Elevator Incident on Rhapsody of the Seas

[BMT]

That large G&T could lead to a whole different set of problems if you are there long enough! :D:eek:

 

Would be a good idea if there was an emergency cubbyhole in each elevator. Glass only to be broken in the event of being stuck - and in it was a supply of drinks:D

 

Elevators could even become 'overflow' for the Diamond Lounge:p

 

BTW - it was the VOYAGER we were stuck in the elevator - probably the same elevator as Gary - heard it had problems previously.

[miamiyogi]

First off to the OP, I enjoyed reading your account. May I suggest you post a full review of your cruise, I really enjoyed the detail you put into the post.

 

I don't want to comment on being compensated for your troubles but I did want to address some of the other posts.

 

I can assure you you were never in danger of falling. There are fail safes built in to prevent a free fall. And as another poster correctly stated, those mechanics would not have let you cross the threshold of that elevator if it had not been tagged out. A tag out is when a lock is placed de-energizing it (rendering it inoperable) only the mechanic servicing it has the key to this lock and his supervisor. The supervisor will only unlock this in the event an employee ended his shift and forgot to remove the tag (and only after accounting for that employee)

 

Elevators also serve as the primary way of evacuation for the handicapped and elderly. This is also safe- even in a fire -as long as smoke has not entered the elevator shaft. A poster stated the elevator should have entered into 'emergency service' and returned to the first floor opening its doors. This only happens if 1)The elevator is not broken (obvious) 2) The smoke detector in the elevator shaft is triggered and OR 3) Someone manually places the elevator in fire service mode via a key. This key is usually in a lockbox at the first floor of the elevator and may also be held by the designated fire marshal.

 

If not required by law, inspection records are not kept in the elevator, because they will probably go missing or defaced. Also these records are generally not available to the public other than a certificate saying the elevator was inspected. In Florida for example, this is simply a placard with an expiry date and the inspectors signature attached to the elevator behind a clear shield.

 

Communications are required in the event of an emergency. However this does NOT have to be a telephone. The only requirement is the elevator passenger have confirmation that his/her alarm signal was received. This is accomplished by a regular telephone, a call box or telephone that autodials a preset emergency number. Lately, this is now just a flashing light. You hit the alarm button, and the light will flash and then go steady when someone acknowledges the alarm (or something similar). These instructions must be clearly marked in the elevator cab. Manufacturers are moving away from the telephones because they get damaged, defaced or removed by vandals.

 

Elevator statistics are hard to come by but OSHA has tracked 26 deaths by elevator in the US last year. Most due to people working on them. If that seems like a lot, consider that New York alone has 58,000 elevators serving 11 BILLION trips annually.

[G'ma]

Well in addition you know so much about the History of Denim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm not sure what this snarky remark has to do with the subject. It seems a little off topic....but, that's just me.:cool:

[G'ma]

Well...watch out here...because you will either be called a liar, that you were never in the industry...or that you obviously were involved in some less than desirable location since you don't think freebies are necessary here....this thread is hopeless...which is why I stopped yesterday...just thought I'd give you a heads up in case you haven't read the rest of it....

 

Thanks for the heads up.....I'm used to it. Reason and logic, common sense and rationality are sometimes lost on CC.....

[Yo Eleven]

Speaking of elevators, why don't cruise ships put some fun into them? :D

 

 

:p

[FireIce0010]

BINGO!!!! A good to great Company doesn't let this kind of thing become a COMPLAINT on the internet. It could (and should) have been handled with simple customer service, something sorely lacking in business today.

 

To the angry poster/cheerleader/defender who keeps saying it is the customer demanding things that has changed business, I say no. A Company that has really good to great customer service knows, that no matter what the short term cost is to satisfy a customer, (Any Customer) that cost is worth it because satisfied customers don't complain. If a Company has great customer service they don't let things get to the point of an internet complaint.

 

Too many Businesses today are Run by people with small minds and big pockets they want to fill quickly while they are Running the company. RCI since Goldstein has been President is one Company that comes to mind. And how very sad that is.

