Live from QE's 2014 World Voyage

[cunardaddict]

My husband is a nervous wreck.

 

No reason. Stay calm and meet the pirates with respect as we did last year. If they let you pass you may think of egypt:D

[pengu]

No reason. Stay calm and meet the pirates with respect as we did last year. If they let you pass you may think of egypt:D

 

You really had pirates last year?

[cunardaddict]

You really had pirates last year?

 

I don't know whether they were a thread for QM2, but on the way from the Gulf of Aden to Dubai a group of small, fast boats with armed arabs surrounded the ship in a distance and one boat came to pick up a small container dropped into the water. This was 40mi northeast of Muskat, 26mi off the coast on Jan 26 and was not commented by the ships crew.

 

Emergency precautions were not taken. Only few passengers noticed the situation at tea time.

[pengu]

I don't know whether they were a thread for QM2, but on the way from the Gulf of Aden to Dubai a group of small, fast boats with armed arabs surrounded the ship in a distance and one boat came to pick up a small container dropped into the water. This was 40mi northeast of Muskat, 26mi off the coast on Jan 26 and was not commented by the ships crew.

 

Emergency precautions were not taken. Only few passengers noticed the situation at tea time.

 

wow that's bizarre!!

Money in the container you think?

The QM2 you say?

[cunardaddict]

wow that's bizarre!!

Money in the container you think?

The QM2 you say?

 

I won't speculate on the contents. It might well have been plain drinking water, petrol, medical material or US $.

 

The atmospere was strange and a certain tension in the air. A hot afternon, calm sea, the ship moving only very slow. Just like a good movie.

 

They were definitely not fishermen, their 9-12ft metal skiffs with two powerfull outboarders were a strange view so far off any land.

[Bedruthen]

It is possible that what you witnessed was a transfer of contraband destined for Iran. There is a highly lucrative trade going on whereby goods subject to sanctions are transferred from the UAE and Oman by boat. We watched it last year when in the Arabian Gulf, fast boats from this side meeting with larger boats from Iran and goods transferred. Items being moved this way tend to be consumer items such as electrical goods, TV's etc

 

This article will tell you more

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/23/iranian-smugglers-defy-sanctions-threat

Edited February 20, 2014 by Bedruthen

[alibabacruisers]

The $399.95 is per segment which means you need to have your picture taken at every port and just about every night to make it worthwhile.

 

Oh my goodness! That is an outrageous amount if the segment was Southampton to New York. But not so bad if it was FLL to SFO perhaps, or maybe SFO to Sydney. I guess we will wait and see...who knows, maybe they offer a deal for combined segments.

 

Thank you for taking the time Kathi! I appreciate it very much.

 

Thanks for your blog is very good and I find it interesting too. Love the accompanying pictures.

[cunardaddict]

It is possible that what you witnessed was a transfer of contraband destined for Iran. There is a highly lucrative trade going on whereby goods subject to sanctions are transferred from the UAE and Oman by boat. We watched it last year when in the Arabian Gulf, fast boats from this side meeting with larger boats from Iran and goods transferred.

 

Definitely not, QM2 was clearly involved.

[Cats2010]

This must have been an eerie scene, but most probably just the handover of some trivial subject. I cruised this part of the world in 2011 and was not afraid of a possible pirate attack for one moment. It would be silly trying to attack a big ship like the QM2 that can do 50 km/h, is very flexible, has armaments at the aft and kind of a sonar system on board the sound of which is unbearable. Still the Commodore and his crew did an excellent job throughout the cruise :cool:, which is one that I always will remember.

[cunardaddict]

This must have been an eerie scene, but most probably just the handover of some trivial subject. I cruised this part of the world in 2011 and was not afraid of a possible pirate attack for one moment. It would be silly trying to attack a big ship like the QM2 that can do 50 km/h, is very flexible, has armaments at the aft and kind of a sonar system on board the sound of which is unbearable. Still the Commodore and his crew did an excellent job throughout the cruise :cool:, which is one that I always will remember.

 

It did not look like an attack to me, just strange. The LRADs were manned all the time as all other precautions were active, hence no alarm at all and no announcements to crew or passengers. Pure routine in a way.

 

The arabs stayed far off the ship except the boat that picked up the container. Obviously they knew the risks of LRADs and thrusters.

[Salacia]

I don't know whether they were a thread for QM2, but on the way from the Gulf of Aden to Dubai a group of small, fast boats with armed arabs surrounded the ship in a distance and one boat came to pick up a small container dropped into the water. This was 40mi northeast of Muskat, 26mi off the coast on Jan 26 and was not commented by the ships crew.

 

Emergency precautions were not taken. Only few passengers noticed the situation at tea time.

 

Cunardaddict, were their weapons pointed towards the ship? Do you have any photos that you could post? Thanks, -S.

[Cats2010]

It did not look like an attack to me, just strange. The LRADs were manned all the time as all other precautions were active, hence no alarm at all and no announcements to crew or passengers. Pure routine in a way.

