Update from Aboard the Dawn

[above sea level cruiser]

That is a ridiculous assumption.....bordering on libel:mad: ALL ships that sail from and to US ports are inspected by the Coast Guard and are deemed seaworthy.......what a crock, not the "facts":mad:

 

Why so upset? Maintenance and seaworthiness can be assessed two different ways.

[KeystoneCruiser]

ummm for some it is there vacation for the year..... lost time... week off work to sit in a port..... I think NCL handled the situation as good as they could have but regardless of this I do not think you can down play some people disappointment... and it does seem like the ships have been having a tendancy to break lately which would make me question the maintenance on them... just the facts

 

 

I have to disagree with your last statement. (not as strongly as Seahorse though...lol) These ships do not break alot considering how much they are in use. We have read reports that the Star, POA, Dream, Majesty and Spirit have had problems this year and now the Dawn. It can only be expected. Lets look at the Dawn. She has been in service for several years and I believe has only had one drydock period. If you look at just 2006, we are in something like Week #46. That is 46 trips this year for the Dawn from New York to Bermuda to Bahamas and back to New York (and don't forget her New England cruises.) I was on the Dawn earlier this year during a "Maintainance Week." They have to do everything on the fly. The slowed us down so that they could work on the engines while enroute. It was a planned slowdown for work as we were notified before we left on our trip.

 

So basically, the only time they have had to work on her is during stops which are usually less than 12 hours in length.

 

Think about it this way: You drive your car back and forth to work 7 days a week for a whole year without taking it into the shop. Do you think it would always run???

 

Nope.

 

 

I think this may be NCL's best compensation package for a problem like this ever. I actually wish I had been on this "free" cruise. It may have been their vacation, but it was free!

[ashleycrew]

That is a ridiculous assumption.....bordering on libel:mad: ALL ships that sail from and to US ports are inspected by the Coast Guard and are deemed seaworthy.......what a crock, not the "facts":mad:

 

the facts are over the past 2 weeks the Majesty and the Dawn having trouble... looks like there may have been more recently by another post. I am not saying anything negative but it is what it is. To call it a crock would simply show your lack of ability to accept them than is all.

[silkhair1]

I hope they have it fixed by January 28th. That is our next one, but I am happy to go anywhere!!!

[seahorse]

Why so upset? Maintenance and seaworthiness can be assessed two different ways.

 

To me it suggested negligent behavior on the part of NCL. People who don`t understand could be wary. I deal with the cruising public every day:)

 

I remember a few years ago I had a group going to Bermuda on X.....got a call that the ship was being delayed a day because a strut on a lifeboat came lose and they did not have the proper screw to fix it. The Coast Guard kept it in Bermuda a day to have the screw flown in.

 

So I feel that inspections are pretty thorough for safety reasons.

[kimdave68]

To me it suggested negligent behavior on the part of NCL. People who don`t understand could be wary. I deal with the cruising public every day:)

 

I remember a few years ago I had a group going to Bermuda on X.....got a call that the ship was being delayed a day because a strut on a lifeboat came lose and they did not have the proper screw to fix it. The Coast Guard kept it in Bermuda a day to have the screw flown in.

 

So I feel that inspections are pretty thorough for safety reasons.

 

Talk about being screwed. :D

 

Sorry could not resist.

 

After all, who wants to be left hanging! :eek:

 

[garycarla]

Actually the picture in the post above is real. As you know, there are always people who think THEY should be the first one off the ship because of <enter stupid reason here>. In this picture, those people have been accomodate and are about to be the FIRST off the ship.

 

...followed by some of those people that just follow others and don't know where they are going, but darn it, we are going now!

[refman]

wow, alot more civil than i expected.it appears that NCL really did handle the situation quick and fair, just mt opinion from what`s been posted.also new york city is a very nice place to be,imho.

[whatawonderfulworld]

wow, alot more civil than i expected.it appears that NCL really did handle the situation quick and fair, just mt opinion from what`s been posted.also new york city is a very nice place to be,imho.

 

I concur with refman...adding only this: New York City is a FABULOUS place to be! I have witnessed the heart and soul of my city in some very rough times...she is, and will always be, tops in my heart!

 

Ciao,

 

W A W W

[wrp96]

Not an NCL cruiser, but I really feel that NCL is doing a good job of handling this situation. Bad weather is completely beyond the control of the cruiseline so this cruise would've been rough no matter what happened with the ship. Sometimes things that breakdown are also beyond the control of the cruiseline. Mechanical things eventually break down from normal wear and tear. It does not mean that they did not properly maintain the item or fixed it improperly in the past.

