Scare on the QM2 this evening

[Route6A]

Cunard reports that tomorrow's sailing is currently as scheduled. I received no information from them concerning the fire, however. Seemed they did not wish to discuss it.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Cunard reports that tomorrow's sailing is currently as scheduled. I received no information from them concerning the fire, however. Seemed they did not wish to discuss it.

 

Not much of a surprise there. Phone reps were probably told to go the "no comment" route.

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Not much of a surprise there. Phone reps were probably told to go the "no comment" route.

Maybe this means that I am right with my speculation that Cunard has turned-off the internet service aboard QM2 so that the passengers will not be able to spill the beans about what happened last night because we have no update so far from Kiltboys who is aboard QM2 and first reported this last night.Either it is my theory that is right or it is the weather that is having an effect that the QM2 satellite dish antennas can not send up a signal to the satellites. Regards,Jerry Edited October 6, 2011 by Cruise Liner Fan

[Underwatr]

I don't recall that they turned off the Internet after last year's arc flash explosion. Didn't someone post from onboard shortly after that? Maybe endless speculation and wild guessing really isn't serving any purpose other than spinning up others' imaginations...

Edited October 6, 2011 by Underwatr

[Cruise Liner Fan]

I don't recall that they turned off the Internet after last year's arc flash explosion. Didn't someone post from onboard shortly after that? Maybe endless speculation and wild guessing really isn't serving any purpose other than spinning up others' imaginations...

I do admit that of the times I have been aboard QM2 that sometimes the internet service aboard the QM2 is out of service because of the weather even on some partly cloudy days.Maybe it is the clouds blocking the signals? Regards,Jerry Edited October 6, 2011 by Cruise Liner Fan

[rgaudet]

Tweets from @cunardline this morning:

 

There was a minor fire on board Queen Mary 2 this morning, this was extinguished immediately and has not affected any guests or crew...

 

...the operation of the ship has not been affected in any way and she is en route to New York as planned.

[Underwatr]

"As scheduled" would have been more helpful than "as planned" but at least I have a reasonable feeling that I'm still traveling into NYC for a reason, even if things might be running a bit late tomorrow. I'll see whether the Red Hook port is visible from near my hotel.

[southwestie]

I had a few email and messages from the ship and all seems well, mind you the last was 12 hours ago I dont see a problem now at all, they can make any running repairs on the 14th/15th if they had too so that the crossings are not affected,

Edited October 6, 2011 by rob6852

[Cruise Liner Fan]

I had a few email and messages from the ship and all seems well, mind you the last was 12 hours ago I dont see a problem now at all, they can make any running repairs on the 14th/15th if they had too so that the crossings are not affected,

Thanks Rob6852. Regards,Jerry

[BlueRiband]

Update found on msnbc.com:

 

"A small fire broke out in an engine room aboard the Queen Mary 2 on Thursday evening, according to Jackie Chase, manager of public relations for Cunard Line. The fire, said Chase, ' ... was swiftly dealt with by the ship's company and had no impact to any guests, crew or to the structural integrity of the ship.'

 

The ship is en route from Quebec and is due to arrive [in New York] on Friday. Chase said that 'high winds and active seas' will delay the ship's arrival by two hours and postpone its departure by one hour."

[TheOldBear]

Looks like there may be some satellite problems

 

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/10/06/1533200/satellite-glitch-leaves-northern-canada-in-the-internet-dark

[southwestie]

Thanks Rob6852. Regards,Jerry

 

I have a lot of friends on board, if I hear from the later I will post the details, hoe the internet comes back on for them.

 

 

Thank you mariepr thats helpful for the people joining on Friday for the crossing

[Bell Boy]

There are no dogs on this voyage as it's not a Transatlantic..... and most guests were unaffected. Many where at the Snr Officers party.... and in true good old 'White Star service' the band played on !

 

Still not very nice though

 

 

Bell Boy.:)

[Ray66]

Cruise Critic have covered the incident here

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=4619#

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Looks like there may be some satellite problems

 

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/10/06/1533200/satellite-glitch-leaves-northern-canada-in-the-internet-dark

That there are problems with the satellites that cover Eastern Canada and the Atlantic Ocean bordering Eastern Canada for internet service,Is there any satellites covering the Northeastern USA and the Atlantic Ocean bordering the Northeastern USA that the QM2 can switch to for internet service? I live in the Northeastern USA in New Jersey and I still have my internet service though it is through a cable television wire aka broadband.I notice that the QM2 Bridge webcam that the picture says it is still 9:46 AM meaning the picture from the QM2 Bridge webcam must be sent via a satellite internet connection. Regards,Jerry Edited October 6, 2011 by Cruise Liner Fan

[Husband & wife who cru]

I have the following on very good authority as of 21:00 Oct 5, 2011:

 

A gas carbine in the engine room of the QM2 caught on fire this evening. Cunard staff were given a 90 minute warning in order to prepare to deploy the lifeboats. Guests had their children dropped off and their animals picked up from the kennels.

