2 1/2 Hour Power Failure on Liberty 3/22

[mfs2k]

Here is their original press release:

 

ALSTOM to supply electric propulsion systems for Carnival Corp’s two new cruise ships

19 May 2005

The Power Conversion Business of ALSTOM has just been awarded a multi-million euro contract by Fincantieri to supply electric propulsion systems for two new cruise ships, one for Carnival Cruises to be built at the Marghera yard and one for Costa Crociere at the Sestri Ponente yard in Genoa.

Both ships are to be delivered in the first half of 2007 and are the sister ships of Carnival Liberty and Costa Concordia, currently being built at Fincantieri - with an ALSTOM electric propulsion system - and expected to be delivered in Summer 2005 and Summer 2006 respectively.

The new ships will be used for year-round worldwide cruising. The Carnival cruise ship will carry 3,710 passengers and the Costa 3,800 passengers.

For each vessel, ALSTOM will supply two synchronous propulsion motors of 20MW for Carnival and 21MW for Costa and the associated electric drives. ALSTOM will also provide the propulsion control systems including remote control as well as the harmonic filtering and 11kV distribution systems.

Pierre Simon, Director of the Sales & Projects Department within ALSTOM Power Conversion France said: “Our customers appreciate working with us and the trust they put in ALSTOM leads them to award us new orders. Our orderbook includes major references and confirms our market-leading position for electrical propulsion and control systems in mainly, but not only, cruise ships. We’re always striving to optimize our technologies, our project management and our services and to deploy all our skills for the success of our customers. This new order seems to say that we are proceeding in the right way!”

 

For further information, please contact:

Marie-Claire Dubois, Communications, ALSTOM Power Conversion France, on +33 (0)3 8455 16 48 or email: marie-claire.dubois@powerconv.alstom.com

 

MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL EMAIL MARIE-CLAIRE AND ASK HER WHAT HAPPENED....... DOES ANYONE WRITE IN FRENCH?

 

IM NOT SURE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO USE ME FOR A REFERENCE.

[Katfive]

Our family spent two weeks in August and September with no power after Katrina in south Mississippi. (No flushing, no water, no a/c, 90+ degrees and no blender) My parents who are in their 70's didn't gripe this much. Makes sitting on a cruise ship on a moonlit night with a cold drink for three hours sound like a little slice of heaven.

[nrdsb4]

Well said. I just love the cruise line apologists. I didn't take it as anything other than her telling us what happened and how she felt.

 

Oh, but you are wrong. You are forgetting her last sentence:

 

"Anyone have any comments?"

 

Never, never ask that question if you are not prepared to accept "any comments."

[GoinCruisin]

Maybe but maybe not depending on cruise length, deck, etc.

 

Nah, the only way I can see it is if they booked last minute. The first and second fare would have had to be around $2500... I've never seen anything like that on Carnival, not even last minute, for an oceanview. I'm assuming that she only included the cruise fare, since she said "but this cruise still ended up costing over 6,000 dollars for three people in an oceanview cabin, to see one Pineapple Plantation in Costa Rica!" Then again, she could have been including airfare, hotel, etc in that price. Looks like the average for that time of year for that cruise is about $2700 for 3 in an oceanview, if it was selling out, it would have been higher, but I don't think that much higher. It had to be including airfare... otherwise, I would agree with Liv, time to find a new TA :eek:

[mfs2k]

Maybe but maybe not depending on cruise length, deck, etc.

 

She's probably including Air/Hotel/Excursions/Drinks/Spa/Transportation/Slot Machine Losses/Dealer Tips/Contributions to the Ocean Players Club Employee Party, etc

 

I spent 4K all-in for my wife and I. The cruise itself was $1129pp for a balcony. Much less for an inside or window.

 

Maybe that's why they restored power to balcony cabins first. We paid more. Inside cabins (steerage?) were about $500 pp the week before we sailed. Oceanviews were $649pp if you qualified for particular resident discounts. $789pp for others

 

Who says the class system in sailing is over?

