On Grandeur now..

[Brandonclan]

If you put the kids in your own cabin, then it's not really a vacation, is it? :)

 

LOL, Nicely put! :)

[6263cruisers]

Very lucky you can afford 2 cabins - some of us aren't that fortunate.

[Ocean Boy]

So if the fire was started by a stray welding spark (as happened a few years ago on another ship), welding should be banned on all ships?

 

Maybe some view cigarettes in the same light as candles as opposed to welding. And we all know how candles sit with the cruise lines.;)

[Daghis]

They get refund for this cruise and a future cruise certificate. Air travel at the expense of RCI.

 

That was for the RCI twitter. Now, guess it is time for folks to chime in and demand RCI do more than refund the cruise costs, fly them home, and give them a free cruise.

I'm not demanding that RCI give them more, but as I was thinking about this, I realized that there are some additional expenses that will be incurred, such as possibly arranging for lodging in Baltimore and paying to get airline reservations rescheduled. Fortunately, I know that this is an area where trip insurance should step in and reimburse for the expenses.

 

For all the times that my family has sailed before with trip insurance that we've never "used", I guess I'm glad that DH will be able to make use of it this time.

[LAngle]

I don't think the cabins magically move closer to a muster station during an emergency.

 

I don't think lifeboats magically expand capacity to accommodate the emotional needs of certain people.

 

Attendants and crew are trained to get people quickly to their stations. Imagine if during every emergency, they had to be briefed on which families were exceptions, preferring certain lifeboats to others.

 

Safety procedures need to be based on logic and reason. Not people's emotional needs or belief in magic.

 

Those that don't trust the crew with their family during an emergency, have no business taking their family on the ship.

 

Those that trust the crew, should expect their companions to go to their assigned stations.

 

Keep calm, and don't let emotions interfere with safety.

 

Like! Like a LOT!

 

On the other hand, I do believe you, Poet123, should start a thread on this subject. I'm sure there are many others that would feel strongly about having the same muster station as other family members and have no idea that there is currently no way to insure that..

[Cushing985]

I wonder how the folks w/o a Passport will make out?

 

They'll be stuck in the Bahamas for the rest of their lives!

 

I'm sure RC is working with State much like Carnival did. Everyone got home with minimum fuss.

[Dharma517]

Hi guys : ) I'm back and full of Kalik! We have to drink off the ship due to prt regulation. Anyway...I know you have see the pics and the compensation package is generous. Flying home tomm...not sure what time. I'm thinking OCMD for the rest of my 15th wedding anniversary? Sad but it could have been much much worse. Ran into Sonny...a few times over the cruise...thinking of roasting weinies off his melted aft balcony : ). Sorry for all of those that will share in our interrupted vacation sadness on cruises to come. We are having a buffet on the pool deck since we can't use the MDR.

[edjny]

OMG, CNN just showed a screen shot of Dharma's Post (#8) about vomiting.

 

Apparently, that post was the "source" of the vomiting and panic on-board the ship.... :( Sometimes I wonder why I ever bother to listen to TV news.... :rolleyes:

[Cindy]

Here's a picture of the ship I saw on Yahoo News...I don't think I've seen the port side posted yet. If this is a duplicate, I apologize.

[Mystaken]

I am thankful that there were no fatalities, not even serious injuries! What a great captain and crew!! This could have been a catastrophic event!

 

BTW, there are people who post here who really are experts, who, for one reason or another, cant give their credentials!!

 

I was on Grandeur out of Baltimore years ago right after she suffered the big "Booboo", accidentally being blown into the pier at the new port of Costa Maya. RCCL is on top of all events. Please give the company time to investigate and respond before jumping to conclusions!

[e71465]

Why would Calfornia Highway Patrol be notified of people flying from the caribbean to MCO??

 

I wondered the same thing but I don't think they are talking about the California Highway Patrol. CHP must be an abbreviation to something else?

