub attachment answered a question I had up thread - this blade does not appear to be one of the missing "Commodore's Cufflinks". The base of the blade does not match my memories of the base of the 'Mermaid' pod blades.

 

[chengkp75]

12 minutes ago, TheOldBear said:

One of the included photos - showing the blade to hub attachment answered a question I had up thread - this blade does not appear to be one of the missing "Commodore's Cufflinks". The base of the blade does not match my memories of the base of the 'Mermaid' pod blades.

 

Both QE and QV have ABB Azipods, not Mermaid pods.

[Ravensbourne1960]

It was so con urgencia that they had to book it a considerable time in advance:

 

https://www.lavozdigital.es/provincia/reparacion-expres-astillero-cadiz-queen-victoria-pasaje-20230103150742-ntv.html

 

El Queen Bictoria has also made it to the television news in Cádiz:

 

https://youtu.be/_qVofmdwdv8

[Host Hattie]

I can't see anything in the English translation of the article you have posted that shows the repair was booked a considerable time in advance,  where have you seen that ?

The article specifically mentions an urgent call.

 

[chengkp75]

5 minutes ago, Ravensbourne1960 said:

It was so con urgencia that they had to book it a considerable time in advance:

Initial contact from Cunard on Monday, for an arrival the following Monday, is not exactly "considerable time in advance".  It would take about 2 days to move the blocks from the last ship' docking plan to the QV plan.
 

[Solent Richard]

32 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I can't see anything in the English translation of the article you have posted that shows the repair was booked a considerable time in advance,  where have you seen that ?

The article specifically mentions an urgent call.

 

Nor me but at least the crew were making good use of the Sports Court. 😁

[Glenndale]

Our pre Christmas cruise itinerary was altered to enable an attempt to replace the blade in Cadiz. The blade was delivered whilst we were at breakfast and sat on the quayside whilst divers attempted to remove the damaged blade. Unfortunately they couldn’t loosen the bolts, hence the dry dock.

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, Glenndale said:

Our pre Christmas cruise itinerary was altered to enable an attempt to replace the blade in Cadiz. The blade was delivered whilst we were at breakfast and sat on the quayside whilst divers attempted to remove the damaged blade. Unfortunately they couldn’t loosen the bolts, hence the dry dock.

It would have been the pits if they had been able to loosen the bolts and remove the damaged blade but, for some reason, not get the new one screwed on.

[HOFFMEISTER]

We were on previous cruise 11-23 Dec. Absolutely awful vibration in 7167 - after 3 sleepless nights and  2 days in Cadiz hoping for fix, this is the replacement prop blade being lowered back to dockside as old could not be removed.  Old bolts went back in and guess what, the vibration was worse.  We finally moved cabins to 7125 at 3am that night.  I can only feel for the people due to occupy that 7167 cabin on this latest cruise.  Unacceptable and should have been fixed some while back.  Captain said the old prop blade was cracked.  Through the BoB again and again....

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, HOFFMEISTER said:

Captain said the old prop blade was cracked.  Through the BoB again and again....

Cracked blade generally does not cause vibrations.  And, if it was cracked, that would be a manufacturing fault, and wouldn't matter whether the ship went through Biscay frequently or not.

[HOFFMEISTER]

On 1/2/2023 at 3:25 PM, nigelc said:

Currently on the Queen Victoria. While I am sure it is part of your remit to spin such events in a good light for Cunard - it did not worsen on the Christmas cruise - the Captain on his first noon announcement from leaving Southampton informed us of the change and that a propeller was waiting for us in Cadiz. It was a planned event and Cunard left it until we had left Southampton to inform us - why not be honest and give guests the option to say that 3 days in a shipyard is not for me and just give them their money back.  

 

Oh indeed it was - the prop was in Cadiz from the previous cruise which we were on.  We were told by Captain prop blade was cracked.  They spent 2 days underwater trying to fix, but said they could not get the old one off, so the original bolts went back in and we sailed 10pm that night.  Awful vibration in Cabin 7167 - unbearable.  We had a dreadful time until we finally got moved - 6 nights into a 12 night cruise.  And then only by repeated requests, finally at 3am they gave in and moved us.

[Ravensbourne1960]

"During the docking period, all facilities on board remained available and passengers could also go ashore. There were free shuttle buses to the center of Cadiz. Passengers were already informed about the necessary dry dock when embarking for the cruise."

 

https://www.cruisereiziger.nl/2023/01/03/fotos-queen-victoria-met-passagiers-in-droogdok-in-cadiz/

 

 

[Host Hattie]

Is there any update from those on board? Was there noise last night/today? Is work progressing to plan?

I hope you enjoyed your day in Cadiz. 

[Ravensbourne1960]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Is there any update from those on board?

Yes, the captain announced 4 hours ago that the propeller had been fully repaired.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Ravensbourne1960

[Solent Richard]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Is there any update from those on board? Was there noise last night/today? Is work progressing to plan?

I hope you enjoyed your day in Cadiz. 

From the horses mouth so as to speak. My friend made this comment just 20 minutes ago… 

 

The propeller is repaired and in the early hours of tomorrow morning 4am we are told they will start to fill the dry dock up . Apparently it is not just a case of opening the lock gate . It takes nearly 8 hours to fill it up enough to open the gates . After all this has been done and all the guy ropes are removed we will set sail to Southampton .
It has been a great experience being in dry dock watching the work progress . 
The weather today has been lovely and we went ashore and had a lovely lunch of paella and a couple of glasses of white wine . I Do love an overnight stay in port . 

 

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

Apparently it is not just a case of opening the lock gate . It takes nearly 8 hours to fill it up enough to open the gates .

It will take a little less time to fill the dock than it did to empty it.  The dock "door" is never taken out until the dock is completely full, they don't want any surge from water flow to move the ship.  They will fill the dock until the water is partially up the hull, but not enough to float the ship, so that all systems can be switched over (start another generator on sea water cooling, shut down the shore cooled generator, and disconnect the hoses).  Once everything in the engine room is showing watertight, and the azipod is inspected, they will fill from this point to a full dry dock.

[chengkp75]

Be interesting if someone could get a pix of the damaged blade.

[Ravensbourne1960]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Be interesting if someone could get a pix of the damaged blade.

I'm not sure what a damaged blade looks like (or indeed why anyone pax would want a pix!). Could this be it?

[chengkp75]

10 minutes ago, Ravensbourne1960 said:

I'm not sure what a damaged blade looks like (or indeed why anyone pax would want a pix!). Could this be it?

Was that taken after the repair?  It looks too clean to be a blade that was in use, it looks like the replacement one.