Allure of the Seas leaving lifeboat 1 in Nassau

[Lukkie]

We are just leaving Nassau 2+ hours late because of an issue with the lift cable of lifeboat number 1. At the biweekly test it appeard to snapped.

 

We are, after talking to HQ, the shipyard and Bahamas authorities leaving lifeboat 1 in Nassau and will be picking it up again on the way back after they repaired the cable.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[chengkp75]

Interesting. How full is the ship? Normally when a lifeboat is taken out of commission, you need to reduce the passenger count to allow for that. Even with extra life rafts, it requires an exemption, which is not always automatic (maybe received from the Bahamian Maritime Authority as you said). But, wow, taking a boat with that much capacity out of service is something.

[lv2bcruzin]

Make sure they don't lose the binoculars and keep a look out for icebergs!

[macruisefan]

Interesting. How full is the ship? Normally when a lifeboat is taken out of commission, you need to reduce the passenger count to allow for that. Even with extra life rafts, it requires an exemption, which is not always automatic (maybe received from the Bahamian Maritime Authority as you said). But, wow, taking a boat with that much capacity out of service is something.

 

Normally I'd agree. But clearly Oasis and Allure were built with a very significant over accommodation. After all, Oasis sailed for the better part of it's entire first year without the #1 lifeboats on either side, after they were damaged in the transatlantic. I believe they had to re-engineer the mount to be protected in weather.

[Dave85]

We are just leaving Nassau 2+ hours late because of an issue with the lift cable of lifeboat number 1. At the biweekly test it appeard to snapped.

 

We are, after talking to HQ, the shipyard and Bahamas authorities leaving lifeboat 1 in Nassau and will be picking it up again on the way back after they repaired the cable.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

Very interesting, that's one I haven't heard before. I imagine the guest count on this decidedly off-season sailing must be such (with fewer 3rd and 4th berths and possibly some empty cabins) that they could get approval to leave one behind.

[BillOh]

I believe those have a capacity of 350, so assuming enough capacity as others have indicated, 350 people probably have to have new Sea Pass cards (or correction stickers) showing a new Muster Station. I'm sure we will hear something in reviews. I guess this is why they test.

Edited December 9, 2013 by BillOh
sin of all sins, forgot the closing )

[macruisefan]

I believe those have a capacity of 350, so assuming enough capacity as others have indicated, 350 people probably have to have new Sea Pass cards (or correction stickers) showing a new Muster Station. I'm sure we will hear something in reviews. I guess this is why they test.

 

I don't know if this is necessarily true. The muster station is where you gather, not necessarily which boat you're getting on.

[Lukkie]

Captain Johnny said we have a 25% over capacity so nothing is lost with 1 lifeboat left behind. I'm more interested if we really will pick it up on the way back from Sint Maarten or next eastern caribbean sailing in 2 weeks.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[chengkp75]

Captain Johnny said we have a 25% over capacity so nothing is lost with 1 lifeboat left behind. I'm more interested if we really will pick it up on the way back from Sint Maarten or next eastern caribbean sailing in 2 weeks.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

If it was just the falls (the cables), then I would suspect it would be a quick turn around, and you can pick it up on the way back. I'm relatively surprised that they are not required to have a spare set of falls onboard. USCG requires that for US ships.

 

On the Pride of Aloha, we parted a lifeboat fall wire, and dropped the sheave (pulley/hook arrangement that fastens to the boat) into Hilo harbor. Boy, were we scrambling. The Bosun got the deck gang to start renewing the wire on the davit, and the Staff Captain went scuba diving for the lost sheave. That was about 600 lbs that we had to hoist up using another lifeboat winch. We managed to get the repairs done and the boat heaved up by sail away time, but it was close. Worked all night cleaning the grease off the promenade deck!

[BillOh]

I don't know if this is necessarily true. The muster station is where you gather, not necessarily which boat you're getting on.

 

You maybe right, specifically since its Allure. On most ships the Muster station is right where your boat is, but on Allure many of the muster stations, are elsewhere. Good point.

[chengkp75]

I don't know if this is necessarily true. The muster station is where you gather, not necessarily which boat you're getting on.

 

Yes, depending on where the muster station is, and how many muster there, the muster leaders will just have new passenger lists showing how the folks from boat #1 are divided up to new boats.

[macruisefan]

If it was just the falls (the cables), then I would suspect it would be a quick turn around, and you can pick it up on the way back. I'm relatively surprised that they are not required to have a spare set of falls onboard. USCG requires that for US ships.

 

On the Pride of Aloha, we parted a lifeboat fall wire, and dropped the sheave (pulley/hook arrangement that fastens to the boat) into Hilo harbor. Boy, were we scrambling. The Bosun got the deck gang to start renewing the wire on the davit, and the Staff Captain went scuba diving for the lost sheave. That was about 600 lbs that we had to hoist up using another lifeboat winch. We managed to get the repairs done and the boat heaved up by sail away time, but it was close. Worked all night cleaning the grease off the promenade deck!

 

 

Are you in some sort of contest where you are trying to use the most nautical terms possible in one post?;) We get it, you know your maritime terminology!:eek:

[chengkp75]

Are you in some sort of contest where you are trying to use the most nautical terms possible in one post?;) We get it, you know your maritime terminology!:eek:

 

Sorry, that's the way I think. Most of the stuff in parentheses is what I realize I need to clarify for landlubbers after re-reading the post before submitting. Not trying to impress anyone.:o

[DEIx15x8]

Well that's certainly interesting. Should be neat to see how they reload it, will they go all the way in and dock or send it out into the ocean to meat at the entrance of the harbor. Good thing Oasis/Allure have so much lifeboat capacity overload from the transatlantic incident (and party the paranoia people seemed to have around them sinking). Wonder if Royal Caribbean will have to pay a fee to leave it tied up their. Could also be some security risks involved since the coast guard has strict tamper laws around safety apparatuses.

