Veendam 9/29/2014 Canceled

[sebas030]

Oh for heaven's sake. So frustrating. :confused:

 

Just looked at Live Ships Map and it's definitely moved locations and is stationary at present. Maybe they needed to relocate it get it away from other ships to do the tests?? Still don't see how it can get to Boston in time for next sailing

 

On the news they said the repair is longer because they have to pump all the oil from the housing ( to prevent it from contaminating the water ) they had to remove in order to access the parts they needed to have a look at. If they completed the repair in 2 days and it is not working...then you know they will have to pump the oil again, open the housing again...needless to say that an other 2 days is the minimum...IF they have to take the same thing apart...

 

And Boston being near 1300 nautical miles from Quebec ( and the first 200 can't be done at a speed over 10 knots because of the protection of the whales ) so just to exit this it would take almost 24 hours...then an other 1100 miles at 20 knots would be around 55 hours...

 

If the Veendam was leaving NOW it would be in Boston around 3pm SUNDAY

 

Then it takes about 4 to 6 hours ( my estimate ) to pickup fuel, food, luggage, passengers, etc...

 

That would make for, at the soonest, a departure on Sunday at 7 or 8pm...

 

not good news...:(

[sebas030]

At 7:15 AM it is tied up at a new dock about 2 miles upstream ( towards Montreal) from original dock. It took a direct, slow route and didn't do any speed tests as far as I can tell from the tracking info.

This move is consistent with previous info that the Port needed the dock space for ships arriving today.

This is a public relations fiasco for HAL, especially telling a fellow blogger the ship has left Quebec.

 

With a maximum speed of 6,5 knots this morning...you are right...no testing there...

[julesy13]

I really appreciate all the updates.

[1of4]

This is all so sad. Honesty is always the best policy (I think) especially when people haven't left home and by the time HAL gets its collective act together people will have potentially arrived in Boston. I bet the Eurodam out of New York is going to be one full ship!!!

[iata]

http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/quebec/2014/10/01/002-veendam-bris-croisiere-bateau-port-quebec.shtml

 

It was tow earlly this morning to anse au foulon . They need the pier. They will test the repair later today.

[iata]

That reminds me when a NCL ship hit a sand bank near Quebec City a few years ago. They tow the ship to drydock for major repairs, but NCL was saying to the next cruise passengers that there cruise will still going. Wrong! Not even the next one or the one after, it tooks many weeks for the repairs. I'll try to remember the ship name.

[iata]

I found it, it was Norwegian Sky and was repair at the davie wich is our drydock and ship builder in quebec city

http://www.davie.ca/portfolio/project-12/

Edited October 2, 2014 by iata

[Caronrick]

Latest from CTV news quotes HAL as stating that all PAX are landed. No mention yet about the next sailing but it isn't looking hopeful.

 

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/stranded-passengers-leave-cruise-ship-stuck-in-quebec-city-1.2035103

[RD64]

Sigh - despite the fact that most passengers have probably made it home by now, the news ticker on BT this morning said "Over 1300 passengers stranded in Quebec after ship experiences mechanical difficulties". I assume they are referring to the Veendam.

[sapper1]

Just got off the phone with a rep at HAL and they said that we are sailing on schedule. She said the update was from this morning. Who knows.....

 

Bill

 

It's a pretty sad day when customers have to get important information regarding their cruise from the news or from Cruise Critic. I trust what I read here from credible posters more than I would trust information from a HAL telephone rep.

 

If I were planning to sail from Boston on Saturday and were not a CC member I would be on my way by now. I am sure there will be many people in that situation.

Edited October 2, 2014 by sapper1

[billfromtulsa]

It's a pretty sad day when customers have to get important information regarding their cruise from the news or from Cruise Critic. I trust what I read here from credible posters more than I would trust information from a HAL telephone rep.

 

Maybe someone else booked should make the call and see what answer they get....

[julesy13]

I wouldn't know except for cruise critic.

