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Propulsion woes alter cruise trip (Sensation)

HumanCookie

By HumanCookie,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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HumanCookie

HumanCookie

Posted
Posted

:eek: :eek:

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/BUSINESS/603290357/1003

 

March 29, 2006

Propulsion woes alter cruise trip

Sensation changes itinerary as ship slows

BY SCOTT BLAKE

FLORIDA TODAY

Problems on Carnival Cruise Lines' Sensation continued Tuesday, as the company said the ship will have to shorten its current trip to the Bahamas, missing a stop at Grand Turk, because of a problem with the ship's propulsion system.

The Sensation -- carrying 2,370 passengers on its second voyage from Port Canaveral -- is not able to travel fast enough to reach Grand Turk, and instead will stop at Freeport, which is closer, said Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz.

The ship also will stop at Freeport instead of Grand Turk during the next cruise, another five-night trip scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Saturday, she said.

The Sensation plans to keep its regularly scheduled port-of-call stops in Nassau and Half Moon Cay on those cruises.

"The ship's experiencing a minor propulsion problem that's affecting the ship's speed to a certain degree," de la Cruz said. "It's not the engine. It's not affecting other systems and services onboard."

Carnival expects to determine in the next day or two when and how the repairs will be made, and whether it will affect future cruises, she said.

Passengers on this week's and next week's cruises will not receive any discounts or credits for the change in the itinerary, de la Cruz added.

The trouble adds to a slew of problems the Sensation has had since arriving at Brevard County's seaport last week after a six-month stint in New Orleans housing police, firefighters and emergency workers in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, followed by three weeks of dry-dock refurbishments in Mobile, Ala.

The ship departed for its first cruise from Port Canaveral nearly seven hours late Thursday after the vessel failed a Coast Guard safety inspection.

The problems were corrected, but it caused hundreds of passengers to wait for hours in the cruise terminal before boarding the ship. Passengers said many stood for hours waiting for food and water to be delivered.

"If you haven't seen American citizens begging and grabbing for food, you missed your chance," said Palm Bay resident Brenda Laney, who waited for 10 hours to board the ship.

She broke into tears while recalling how elderly passengers and some with diabetes and other medical problems endured a hardship in the terminal.

"I waited to take a cruise all of my life, and they robbed me" of an enjoyable experience, she said.

Some passengers did not leave the building because they thought authorities would not allow them back inside.

Canaveral Port Authority spokeswoman Rosalind Postell said security personnel were allowing passengers to leave the terminal, but they would lose their place in line and have to wait outside to be screened again.

She said the authority plans to have more food and water on hand in case a similar situation arises.

Due to the delayed departure, Sensation passengers on the first cruise received a $50-per-person shipboard credit and a 25 percent discount off a future three- to five-day Carnival cruise.

Passengers on the first cruise also complained of problems onboard, leading to a confrontation between the ship's captain and six passengers that ended with the six being kicked off the ship in the Bahamas and flying back to Florida at their own expense.

Passenger Dureen Smith said she and several other passengers were trapped in an elevator on the ship. She said they called on the emergency phone, and spoke to someone, but help didn't come.

"We continued to scream for help, banged on the walls of the elevator until the elevator began to shake and we all were in fear that it was about to drop," Smith said. "After 30 minutes, a passenger had heard us and went for help. Finally, a couple of crew members came and manually lifted the elevator to the top floor, and we were able to get off."

De la Cruz, the Carnival spokeswoman, said she would have to look into the incident before commenting.

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HumanCookie

HumanCookie

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Did New Orleanean's voodooed this ship? :eek:

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/BUSINESS/603290358/1003

 

March 29, 2006

Crew member dies onboard Carnival's Sensation

BY BY SCOTT BLAKE

FLORIDA TODAY

A 49-year-old Indonesian crew member was found dead on the Carnival Cruise Lines ship Sensation shortly before the vessel arrived at Port Canaveral last week, authorities said Tuesday.

The man's body was found while the ship was traveling from Mobile, Ala., to Port Canaveral for the start of cruises to the Bahamas, Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said.

"Initial indications suggest that the individual died from natural causes," according to a company statement.

Before his death, the man complained of constipation and other stomach-related ailments, and was seen by the ship's physician, said Brevard County Sheriff's Office Maj. Grady Rios.

The man, a stateroom steward, joined the ship March 6 and died two days before the Sensation arrived at Canaveral on March 22, Rios said.

The findings of an autopsy by the Brevard County Medical Examiner are awaiting the results of a toxicology test, Rios said.

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GoinCruisin

GoinCruisin

Posted
Posted
sounds like 4/10 will be scratched as well.

 

sigh.

 

Why?? :confused: Of all the ships that have had propulsion issues, they seem to be able to get them fixed fairly quickly. 3 weeks is alot of time...

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GoinCruisin

GoinCruisin

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good point.

 

I always like to expect the worst, then I'm hardly ever disappointed and often pleasantly surprised.

 

LOL, I can understand that!!!!

 

I try to always keep my expectations at bay, but if I expected the worst, I'd likely never cruise :p LOL! But I know what you are saying... I do hope you can make it to GT!!

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katsted69

katsted69

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My cruise is one of the 4 day's so the missed stops isn't for us but I am worried how they stated that passengers would not receive any credits for their missed stops on the upcoming cruises. Does that mean people are out once again? I know that Carnival can change the itenerary but if they are changing it due to something that is wrong with the ship, should the people be able to cancel and reschedule without penelty if they want?

 

I am so lost on what to do right now. We leave to drive to FL on Monday and I would surely hate it if we get there after our drive to have them say "sorry, she's gotta be fixed, cruise canceled"

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FloridaResident

FloridaResident

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jdjaguar-

 

You actually read my mind! I spent an hour on the phone last night begging Carnival to change my 5-27 booking from Sensation to the Glory. I had just made my final payment 2 days before so they tried to say normally there would be a $250 per person penalty but they were kind enough to waive this.

My inlaws are traveling with us and it's their first cruise. While I fully believe all the kinks will be worked out by May, I didn't want to take a chance. Plus, now I get two extra days of cruise! Very excited now!

:D :D :D

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