fire on star

[soprano]

No matter the cause, I think this should be a strong reminder to all cruise lines of the danger of fire. Bans should be instituted against candles, hotplates, cigarettes, lighters, etc. - at least in cabins, if not ship-wide.

 

I know that they are likely worried about decreased sales. But look at states like California that have total bans on smoking in restaurants and bars. Sure, the smokers grumbled at first, and now, many years later, it turns out that if smokers want to eat out, they just put up without smoking for a couple of hours. Air traffic is up as well, even with a smoking ban (although you can hardly breath when exiting an airport because of all the smokers congregating just outside the doors!).

 

Yes, it's all cost-benefit to the cruise lines, but looking at this damage, I'm sure it can't be cheap.

[cloveygrl]

Not to dismiss such a horrible thing but....sounds like you need a vaction.

 

Maybe a week in Jamaica (and some "retail therapy")? :)

 

A major fire broke out at 3 am last night. Our balcony was completely engulfed in flames, it was a wall of fire. Steve and I have lost everything but the clothes on our back. 120 cabins are completely destroyed. We sat in our muster stations for 7 hours with no air and no food. It took them 4 hours to finish roll call. I don'tthink I've ever been so terrified. We're in Jamaica and have no idea what is going to happen. Thankfully all were accounted for though there were injuries and some heart attacks.

 

Carolyn

[tomc]

Rumor has it.

I'm a newsradio producer/anchor. In a meeting this morning, I mentioned how we absolutely have to stay away from those three words. Rumor may have it, but we don't; we have facts, even if it takes a little longer to get them. I won't even let my people air "I heard" or "I think." I've already run into four different causes for this fire and the metal isn't even cool yet.

[bubbadog]

I'm a newsradio producer/anchor. In a meeting this morning, I mentioned how we absolutely have to stay away from those three words. Rumor may have it, but we don't; we have facts, even if it takes a little longer to get them. I won't even let my people air "I heard" or "I think." I've already run into four different causes for this fire and the metal isn't even cool yet.

 

so true,those are my sentiments exactly tom ty for posting that:)):rolleyes:

[tawcat]

if it was caused by a cigarette left burning, it was not the cigarettes fault. it was the negligent fault of the person that lit it. cigarettes do not cause fires, nor do guns kill people, people are the cause and the blame. period.

 

i am with several others, seems to me the sprinkler may have malfunctioned, surely even the smoke detector thingy should have gone off.

 

i can only presume (another angle) if it were a cigarette or cigar, the person possibly had entirely too much to drink, lit a cigarette and now the rest is a tragic history.

[RacerBC]

In today's world, I think there are more no-smokers then smokers. With that said, cruise lines should have smoking and non-smoking ships. Carnival has this already.

 

This is not the first fire on a ship, POSSIBLY, started by a cigarette. I too have woken up and walked out on my balcony to find cigarette butts that ended up there from someone else's cabin or balcony.

 

If a non-smoker wants to sail on a "smoking permitted" ship, then so be it. If people want to sail on a non smoking vessel so be it. It would become a freedom of choice.

 

Most of these cruise lines have similar ships going to similar ports anyway, this is not a big deal to this. I do think however, that asking a smoker NOT to smoke for 3-9 even 14 days is not realistic unless of course those passengers are looking to do a cold turkey, stop smoking, cruise.

 

Smoking on ships in general is annoying for the most part. I used to smoke but stopped 10 years ago. There isn't a cruise that I have been on where someone sits at a table in the casino and starts blowing smoke all over the place. Or in the night clubs. Yes, smokers have rights, but in such confined areas like cruise ships, it becomes annoying. Then on top of all that, your clothes smell of smoke when you return to your cabin.

 

Ok, I am venting and maybe this fire was not started by a cigarette, but if they find it was, maybe it is time for cruise lines to have stricter policies or go to smoking permitted and non-smoking ships all together. In fact it may increase their bottom line as there may be a lot of potential non-smoking passengers that may start cruising if they had that choice but have not cruised because they know about the smoking on the ships.

[sharons]

Carolyn,

We sailed together on the Golden last year (Motley cruisers). Please just know that we are all out here thinking about you. As Lana said, let us know if there is anything you need. Thank heavens you are okay.

Sharon

[tprime76]

I have posted on our web site a page with links to the articles I have found as well as the pages people have put up with pics of the damage. In a fire of this size, it is amazing there weren't more people killed and injured. Please let me know if anyone who has posted these pics objects to them being linked on my site by emailing me at tnewebmaster@gmail.com

 

http://www.tomandemily.com

[Snoozeman]

In today's world, I think there are more no-smokers then smokers. With that said, cruise lines should have smoking and non-smoking ships. Carnival has this already.

 

Sorry, No they don't.

[late seating]

News reports indicate a careless smoker caused the fire. A tragedy for all aboard. Major inconvenience for all who have booked the ship in the near future. Probably millions of dollars in repairs and lost revenue for the cruise line.

