Propulsion Damage on the Anthem !!

[KarinaGW]

I'll be interested in seeing robmtx's azipods picture from Tuesday. This is the one I took from the concierge lounge at noon on Wednesday. Clearly, the starboard pod is happy but the port one is working at much less power....I'm assuming it's just not shut down and that it's drag causing that ripple...could be wrong.

 

PS. It was also snowing at this time.

 

Edited February 12, 2016 by KarinaGW

[tahqa]

Good points! I find it odd as well. Are they bigger pods? Can they be bigger? I'm not too familiar with this aspect of the ships but it sounds very strange that Quantum class only has 2 when the rest have 4 or so (if all working!)

 

As a reference point...

 

Freedom has two 14 MW azipods and one 14 MW fixipod

 

Oasis has two 20 MW azipods and one 20 MW fixipod

 

Anthem has 2 20.5 MW azipods

 

So Freedom class has approximately 5% more thrust(?) (capability?) than than the Quantum class so in rough scale they are approximately equivalent. I suspect that advances in hull design and engineering and in the pods themselves make up the difference. However, in the case of one pod being down the Freedom and Oasis class definitely have the advantage in redundancy.

[TravelerThom]

Sure, I understand the cost factor. But my gut feel is that the pods have more frequent issues with various failures (such as the bearings replaced on Allure) than airplane engines.

Yeah, but I'd rather be in the middle of the Atlantic floating in a ship without power (this would not be fun, and would quickly be smelly:o) than flying (not for long) at 38,000 feet above the middle of the Atlantic without power:eek:. A ship without power would last longer than an airplane without power.

[robmtx]

Ok I think I'm ready to share my pic..

 

I'm no technical expert on this whole Azipod thing, but if the port side pod was broken, would it mean no water trail from that side of the ship? I took a picture of the back on Tuesday at around 1:35pm and it appeared both of those water trails were the same. To me it looked like normal water coming from the port side.

 

 

and this

 

[Clarea]

Yeah, but I'd rather be in the middle of the Atlantic floating in a ship without power (this would not be fun, and would quickly be smelly:o) than flying (not for long) at 38,000 feet above the middle of the Atlantic without power:eek:. A ship without power would last longer than an airplane without power.

Sure, no argument there. However, I'd also rather be on a 3 azipod ship with one azipod out, than a 2 azipod ship with one azipod out.

[KarinaGW]

Ok I think I'm ready to share my pic..

 

I'm no technical expert on this whole Azipod thing, but if the port side pod was broken, would it mean no water trail from that side of the ship? I took a picture of the back on Tuesday at around 1:35pm and it appeared both of those water trails were the same. To me it looked like normal water coming from the port side.

 

 

Your pictures are just as interesting as I thought they'd be (although far more nerve-wracking) compared to mine taken the next day. Do azipods work like big honking oars....paddling less on one side to make a turn?

Edited February 12, 2016 by KarinaGW

[ryano]

To me it looked like normal water coming from the port side.

 

 

Certainly no expert here either but it looks like it to me too and the the pic you posted and the pic Karina posted are noticeably different IMO. It appears both are working in your pic whereas in her pic it appears only one is working

[Thetrail]

Local Philly TV just said it is up to the coast guard it it will sail "again". I am scheduled for the 2/21 cruise. Will we or won't we. ? That is the question.

READ :rolleyes:the last post....

[Phoenix1949]

I'm all for new industry-wide protocols that increase safety. I just hope they don't go too far. At any given time, there's a possibility of severe weather someplace a ship is scheduled to sail. How much risk is too much? Possible? Probable? A percentage? The industry can't guarantee perfectly flat seas and clear skies, so what will be an acceptable level of tolerance? Would Anthem ever get to leave port in the winter months when violent storms in the Atlantic are frequent?

 

Weather can change quickly and the sea is a fickle female.;) I clearly remember a hurricane (Rita) that was scheduled to level the city of Houston. Tens of thousands fled in a media-induced frenzy, and were stuck in massive traffic jams that stretched for hundreds of miles north and west. After all that, we got not one drop of rain or hint of a breeze. We did have one heck of a block party with the people who stayed!

 

At any rate, I think a contributor to sailing decisions (not just in this case) is the reaction of passengers when there's any delay/change/missed port. The comments from many on the delayed and altered "Jonas" sailing were filled with angry diatribe and demands for compensation. I've read CC in amazement when a Cape Liberty sailing has had to head north instead of south because of a hurricane...the cries of not fair and I want to cancel far outnumbered the people who took it in stride. Maybe the cruise lines need to find a way to better educate the passengers about what could happen to their cruise in the case of a weather problem. I know it's in the contract, but that seems to go out the window along with manners when a cruise is affected.