Edited December 9, 2013 by DEIx15x8

[Thetrail]

Yes, depending on where the muster station is, and how many muster there, the muster leaders will just have new passenger lists showing how the folks from boat #1 are divided up to new boats.

Here we go again!...:rolleyes:

[dz9yvr]

We are just leaving Nassau 2+ hours late because of an issue with the lift cable of lifeboat number 1. At the biweekly test it appeard to snapped.

 

We are, after talking to HQ, the shipyard and Bahamas authorities leaving lifeboat 1 in Nassau and will be picking it up again on the way back after they repaired the cable.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

Given the late departure, does that delay your arrival at St Thomas? Since Allure is getting by on only 2 Azipods I don't think there is much ability to increase speed.

 

BTW if you don't have time to stop at Nassau to pick-up the life boat, don't worry I'll get it in 2 weeks. ;)

[Ocean Boy]

Given the late departure, does that delay your arrival at St Thomas? Since Allure is getting by on only 2 Azipods I don't think there is much ability to increase speed.

 

BTW if you don't have time to stop at Nassau to pick-up the life boat, don't worry I'll get it in 2 weeks. ;)

 

That is a good point. The time in St. Thomas has already been shorted. Now they have two more hours to make up. And a stop at Nassau on the way home. Maybe St. Maarten will be adjusted this week also.

 

This ship needs fixing.

[Hstergo]

Make sure they don't lose the binoculars and keep a look out for icebergs!

 

There are never icebergs in that area this early in the season :p

[UNV-IT!!!]

Stuff happens

[The Big Booper]

On the Allure right now. Because of schools being in session we have far fewer kids on board this sailing then normal. There were 1,600 kids on the Thanksgiving sailing, nowhere that this trip. That is how they can go w/o the lifeboat. Captain Johnny talked about this twice on the loudspeaker this afternoon and then talked about it tonight at the Captain's reception in the Promenade.

 

We were so late that the Grandeur came into dock before we had left. Must have surprised their crew to see the big Kahuna still tied up.:)

 

We did get into Nassau on time this morning, all aboard at 12:30 PM. Then we sat for 2.5 hours.

 

We had traditional late seating at a table for 8. Only us two showed up for the first two nights so we switched to My Time at 8:45 and went up to deck 5, is all my time. Between the specialties and the younguns doing the Jammie, Late traditional appears to be a dying breed. They sat us with a BTB in my time, they said with late, nobody showed up for their table for 8 last week so they switched this week to MTD. Appears to have happened with other tables in late before we walked out and switched.

 

Be forewarned.

 

G'Night.

 

Will post updates on the lifeboat situation.

[gadawg1979]

If it was just the falls (the cables), then I would suspect it would be a quick turn around, and you can pick it up on the way back. I'm relatively surprised that they are not required to have a spare set of falls onboard. USCG requires that for US ships.

 

On the Pride of Aloha, we parted a lifeboat fall wire, and dropped the sheave (pulley/hook arrangement that fastens to the boat) into Hilo harbor. Boy, were we scrambling. The Bosun got the deck gang to start renewing the wire on the davit, and the Staff Captain went scuba diving for the lost sheave. That was about 600 lbs that we had to hoist up using another lifeboat winch. We managed to get the repairs done and the boat heaved up by sail away time, but it was close. Worked all night cleaning the grease off the promenade deck!

 

Its not a US ship

[chengkp75]

Its not a US ship

 

I clearly understand that, I thought IMO required it as well. I will have to look that up. You would think that IMO would require a simple spare item like the lifeboat wire to be carried in order that lifesaving equipment not be taken out of service for simple repairs.

Edited December 10, 2013 by chengkp75

[RayJacki]

On our recent Panama Canal cruise on the Legend of the Seas, the same thing happened to one lifeboat. The mechanism to lower/lift it broke in Cabo San Lucas (our last stop before San Diego). Originally, the plan was announced to offload a certain number of crew to get the passenger count to the required level. Then it was decided that, with the "over capacity" of lifeboats, it was not necessary and we proceeded to San Diego at a slightly faster than expected speed to make up for the delay caused while working out a plan.

Our lifeboat (#6) was the one left behind to be picked up on the return trip and we were not contacted in any way about being changed to a "new" number muster station and our Sea Pass cards were not altered.

We arrived back in San Diego on schedule and assume that the plan to pick the lifeboat up in Cabo on the return trip through the Canal went on without a hitch.

[BND]

Our lifeboat (#6) was the one left behind to be picked up on the return trip and we were not contacted in any way about being changed to a "new" number muster station and our Sea Pass cards were not altered.

 

The reality is, in a true emergency with evacuation, while you would report to your muster station for a head count (that location wouldn't change unless it wasn't usable), they will just direct and board people on whatever lifeboat is available at the time. It's not like they're going to tell someone "sorry, but this isn't your lifeboat".

Edited December 10, 2013 by BND

[Tyler80]

I believe those have a capacity of 350, so assuming enough capacity as others have indicated, 350 people probably have to have new Sea Pass cards (or correction stickers) showing a new Muster Station. I'm sure we will hear something in reviews. I guess this is why they test.

 

The rescue vessels onboard Oasis class ships actually have a capacity of 370 each. And there is significant "extra" or "over capacity" space to handle more passengers.

 

The loss of 1 rescue vessel is not significant enough to warrant reducing passenger numbers or changing muster locations. As previously noted muster locations are the areas where you gather, not where you board a rescue vessel.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Tyler80