[wrp96]

Hi guys : ) I'm back and full of Kalik! We have to drink off the ship due to prt regulation. Anyway...I know you have see the pics and the compensation package is generous. Flying home tomm...not sure what time. I'm thinking OCMD for the rest of my 15th wedding anniversary? Sad but it could have been much much worse. Ran into Sonny...a few times over the cruise...thinking of roasting weinies off his melted aft balcony : ). Sorry for all of those that will share in our interrupted vacation sadness on cruises to come. We are having a buffet on the pool deck since we can't use the MDR.

 

Thanks for the update. Sorry for the shortened vacation.

[Ocean Boy]

They'll be stuck in the Bahamas for the rest of their lives!

I'm sure RC is working with State much like Carnival did. Everyone got home with minimum fuss.

 

Hmmm, maybe I should shred my passport before my next cruise.:D

[travelgoddess1]

Hi guys : ) I'm back and full of Kalik! We have to drink off the ship due to prt regulation. Anyway...I know you have see the pics and the compensation package is generous. Flying home tomm...not sure what time. I'm thinking OCMD for the rest of my 15th wedding anniversary? Sad but it could have been much much worse. Ran into Sonny...a few times over the cruise...thinking of roasting weinies off his melted aft balcony : ). Sorry for all of those that will share in our interrupted vacation sadness on cruises to come. We are having a buffet on the pool deck since we can't use the MDR.

 

We so appreciate your posts today. Best of luck to you -- thank goodness everyone is safe and this incident will have a positive outcome.

 

Take care. :)

[Eng23]

While I'm not a firefighter like Eng23, I am a merchant marine chief engineer with 37 years experience in ships, including fighting ship fires, on cargo and passenger vessels. The windows in the lounge were probably broken out in order to vent the space instead of allowing the smoke to be cleared by the ship's ventilation with the spread of smoke throughout the vessel. One disadvantage to the universal white paint on cruise ships, is that smoke damage will show as very bad. If this was as hot a fire as people are making out, the columns between the broken windows would have shown some buckling. I doubt that there is much structural damage even in the lounge. Most of what you see as walls and ceilings in ships' spaces are not structural, and the damage will mostly be confined to this. The structural bulkheads and decks are covered with fire insulation to maintain the A-60 rating required.

 

The length of time required to "extinguish" the fire, should not be used to determine how bad a fire was, as there would be a period of 60-90 minutes after the fire is actually extinguished while the fire teams perform "re-flash" watches, looking for small hot spots and watching for any possible re-ignition of the fire.

 

The ships are divided into vertical fire zones, so that a fire on deck 3 in the aft most zone will be contained at most to all decks in that vertical zone.

 

Mooring lines are very difficult to extinguish once they catch fire, as they have a tendency to smolder.

 

I agree with you completely. In my post when I reference possible bulkhead or decks having some buckling it would be in the fire areas on Deck 3 to the interior that we cannot see from the photos. I would think that is the areas in the seat of the fire where the temperatures would have been the highest.

[OCruisers]

Cindy ... Gosh, the port side looks even worse! :D

[kenly777]

Hi guys : ) I'm back and full of Kalik! We have to drink off the ship due to prt regulation. Anyway...I know you have see the pics and the compensation package is generous. Flying home tomm...not sure what time. I'm thinking OCMD for the rest of my 15th wedding anniversary? Sad but it could have been much much worse. Ran into Sonny...a few times over the cruise...thinking of roasting weinies off his melted aft balcony : ). Sorry for all of those that will share in our interrupted vacation sadness on cruises to come. We are having a buffet on the pool deck since we can't use the MDR.

 

So glad that all are safe. Thank you for your informative, honest updates. Hope the rest of your trip is in uneventful.

[Matzoh Ball]

Does anyone know how muster stations are assigned? I am booked in adjoining cabins, and would definitely not want to be separated from my family, in the event of an emergency, similar to the incident, today. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[khm1]

What are the chances of Grandeur sailing by June 21? My sister is supposed to be on this sailing. I wonder if RCL would let her change to a different ship.....