 

If I'm correct this is an azipod problem. In the last month alone both HAL and Celebrity have also had azipod problems, as did RCCL in previous months. Carnival has had issues with the propulsion systems on multiple ships. In HAL's case, they knew about the azipod problem for multiple cruises and their reps kept telling people when they called that the problem was fixed (even though the propeller had been removed from the ship and not yet replaced).

 

To automatically say that NCL didn't maintain the ship properly without knowing all the facts is wrong. At this point what we do know is the ship has a mechanical problem. It hasn't been fixed yet. The itinerary has been changed multiple times, yet each time it has changed it seems that NCL has been pretty quick to let people know about it and try and come up with some fair compensation which is a pretty good response to a bad situation IMO.

[carlielyn]

Here's the latest news. They are heading back to NY at 6 this morning. I hope it will be fixed & ready to go on Sunday for our 1st cruise. :)

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=114879&ran=186810

[POOHISME2]

Here's the latest news. They are heading back to NY at 6 this morning. I hope it will be fixed & ready to go on Sunday for our 1st cruise. :)

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=114879&ran=186810

Hi carlielyn, Why dont you pop into our roll call thread. We are all hoping it's fixed by Sunday :confused:

 

Click here: Dawn roll call -11/26/06 - Cruise Critic Message Boards

[dancing girl]

Well ..heres my 2 cents! I am preparing to take my first cruise on the Dawn in January. I have planned this trip 14 months in advance and dreamed of it even longer! If this were to happen to our cruise..well..Disappointment would have been an UNDERSTATEMENT! and its not FREE! If I wanted to visit New York I would have planned a trip there. O.K. so there getting a full refund...they are right? so basically they took a week off to travel a couple hundred miles along the cost.the folks on the current cruise are simply left to deal with it, they have no choice..I feel very bad for them. I hope they get it fixed whatever the problem is.

Does anyone know what the time line for repair to this is???? would the ship have to go into dry dock for it?

Dancing Girl

[POOHISME2]

The reality is, people take a chance when ever they cruise that they wont reach their destination. That's just the fact, so if they really want to go to one special port then I suggest people fly. Ports are changed all the time.

 

The problem with the Dawn right now hopefully will be fixed soon. But, this ship runs 365 days a year and yes, it has a problem that NCL is very well aware of and will fix as soon as posible.

 

They also can not control the weather thats a chance you take, more so when choosing to cruise out of NY in the Fall and Winter.

[above sea level cruiser]

To me it suggested negligent behavior on the part of NCL. People who don`t understand could be wary. I deal with the cruising public every day:)

 

I remember a few years ago I had a group going to Bermuda on X.....got a call that the ship was being delayed a day because a strut on a lifeboat came lose and they did not have the proper screw to fix it. The Coast Guard kept it in Bermuda a day to have the screw flown in.

 

So I feel that inspections are pretty thorough for safety reasons.

 

Never (I hope) will you find a ship come to the great land of North America with shoddy maintenance or repair issues. There are bodies in place to make sure this does not happen. This is how the cruise industry has become what it is today. A safe, comfortable means of travel for all, to various destinations all in one trip. As for disappointments, I can sum it up as follows: Weather related itinerary change - better safe than sorry. Mechanical related itinerary change - better safe than sorry. Safety is the key element here. However, when someones' cruise gets messed up, for whatever reason I vote we show compassion and understanding instead of bringing up cruise credits.

[seahorse]

Never (I hope) will you find a ship come to the great land of North America with shoddy maintenance or repair issues. There are bodies in place to make sure this does not happen. This is how the cruise industry has become what it is today. A safe, comfortable means of travel for all, to various destinations all in one trip. As for disappointments, I can sum it up as follows: Weather related itinerary change - better safe than sorry. Mechanical related itinerary change - better safe than sorry. Safety is the key element here. However, when someones' cruise gets messed up, for whatever reason I vote we show compassion and understanding instead of bringing up cruise credits.

 

:confused: :confused: :confused: I hope that you don`t think that I think that there was negligence here......I was commenting on a post by another that said there may be.:confused: and I have no idea what you mean by cruise credits.:confused:

[above sea level cruiser]

:confused: :confused: :confused: I hope that you don`t think that I think that there was negligence here......I was commenting on a post by another that said there may be.:confused: and I have no idea what you mean by cruise credits.:confused:

 

Seahorse...calm down...take a deep breath. No I do not think anything like that at all. I was simply saying that yes, ships break. Yes, weather can be a problem. However, we at home are not impacted in our cruise experience from the comfort of our computer so....when the cruisers come home with a legitimately crappy story, let them vent. After all, we weren't on their lousy cruise were we? If they have a good time despite the mechanical/weather problems great (and I mean it) for them.

