What issues that affect passengers before a dry dock?

[Markanddonna]

We are looking at a transatlantic that will dry dock immediately after we dock in Europe. What are some issues that affect passengers?  Here's what I thought of:

* I suspect that some work is done while the ship is sailing during those 15 days.  I recall on one TA where new carpeting was installed and the fumes were very bad.

* Some supplies will not be in stock (food items at the buffet/restaurants, at the stores, etc.)

* I know some features are shabby and dated (I can live with that.)

* Most crew members are at the end of their contract.

Anything else?

Edited September 11, 2023 by Markanddonna

[Pyrate13]

Some of your thoughts are probably valid, however, crew contracts end at all different time periods, not all at once, even going into drydock. There is still work for them to do on the ships.

[cruisemom42]

Some areas of the ship (including popular outside deck areas) may be closed off due to work being started early or even just preparation for the work to begin. This was an issue on a cruise I took. They even had stacked up and roped off more than half of the deck chairs well in advance of the end of the cruise.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

Most crew members are at the end of their contract.

As noted above, not correct.  The normal rotation of crew will continue, even in dry dock.  Some will change out before the shipyard, some during, and some after.  Essentially full crew will remain onboard.  Only entertainers, concessionaires, and some cruise staff will go home, and those whose contract ends before or during docking will not be replaced until after.

 

I don't believe that food or drinks will be limited, as the cold stores will continue to run during dock, and the food left from the last cruise can feed the crew and sub-contractors.

 

Whether or not work will start during the TA, depends on how much they've scheduled for during the docking, and the time frame of the docking.  Things could be disturbed either before, or after if they don't start before, but run overtime and need to work after leaving.

[CruiserBruce]

Not sure where the myth about crew contracts ending at the same time comes from. There have many variations over the years, but it is a common misconception. 

[BklynBoy8]

Crew members will be on board when in dry dock and shipyards.

 

We had a lovely waiter on our 4th of July sailing and he will be transferred from the QM2 to Queen Anne still in the shipyard. Transfer in October though she will not sail till 2024.

 

He is looking forward to the transfer to the new ship.

[jsn55]

Doubt anyone can predict what will be not so good on the way to dry dock.  I wouldn't like that at all, so I'd rebook a cruise if the ship was scheduled for dry dock.  I can get workers climbing all over the place and making noise at home, that's easily handled by adjusting my schedule.  I don't want it on vacation.  

[GeezerCouple]

There have been reports from passengers who were on cruises immediately before and also those on cruises immediately after dry docks.  Both groups have reported "inconveniences" of various sorts, but it's not clear how widespread they were (e.g., was almost everyone on board affected, or perhaps mainly just those in certain locations or using certain facilities).

We have not experienced either... and hope to keep it that way.

 

However, the reports included things like having carpets/flooring removed and roped off, for example... getting a head start for the new flooring...

Similarly, immediately afterwards, there was some of the new carpeting still being put down.

 

And there were reports of noise, no surprise, both before and after.

But I have no idea how widespread or disruptive this was.  On the other hand, it doesn't necessarily matter how many *others* are bothered, if *you* are among those being bothered.

 

Worse, there were reports of the off-gassing of various new materials, after the dry dock. *That* could be very bad for someone with certain allergies, and something they wouldn't necessarily expect to find on a cruise.

And unlike with some similar problem with a hotel immediately after some renovations, on a ship, one can't just move to a different hotel the next night...

 

I don't know where those workpersons would be staying (unless the need is predicted?).  Would the ship try to entice a bunch of less expensive cabins in some separated area to move to another cruise (tempting offers can certainly be made, when cruise lines want or need to "encourage" passengers to change to a different cruise!)?  I assume the crew quarters don't have empty accommodations sitting around waiting for too many "others".

 

GC