 

Apparently it is now under control, but people are understandably shaken up. They are currently in extremely rough seas and my source tells me that "things are flying all over the ship". In one instance a copier machine was ripped from its harnass and destroyed into 8 pieces.

 

That's all I know at the moment.

 

After last year's capacitator incident onboard QM2 many engineers were very surprised P&O did not pull QM2 from service for a complete overhaul. As I have been told Cunard is on P&O's every 3 year overhaul system that they do within their own fleet (Cunard is managed/directed by P&O). Clearly there is something amiss here and it would appear Carnival needs to pay attention more to maintenance with QM2 and within its fleet. Again, they got lucky avoiding a major disaster this time and this luck can not run forever...get with it Carnival!

[Cruise Liner Fan]

After last year's capacitator incident onboard QM2 many engineers were very surprised P&O did not pull QM2 from service for a complete overhaul. As I have been told Cunard is on P&O's every 3 year overhaul system that they do within their own fleet (Cunard is managed/directed by P&O). Clearly there is something amiss here and it would appear Carnival needs to pay attention more to maintenance with QM2 and within its fleet. Again, they got lucky avoiding a major disaster this time and this luck can not run forever...get with it Carnival!

Next month the QM2 will be put into dry-dock at a German shipyard for routine maintenance so hopefully this overhaul you speak of will be done then? I do know that the QM2's last dry-dock was 3 years ago in late 2008. Regards,Jerry Edited October 6, 2011 by Cruise Liner Fan

[Husband & wife who cru]

Tweets from @cunardline this morning:

 

There was a minor fire on board Queen Mary 2 this morning, this was extinguished immediately and has not affected any guests or crew...

 

...the operation of the ship has not been affected in any way and she is en route to New York as planned.

 

I fully expect P&O/Cunard to play this down. But a gas turbine fire with a standing evacuation order onboard QM2 is not "minor". This is extremely serious.

[renne]

There is a site that I'm looking at that shows the current position of QM2 and it also has a working webcam.

I've tried to post the link but doesn't work out and comes out half blank.

If someone is interested in looking this up themselves, try going to sea scanner(dot)com. Follow the Cunard link and then QM2. On the Queen Mary 2 page there is a further link to its current position.

[The Real PM]

I fully expect P&O/Cunard to play this down. But a gas turbine fire with a standing evacuation order onboard QM2 is not "minor". This is extremely serious.

There were all kinds of rumors last year too. It is human nature!

Edited October 6, 2011 by The Real PM

[Husband & wife who cru]

Next month the QM2 will be put into dry-dock at a German shipyard for routine maintenance so hopefully this overhaul you speak of will be done then? I do know that the QM2's last dry-dock was 3 years ago in late 2008. Regards,Jerry

 

QM2's upcoming overhaul has been labelled as cosemetic only..she is only due to be out of service for a very short period of time which is in no way going to address mechanics in an indepth fashion. Two major mechanical incidents in less than a year from an engineering standpoint is indicative of building issues within the ship. Judging QM2's need for attention based on the platform builds within the company sounds like it might be a mistake. It could be she requires an indepth check every 2 years which is not that uncommon (Carnival's insurance carriers will be looking at this indpeth). But, an every 2 overhaul is an expense and one Carnival may not want to undertake.

[Salacia]

Curiously, the cause of the fire has not been given in any of the brief news reports about the incident that I've read so far, but I imagine that information will be made public at some point. And as to Cunard's Tweet that no guests or crew were affected, I'm sure we'll hear some first hand accounts from passengers in a day or two.

 

Of course, the priority is that the ship and all the souls on board return to port safely tomorrow. Best wishes, -S.

Edited October 6, 2011 by Salacia

[Cruise Liner Fan]

QM2's upcoming overhaul has been labelled as cosemetic only..she is only due to be out of service for a very short period of time which is in no way going to address mechanics in an indepth fashion. Two major mechanical incidents in less than a year from an engineering standpoint is indicative of building issues within the ship. Judging QM2's need for attention based on the platform builds within the company sounds like it might be a mistake. It could be she requires an indepth check every 2 years which is not that uncommon (Carnival's insurance carriers will be looking at this indpeth). But, an every 2 overhaul is an expense and one Carnival may not want to undertake.

Are you saying that Cunard/Carnival Corp. is doing a who cares attitude when it comes to doing the proper maintenance of the QM2 and the other ships? It would make them look very bad if it is true? Regards,Jerry Edited October 6, 2011 by Cruise Liner Fan

[Salacia]

There is a site that I'm looking at that shows the current position of QM2 and it also has a working webcam.

I've tried to post the link but doesn't work out and comes out half blank.

If someone is interested in looking this up themselves, try going to sea scanner(dot)com. Follow the Cunard link and then QM2. On the Queen Mary 2 page there is a further link to its current position.

 

Hi Renne. Thanks for that link. But unless I'm looking at the wrong page on that website, it is showing QM2's scheduled location (not the actual location). The webcam is showing the same frozen image that is on the Cunard website, so I guess the satellite is still malfunctioning:confused:. Regards, S.

[Underwatr]

That site is blocked here because it's a travel agency.