Jim Van Fleet out at Royal, 1 down and 2 more need to go.

[topnole]

On 5/18/2023 at 11:25 AM, notscb said:

So you're telling me they fired their CEO?

 

Oh no, wait, they fired the guy who helps protect their billion dollar+ assets from extreme weather events. Y'all are using "drain the swam" loosey and goosey these days.

As if they won’t be able to know the weather now.  What exactly was he doing to protect their assets from weather?   Reporting information that is available from many other sources?   Hyperbole much?

[coaster]

3 hours ago, BND said:

I just saw a post by CD Mitch who said Royal is looking for a new meteorologist.  So, where did it say they were eliminating the position which is what I saw in the original post?   

Interesting with the timing being right before hurricane season.

[PWP-001]

3 hours ago, BND said:

I just saw a post by CD Mitch who said Royal is looking for a new meteorologist.  So, where did it say they were eliminating the position which is what I saw in the original post?   

Somebody better tell Royal's Corporate Office that before they make any decision on hiring, they need to run it by this team of experts here!

[notscb]

1 hour ago, topnole said:

As if they won’t be able to know the weather now.  What exactly was he doing to protect their assets from weather?   Reporting information that is available from many other sources?   Hyperbole much?

 

The original post was "Royal has started to drain their swamp of useless positions & waste."

 

It seems like you missed what I said when I said "oh, they fired their CEO?"

[PWP-001]

3 hours ago, BND said:

 So, where did it say they were eliminating the position which is what I saw in the original post?   

Maybe this article:  https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-meteorologist-moves-on-no-replacement-hired/101728

 

Royal Caribbean Meteorologist Moves On, No Replacement Hired

 

Royal Caribbean International will no longer have a chief meteorologist, but what will this mean for weather-related cruise changes?

 

In comments to his video announcement, Van Fleet confirmed that Royal Caribbean will no longer have a staff meteorologist,

[topnole]

23 minutes ago, notscb said:

 

The original post was "Royal has started to drain their swamp of useless positions & waste."

 

It seems like you missed what I said when I said "oh, they fired their CEO?"

Fair enough.  But point remains.  How does the weather man protect their billions in assets when there are tons of ways the company and ships specifically get their weather information?   

[notscb]

2 minutes ago, topnole said:

How does the weather man protect their billions in assets

 

My original post said "helps protect their billion dollar assets".

So does the weather man not help protect their assets? Most folks on this thread seem to think that the corporate weatherman brings zero value to the safety of the operation, which I obviously disagree with.

[PWP-001]

26 minutes ago, notscb said:

 

My original post said "helps protect their billion dollar assets".

So does the weather man not help protect their assets? Most folks on this thread seem to think that the corporate weatherman brings zero value to the safety of the operation, which I obviously disagree with.

 

 

I think the word here is redundant.

 

Both by UK and USA definition.

 

 

[BND]

2 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

Somebody better tell Royal's Corporate Office that before they make any decision on hiring, they need to run it by this team of experts here!

Somebody needs to quit being so snarky.  I just posted what a current RCI cruise director posted.  You know, an RCI employee so I asked a question.  Simply wow.

[topnole]

3 hours ago, notscb said:

 

My original post said "helps protect their billion dollar assets".

So does the weather man not help protect their assets? Most folks on this thread seem to think that the corporate weatherman brings zero value to the safety of the operation, which I obviously disagree with.

I seriously doubt how much it would help.  Weather info is readily available.  I think he was more show than anything.  

[PWP-001]

2 hours ago, BND said:

Somebody needs to quit being so snarky.  I just posted what a current RCI cruise director posted.  You know, an RCI employee so I asked a question.  Simply wow.

 

 

The point of my post has nothing to do with your erroneous interpretation.  

 

Perhaps if you re-read the thread you'll get the context of my remark.  Perhaps not.

 

[not-enough-cruising]

7 hours ago, Wanna Be Retired said:

When we were on Liberty of the Seas during Hurricane Harvey they put him on the ship in Miami and he sailed back with us to Galveston.  I recall his insistence that we had this “window of opportunity “ to leave the ship and let the new cruisers on when the causeway was under water and the port was closed.  We sat in Galveston for some time before we left and headed to Miami.

This was the instance where Van Fleet was written off in my book, the arrogance with which he guided Royal corporate to continue to demand passengers arrive at the Port of Galveston for embarkation was so erroneous it was bordering on criminal negligence; the guy had zero credibility with me after that.

[PWP-001]

14 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

This was the instance where Van Fleet was written off in my book, the arrogance with which he guided Royal corporate to continue to demand passengers arrive at the Port of Galveston for embarkation was so erroneous it was bordering on criminal negligence; the guy had zero credibility with me after that.

Harvey hit in August 2017.  I'm sure they were scratching their heads about their new hire, but I guess they feared another headline of negative publicity for letting him go so quickly.