 

JMO,

Colleen

 

And why do you continue to cruise with Royal Caribbean? To complain on cruise boards? :rolleyes:

[sailingawaysoon]

On Sunday, September 13, late in the afternoon, my daughter and I returned to the Rhapsody of the Seas after sightseeing in Juneau. We went to our cabins (mine on Deck 3, hers on Deck 7) to drop off rain jackets and purchases, agreeing to meet in the Windjammer Cafe on Deck 9.

I was alone going up in the elevator when it stopped with a big jolt and a loud "bang." The lights above the door (that had indicated that the elevator was approaching Deck 8 before the jolt) were no longer lit. Everything was really, really quiet. Too quiet. Somewhat alarmingly quiet.

 

I pushed the alarm button. Nothing happened. I pushed it again, defying the law that says "don't keep doing something that isn't working." Then, I read the rather tiny sign above the alarm button that said I should hold it in for three seconds. I did that. Everything was still really, really quiet, except for the shrill alarm. By now, I was vowing never to get on a cruise ship elevator again. A light came on that said that the alarm was acknowledged and the shrill noise stopped.

 

It was still very, very quiet. I held the alarm button in again for three seconds. The "acknowledged" light came on, more quickly this time, and the alarm noise stopped. I had time to read everything in that elevator, including a notice that the elevator maintenance records were available in the captain's office.

 

Eventually, a panel in the ceiling opened, and a man stuck his head into the opening and told me "we're going to get you out of here, ma'am. Don't worry." Then, he shut the panel and I heard nothing for a while. Finally, I heard "mechanical" noises around the doors. There seemed to be three voices out there, two of whom were arguing with each other, I think. The doors opened slowly and then shut again rather quickly. I briefly saw the situation. The elevator was stopped way too low for Deck 8, with the floor of the deck at about the height of my hips.

 

When the door opened again, the crew had increased to four people, with one being the spokesperson. I was going to turn around in order to hoist my somewhat ample bottom up onto the deck, but the crew member in charge ordered me not to do that and to stand at the back of the elevator, saying "it's very dangerous. No, ma'am, get to the back of the elevator." In my racing thoughts came the idea that the elevator might be insecurely "perched" somehow and that balance was very important to my safety. Then, the guy ordered one of the other guys to get a ladder. Meanwhile, one of the crew members jumped down into the elevator with me, grinning to let me know that he wasn't afraid, so I should not be afraid either. Hah! What did he know?

 

The ladder arrived and was brought down and placed against the deck wall. It was an a-frame 3-step ladder, but the man who placed it just leaned it against the wall. The leader spoke to him and he opened it up. The stabilizer between the two sides was just a cloth ribbon, not a metal brace, so he didn't open it all of the way. That placed the top of the ladder only about 9 or 10 inches from the deck floor. It didn't look safe to me that way, however. The leader didn't like it either and got the guy to open the ladder fully. Now, the top of it was more like 16 to 18 inches from the deck, as it was not turned sideways.

 

I really did not want to use that ladder at all, especially to stand on the top of it, with nothing to hang onto, and then step across a good sized gap, but they were not going to let me get out on my own terms. I still think that I was at greater risk of injury using their method than my proposed method, but I did it their way, ducking my head to avoid bumping it on the top of the door as I stepped across. A crew member did suggest that I place my hand on his shoulder in order to climb the ladder and to step out, which was a good idea.

 

Once out, I wanted nothing but to go up the stairs to the Windjammer, get some chocolate cake and tell my daughter what had happened. Ah, but there were questions for me first. "Name?" "Cabin number?" "Are you hurt anywhere?" "Would you like to visit the ship doctor?" I answered the doctor question with "Only if he has all of the chocolate on this ship."

 

Then, nothing more happened. Royal Caribbean could have/should have delivered a bottle of champagne to my cabin or to my dinner table or given me some small amount of shipboard credit, I think. Nothing more happened. No note came from the captain, the cruise director or even the ship safety officer. Nothing. Nada. It was as though it had never happened at all. I suspect that the crew destroyed the report once they determined that I was not injured. Had I visited the ship doctor, I might have scored some champagne or a t-shirt or something. (Sometimes the cynic in me gets out and has her way.)

 

I took the stairs for the next few days, but eventually got back on an elevator on the ship when others were with me. When I was alone, I consistently used the stairs rather than risk being stuck like that again.