 

Just my opinion...your mileage may vary.:)

 

I agree with everything you say but you are being far too rational. :)We were on the post "Jonas" cruise and there was no end to the pissing and moaning about the change in itinerary, compensation, decision to delay the ship returning to port and on and on. (We had a great time anyway)

 

And the "Weatherman" should be the last group to be criticising someone else's decision.

 

Bill

Edited February 12, 2016 by Phoenix1949

[fred30]

For the same reasons the airlines have cut back from four engines to three engines to two engines - costs.

 

 

Back when they were building the Quantum I read or saw on a video that they are using 2 larger thruster over the current 3 thruster variation to increase efficiency and decrease fuel use.

 

I thought at the time that was a huge mistake. If one of the pods failed there would be no backup and you would only have 1/2 the amount of forward thrust instead of 2/3 as with a 3 thuster setup.

[robmtx]

Okay I just finished going through all my pics. Those two pics were taken around 12:30pm on Tuesday, and it looks like the port side is normal. Now here is a pic taken that same day at 5pm. Here we can see that the port side is working less.

 

 

So sometime between 12:30pm and 5:00pm on Tuesday is when the port side Azipod started producing less wake.

 

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with them confirming our arrival time in Bayonne (as it was a little after 6pm on Tuesday that the captain announced our arrival time would be 9pm Weds). Maybe once they had a firm arrival time, they cut back on that azipod because it was not working properly?

[Thetrail]

Ouch!

 

 

 

This is going to mean a few missed voyages.

Amazing is all I can say without getting into trouble.....:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[njbrandon]

Okay I just finished going through all my pics. Those two pics were taken around 12:30pm on Tuesday, and it looks like the port side is normal. Now here is a pic taken that same day at 5pm. Here we can see that the port side is working less.

 

 

So sometime between 12:30pm and 5:00pm on Tuesday is when the port side Azipod started producing less wake.

 

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with them confirming our arrival time in Bayonne (as it was a little after 6pm on Tuesday that the captain announced our arrival time would be 9pm Weds). Maybe once they had a firm arrival time, they cut back on that azipod because it was not working properly?

 

My picture that I posted showing only one wake was taken Monday morning after the storm

[robmtx]

My picture that I posted showing only one wake was taken Monday morning after the storm

 

So we have a Monday pic of one wake, a Tuesday Noon time of 2 wakes, and then again on Tuesday evening of 1 wake followed by a Weds of 1 wake.

Edited February 12, 2016 by robmtx

[njbrandon]

My pic taken Monday morning. I also have video from the same time.

[KerriL]

Here is a pic of an azipod, I think! The ship is Eurodam. Not sure how they repair them in the water though.

 

 

[jackson bernard]

The reason they didnt disembark the passengers in Port Canaveral is becase of some maritime laws that permit them, as a foreign ship, so only do certain things.

 

 

 

For example, they can do what they did, and come back to create a full loop, without hitting another port, and be fine.

 

 

 

If they did want to make a straight shot, they would have had to stop at a foreign port (non-US) first, which they did not.

 

 

 

The fine is somewhere along the lines of $300 per person, from what I've heard over the past few days.

 

 

 

 

 

Please don't take this as me saying it is right or wrong.....but just informing that this was probably one of the major factors at play.

 

 

Great. Putting money in front of people's lives? Just great.

[marksoe]

Great. Putting money in front of people's lives? Just great.

 

So, not trying to start anything, but not sure how that comes into play.

 

There was no more risk after the storm...there were a whole bunch of benefits to going back, since they realistically could make it back without issue or loss of life.

 

Easier to source materials in Bayonnee, as well as spare parts, I'm sure.

 

If both azipods were out, there would be no choice....but they obviously made the choice that if one azipod went out, the other would be enough to bring it home.

 

Even the USCG has said that the ship is seaworthy with just one azipod, but obviously its not recommended or a good idea.

[20pluscruises]

I agree with everything you say but you are being far too rational. :)We were on the post "Jonas" cruise and there was no end to the pissing and moaning about the change in itinerary, compensation, decision to delay the ship returning to port and on and on. (We had a great time anyway)

 

And the "Weatherman" should be the last group to be criticising someone else's decision.