 

The arabs stayed far off the ship except the boat that picked up the container. Obviously they knew the risks of LRADs and thrusters.

 

Yes, surely exciting. I observed it on another ship, too, and according to what a crew member said it was some souvenir, a present, as an act of sympathy ... and no weapons or drugs :D

[cunardaddict]

Cunardaddict, were their weapons pointed towards the ship? Do you have any photos that you could post? Thanks, -S.

 

They had weapons (propably every honorable man in this society has to have a weapon) but they did not point at us.

 

I have no photos to show because I decided not to be seen using a big tele lens. None of us at the lookout made photos. As I wrote before - a strange atmosphere.

[Salacia]

Yes, surely exciting. I observed it on another ship, too, and according to what a crew member said it was some souvenir, a present, as an act of sympathy ... and no weapons or drugs :D

 

An act of sympathy? Why were they sympathetic? :confused:

[cunardaddict]

Yes, surely exciting. I observed it on another ship, too, and according to what a crew member said it was some souvenir, a present, as an act of sympathy ... and no weapons or drugs :D

 

Oh, no doubt all. Cruise ships allways stop in the middle of nowhere to give present to locals passing by. It's a nice tradition.;)

[Salacia]

They had weapons (propably every honorable man in this society has to have a weapon) but they did not point at us.

 

I have no photos to show because I decided not to be seen using a big tele lens. None of us at the lookout made photos. As I wrote before - a strange atmosphere.

 

Yes, I can understand how it must have been a very strange atmosphere. But if there was any danger, wouldn't passengers would have been told to go to the hallway outside their cabin, and not remain on the open deck? (I believe that is the standard practice if the ship is under threat.)

[cunardaddict]

An act of sympathy? Why were they sympathetic? :confused:

 

They all respected their dresscode perfectly!

[Cats2010]

An act of sympathy? Why were they sympathetic? :confused:

 

They brought people on a small boat something that they had been waiting for .... probably sailors, too. It was on a world cruise near an island at the West coast of North America ... no crime at all! :D

[Cats2010]

Yes, I can understand how it must have been a very strange atmosphere. But if there was any danger, wouldn't passengers would have been told to go to the hallway outside their cabin, and not remain on the open deck? (I believe that is the standard practice if the ship is under threat.)

 

In such a situation the commander of a ship interdicts passengers to be on deck, they are even not allowed to stay in their cabins but to remain in the hallway. All lights or most of them are switched off, the decks are closed etc.

[cunardaddict]

In such a situation the commander of a ship interdicts passengers to be on deck, they are even not allowed to stay in their cabins but to remain in the hallway. All lights or most of them are switched off, the decks are closed etc.

 

Exactly. We had a drill for this before leaving Egypt. The drill was fun despite of the possibility of turning into reality. We had a nice social meeting with all our neighbours. On Deck 9 portside were many bankers. So the majority agreed to send them out if hostages were needed. A few french bankers objected because they could not expect to have wine for dinner in Somalia:p

[burchan]

 

The atmospere was strange and a certain tension in the air. A hot afternon, calm sea, the ship moving only very slow. Just like a good movie.

 

They were definitely not fishermen, their 9-12ft metal skiffs with two powerfull outboarders were a strange view so far off any land.

 

Interesting. Same thing on our RCI cruise in April 2013. Day out of Dubai and few hours after we had our pirates drill 2 skiffs were racing along side of a ship and Captain announced "Safe haven" 3 times and we were ordered away from windows. We waited in the theatre for all clear. From then on security was positioned all around the ship day and night and at night sea was flood ligted until we got to Egypt. And yes we did all the ports and all the sights during MB rule.:D

[Cats2010]

 

on deck 9 portside were many bankers. So the majority agreed to send them out if hostages were needed. A few french bankers objected because they could not expect to have wine for dinner in somalia:p

 

 

lol :d

[pengu]

Interesting. Same thing on our RCI cruise in April 2013. Day out of Dubai and few hours after we had our pirates drill 2 skiffs were racing along side of a ship and Captain announced "Safe haven" 3 times and we were ordered away from windows. We waited in the theatre for all clear. From then on security was positioned all around the ship day and night and at night sea was flood ligted until we got to Egypt. And yes we did all the ports and all the sights during MB rule.:D

 

Was safe haven a code for passengers or for the pirates?

[cunardaddict]

Was safe haven a code for passengers or for the pirates?

 

I'd say on RCI for the paasangers, on QM2 rather for the pirates

[Cruisercl]

Wow, I would not ever think that pirates would be an issue on a WC; this is how naïve I am about this. Every day is a school day....;)

 

My thanks to you all on this cruise; I am living vicariously. I hope to do a WC in a couple years and have learned quite a bit so far. It really is a whole different cruising experience.

 

Scrapana, I have been following your excellent blog. I love everything you have written. Thanks for taking us along!

 

Continued safe and fun cruising to you all on this WC; I will be reading everything you share and will be with you the whole way. :)

 

Caron