Fire on Carnival Triumph. No engines, running on emergency generators.

[caribill]

This is not unique to Carnival. I follow several cruise lines her on CC because I sail a variety of lines, but you can read the same complaints about the same ships. The AC on ship A does not work in January of 2008. Then another complaint it does not work in June of 2008. Then again January of 2009, and June 2009, January of 2010, June 2010, January 2011, June 2011 and on and on, AT SOME POINT you have to say that ship A should not be on the seas. The line should dry-dock the ship and FIX the problem. But instead, they take the cheap way out and keep selling cabins KNOWING the AC does not work.

 

Sometimes the AC is really broken.

 

But othertimes, one person has a balcony door open ("I like to have more fresh air") which causes the AC to not function properly for a bunch of cabins.

 

And othertimes, the curtains are open during the part of the day that the sun is bearing down on that side of the ship. AC cannot keep up if the curtains are open at those times.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Of course not--that's my point. My husband is an EMT. He doesn't think he's a medic, and is very careful not to ever overstep what he is legally allowed to do--even though in some cases he's received the appropriate training to know how to do more.

 

EMT's aren't medics anymore than nurses are doctors. The quote implied that EMT's and medics are the same medical authority. They are not.

 

 

Your quote ducklite was making the case for doctors and nurses being "about the same" as EMTs and Paramedics.

 

I disagree with this as well.

[CanWeGoYet?]

 

I admit I have never been a fan of Carnival. Will someone give me the list of non-Carnival ships which have had problems as severe as this-multiple times.

 

I don't know the source of the propulsion problem, but a couple years back Celebrity Century had a mediterranean sailing that became disabled very early in the cruise. Passengers were offloaded to a different port than the cruise was to end, many passengers elderly and cruising for the sheltered environment. According to passenger accounts, they were given either no assistance by Celebrity in making transportation arrangements, or promises of assistance that did not materialize.

 

They were put off the ship in France, in the midst of a transportation strike. While I am sure there were eventually reimbursed for their travel home or hotel expenses, they were not informed in advance that they would be reimbursed. So many passengers sweated finding and booking airfare that was not out of this world expensive.

 

I followed the thread closely, here is a link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1292056&highlight=celebrity+century+stranded+in+mediterranean

 

Also, I am not providing this info to bag on Celebrity or the Century. It is a lovely ship but I recall reports of propulsion issues in the cruises before the one of issue. I am simply making the point that things go wrong on other cruise lines as well, and not all have stepped up to care for their passengers and assist them as well as Carnival.

[Blurgh]

Sometimes the AC is really broken.

 

But othertimes, one person has a balcony door open ("I like to have more fresh air") which causes the AC to not function properly for a bunch of cabins.

 

And othertimes, the curtains are open during the part of the day that the sun is bearing down on that side of the ship. AC cannot keep up if the curtains are open at those times.

 

Yeah, this is not a super-duper AC system where you can do whatever you want and your room will be 64 degrees. I've never really had a problem with it, but if you forget to close the curtains before taking off to port, it's gonna be hot. Why shouldn't it be if it's 85-90 degrees out?

 

If anyone has ever been on a tropical cruise where the weather isn't great, and it's a tad chilly out, trust me, you'll realize the AC isn't broken. LOL.

 

One time on the Triumph I was wearing a windbreaker and running pants inside for alot of the cruise. AC was definitely doing its job then.

[wavesbreaking]

Here are just some of the suggestions that travel around in my brain when I think of a responsible Cruise line.

First: it would make an impact on the world and for sure future cruisers if the cruise lines choose to value human lives more than the building of their bank accounts.

Then: Make the maintenance schedules more realistic towards a ship that is in constant use thereby constant wear and tear. Not ignoring the service needed for well oiled ship is priceless....middle of the ocean.....0

Then: If the ship shows it has a problem with a motor or stress on the electrical.......fix it, before you earn the next dollar.

Then: Disaster Plan... one that works and actually provides emergency care....and publish it with cruise documents.

Then: Like well prepared survival planners...keep non perishable food on hand....and menus made for disaster conditions...water, cots, battery operated fans, batteries, heaven forbid you could take some room space away to provide storage for such items. Less basketball maybe more safety space.

Then: Provide emergency packets for each passenger, which in these cases are just as important as life jackets, with flashlight, batteries, sea sick pills, emergency contact phone cards, ....just a start at possibilities.

