If you could decide...

[dakrewser]

If you were the captain, or the cruise operator, what would you do when faced by a Hurricane in your path?

[sail7seas]

IF I were the Captain of a ship loaded with passengers and crew and knew there was a fierce hurricane, I would ONLY worry about the safety of the souls aboard and protecting my ship from risk.

Anything else pales IMO and is of little significance. Keeping people and ship safe is ALL that matters.

I doubt that the Captain of a cruiseship makes the decision without serious consultation with home office. I imagine he has the final, last word, but assuming he likes working for the company, I suspect he will work hard with them to find the best solution that keeps them happy and he and his crew/pax/ship safe.

[jhannah]

Safety is paramount. No doubt about that. My first choice would be to find alternate ports. However, that may not always be feasible ... for obvious reasons (already too many ships have diverted there) and for many reasons I'm not privvy to.

[Druke I]

Being a lover of sea days, I would head for calmer water, and forget trying to find a port. It would be my bad luck to head for a port, and have the storm shift its path, and catch me where I am most vunerable - in port!

Michael

[Krazy Kruizers]

The captain doesn't really get to make the final decision. Headquarters does.

But if the manifest could be sent ahead to ports not on the original itinerary and there was space available at the port, then I would vote to change the itinerary.

That last choice - I love. But I didn't vote for it.

[cactuslady]

Does the last choice mean you would keep going into the storm and hope the pax don't notice? There would have to be quite a few free drinks to make that work for me. :p

[RuthC]

The captain doesn't ever want to be caught between land and the hurricane. If he were to head for another port, and the storm did likewise, he'd have fewer options.
On the final cruise of the ss Rotterdam we had that problem: the ship was sailing south along the west coast of the U.S. and Mexico as three (count 'em! three!) hurricanes headed north. We went further and further west to avoid danger. Didn't see land for eight days.

[bombero]

IF I were the Captain of a ship loaded with passengers and crew and knew there was a fierce hurricane, I would ONLY worry about the safety of the souls aboard and protecting my ship from risk.

Anything else pales IMO and is of little significance. Keeping people and ship safe is ALL that matters.

I doubt that the Captain of a cruiseship makes the decision without serious consultation with home office. I imagine he has the final, last word, but assuming he likes working for the company, I suspect he will work hard with them to find the best solution that keeps them happy and he and his crew/pax/ship safe.

I agree with you sail7seas.. Like the president, the captain has to make decisions that generally make 50% of everyone happy and 50% unhappy.. That's why he gets the big bucks, and why the buck stops at him... Ultimately he has 2000 - 4000 peoples lives and well-being to think about and a ship that cost Billions...

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I was really torn to which one to answer both 2 or 3 I would vote for. I did choose answer 2 due to the word "Safe" But being safe in calm waters out at sea like the Zuirderdam just did was a very wise thing to do.

I think it is totally unfair to be critical of HAL with how they handled the situation. Since even the Hurricane Experts had no way to really predict what Frances was doing, how could HAL? Then to make a decision to go to a new port, by the time the new port gave them permision to come in the Hurricane could of changed courses and they could head on back to home port. I really think that HAL handled to situation quite well, especially how they handled the passengers on board and the new ones that were boarding on Monday..

[waterlovers]

I do love sea days they are soooo relaxing. but I would definately want to go to ports not a whole week at sea! I want to go places and do things IN the water!:p

[gliles]

Alright, no one else is admitting it but I voted for 4 but mainly because I thought it was funny.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Staying at sea in calm waters forever sounds pretty good to me right now:D

[dakrewser]

Alright, no one else is admitting it but I voted for 4 but mainly because I thought it was funny.
So did I.