[GoinCruisin]

Our family spent two weeks in August and September with no power after Katrina in south Mississippi. (No flushing, no water, no a/c, 90+ degrees and no blender) My parents who are in there 70's didn't gripes this much. Makes sitting on a cruise ship on a moonlit night with a cold drink for three hours sound like a little slice of heaven.

 

LOL, I've been without power twice for 2 weeks at a time due to hurricanes... and I'll agree, while it is one of the most miserable things one can go through (ugh!!!), you still have to try to make the best of it... I could have dealt with it much easier on a cruise ship! LOL!! Then again, not everyone is like that...

[GoinCruisin]

She's probably including Air/Hotel/Excursions/Drinks/Spa/Transportation/Slot Machine Losses/Dealer Tips/Contributions to the Ocean Players Club Employee Party, etc

 

I spent 4K all-in for my wife and I. The cruise itself was $1129pp for a balcony. Much less for an inside or window.

 

Maybe that's why they restored power to balcony cabins first. We paid more. Inside cabins (steerage?) were about $500 pp the week before we sailed.

 

Who says the class system in sailing is over?

 

True, probably including everything... but gathering from the posters previous posts... I don't think it was from alcohol or casino spending ;)

But the spa, excursions, etc... they do add up!!!!

[L2J]

You hit the nail on the head there.

 

The virtual ignore only works for so long.

 

You should be the last person commenting on this subject :rolleyes:

[zqvol]

Nah, the only way I can see it is if they booked last minute. The first and second fare would have had to be around $2500... I've never seen anything like that on Carnival, not even last minute, for an oceanview. I'm assuming that she only included the cruise fare, since she said "but this cruise still ended up costing over 6,000 dollars for three people in an oceanview cabin, to see one Pineapple Plantation in Costa Rica!" Then again, she could have been including airfare, hotel, etc in that price. Looks like the average for that time of year for that cruise is about $2700 for 3 in an oceanview, if it was selling out, it would have been higher, but I don't think that much higher. It had to be including airfare... otherwise, I would agree with Liv, time to find a new TA :eek:

You're probably right but I never know what to believe when someone tells me what they paid.

[GoinCruisin]

You're probably right but I never know what to believe when someone tells me what they paid.

 

LOL, I know... cruise fare, and the total you spend on a cruise are two completely different things... and generally, aren't anywhere close to one another :D

[zydecocruiser]

The virtual ignore only works for so long.

 

You should be the last person commenting on this subject :rolleyes:

 

I wasn't planning on leaving, so I may well be. ;)

[iluvdoxies]

If missing a port is that upsetting to you, how are you going to handle a real tragedy?

[mfs2k]

For all those complaining about the topic:

 

Isn't this thread a little more interesting than discussing how much a soda card costs?

[jakesplace]

First off machines are only as perfect as the man who builds it !:cool: and we all know how perfect we are.

 

second I spent 3 weeks after hurricane Ivan working 14 hour days directing traffic in 90 to 100 degree swealtering heat. we had no power at home, a tree fell on the house, and i had to take cold showers in the morning and at night.. Had to wash my clothes by hand to have clean clothes. was I misrable, yes. do I need compensation, no. was there anything I could do about it, no. Did I improvise to make things better you bet..

The great thing about it was while I was standing on the intersection good people would stop and give me a drink or food and thank me.. so though all that I looked and found the positive.:)

The only thing in life you are promised is the day your living now...make the most of it.

 

ps. elevators in buildings don't work when the power goes out either, or when the fire alarm goes off, even if there is no fire, so if your on the top floor you have to use the stairs.. advice stay off top floors:rolleyes:

[big_duck]

For all those complaining about the topic:

 

Isn't this thread a little more interesting than discussing how much a soda card costs?

 

Very much. BTW, did you get that tuna sandwich to the beach? ;)

[zydecocruiser]

We go on vacation to escape everyday life. To compare the aftermath of a hurricane to a cruise vacation is absurd. A more reasonable comparison would be if you were vacationing paying $200/day for a hotel room and a hurricane destroyed your room, would you be happy to continue paying $200/day for the room or expect a price break or leave or what???