Then: I could go on forever, but most important a communication plan.. with efforts at real updated communication maybe direct media coverage schedules and equipment so that the real truth is not a guess.

Changes such as these could make a whole lot of difference in good rapport and trust with consumers. Surely you have some smart people that know more than just steering the boat.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Well, then I'm one of the very few, and my DH agrees with me. We would absolutely allow passengers without plumbing to use ours if we had it. We would also keep our cabin door open during the day so others could get air from our balcony.

 

I was thinking about this situation, if some passengers had working showers if they would be willing to share. It's kind to be willing to help out others, hopefully the cabin stewards are still available to clean those cabins because God knows it will be needed. Passengers had been instructed to urinate in the showers. I'm thinking I would probably try to do my best at taking a bird bath at a sink (in the event I could find a working sink) rather than use someone else's shower.

 

And oh my gosh this is as good a reason as any to stick with balconies from here on out! At least some small source of privacy, fresh air & a place to sleep that is cool but not out on the public deck.

[Petoonya]

I hope she realizes that EMT's and Paramedics are about the same as nurses and doctors.

 

(Not directed at you!)

 

Surprising that you say this. My husband is an ER doctor and I'm a cardiac intensive care RN. If I'd known we were the same as EMT's and paramedics I'd not have helped pay my husbands way through med school and residency :)

I've worked with some very competent, and dedicated knowledgeable EMT's and paramedics, and respect most highly. But they do not have the education and training as physicians and registered nurses, and are not interchangeable.

Best to you :)

[Crusin6]

This is incorrect. Travelgaurd had Windstar on a temporary hold from April 2011 through June 2011 while they were going through an ownership change. They are not in bankruptcy, the new owners have poured millions into the ships, and they are quite financially healthy.

You quoted me too soon!..and before I had time to edit my post...

 

If you check back, it was a typo and I corrected it to reflect Windjammer...NOT Windstar.

[Crusin6]

Interesting as Aloha was covered under FAA regs (AA subsidiary) and Carnival under "Port State Control:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_State_Control

oh Geez.....I was using those 2 as an example of a travel entity a travel insurance company WOULD NOT cover

 

I know one is an airline and one is a cruiseline

[Crusin6]

I have a question?

 

Are ther some working showers and toilets

 

If there are some working showers and toilets, does that also mean some running potable water to drink?

 

Would the desalinisation (sp?) sysytem have power to work?

 

Note: I do know the toilets use a vacuum system as well.

[luv2kroooz]

I would just be thankful to be alive.

 

Plane crashes usually end in death or serious injury. So far this is just some emotional and mental trauma.

 

And there are people living in much worse conditions all over the world, every day, who don't have the knowledge that they will eventually sleep in a clean bed after having a hot meal and long shower.

 

And I'm sure that's not a popular opinion, but I'm not here to be popular.

 

Here we go again....who said they weren't thankful to be alive? Here's the key...these people paid for a cruise vacation! If they had wanted an experience where they didn't have a bed to sleep on, or hot food to eat, or a place to go to the bathroom, then they surely would have booked a different vacation. To dismiss this as "just some emotional and mental trauma" is a direct insult to every passenger and crew member who has been living this for the past 4 days, not to mention the families who are still anxiously waiting to hear from their loved ones.

[luv2kroooz]

Every several hours Carnival makes an official statement.

 

I am not sure what news people think is available that Carnival is hiding from them.

 

 

I think Carnival's official statements have been rather limited. The one release even had an incorrect date on it. Really? At least they didn't start the release with the word, Betcha!.

 

Anyway, the releases seem to be in direct contradiction to people that have spoken with family members currently on board. I think this is causing the confusion. Carnival, like all large corporations, is correctly taking an approach that limited information is better for their cause. They are making generalized statements...there is limited food service, there is limited restroom service, conditions are very challenging onboard. But what does that really mean? There are a lot of details behind those statements that are not being released by Carnival. I wouldn't call that "hiding" information, I would call that communicating minimal information, and I understand why they do that. But to answer your question, there are first hand accounts from passengers onboard that put specifics to Carnival's generalized statements. And those specifics can lead people to accuse Carnival of "hiding" the details. I think the offer of $500 compensation that was announced yesterday speaks volumes about what the people onboard are experiencing and what Carnival will be facing from a public relations standpoint later today.

[cruisefied]

Anyone hear anymore from the poor souls on the Triumph?

[luv2kroooz]

See, there it is...