 

I did notice more than a few times over the rest of the cruise that yellow plastic tape was covering one or another set of elevator doors, or that a crew was actually working on a particular elevator. Maybe that's a good sign - I don't know.

 

I have written a letter to Royal Caribbean with some suggestions for process improvement, including a suggestion that the elevator maintenance records be posted in the elevators instead of filed in an office whose location is not widely known.

 

 

I have enjoyed cruising with Royal Caribbean, and this cruise was lovely, too, except for the elevator problem. The cost cutting shows, but the trip was a real bargain.

Sorry to hear about your situation. I've been stuck many times in the elevator at work and it still frightens me if I get on the elevator after business hours. I heard of someone getting stuck in our building for several hours because the closest person to come out and fix the elevator was an hour away.

[nrdsb4]

First off to the OP, I enjoyed reading your account. May I suggest you post a full review of your cruise, I really enjoyed the detail you put into the post.

 

I don't want to comment on being compensated for your troubles but I did want to address some of the other posts.

 

I can assure you you were never in danger of falling. There are fail safes built in to prevent a free fall. And as another poster correctly stated, those mechanics would not have let you cross the threshold of that elevator if it had not been tagged out. A tag out is when a lock is placed de-energizing it (rendering it inoperable) only the mechanic servicing it has the key to this lock and his supervisor. The supervisor will only unlock this in the event an employee ended his shift and forgot to remove the tag (and only after accounting for that employee)

 

Elevators also serve as the primary way of evacuation for the handicapped and elderly. This is also safe- even in a fire -as long as smoke has not entered the elevator shaft. A poster stated the elevator should have entered into 'emergency service' and returned to the first floor opening its doors. This only happens if 1)The elevator is not broken (obvious) 2) The smoke detector in the elevator shaft is triggered and OR 3) Someone manually places the elevator in fire service mode via a key. This key is usually in a lockbox at the first floor of the elevator and may also be held by the designated fire marshal.

 

If not required by law, inspection records are not kept in the elevator, because they will probably go missing or defaced. Also these records are generally not available to the public other than a certificate saying the elevator was inspected. In Florida for example, this is simply a placard with an expiry date and the inspectors signature attached to the elevator behind a clear shield.

 

Communications are required in the event of an emergency. However this does NOT have to be a telephone. The only requirement is the elevator passenger have confirmation that his/her alarm signal was received. This is accomplished by a regular telephone, a call box or telephone that autodials a preset emergency number. Lately, this is now just a flashing light. You hit the alarm button, and the light will flash and then go steady when someone acknowledges the alarm (or something similar). These instructions must be clearly marked in the elevator cab. Manufacturers are moving away from the telephones because they get damaged, defaced or removed by vandals.

 

Elevator statistics are hard to come by but OSHA has tracked 26 deaths by elevator in the US last year. Most due to people working on them. If that seems like a lot, consider that New York alone has 58,000 elevators serving 11 BILLION trips annually.

 

Thanks for the informative post!:)

 

A few years ago, one of my former co-workers was killed in a gruesome elevator accident. It didn't free fall, but he tried to make it into the elevator as the doors were closing, thinking that they would automatically reopen when they met resistance. That didn't happen. It was such a horrible thing to happen to such a promising, kind, wonderful human being. Ever since, I freak out inwardly when people stick their hands into the elevator as the doors are closing. I can't help it.

[Ocean Boy]

Would be a good idea if there was an emergency cubbyhole in each elevator. Glass only to be broken in the event of being stuck - and in it was a supply of drinks:D

 

Elevators could even become 'overflow' for the Diamond Lounge:p

 

BTW - it was the VOYAGER we were stuck in the elevator - probably the same elevator as Gary - heard it had problems previously.

 

It might be best to exclude the glass elevators on the Royal Promenade.

[Ladylouwho]

I'm not sure what this snarky remark has to do with the subject. It seems a little off topic....but' date=' that's just me.:cool:[/quote']

 

Oh, it was just in relation to a REALLY snarky remark you made to me on another thread. I was alluding to it humorously. Have a nice day.