[BeachChik]

The airlines will not allow you onto one of their planes without the required proof of citizenship as they can be heavily fined for transporting an improperly documented person into the USA. I'm sure that in instances such as this, RCL and ICE will make arrangements to process passengers back onto US soil.

 

People here always make a big deal about this when it is a non issue in these circumstances. On the last carnival issue they had something like 700-800 people without passports. Carnival worked it out with the government and they were all able to fly back with no issues. People act like the cruise lines are going to say too bad. Sorry our ship broke but you are now a citizen of the Bahamas since you don't have a passport. They aren't going to strand these people.

[celebrity]

I'm not demanding that RCI give them more, but as I was thinking about this, I realized that there are some additional expenses that will be incurred, such as possibly arranging for lodging in Baltimore and paying to get airline reservations rescheduled. Fortunately, I know that this is an area where trip insurance should step in and reimburse for the expenses.

 

For all the times that my family has sailed before with trip insurance that we've never "used", I guess I'm glad that DH will be able to make use of it this time.

 

Is your husband still on the ship? You must be so worried!

[Tyron]

Hi guys : ) I'm back and full of Kalik! We have to drink off the ship due to prt regulation. Anyway...I know you have see the pics and the compensation package is generous. Flying home tomm...not sure what time. I'm thinking OCMD for the rest of my 15th wedding anniversary? Sad but it could have been much much worse. Ran into Sonny...a few times over the cruise...thinking of roasting weinies off his melted aft balcony : ). Sorry for all of those that will share in our interrupted vacation sadness on cruises to come. We are having a buffet on the pool deck since we can't use the MDR.

 

LOL!!! That Kalik has a kick to it! :D

[Cindy]

Hi guys : ) I'm back and full of Kalik! We have to drink off the ship due to prt regulation. Anyway...I know you have see the pics and the compensation package is generous. Flying home tomm...not sure what time. I'm thinking OCMD for the rest of my 15th wedding anniversary? Sad but it could have been much much worse. Ran into Sonny...a few times over the cruise...thinking of roasting weinies off his melted aft balcony : ). Sorry for all of those that will share in our interrupted vacation sadness on cruises to come. We are having a buffet on the pool deck since we can't use the MDR.

 

I really appreciate all your live posts.:)

Sorry this happened to you, but I'm glad everyone's OK, and you appear to be doing a pretty good job of making lemonade out of that big heaping pile of lemons you were served last night!

[suz1607]

I am really impressed with RCL and the passengers and crew aboard! It has been less than 16 hours and passengers and crew are safe -- situation appears to have been well handled with minimal if any confusion or panic --reports indicate consideration and care of passenger problems -- confirmation of compensation and transportation home are confirmed. I am less than impressed with the news media!

[seannyice81]

Maybe I'm not looking at the pics right, but the damage doesn't look that devastating to me. Not seeing signs of buckled steel, just lots of smoke and soot. Compared to all those melted balconies on Star Princess, this damage looks mainly cosmetic. Of course,there's probably water damage inside and many destroyed soft goods to replace.

 

There is (what appears) some warped steel on the exterior deck(5?) closer to the side in this photo. It looks like it was a pretty hot fire. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLSoB7mCAAAsA6s.jpg:large

 

Good old CNN true to form, reporting passengers "scrambling to safety" and having the "scariest time of their lives" when they were getting almost constant updates and the ship never lost power nor was ever remotely in danger of sinking.

 

Hope Carnival is taking notes. RCI is handling this with textbook perfection. I look forward to my upcoming t/a on sister ship, Vision.

 

They are handling it pretty well. RCI was much more fortunate though in that the fire wasn't in the engine room or crippled the ships ability to move.

 

People are really jumping the gun with smokers. For this to happen (especially from a pax) every circumstance had to fall in place. I've never seen any smoker on a cruise ship flick a still burning butt. We've all seen the trashy habit of people flicking them out of cars, but I get the impression people tend to be more responsible about it on a cruise.

 

I do like to speculate though. If I had to guess, I'd say electrical short or welding fire that set something highly combustible ablaze. I wonder if the mooring rope motor shorted and went up.