 

Bill

 

LOL @ "Weatherman critizing someone else's decision"

[ryano]

Here is a pic of an azipod, I think! The ship is Eurodam. Not sure how they repair them in the water though.

 

They are accessible from inside the ship. It appears to be a clutch problem inside the port azipod. They are replacing all clutches in both azipods right now per an article I just read.

 

https://gcaptain.com/u-s-coast-guard-crews-working-to-repair-broken-azipod-on-storm-damaged-anthem-of-the-seas/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.com%29

Edited February 12, 2016 by ryano

[KarinaGW]

Here is a pic of an azipod, I think! The ship is Eurodam. Not sure how they repair them in the water though.

 

 

Here's how:

 

 

Hang...on..darned image is a .png file... here we go:

 

Edited February 12, 2016 by KarinaGW

[jennote2]

They can't tell you what they don't yet know!

[Formula280SS]

I don't know if anyone has posted this in this thread or the others; they are so voluminous.

 

Should give some reassurance to the upcoming cruisers.

 

:)

 

U.S. Coast Guard: Anthem of the Seas Azipod Damaged in Storm

February 12, 2016 by gCaptain

 

http://gcaptain.com/u-s-coast-guard-crews-working-to-repair-broken-azipod-on-storm-damaged-anthem-of-the-seas/

 

One of two diesel-electric azipod units used to propel Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas sustained damage as the ship battled an intense hurricane-force storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Sunday.

 

The storm-damaged cruise ship returned to the Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, New Jersey on Wednesday evening and continues to test the critical systems onboard the vessel while in port.

 

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bahamas Maritime Administration, and other organizations have been working closely with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and technical specialists to ensure the ongoing repairs to the ship’s equipment are functioning as designed, the Coast Guard said Friday.

 

While damage from the storm was mostly cosmetic, the Coast Guard says the cruise ship’s port azipod unit, which is one component of the vessel’s propulsion system, burned out all four clutches and as a precaution had to be shut down for ship’s the return voyage to Bayonne.

 

Technicians aboard the cruise ship are replacing the clutches on both the starboard and port azipods as a precaution. Repairs and subsequent testing of the azipods are still ongoing.

 

All critical safety and lifesaving systems are also being tested under the supervision of the Bahamas and the U.S. Coast Guard officials to ensure that all equipment is functioning as designed prior to departing on its next voyage, which as of now is still expected for this Saturday.

 

Minor damage to the ship’s lifeboats is being addressed and thoroughly tested by the lifeboat manufacturer, the Coast Guard says.

 

“At this time all repairs appear to be on track and all systems tests are progressing satisfactorily,” according to the Coast Guard. “However, if anything is discovered during testing, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port will not allow the ship to sail from Bayonne until both Coast Guard and Bahamas Maritime Authorities are satisfied. The vessel will not be cleared to leave the port until all safety of life at sea requirements are met.”

 

As gCaptain has reported, the Coast Guard is supporting the Bahamas Maritime Administration in an ongoing investigation that will help determine if there are any contributing causal factors or lessons learned from the incident that could help prevent injuries or damage in the future.

 

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Anthem of the Seas departed Bayonne, New Jersey last Saturday carrying 4,500 passengers and 1,600 crew on what was scheduled to be a 7-day roundtrip to the Bahamas. But by Sunday afternoon, the ship had sailed directly into the path of an rapidly-developing storm off Cape Hatteras, with 75 m.p.h winds and waves greater than 30 feet.

 

Coast Guard officials conducting the investigation are being assisted by personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board, according to the Coast Guard. The ongoing investigation could take some time but should not delay the vessel’s scheduled departure.

 

[KerriL]

Here's how:

 

 

Hi Karina, I can't see your pic...but I did find an illustration of people accessing the azipod from within...pretty cool!

Edited February 12, 2016 by KerriL

[ryano]

So, not trying to start anything, but not sure how that comes into play.

 

There was no more risk after the storm...there were a whole bunch of benefits to going back, since they realistically could make it back without issue or loss of life.

 

Easier to source materials in Bayonnee, as well as spare parts, I'm sure.

 

If both azipods were out, there would be no choice....but they obviously made the choice that if one azipod went out, the other would be enough to bring it home.

 

Even the USCG has said that the ship is seaworthy with just one azipod, but obviously its not recommended or a good idea.

 

It doesnt matter what you say or what kind of facts are brought in. There are some here that are going to vilify the big bad evil cruise company no matter what. In fact, they appear much more rabid and hell bent on proving their point than the "cheerleaders" they are whining and moaning about.

Edited February 12, 2016 by ryano