 

As for the cruise credit comment, what I meant was, some think throwing money in terms of on board credits and/or a free future cruise at a person that had a bad experience is the answer. If I had a bad time on a cruise that I had eagerly anticipated for a long time, money would not cut it.

[Retired not Expired]

Seahorse...calm down...take a deep breath. No I do not think anything like that at all. I was simply saying that yes, ships break. Yes, weather can be a problem. However, we at home are not impacted in our cruise experience from the comfort of our computer so....when the cruisers come home with a legitimately crappy story, let them vent. After all, we weren't on their lousy cruise were we? If they have a good time despite the mechanical/weather problems great (and I mean it) for them.

 

As for the cruise credit comment, what I meant was, some think throwing money in terms of on board credits and/or a free future cruise at a person that had a bad experience is the answer. If I had a bad time on a cruise that I had eagerly anticipated for a long time, money would not cut it.

 

Not one person who was on this cruise who has posted has done any venting at all. They have seemed to have handled it very well. I'm sure we will get some venting later from others.

 

Seahorse was answering a person who was not on this ship but had said basically that NCL seems to have little regard towards maintenance or something to that effect. Seahorse was not contradicting nor trying to placate someone who was on this ship.

 

You both are really saying the same thing and agreeing. I just don't believe you both know it.:D

[garycarla]

......If I had a bad time on a cruise that I had eagerly anticipated for a long time, money would not cut it.

 

What would "cut it" for you?

[Cosmopolitan]

Not sure how bad a cruise this was.

 

Less than 100 passengers left the ship to take the bus back to NY.

 

I'd say the majority are still enjoying the Dawn and their refunds, OBC's and future cruise discount.

 

Hope they also enjoy New York for two days.

Good for them:)

[seahorse]

Not one person who was on this cruise who has posted has done any venting at all. They have seemed to have handled it very well. I'm sure we will get some venting later from others.

 

Seahorse was answering a person who was not on this ship but had said basically that NCL seems to have little regard towards maintenance or something to that effect. Seahorse was not contradicting nor trying to placate someone who was on this ship.

 

You both are really saying the same thing and agreeing. I just don't believe you both know it.:D

 

Whew.........too much Thanksgiving I guess:o Thanks;)

 

I do think that the cruise credits were a good thing to help make a bad situation more palatable. What else could anyone do? It was not the fault of NCL and they were very generous, IMO.

[above sea level cruiser]

What would "cut it" for you?

 

NOTHING would "cut it" Get it? Nothing. Thanks for your response.:confused:

 

I am so sick and tired of hearing how the compensation was great...., more than should be expected...., very generous.... blah blah blah. Enough already! I am NOT bashing the cruise lines in my thinking - not one bit. They can't help when ship happens. I have spent my life trying to fix machines and sometimes it doesn't go the way you want or think.

 

My problem is with everyone who thinks that because a cruise line gives you a small, medium or large credit - or even free cruise - I don't care! They could give me two free ones. My issue is with people that think there should be no complaining whatsoever if things go for a crap. For pete's sake, WE WERE NOT ON THIS CRUISE. And yes I am yelling. I have stated repeatedly on these boards that sitting here in our comfy homes and reading how thankfull passengers should be with a free cruise when their HOLIDAY is not what THEY thought it should be.......does NOT cut it for me. How's that?

[noobiecruiser]

NOTHING would "cut it" Get it? Nothing. Thanks for your response.:confused:

 

I am so sick and tired of hearing how the compensation was great...., more than should be expected...., very generous.... blah blah blah. Enough already! I am NOT bashing the cruise lines in my thinking - not one bit. They can't help when ship happens. I have spent my life trying to fix machines and sometimes it doesn't go the way you want or think.

 

My problem is with everyone who thinks that because a cruise line gives you a small, medium or large credit - or even free cruise - I don't care! They could give me two free ones. My issue is with people that think there should be no complaining whatsoever if things go for a crap. For pete's sake, WE WERE NOT ON THIS CRUISE. And yes I am yelling. I have stated repeatedly on these boards that sitting here in our comfy homes and reading how thankfull passengers should be with a free cruise when their HOLIDAY is not what THEY thought it should be.......does NOT cut it for me. How's that?

 

So why do you just tell us how you feel? Stop holding back.

[above sea level cruiser]

So why do you just tell us how you feel? Stop holding back.

 

I'm done. :mad:

[HarmonyMimi]

I'm done. :mad:

I just returned from the Dawn. And you summed it right up. Thank you.