 

Solution, Simple: BAN SMOKING! Cruise lines need to take the step, rude selfish smokers never will. Many think it's their God given right to smoke and everyone else be damned.

 

Yesterday, a commercial airplane landed at Syracuse, NY. During flight a flight attendent used a fire extinguisher to put out a blaze in the bathroom trash can. I'm sure I need not mention the cause of the blaze but major tragedy was averted.

 

Smokers, vent if you must, I can take it.

[Salty Dawg]

RacerBC--

 

I do not wish to re-start any debate on the smoking issue, as you are certainly entitled to your opinion however, in your post you make reference to Carnival having a non-smoking ship.

 

In actuality, they HAD a non-smoking ship, The Paradise, which was converted to a smoking ship last year. It simply was not profitable as non-smoking. That being said, I will wait for the official cause of the Star Princess fire to be determined before revisiting this issue.

[jennat]

Denver will soon be a non-smoking city....Boulder is already. Yea!

I think Carnival did away with the non-smoking sailing...am I correct?

[LLindaC]

I can't believe all the people who will not acknowledge the dangers of careless smoking. For that matter, I can't believe more people won't work harder to fight for smoking bans. Princess did a much better job controlling smoke than RCCL or Carnival in the public areas- this is not just a stench issue, but a public employee safety issue as well. Hotels are becoming smokefree throughout the world. It's time for the cruise industry to step up and do the same. Don't give me that stupid "smokers don't start fires" bull. Smokers do cause fires and they do cause disease and death in non-smoKers. Want to see the fire cost statistics for smoking?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10938207&dopt=Abstract

 

From the careless smoking I've observed on my last cruises, I am surprised this hasn't happened more often!

[RacerBC]

Sorry, No they don't.

 

 

Sorry, yes they do/did The Paradise is/was a NON SMOKING ship... .

[scejas]

WSVN-TV in Miami is reporting that the fire was cause by an unattened cigarette on a balcony...

[jennat]

"Get your facts straight"????????????????- RacerBC

Wow! What a nasty way of saying something. I, too, thought they did away with the non-smoking aspect of the ship. I have no problem being wrong but I really do have a problem with that kind of disrespect on the boards. I am assuming you didn't mean it as bad as it came across.

[RacerBC]

If it was "unattended" then who was there to verify that? No one could see a "unattended" cigarette ??? If they did, then wasn't it attended?

[zaandam_2]

Carnival's Paradise, was non-smoking. It isn't anymore because the policy lost money.

[Hucc]

Carnival's Paradise lost money for many reasons... one being the itinerary wasn't good, and that itinerary never changed. Personally, I would not have (nor did I) ever book it?

[momoforthodoc]

totally agree with you about all that you mentioned. i realize that we live in a country where freedom of choice is granted to everyone but not when it can affect so many people in such a confined area. maybe after this tragedy the cruise lines will consider a ban on smoking in cabins. we could only hope something good will come out of something so horrible.

my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the person who passed away and i hope that those affected will find a way to get past these awful circumstances.

jeralyn

 

some of us wish they would ban smoking out right every where on ships ; cigarettes and lighters/matches are ticking time bombs

[RacerBC]

"Get your facts straight"????????????????- RacerBC

Wow! What a nasty way of saying something. I, too, thought they did away with the non-smoking aspect of the ship. I have no problem being wrong but I really do have a problem with that kind of disrespect on the boards. I am assuming you didn't mean it as bad as it came across.

 

 

It came across too strong and I edited it before you commented because it did'nt come acorss right... I apologize... Your right.. But I did change it, I swear..

[scejas]

If it was "unattended" then who was there to verify that? No one could see a "unattended" cigarette ??? If they did, then wasn't it attended?

 

Possibly from an investigation -- maybe they asked the person in that cabin and they decided lying won't help ? just food for thought?

[cnmiranda]

We were on the Star 2 weeks ago. We were on Deck 9 in a mini-suite. On the last morning we woke up to find cigeratte butts on our balcony. Smokers need to be more careful.

 

 

Yes, that's correct. Every mini suite we've sailed on has had butts on our balcony on the Dolphin deck. People try to throw the butts overboard (wrong anyways) but they don't make it. Of course everyone has the right to smoke but please be responsible about it.:)

[hawaii6o]

I am saddened by the fire on the star. I am thinking of all on board and hoping for a safe return home to your loved ones. If my mom heres this on the news she is going to be terribly upset. We are going on the sun in June to Alaska. She lost her only brother on the African Star back in 1968, he was a merchant marine headed to Australia on his last tour. The star and a tanker hit on the mississippi river and there was a fire. I think that 16 people died. She has not been the same since then. I hope they can determine what happened and take all necessary steps to avoid such terrible tragedies due to fire. Again my thoughts to all.

[gracecarmo]

Actually: the cigarette could have been from any cabin, blown into the balcony of the cabin where it started. I know, as this happened to our balcony once. We were sitting out on the balcony one night, and a cigarette came flying down and landed on our balcony. Had we not been there, it may have started our pad on the chair on fire.

This could have been the case on the Star.