[iata]

Well, still not moving, so testing is not start yet

[sebas030]

Well, still not moving, so testing is not start yet

 

I am not sure they have to move to test the repair. If I remember correctly they found the problem during pre-sail testing and were still docked when they realized the propeller was not responsive.

 

So maybe they can test the propeller response docked...if it is successful, then I guess a real test would go underway in the seaway.

 

Would the seaway pilot reach the Veendam by boat or by car ? , if it is by boat we will see it getting to the ship.

[Lizzie68]

Wow, mark down this date and time.

I agree with you. :D

 

 

Now that really made me LOL!!:D

[iata]

The pilot is by boat. Usually the ship go in the middle of the st-lawrence river and meet the pilot there.

[julesy13]

Now I won't meet you all. Sad.

[sebas030]

The pilot is by boat. Usually the ship go in the middle of the st-lawrence river and meet the pilot there.

 

Yes that's the normal procedure when the ship is underway. But the Veendam is still docked...

[sebas030]

The Maasdam is in Quebec city tomorrow, I wonder if they will pick up some crew members or change the crew completely with the Veendam ??

 

Are those staff member compensated for the lost tips and all ..? Most of them are struggling to provide for their families...

 

 

 

 

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[sail7seas]

The Maasdam is in Quebec city tomorrow, I wonder if they will pick up some crew members or change the crew completely with the Veendam ??

 

Are those staff member compensated for the lost tips and all ..? Most of them are struggling to provide for their families...

 

 

 

 

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:confused: Why would Maasdam pick up Veendam crew? Unless Veendam is to be out of service for a lengthy time, they will be needed. Lots of heavy cleaning can be done. Lots of maintenance etc. :)

[sail7seas]

No Work, No Pay is a commonly accepted employment principle.

 

I could be wrong but I think I have heard they are guaranteed a minimum and HAL will make up some of their possible tipping deficit.

 

[sebas030]

No Work, No Pay is a commonly accepted employment principle.

 

 

Are any of the crews working condition "common" ?

 

Where else do we see 7 days of work per week for periods of 4 to 10 months ?

 

When the crew is required to stay on the ship even when not sailing, I would think a pay is in order.

 

 

 

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Edited October 2, 2014 by sebas030

[sebas030]

I could be wrong but I think I have heard they are guaranteed a minimum and HAL will make up some of their possible tipping deficit.

 

 

 

 

 

That what I was hoping for :)

 

Thanks,

 

 

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[janmcn]

Captain Albert is on board the Veendam doing training and has been doing his blog about what is going on…THEY only know minute by minute what is happening and therefore can't keep telling future passengers "If we get this by this time, and if we can do this, and if we can get that done, and if the weather is OK we'll have your cruise on the 4th oK…" They are trying as hard as they can to keep all the cruises at this point working…but they can't keep calling/texting, etc. everyone on the lists! Give them a break! How would you like to get info that an hour later is changed and an hour later is changed again? That's what some people are asking here…the impossible! Yes, it's dreadfully inconvenient, but HAL workers are also inconvenienced too…they have to sort out getting people to and fro…I'm sure they are putting in long nights working on it. It's dreadful what has happened, but it's one of those things that can occur. Better that it happened at a port than out in the rough seas that were forecasted. (Yes, they moved the ship to be out of the way of other ships and to be in a more calm area for divers….per Capt. Albert)

[rafinmd]

I certainly didn't "demand" an answer. I asked the question and took what they gave me as the truth. No more, no less.

 

This is the post that really set me off:

 

Was anybody else annoyed about how Holland America was so secretive about travel arrangements to the Montreal airport when this weeks cruise from Quebec City was canceled?

Somebody in management in the corporate office or on in ship is power hungry and wanted to keep all information from the passengers. A simple PA announcement saying busses early Tuesday morning to Montreal were being arranged so that we could make late morning flights would have been useful. Instead they kept us in the dark and made us anxious and angry. Clearly the company has no procedures from calmly handling cancelations or they were totally ignored on this ship.

 

The only one who ever kept us informed was the captain when the propeller problem was being diagnosed and the need for major repairs were found.

 

 

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Roy