CHANGE OF ITINERARY because of Migratory pattern?!?!

[npb1894]

Last April on our first sea day out of NYC, we shaw 2 or 3 whales off the aft of the Spirit. We were enjoying the warm air and the kiddie pool in the aft and there they were, sadly by the time I got my camera they were gone, but I saw them!! And so did my kids.

Really cool!!

Enjoy and I hope you see some too!

[fin]

"Im totally with you on this one. RCI sails the Explorer out of NJ, just across the river from where NCL sails there shis out of. No reduced speed changes at all for them. They travel the same route, so if this were for real, avary ship/line would have to comply."

 

 

I am wondering whether you read any of the link posted by hunterjay about the mandatory speed restriction before you wrote this.

[terrymtex01]

Im totally with you on this one. RCI sails the Explorer out of NJ, just across the river from where NCL sails there shis out of. No reduced speed changes at all for them. They travel the same route, so if this were for real, avary ship/line would have to comply.

 

Sounds extremely fishy.

 

To an earlier poster who was comparing to the Sun and not believing that the ships on the NYT runs regularly travel at speds of around 30 mph, i can tell you your wrong. The Sun is an older slower ship, that is why it would never even be thought of for use in the NY market. The Star/Jewel class are faster and able to do these runs, but at a cost, that being more money for fuel.

 

To the OP though, i really think this is a ploy to recoup some cash on fuel, and has absolutely nothing to do with marine wildlife.

 

"Im totally with you on this one. RCI sails the Explorer out of NJ, just across the river from where NCL sails there shis out of. No reduced speed changes at all for them. They travel the same route, so if this were for real, avary ship/line would have to comply."

 

 

I am wondering whether you read any of the link posted by hunterjay about the mandatory speed restriction before you wrote this.

 

Wow.. so since RCI isn't reducing their speed, based on the article posted, I guess that means they are breaking the law? Or at least not giving a crap about marine life? Glad you pointed that out, Fin, as I totally had missed the link to that article. Shame on RCI.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

To an earlier poster who was comparing to the Sun and not believing that the ships on the NYT runs regularly travel at speds of around 30 mph, i can tell you your wrong. The Sun is an older slower ship, ....

 

I stand corrected (probably), and accept the schooling. Even so, if the ship in question normally sails at 30MPH, slows to 25, and loses two hours in the out-bound direction and two in the in-bound direction, then the span of the restricted speed zone is 300 miles. Or, it could be a longer span, with some of the lost time being made up by exceeding 30MPH in areas outside the restriction.

 

As for why RCI might not have shown an effect, aside from the reasons others gave, it might also be possible that their ship is capable of making up more of the loss, even all of the loss, by whipping the galley slaves harder when outside the zone of restriction. Not saying it's so; just relating the physical possibilities.

 

I hope the poster who saw whales in the aft kiddie pool reported it to the crew promptly, as I imagine that the level of chlorine therein (not to mention kiddie urine) cannot be a healthy thing for most species of whale.;)

[Globaliser]

I too like the sea days! But this sounds like a fuel reduction tactic to me .

No, it isn't. The speed limit requirement is entirely genuine and has been quite widely discussed - you really don't need to go very far on the Internet to see references to it.

Wow.. so since RCI isn't reducing their speed, based on the article posted, I guess that means they are breaking the law? Or at least not giving a crap about marine life? Glad you pointed that out, Fin, as I totally had missed the link to that article. Shame on RCI.

I don't think we should be too hard on RCI without knowing more. It may just be that they have not yet made published adjustments to their schedules, or they may be trying to see whether they can accommodate the speed limit in their existing schedules, or whether they can manage adjusted timings on the hoof on a cruise-to-cruise basis.

[Bluewake]

Original Arrive Depart:

 

Sat New York City, New York 4:00 pm

Sun At Sea

Mon Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida 10:00 am 9:00 pm

Tue Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas 9:00 am 6:00 pm

Wed Nassau, Bahamas 8:00 am midnight

Thu Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas 7:00 am 2:00 pm

Fri At Sea

Sat New York City, New York 9:00 am

 

Revised Arrive Depart

 

Sat New York City, New York 4:00 pm

Sun At Sea

Mon Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida noon 10:00 pm

Tue Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas 10:00 am 6:00 pm

Wed Nassau, Bahamas 8:00 am midnight

Thu Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas 7:00 am noon

Fri At Sea

Sat New York City, New York 9:00 am

 

I didn't get an email so I just called both Shore Excursions and the NCL reservation desk to ask about the change since it would affect excursions we've booked. Both offices told me that they don't know anything about a schedule change. Of course, in large organizations the left hand doesn't always know what the right is doing!