[big_duck]

We go on vacation to escape everyday life. To compare the aftermath of a hurricane to a cruise vacation is absurd. A more reasonable comparison would be if you were vacationing paying $200/day for a hotel room and a hurricane destroyed your room, would you be happy to continue paying $200/day for the room or expect a price break or leave or what???

 

Destroyed?! A bit melodramtic. More like being at a resort and the power going off for a few hours. That is apples to apples.

[Katfive]

It seems a better comparison would be if I were staying at a $200 a night hotel and the power went out for 2 1/2 hours who I feel my vacation had been ruined? Think not.

[GoinCruisin]

It seems a better comparison would be if I were staying at a $200 a night hotel and the power went out for 2 1/2 hours who I feel my vacation had been ruined? Think not.

 

LOL, that is a MUCH better comparison!!! The power was out for a few hours... the ship wasn't destroyed!!! Geesh! And this my friends, is how things get completely blown out of proportion :rolleyes:

[zydecocruiser]

Destroyed?! A bit melodramtic. More like being at a resort and the power going off for a few hours. That is apples to apples.

 

No more melodramatic than those on the other side of pendulum, eh?

 

I wasn't the first to lob a watermelon in there. ;)

[zydecocruiser]

It seems a better comparison would be if I were staying at a $200 a night hotel and the power went out for 2 1/2 hours who I feel my vacation had been ruined? Think not.

 

Now if everyday you woke up and the hotel was in a different country, now were are getting a little closer to a cruise.

 

And for those who are only interested in where the next drink is coming from, I wonder how many would reach for it if they said no bathroom privileges for 2-3 hours. Deal or No Deal? Even if you were already full?

[Katfive]

Zydacocruiser,

 

Maybe judging from your name maybe you are from New Orleans or somewhere in LA. I've seen people partying at Mardi Gras with nowhere to go to the bathroom all day. 2 1/2 hours no problem.

[GoinCruisin]

Now if everyday you woke up and the hotel was in a different country, now were are getting a little closer to a cruise.

 

And for those who are only interested in where the next drink is coming from, I wonder how many would reach for it if they said no bathroom privileges for 2-3 hours. Deal or No Deal? Even if you were already full?

 

Deal, I'm not that demanding on bathrooms... I've gone much longer than 2-3 hours... not as long as I could 10 years ago, but longer than 2-3 hours :D Then again, this is completely different... the poster was not able to get to the bathrooms, I right now, can... and if I couldn't, I would find someone to carry me... or I would crawl if I had to. Believe me, if I was that desperate, I would find a way to the restroom... we all have different levels of tolerance. What works for one, might not work for another.

[mfs2k]

Very much. BTW, did you get that tuna sandwich to the beach? ;)

 

No, I didn’t take ANY food off the ship with me. You would have been proud of me. I was a VERY GOOD BOY!!!!

In Costa Rica, we were taken by Charlie Soto’s tour to a beachfront shack, where I ate Chicken, Rice and Beans and drank Costa Rican Imperial Beer, all while being observed by a pet sloth sitting on a tree branch.

Thanks to Panama Pete of “Adventures in Panama” in Panama, we ate freshly caught Tilapia deep-fried in an Embera Indian native village by an overweight topless elderly villager. (Unfortunately, Dr. Atkins never made it to the Chagres National Park). We got to the secluded village in a motorized dugout canoe (not a Chriscraft fiberglass boat used by the Carnival Shore Excursion people). And there was no paper or baggies to worry about. The fish was served in a banana leaf cone. (Note: the skeptic in me thinks the fish might have really come from the local “Safeway” supermarket. But I could be wrong. They assured me it was freshly caught in the month of March.

PS – I also didn’t smoke my smelly cigars anywhere I wasn’t supposed to.

[zydecocruiser]

Zydacocruiser,

 

Maybe judging from your name maybe you are from New Orleans or somewhere in LA. I've seen people partying at Mardi Gras with nowhere to go to the bathroom all day. 2 1/2 hours no problem.

 

Many just go in the streets and some of those get arrested.

 

Believe it or not, there are people that aren't inverted camels. I take advantage of that fact in meetings. Those with the largest bladders win most of the arguments. ;)