[Wanna Be Retired]

15 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

This was the instance where Van Fleet was written off in my book, the arrogance with which he guided Royal corporate to continue to demand passengers arrive at the Port of Galveston for embarkation was so erroneous it was bordering on criminal negligence; the guy had zero credibility with me after that.

I worked for State Farm at the time.  We got those free ship to shore calls so I called my supervisor.  She told me we weren’t getting off the ship because the causeway was under water and nobody could get on and off the island.  Before we got to Galveston she said she had already been told we weren’t getting off because there was no way.  I just went with what she said.

[nelblu]

On 5/19/2023 at 8:26 AM, livingonthebeach said:

They hired Van Fleet soon after Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida called for a National Transportation Safety Board investigation after Anthem sailed right into a hurricane in 2016.

“The thing about this storm was that it was forecast for days. So why in the world would a cruise ship with thousands of passengers go sailing right into it?” Nelson said from the Senate floor Monday. “I want the (NTSB) to come up with answers very quickly and make an admonition to mariners: When the storm is brewing, you don’t go out of port.”

 

I don't believe Carnival or NCL have sailed into hurricanes, and they don't have a staff meteorologists. 

Didn't NCL sail into a storm as they had a date with some show in NYC.  If not mistaken there was considerable damage done to one of their ships.

[latserrof]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:08 AM, notscb said:

 

The reality is, having an in house weather guy is one more tool in the captains toolbox when it comes to decision making. You can't say that cutting this person won't have an impact on safety.

 

 

 

 

Maybe it will have a positive impact? How many weather tools (no offense, Mr. Van Fleet) does the captain need?  Maybe that's why the captain drove the Allure into the hurricane -- he was too busy evaluating his tools instead of looking out the window, missed the forest for the trees.

 

'You don't need a weather man to tell which way the wind blows.'

 

Window dressing.

 

And as for cruise lines' concern about passenger safety:  Have you been to a boat drill lately?

[PWP-001]

On 5/20/2023 at 12:08 PM, notscb said:

The reality is, having an in house weather guy is one more tool in the captains toolbox when it comes to decision making. You can't say that cutting this person won't have an impact on safety.

 

 

 

 

If the captains have been using other tools in their toolbox and haven't been using the meteorologist --seemingly a practice on all the other major lines that do NOT have a meteorologist-- then you CAN say that cutting this person won't have an impact on safety.  

 

Just like a smoke alarm with dead batteries that you knock off the ceiling:  no impact on safety when you through it away.

[Tree_skier]

Has anyone considered he just wasn’t very good at his job and got gassed because of that?

[PWP-001]

35 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Has anyone considered he just wasn’t very good at his job and got gassed because of that?

Well, unlike his employment separation in Central Florida that made the news because he sued but later dropped the claim as I read, he's said his farewells publicly.  It could have been a confidential buyout.  Or maybe he too wanted twice daily housekeeping service and they've told him his best comp rooms would be balconies. 

 

We'll probably never know... until this thread hits page 193.    

[topnole]

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Has anyone considered he just wasn’t very good at his job and got gassed because of that?

Doubtful for that reason alone or there would be a long list.  Royal seems to survive in spite of good management.  They do make phenomenal ships, but that allows them to get away with a lot of bad management.  

Edited May 22, 2023 by topnole

[notscb]

3 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

Just like a smoke alarm with dead batteries that you knock off the ceiling

It'd be easier to say you disagree with me than to keep this conversation going. This line is proof.

 

*deleted

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by notscb
*

[PWP-001]

28 minutes ago, notscb said:

It'd be easier to say you disagree with me than to keep this conversation going. This line is proof.

 

*deleted

 

Well even on this we disagree.

Better than stating disagreement is to share why, which is what I've done, going so far as to post an example.

[notscb]

1 hour ago, PWP-001 said:

Better than stating disagreement is to share why, which is what I've done, going so far as to post an example.

Right, but you've already said this example and I've already said I disagree. I doubt a corporate meteorologist making such a high salary was merely just a figurehead for public safety (your alarm with no batteries) vs. actually, you know, doing work and contributing to the safety of the operation, thus, the "example" you provide wasn't an example, but a mere restating of your point in a different way which we obviously disagree on.

[A&L_Ont]

7 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Has anyone considered he just wasn’t very good at his job and got gassed because of that?

He joined RC in 2017.  Maybe he had a 1 and then 5 year contract and wasn’t renewed at the end of it.

 

I guess we need to get to page 193 to find out. 

[Ret MP]

On 5/21/2023 at 10:56 AM, PWP-001 said:

I think the word here is redundant.

 

Both by UK and USA definition.

 

 

On 5/21/2023 at 10:24 AM, notscb said:

Most folks on this thread seem to think that the corporate celeb weatherman brings zero value to the cruise ship safety of the operation

Yep, that's me!