But this is what I'd rather do if it were my decision. No matter which of the other 3 you chose, a significant number of pax would be upset. I'd rather keep them all "happy". :D

-dave

[cruzngal]

Obviously safety is of the utmost priority. Outrunning a hurricane is probably not the best plan. In 1990 we sailed the Windjammer Fantome in the Southern Carribbean. It was a beautiful old sailing ship. In 1998 the captain of that ship tried to outrun a hurricane after dropping off passengers at a safe port. Given the size of the boat and its location relative to the hurricane they probably did not have much choice.

The Fantome and her crew are now at the bottom of the Carribean.

Nothing to mess with.

[Ziggy7]

Since I dont have a clue what a Captain does or doesn't do, I decided to vote for the last one, I'm going to give you all free drinks and internet and head straight for HMC, I will tender e1 during the day and circle HMC at night so you get the sea crusing time too :)

[Vicar]

I voted to head out to calm waters and waiting it out.

safest for the passengers, the ship, and whats wrong with a few extra sea days? :)

[goindeep]

waterlovers,
I'm with you! some sand, some sea, but not on the boat all week. BTW your countdown appears that we will be on the z together! what kinds of fun things in the water are you up for?!

[waterlovers]

Mostly we( my husband and I) like to snorkel or go sailing. I am really into diving but he is not . Underwater photography is fun. But we will be spending all our time alone for our anniversary this cruise. And from the looks of Hurricane Ivan many of our ports HMC, Caymans, Key West will have all been through Ivan or Francis. So maybe they will change itinerary to visit some other ports so we can enjoy the water.:)

[jazzsea]

I once could only take cruises in September. It was the only slow time at our office. Having been in five hurricnes at sea I have experienced only safety and sitting in port waiting for the storm to pass. Back in the mid '80's we sat out Hurricane Danielle for two days in St. Lucia. When the storm actually passed us all passengers were sitting on the floor of the show lounge playing Trivial Pursuit. The ship was the Explorer Star Ship. Now known as the "Song of Flower".

[sail7seas]

Sitting in port....interesting.



I always thought that ships were safer at sea. Port Everglades ordered the port closed and all ships had to leave as it was risky for the ships to stay when Frances was coming. It also leads to more damage to the port as ships can be blown again docks etc

[MandyGirl]

Priorities of Captains of Ships = Priorities of Captains of Airplanes

Passenger safety is number one.:)

Surprisingly, when a plane is rerouted inflight due to weather and then passengers miss a connection or arrive late or have to refuel unexpectedly at another airport, complaints can always be heard by a few. Miss a port on a cruise due to weather/seas, and the same thing will normally happen - a few passengers will complain. Now a hurricane... that's a totally different flight plan! I'm thankful all Captains put passenger safety first. :)

[sail7seas]

:) Mandy: Is there a choice? :) What could possibly be MORE important or of greater priority?

I agree that no matter what choices are made, there are always some who will complain. ;)

[Lithium]

Priorities of Captains of Ships = Priorities of Captains of Airplanes

Passenger safety is number one.:)

Surprisingly, when a plane is rerouted inflight due to weather and then passengers miss a connection or arrive late or have to refuel unexpectedly at another airport, complaints can always be heard by a few. Miss a port on a cruise due to weather/seas, and the same thing will normally happen - a few passengers will complain. Now a hurricane... that's a totally different flight plan! I'm thankful all Captains put passenger safety first. :)
Captains put safety first. Unfortunately, it seems that captains are controlled by corporate, which of course puts money first. They may claim to put safety first, but this is only because of the money involved in a liability suit.

[gliles]

Priorities of Captains of Ships = Priorities of Captains of Airplanes

Passenger safety is number one.:)

Surprisingly, when a plane is rerouted inflight due to weather and then passengers miss a connection or arrive late or have to refuel unexpectedly at another airport, complaints can always be heard by a few. Miss a port on a cruise due to weather/seas, and the same thing will normally happen - a few passengers will complain. Now a hurricane... that's a totally different flight plan! I'm thankful all Captains put passenger safety first. :)
The big difference is that captains on airlines don't rely on corporate other than the standard rules, they are in a position of having to make snap decisions themselves.