Fixing the Oosterdam

[bigred12]

Does anyone know when they are going to fix the Oosterdam?

[Atomica]

As soon as possible, I'd imagine. They need to determine whether the problem is something that can be fixed while the ship is at sea.

 

They've removed the port side propeller to reduce drag, and have engineers working on the pod while the ship is at sea, so hopefully they'll be able to make it work.

 

If that doesn't work, the ship will have to be drydocked, but it's premature at this point to say whether that'll happen or not. The long and short of it: keep watching these boards. There's people on here who are in touch with some of the crew onboard, and are able to give us all updates.

[bonstersd]

I plan to board her on Saturday. Assuming cruise life allows the time, I will post any info regarding her that I can!

[bigred12]

Next week cruise is going to be like this weeks. Cut back time in ports. Email HAL but they do not answer.

[bonstersd]

I've telephone HAL and apparently, on their computers, they do not show any change in the itinerary... of course, I seriously doubt the person I spoke with had any knowledge of anything, but much less knowledge about the October 21st cruise.

 

I would love to find out who exactly to call to get accurate information regarding the October 21 cruise. Anyone have some insight? Perhaps a Mr. Deering contact?

[fcorey]

I've telephone HAL and apparently, on their computers, they do not show any change in the itinerary... of course, I seriously doubt the person I spoke with had any knowledge of anything, but much less knowledge about the October 21st cruise.

 

I would love to find out who exactly to call to get accurate information regarding the October 21 cruise. Anyone have some insight? Perhaps a Mr. Deering contact?

 

his office is on deck one just past the excursion desk, but he'll probably be standing in the atrium when you board Saturday. Give him our best regards. I am sure he'll be more than happy to share any information that he has

[Copper10-8]

I've telephone HAL and apparently, on their computers, they do not show any change in the itinerary... of course, I seriously doubt the person I spoke with had any knowledge of anything, but much less knowledge about the October 21st cruise.

 

I would love to find out who exactly to call to get accurate information regarding the October 21 cruise. Anyone have some insight? Perhaps a Mr. Deering contact?

 

Mr. Deering has been temporarily assined to the Volendam in the Carib until the first couple of weeks in November. The Volendam's H/M, Firmin van Walle, is on Oosterdam during that time

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Mr. Deering has been temporarily assined to the Volendam in the Carib until the first couple of weeks in November. The Volendam's H/M, Firmin van Walle, is on Oosterdam during that time

 

 

Just curious, John; why the switch, do you know?

[bonstersd]

Mr. Deering has been temporarily assined to the Volendam in the Carib until the first couple of weeks in November. The Volendam's H/M, Firmin van Walle, is on Oosterdam during that time

 

Okay Copper10-8 (a/k/a all-knowing about everything Oosterdam) -- has the October 21 itinerary on the Oosterdam been changed? My group would really like to know before boarding on Saturday. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[grandma bev]

Okay Copper10-8 (a/k/a all-knowing about everything Oosterdam) -- has the October 21 itinerary on the Oosterdam been changed? My group would really like to know before boarding on Saturday. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Why the question about itinerary being changed? We're on the Oct. 28 sailing the following week - please use this thread to keep us posted. Thanks.

Bev

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just curious, John; why the switch, do you know?

 

Karin, I can answer this question. The next couple of weeks are charters for the Oosterdam and the Groups had requested H/M Firmin van Walle so Mr. Deering went over to the Volendam. To basically they just swapped ships for a few weeks. Mr Deering will return to the Oosterdam November 11th:)

[bonstersd]

Karin, I can answer this question. The next couple of weeks are charters for the Oosterdam and the Groups had requested H/M Firmin van Walle so Mr. Deering went over to the Volendam. To basically they just swapped ships for a few weeks. Mr Deering will return to the Oosterdam November 11th:)

 

The October 21 cruise is not a charter...so, I still have the same question about any info on an itinerary change.

[Copper10-8]

The October 21 cruise is not a charter...so, I still have the same question about any info on an itinerary change.

 

Sorry, no clue Mr. Bonsters - Maybe call Ship's Services and/or wait 'till you board

[Tinknock50]

Next week cruise is going to be like this weeks. Cut back time in ports. Email HAL but they do not answer.

 

I wonder if the shorter port times will result in the number of excursion departures?

 

I hope someone will post the new port times as soon as it is discovered.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Karin, I can answer this question. The next couple of weeks are charters for the Oosterdam and the Groups had requested H/M Firmin van Walle so Mr. Deering went over to the Volendam. To basically they just swapped ships for a few weeks. Mr Deering will return to the Oosterdam November 11th:)

 

 

OK, thanks very much, Lisa.

 

As regards the question concerning Oosterdam's itinerary, it sounds as if the changes are limited to slightly different hours at the three ports of call, as the ship continues to cruise on one azidpod, while engineers keep working on the second. (If I understand the saga correctly).

 

Karin

[Copper10-8]

OK, thanks very much, Lisa.

 

As regards the question concerning Oosterdam's itinerary, it sounds as if the changes are limited to slightly different hours at the three ports of call, as the ship continues to cruise on one azidpod, while engineers keep working on the second. (If I understand the saga correctly).