 

CARNIVAL = conditions are challenging onboard

TRANSLATION FROM THOSE CURRENTLY ONBOARD = raw sewage coming out of the drains

[sjn911]

Here we go again....who said they weren't thankful to be alive? Here's the key...these people paid for a cruise vacation! If they had wanted an experience where they didn't have a bed to sleep on, or hot food to eat, or a place to go to the bathroom, then they surely would have booked a different vacation. To dismiss this as "just some emotional and mental trauma" is a direct insult to every passenger and crew member who has been living this for the past 4 days, not to mention the families who are still anxiously waiting to hear from their loved ones.

 

Agreed.

 

A huge learning curve in empathy here and judgement for many posters. I just lost my mom. I am trained in a lot of empathy from both schooling and life experience..but nothing put me in the learning curve of going through a whirlwind of thinking we had a very scary heart situation under control or her death after a month of in and out of hospitals and 2 life flights. A learning curve in every area of my life and realtionships to the new normal.

 

These people are exposed to the kind of stress that causes pins and needles with 4000 strangers. Exposure to many serious sanitary things, that may cause further issues...

 

Tons of families in absolute states of fear of things getting worse and worse until loved ones home and worrying about any other potential disaster for 4 days moving at a snails pace..

 

I am grateful as a human bystander things are not worse with weather or the fires on the ship....if my family were on that ship I would absolutely be in severe stress. On one level we can all define bad or worse...but bad is bad..yes we all are defined by our ability to rise above situations and help our fellow neighbor....any lack of compassion here is as bad as the situation if not worse.

[Luke gs Daddy]

Where is she and or what time is she due in?

?

[gstewart]

Where is she and or what time is she due in?

?

 

I tried searching on Vessel Tracker and Marine Traffic for Carnival Triumph and the two tugs - Resolve Pioneer and Dabhol but none of them are appearing in accurate positions.

 

The ETA of Resolve Pioneer stated Mobile on 14/2/12 at 1300.

[Jdfireman]

WOW SO MANY EXPERTS ON THIS BOARD I THINK A LOT SHOULD APPLY FOR A JOB WITH CARNIVAL YOU SEEM TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS AND KNOWLEDGE OF WHATS GOING ON.

 

I am up to 6lbs of popcorn a day reading this For the rest some have good points the others Please take a job with carnival...

[Grannycb]

Where is she and or what time is she due in?

?

 

She's due in port this afternoon according to NBC morning news.

[MrPete]

WOW SO MANY EXPERTS ON THIS BOARD I THINK A LOT SHOULD APPLY FOR A JOB WITH CARNIVAL YOU SEEM TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS AND KNOWLEDGE OF WHATS GOING ON.

 

I am up to 6lbs of popcorn a day reading this For the rest some have good points the others Please take a job with carnival...

 

This is not Carnival. This is Cruise Critic.

[cruisefied]

So what's with the moderators deleting all my posts??

 

Is that how things are done around here?

[Smokinguntoo]

So what's with the moderators deleting all my posts??

 

Is that how things are done around here?

They're not. I see posts from you. Perhaps you have a setting issue with the pc you are using.

SG2

[johneeo]

So what's with the moderators deleting all my posts??

 

Is that how things are done around here?

 

Yes.

[kellanrevere]

I wouldn't get on a Carnival ship if it was sailing to heaven!!

CNN just reported spoke with a passenger live. "The stench is unbearable - vomit, urine, and feces" Pax are hoarding food and then eating it and getting sick because it's not been refridgerated.

 

If they are hoarding, it serves them right to get sick. I love cruising but I have never seen so many selfish rude people as I saw a couple of weeks ago on the Emerald Princess. Do people drop their manners when they board the ship ? I really feel for the Triumph folks right now, but if everyone keeps a cool head and watches out for each other they will be fine. Now is the time to be on their best behavior.

[CurtS]

I tried searching on Vessel Tracker and Marine Traffic for Carnival Triumph and the two tugs - Resolve Pioneer and Dabhol but none of them are appearing in accurate positions.

 

The ETA of Resolve Pioneer stated Mobile on 14/2/12 at 1300.

 

CCL Triumph probably won't be trackable due to lack of adequate power--it seems likely that they won't use power to maintain tracking since there is a USCG vessel and two/three tugs with them. However, you are correct--the Vessel Tracker and Marine Traffic is spot on when they are in port, but seems to not have as good of data when ships are at sea.