[Ladylouwho]

And why do you continue to cruise with Royal Caribbean? To complain on cruise boards? :rolleyes:

 

I have tried to ignore your posts as best as possible but since you now are confronting me personally, I have to ask. Why are you so interested in what I do? Can't you follow someone else around and comment on them? Or maybe find something else to do? I do believe cyber stalking is not allowed on these boards.

[Yo Eleven]

Oh, it was just in relation to a REALLY snarky remark you made to me on another thread. I was alluding to it humorously. Have a nice day.

 

I have tried to ignore your posts as best as possible but since you now are confronting me personally, I have to ask. Why are you so interested in what I do? Can't you follow someone else around and comment on them? Or maybe find something else to do? I do believe cyber stalking is not allowed on these boards.

This comes in handy from time to time. You may find it useful.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/profile.php?do=ignorelist

 

And now back to:

 

 

:D

[Ladylouwho]

This comes in handy from time to time. You may find it useful.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/profile.php?do=ignorelist

 

And now back to:

 

 

:D

 

Thanks, Yo. Yes I know about the ignore feature. I guess I should put them on mine but I have never used it because I like to keep things honest, meaning I don't like to censor, even folks like that.

 

Hey, thanks for the entertainment with the youtube shorts.

 

 

Colleen

[struther1]

Thanks, Yo. Yes I know about the ignore feature. I guess I should put them on mine but I have never used it because I like to keep things honest, meaning I don't like to censor, even folks like that.

 

Hey, thanks for the entertainment with the youtube shorts.

 

 

Colleen

Colleen,

I know what you mean about the ignore (I probably am on someones list somewhere), but you can't fight ignorance if you ignore the ignorant.

[Ladylouwho]

Colleen,

I know what you mean about the ignore (I probably am on someones list somewhere), but you can't fight ignorance if you ignore the ignorant.

 

struther1,

I absolutely agree, that is why I have never used it. And I KNOW I am on some ignore lists and that makes me HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!

 

Colleen

[struther1]

struther1,

I absolutely agree, that is why I have never used it. And I KNOW I am on some ignore lists and that makes me HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!

 

Colleen

FYI I find you to be a straight shooter who posts very intelligently, you seem to be able to keep emotion out far better than I.

[FireIce0010]

I have tried to ignore your posts as best as possible but since you now are confronting me personally, I have to ask. Why are you so interested in what I do? Can't you follow someone else around and comment on them? Or maybe find something else to do? I do believe cyber stalking is not allowed on these boards.

 

 

LOL. Don't flatter yourself. Not sure why you think that I'm following you around. Just making a comment.

[Ladylouwho]

FYI I find you to be a straight shooter who posts very intelligently, you seem to be able to keep emotion out far better than I.

 

Thanks, I appreciate that. I get attacked pretty regularly because I don't sugar coat RCI. I call them out on what I perceive to be destructive practices. For that, I take the hit from the RCI Cheerleaders/defenders.

 

I love to travel and cruise and RCI was my favorite cruise line and I cruised her regularly. In the past two years things have started to change and not necessarily for the better. I blame these decisions on those at the top (most notably Goldstein) and the RCI cheerleaders blame the customers.

 

The one thing that bugs me the most is when the Cheerleaders tell folks, if you don't like it don't cruise, blah...blah...blah.

 

Why can't people talk about the faults and try to bring about change? Why do people have to put up or shut up?

 

I really try to keep emotion out of it, but that is often hard. Guess after being here awhile I have grown a thicker skin mainly out of necessity, lol!

 

Colleen

[FireIce0010]

Don't you mean..."To heck with the company, what's it gonna get me?"

 

.

 

 

Nail on the head. This is what our society has come to today. What can I screw someone out of? It's all about me, me, me. They think that they should be able to smuggle all the alcohol on board that they can guzzle, drink free drinks in the CL, expect filet mignon and lobster and all for pennies a day. It's called the Wal-Mart crowd and we see plenty of them on cruise ships today. Sad to think that this is what the world has come to.

[nrdsb4]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I get attacked pretty regularly because I don't sugar coat RCI. I call them out on what I perceive to be destructive practices. For that, I take the hit from the RCI Cheerleaders/defenders.

 

I love to travel and cruise and RCI was my favorite cruise line and I cruised her regularly. In the past two years things have started to change and not necessarily for the better. I blame these decisions on those at the top (most notably Goldstein) and the RCI cheerleaders blame the customers.

