Navigator Incident in Mazatlan

[topnole]

6 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Better than the alternative I guess.

Yep.  That is the only thought that would get me in one.  

[topnole]

1 hour ago, cruise1957 said:

Is there one or two seatings for dinner or is it all MTD?

More like My Time Heaving. 

[Booking It]

Now I'm curious... so if there was an accident where multiple lifeboats were damaged and there weren't enough spaces left for all of the passengers and crew, what would they do? Would the cruise have to end? 

[chengkp75]

7 hours ago, Booking It said:

Now I'm curious... so if there was an accident where multiple lifeboats were damaged and there weren't enough spaces left for all of the passengers and crew, what would they do? Would the cruise have to end? 

Well, there would need to be several boats/rafts damaged, since the ship is required to carry capacity 125% for all crew and max capacity passengers.  So, a ship like Oasis has about 2200 extra spaces in boats and rafts (more if less passengers are booked).  But, if it did happen, they would either need to disembark passengers or crew to get to the required number.

[Booking It]

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Well, there would need to be several boats/rafts damaged, since the ship is required to carry capacity 125% for all crew and max capacity passengers.  So, a ship like Oasis has about 2200 extra spaces in boats and rafts (more if less passengers are booked).  But, if it did happen, they would either need to disembark passengers or crew to get to the required number.

Very interesting! I didn't know any of that, so I sincerely appreciate your response. And I'm very glad to know that there is plenty of extra space! 

[topnole]

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Well, there would need to be several boats/rafts damaged, since the ship is required to carry capacity 125% for all crew and max capacity passengers.  So, a ship like Oasis has about 2200 extra spaces in boats and rafts (more if less passengers are booked).  But, if it did happen, they would either need to disembark passengers or crew to get to the required number.

Wonder how much of that is the blow up boats?   The figure that show how to get on those looks a slide straight down (seem on the oasis class jogging tracks). No idea if or how they would deploy those for regular passengers.  Always assumed those were for crew.  Would seem folks pass a certain age couldn’t really do what is needed to even board those?  Maybe I don’t quite understand how they are deployed though.  

 

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Booking It said:

Very interesting! I didn't know any of that, so I sincerely appreciate your response. And I'm very glad to know that there is plenty of extra space! 

Last week, on another cruise line, the crew was doing a drill, practicing with a life raft. I think that a life boat would be preferable accommodation in any sea condition. I didn’t stick around to see if they actually threw the raft into the pool and practiced getting into the raft from the water whilst wearing a life vest. 

[chengkp75]

6 hours ago, topnole said:

Wonder how much of that is the blow up boats?   The figure that show how to get on those looks a slide straight down (seem on the oasis class jogging tracks). No idea if or how they would deploy those for regular passengers.  Always assumed those were for crew.  Would seem folks pass a certain age couldn’t really do what is needed to even board those?  Maybe I don’t quite understand how they are deployed though.  

 

The ship is required to have 75% capacity in boats, the remainder in inflatable rafts.  The photo that birdtravels shows is a davit launched raft, that is loaded at the promenade deck and lowered to the water.  A typical crew drill with these rafts include putting the raft into the pool, upside down, and training the crew to right the raft.  What you describe are MES (Marine Evacuation Systems), that deploy 4-6 rafts in a cluster, and there is a chute down to the rafts.  Inside the chutes, there are baffles that slow and twist the person down, so it is not a straight fall.  Typically, the injuries with MES happen if too many people are let into the chute too quickly, and the crew at the bottom cannot get those that have landed out of the way in time.  The chute leads to one raft, and the early arrivals are directed to the other rafts, only filling the one with the chute last.  Yes, they are used for both crew and passengers.

[topnole]

47 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

The ship is required to have 75% capacity in boats, the remainder in inflatable rafts.  The photo that birdtravels shows is a davit launched raft, that is loaded at the promenade deck and lowered to the water.  A typical crew drill with these rafts include putting the raft into the pool, upside down, and training the crew to right the raft.  What you describe are MES (Marine Evacuation Systems), that deploy 4-6 rafts in a cluster, and there is a chute down to the rafts.  Inside the chutes, there are baffles that slow and twist the person down, so it is not a straight fall.  Typically, the injuries with MES happen if too many people are let into the chute too quickly, and the crew at the bottom cannot get those that have landed out of the way in time.  The chute leads to one raft, and the early arrivals are directed to the other rafts, only filling the one with the chute last.  Yes, they are used for both crew and passengers.

Sounds like quite a ride.  I can’t imagine going down that shoot in the middle of a real emergency at night.  Scary I’m sure.  Looked like a long slide (5 decks high I assume).  

[Longstockingpippi1]

 

Cruise ship lifeboats are not "self-righting", meaning they will not roll back upright.  They are also "semi-enclosed", meaning that if the boat is landed in an attitude that the gunwale is underwater on one side, it will fill with water, and the boat covering will also act to scoop water into the boat, and continue the roll of the boat to inverted.
 

Now that is scary, so if a lifeboat filled with people lands sideways, everyone has to evacuate it, pronto. 
Scary thought. 