 

Karin

 

You understood that chrystal clear! They are able to make 17 knots on on pod which is not that bad at all

[Pete Jackson]

Now that they know the precise reduced capabilities of the ship, you can be assured that it will arrive and depart on time at the originating port. If you have booked HAL excursions, they will run them if possible within the reduced port times, or allow you to switch to a different excursion(s) or refund your $$$. This would also reply to more than one excursion which used to not conflict, but will do so now. The only thing I would suggest is to embark as early as possible so you can check your shore excursion tickets in the cabin and be first in line for any changes you want to make.

 

If you have booked third party excursions, contact them by phone or email for any advice that they may have, since they should be aware of the problem by now.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[BurBunny]

While the 10/21 sailing is not a full-ship charter, there are 2 large and one medium sized groups onboard, so perhaps they decided making the H/M switch for 2 weeks made sense.

 

This was the schedule change information for the 10/21 sailing given to our group by HAL:

 

7-DAY MEXICAN RIVIERA SAN DIEGO - SAN DIEGO

 

# DAY PORT ARRIVE DEPART

 

Oct 21 SAT SAN DIEGO, CA, USA 17:00

22 SUN At Sea

 

23 MON Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 12:00 18:00

 

24 TUE Mazatlan, Mexico 8:00 18:00

25 WED Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 8:00 19:00

 

26 THU At Sea

27 FRI At Sea

28 SAT San Diego 7am

[c.crawford]

You understood that chrystal clear! They are able to make 17 knots on on pod which is not that bad at all

 

Normal speed is 21 knots. What happens when the remaining pod running at 123% fails! I would like to see administration, officers, and TA beg their wages from those passengers!!

[bonstersd]

BurBunny: Thanks for posting the change. I've been trying to figure out what the new itinerary would be...looks like my husband will have a few hours to surf in Cabo afterall!

[Missabby]

Normal speed is 21 knots. What happens when the remaining pod running at 123% fails! I would like to see administration, officers, and TA beg their wages from those passengers!!

That's a lot of stress to put on one motor.

[AZjohn]

Maybe someone with a little more knowledge than I do in regards to azidpods can help me with this. I do have experience with electrical motors and have seen several their windings burnt up. In every case, the only repair was to replace the entire winding assembly due to the wires had been shorted out. Some previous post stated that the windings of the azidpod had been burnt, thus the smoke and the fire alarm. So looking at the physical placement of the azidpod under the water and the windings don’t appear to be part of the ships haul, how would they replace the windings without going to dry-dock?

I’m scheduled for an 11-25-06 cruise on the O but got to think (just my opinion) that HAL can not continue to run on just one azidpod throughout the entire winter (if the windings need to be replaced on the other azidpod). Am I wrong in my thought process???

Thanks,

John

[jhannah]

Your thought process is valid ... but do we really know it was the windings that burned?

 

Cruising with one pod is like flying a multi-engined airplane with just one engine. Sure, you can do it, but it ain't easy. You have an assymetrical thrust issue in aircraft that causes the fore-to-aft axis to skew toward the "dead" side. Wouldn't the same be true for a ship? The pod would have to be canted toward the non-functioning side of the ship, thus compromising the efficient fluid dynamics of the working prop. I'm guessing that this is the main contributor to lower cruising speed.

[Grumpy1]

Maybe someone with a little more knowledge than I do in regards to azidpods can help me with this. I do have experience with electrical motors and have seen several their windings burnt up. In every case, the only repair was to replace the entire winding assembly due to the wires had been shorted out. Some previous post stated that the windings of the azidpod had been burnt, thus the smoke and the fire alarm. So looking at the physical placement of the azidpod under the water and the windings don’t appear to be part of the ships haul, how would they replace the windings without going to dry-dock?

I’m scheduled for an 11-25-06 cruise on the O but got to think (just my opinion) that HAL can not continue to run on just one azidpod throughout the entire winter (if the windings need to be replaced on the other azidpod). Am I wrong in my thought process???

Thanks,

John

I may be wrong... I often am... but I think I have read that the Azipod consists of two sets of field windings with one shaft running through them. Essentially, two electric motors coupled end to end. If the burned windings are all within one set of windings and can be disconnected, the remaining set could be energized and run at 50% of the normal capacity. This is what happened to the drive motor on Rhapsody of the Seas during the inaugural season. It wasn't an Azipod, but it was tandem electric motors on a comon shaft. They finished the Alaska season with normal propulsion on one side and half of the system on the other side. They cancelled the Hawaii portion of the repo cruise to go into drydock, cut an 8 ft hole in the hull, replaced the windings and sealed it up again, good as new.

[Grumpy1]

Normal speed is 21 knots. What happens when the remaining pod running at 123% fails!

First of all, when the ship is cruising at 21 knots, it is NOT running at 100% of its capacity. The maritime safety boards would not let the ship sail if there was a concern that the other pod was being pushed beyond its capabilities. I'd be willing to bet that at least one of the engineers that came on board is representing the US Maritime Safety board, and is closely watching the performance parameters.