 

The one thing that bugs me the most is when the Cheerleaders tell folks, if you don't like it don't cruise, blah...blah...blah.

 

Why can't people talk about the faults and try to bring about change? Why do people have to put up or shut up?

 

I really try to keep emotion out of it, but that is often hard. Guess after being here awhile I have grown a thicker skin mainly out of necessity, lol!

 

Colleen

 

What's frustrating to me is that on every board I've visited, I'm seeing this same comment being made about that particular cruise line. It seems to be an industry wide trend if these boards are to be believed. I don't currently have a cruise booked, but figuring out which cruise line hasn't gone downhill in this economy is going to be tough.

[beardedladies]

Would be a good idea if there was an emergency cubbyhole in each elevator. Glass only to be broken in the event of being stuck - and in it was a supply of drinks:D

 

Elevators could even become 'overflow' for the Diamond Lounge:p

 

I guess that was the inspiration for the rising tide bar on Oasis then :D

[theshortchef]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I get attacked pretty regularly because I don't sugar coat RCI. I call them out on what I perceive to be destructive practices. For that, I take the hit from the RCI Cheerleaders/defenders.

 

I love to travel and cruise and RCI was my favorite cruise line and I cruised her regularly. In the past two years things have started to change and not necessarily for the better. I blame these decisions on those at the top (most notably Goldstein) and the RCI cheerleaders blame the customers.

 

The one thing that bugs me the most is when the Cheerleaders tell folks, if you don't like it don't cruise, blah...blah...blah.

 

Why can't people talk about the faults and try to bring about change? Why do people have to put up or shut up?

 

I really try to keep emotion out of it, but that is often hard. Guess after being here awhile I have grown a thicker skin mainly out of necessity, lol!

 

Colleen

 

I appreciate this post and agree with your thoughts. I've been on these boards a very short time and been asked to leave probably a half dozen times!!! That seems to be one of the several standby attacks when someone doesn't think just like some of the people on here. Due to scheduling we are taking our first cruise on RCCL instead of repeating with NCL which we've been very happy with. And darn, the NCL boards are friendly, informative, and just plain fun. I do hope the cruise experience is better than the board experience.

[struther1]

I appreciate this post and agree with your thoughts. I've been on these boards a very short time and been asked to leave probably a half dozen times!!! That seems to be one of the several standby attacks when someone doesn't think just like some of the people on here. Due to scheduling we are taking our first cruise on RCCL instead of repeating with NCL which we've been very happy with. And darn, the NCL boards are friendly, informative, and just plain fun. I do hope the cruise experience is better than the board experience.

Here on CC, I too have been told many times to go somewhere else, either on the ship or to another cruise line, but, I really enjoy RCCL and find my cruises and the passengers on them to be nothing like that.

[Ladylouwho]

I appreciate this post and agree with your thoughts. I've been on these boards a very short time and been asked to leave probably a half dozen times!!! That seems to be one of the several standby attacks when someone doesn't think just like some of the people on here. Due to scheduling we are taking our first cruise on RCCL instead of repeating with NCL which we've been very happy with. And darn, the NCL boards are friendly, informative, and just plain fun. I do hope the cruise experience is better than the board experience.

 

I have enjoyed my many cruises on RCI. I just have some real disagreements as to some of the policy changes and the direction they are taking RCI. The ships are beautiful and the cabin stewards, waiters, bartenders and casino folks are very friendly and helpful. We have met some great people on our cruises.

 

If you think the RCI Boards are bad now, you should have been around last spring. WhoooWheeee!!! I am surprised I am still around to talk about it. But there are some really nice, helpful (and Funny!) people on these boards. Concentrate on them and take the rest with a grain of salt, oh and maybe some tequila too, lol!

 

Colleen

[Ladylouwho]

Here on CC, I too have been told many times to go somewhere else, either on the ship or to another cruise line, but, I really enjoy RCCL and find my cruises and the passengers on them to be nothing like that.

 

Agreed. The only people that can make you go away from the Boards are the Mods, and then only if you are very naughty. The other "Board Police" folks are just important in their own minds, they have no power unless you let them have it. Hang in here!!!!!

 

Colleen