[chengkp75]

15 minutes ago, Longstockingpippi1 said:

Now that is scary, so if a lifeboat filled with people lands sideways, everyone has to evacuate it, pronto. 
Scary thought. 

Unless something failed on the lowering equipment, a boat, loaded or unloaded, would not land on its side.

[GJustice]

12 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

A typical crew drill with these rafts include putting the raft into the pool, upside down, and training the crew to right the raft.  

Watched this very thing last week on Allure one morning early. Had about a dozen "crew" in the pool taking turns flipping the raft.

[lovesthebeach2]

On 5/22/2023 at 7:33 PM, twangster said:

There is a thread over in Royal Caribbean Blog message boards as well.  No injuries reported.

 

I never knew he had a forum on his blog. 😳

[brillohead]

On 5/24/2023 at 5:39 PM, derorim said:

I’m just waiting for someone to ask what the menu is for the lifeboats.  🫠

 

On 5/24/2023 at 6:01 PM, twangster said:

 

Or if the drink package works in them.  

 

There's a bar, right?

 

 

On 5/24/2023 at 8:09 PM, cruise1957 said:

Is there one or two seatings for dinner or is it all MTD?

 

On 5/24/2023 at 8:44 PM, jwlane said:

Can one wear shorts?

 

On 5/24/2023 at 8:50 PM, neverbeenhere said:

I’ll have my meal Al fresco. 

 

On 5/24/2023 at 9:07 PM, twangster said:

Free Izumi sushi in the lifeboat! 

 

Oops, I mean raw fish. Close enough.  But you have to catch it yourself.  

 

Seriously?  Not one person asking if we have to tip the person driving the lifeboat separately, or is it included in the Daily Service Charge?  

What about if you get put in a raft instead of a boat?  Is the Daily Service Charge lower for a raft than a boat, like how suites pay more than other rooms for the daily charge???

[Jussabitconfused]

33 minutes ago, brillohead said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously?  Not one person asking if we have to tip the person driving the lifeboat separately, or is it included in the Daily Service Charge?  

What about if you get put in a raft instead of a boat?  Is the Daily Service Charge lower for a raft than a boat, like how suites pay more than other rooms for the daily charge???

If you purchased the Key or are in a Suite do you get priority seating? Or do Pinnacles and Diamond+ have priority seating? Important questions that should be addressed.

[brillohead]

24 minutes ago, Jussabitconfused said:

If you purchased the Key or are in a Suite do you get priority seating? Or do Pinnacles and Diamond+ have priority seating? Important questions that should be addressed.

 

And do you have to make reservations?  Can you do that in the app???

[jean87510]

On 5/24/2023 at 5:39 PM, derorim said:

I’m just waiting for someone to ask what the menu is for the lifeboats.  🫠

Or if there are chair hogs

[smokeybandit]

If you have to evacuate on a formal night, is there a lifeboat dress code?

[luckyinpa]

On 5/24/2023 at 9:52 AM, chengkp75 said:

Yes, it didn't land upright, it was tilted in one direction or the other.  It didn't really "turn over", it was going over as it fell.

 

Lifeboats are designed for one thing, to take a quantity of people away from the ship, once.  And, yes, the ballast of the people provides the center of gravity to be low enough that it won't tip over when loaded.  A lifeboat floating with no one onboard is one of the most poorly handling of boats, and not real stable.  As for other supplies, there is about 1 lb of food for each person, and 1.5 liters of water per person (this is designed as 3 days rations).  Many boats do not have batteries, relying on hydraulic starting for the engine.  Fuel is about 30 gallons.  So, all those supplies are around 400-500 lbs, while the full load of passengers (at the design weight of 82.5kg) is around 27,000 lbs.

 

speaking of food on lifeboats, we just did the tour on oasis. someone asked about food on the life boat. he said NO food and water allowed for 24 hours once you get on the life boat but inferred if you take meds you can drink .

 

he also said if the motors dont work they get 'big strong men' to turn the propellers.

[Cruisin'4Us]

On 5/24/2023 at 8:38 AM, chengkp75 said:

It's actually quite easy for a lifeboat to overturn, especially if there are not 150 passengers acting as ballast to weight the bottom.

Passengers should be required to help prevent a potential ballast issue by eating as much as possible in Windjammer.

[HicksRA]

Pinnacles can show their badge and move to the front of the lifeboat.  
They also get 6 bottles of water. 

[twangster]

I was disappointed to learn you don't solo double CAS points for nights spent in a lifeboat. Apparently since you aren't solo in the boat, single points only.  

[Tree_skier]

I think it would be fun to volunteer to be the victim in a man overboard drill.  I'd even pay a little if they let me jump from  the promenade deck.  29.99 plus 18% gratuity sounds about right.  

[Oakman58]

This will be the latest new thrill ride on the ICON, $9.95 per person/per drop.

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Oakman58

[DukeASUGirl]

About what time did this happen? We didn't even know about it until we got the letter on our door later that evening, but I guess the people who were onboard and heard the announcements were freaked out.