[wrp96]

RCCL had already changed Explorer's schedules month's ago dropping and switching ports so they could sail slower to save fuel (for fun, do a search for all the threads that were posted complaining about it). They may have already built the speed reduction into the itinerary changes.

[A Sixth?]

 

How could a 5 -10 mph difference when the ship travels at 30mph to begin with make a difference.

 

 

For what it's worth the Gem's cruising speed is 24 knots.

 

http://www.americandiscountcruises.com/cruise_ships/norwegian_gem.html

[paulyjsob]

I realize 5-10 mph makes a huge difference over the span of 1000 miles (I'm a math major) :)

What I meant is I don't see how such a speed difference would have an impact on hitting a whale.

 

Remember the ship is traveling over long periods of time. For example, a 5 mph drop in speed over 20 hours is 100 miles, at 25 mph that's an added 4 hours to complete the journey.

[NormanW]

Speed reduction reduces the chances of a collision. (they did studies on this)

 

Ship speeds are always measured in knots not miles per hour. For reference 1 knot is 1.15 miles per hour or fifteen percent more.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

[Luv4dacruise]

"Im totally with you on this one. RCI sails the Explorer out of NJ, just across the river from where NCL sails there shis out of. No reduced speed changes at all for them. They travel the same route, so if this were for real, avary ship/line would have to comply."

 

 

I am wondering whether you read any of the link posted by hunterjay about the mandatory speed restriction before you wrote this.

 

In fact i did read that link. I see it as NCL using it as a crutch to be able to save fuel, as in really over playing it to work in there favor, bu at the customers expense.

[Luv4dacruise]

I stand corrected (probably), and accept the schooling. Even so, if the ship in question normally sails at 30MPH, slows to 25, and loses two hours in the out-bound direction and two in the in-bound direction, then the span of the restricted speed zone is 300 miles. Or, it could be a longer span, with some of the lost time being made up by exceeding 30MPH in areas outside the restriction.

 

As for why RCI might not have shown an effect, aside from the reasons others gave, it might also be possible that their ship is capable of making up more of the loss, even all of the loss, by whipping the galley slaves harder when outside the zone of restriction. Not saying it's so; just relating the physical possibilities.

 

I hope the poster who saw whales in the aft kiddie pool reported it to the crew promptly, as I imagine that the level of chlorine therein (not to mention kiddie urine) cannot be a healthy thing for most species of whale.;)

 

Actually thats why i come to my conclusion (the post right before this) because throwing fuel efficiency aside (we all know the slower they go the less they use) MAX speed for the Star/Jewel class ships is 25 kts, while RCI's Voyager class is only 22 kts. I don't think its a matter of they give a little more play into there itineraries either, its just a feeling i got.

[Luv4dacruise]

RCCL had already changed Explorer's schedules month's ago dropping and switching ports so they could sail slower to save fuel (for fun, do a search for all the threads that were posted complaining about it). They may have already built the speed reduction into the itinerary changes.

 

I have read those threads, however, RCI was upfront about stating it was for saving fuel. I just think NCL is using this situation a bit too much to there advantage. IMHO

[chesquinn]

Area of concern. http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdf/RWSightingMap121608.pdf

[spirit rev]

Just noticed changes to my upcoming 10-day on the Gem, but e-mails haven't gone out yet.

 

We still depart NYC at 4 p.m., but we now arrive St. Thomas (first port of call) at noon instead of 11. We still get 7 hours there, with the rescheduled port call being noon-7.

 

We still depart Tortola (last port of call) at 1 p.m., but arrive NYC at 9 a.m. instead of 8.

Becky

FYI - I just checked the itinerary for our 1/25 10 day Gem cruise that I printed off several months ago. It gives the times you have posted for our ports. Sure was a surprise to me that we aren't getting to St. Thomas until 12 noon based on past years' sailings. Bottom line, I'm not sure our 10 day cruises are being impacted by these speed restrictions.

 

Also, since you posted this, a link to a NOAA map has been posted. In looking at it, I'm guessing we'll be further off the coast and away from the restricted area as we head to St. Thomas and back from Tortola.