General Alarm goes Off on Qm2

[transatlantic fan]

On the 9th July on our way from New York back home the General alarm went off around midnight time.

When the staff realised it was not a drill they panicked and didnt have a clue what to do.

We were informed over a minute later it was a false alarm ,we then went back to the Golden Lion to finish my pint of Bass.

I feel very sorry for those that were in bed as there was total panic.

God knows what the staff would do in a real emergancy.

[Moeve]

OOPs!!!

[2moose]

On the 9th July on our way from New York back home the General alarm went off around midnight time.

When the staff realised it was not a drill they panicked and didnt have a clue what to do.

We were informed over a minute later it was a false alarm ,we then went back to the Golden Lion to finish my pint of Bass.

I feel very sorry for those that were in bed as there was total panic.

God knows what the staff would do in a real emergancy.

 

on our last cruise on the QM2 upon returning to our cabin late one evening we smelled smoke in the hallway!!! we called security and the young lady that arrived was clueless and said i smelled smoke from the bars and casino below!! But since we were on 10 deck we refused to accept this excuse and demanded the saftey officer on duty get involved and he said the samething!! after i threatened to pull the firealarm it was discovered that there was a smoldering garbage can just outside the service elevator not far from our room which was caused by a staff members cigarette in an area that was posted 'NO SMOKING' I hope they are better trained now!!

[transatlantic fan]

From what we were told by a English bar steward it looks like they done a test on the alarm but someone pushed the wrong button and it was heard through the hole ship instead of just the bridge.

Just the fact the crew didnt know what to do bothered me

[Global G]

A friend I made while on board was at the ball when the alarm sounded. They were made to evacuate the ball and were told to go to their rooms and get their life vests. She said they were organized and calm but that naturally everyone was scared. She was on deck 12 and had a long walk to her room.

I was in Rock at the Opera and never heard the alarm at all.

 

Deb

[pnhmrk]

Just the fact the crew didn't know what to do bothered me

 

I agree - I think that everyone knowing what to do in an emergency helps the staff. They then have much more time to react to the incident rather than telling passengers what they should know already. They should be able to cope though, even if everyone is asking what they should do.

[HAMBURGCruiser]

I have been onboard like you. Now we all better understand how tall the QM2 is as there was absolutely no panic around my area on Deck 5. According to previous instruction we got prepared awaiting further instructions. These instructions would have been given to BOTH crew and passengers from the bridge. At the time of the alarm no other action is required than to proceed to the cabin. Or am I mistaken??

[owenmahamilton]

i was onboard too and thought it was a disgrace that no explanation was given by the captain just an apology!

[Kindlychap]

Did the whistle sound as well as the bells?

 

This shows the importance of attending - and listening to - the emergency drill before sailing.

[HAMBURGCruiser]

sorry to say but it was clearly explained that the alarm was automatically generated by the computer due to a false GPS signal.

Seems to be the old story that 2400 witnesses can tell 4800 different stories

[travel-to-go]

I haven't gone over to the Princess forum. I wonder what kind of reaction the crew had to the ship going into a severe roll coming out of Port Canaveral? People were literally washed out of the pool, tables, TVs, glasses all came crashing down on folks. 2 people critically injured, 12 serously, and about 70 other injuries.

 

I guess people can forget the pod incident now.

No doubt, there was something to do with loading, and CG. If Ballast shifted, or the load was not distributed correctly, a shift could cause antyhing not lashed down below decks to shift, creating further roll.

 

I wonder what they will find. "steering proble" is too simplistic an answer. Even the sharpest rudder around, I doubt would cause that much roll to such a massive ship!

 

Isn't the Crown Princess the ship that was originally supposed to be the new Cunard ship?

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/18/D8IUPCC80.html

 

"A steering problem caused a new cruise ship to roll abruptly Tuesday, throwing passengers and crew to the deck and injuring dozens, including two critically, officials said.

One passenger said seawater flooded several upper decks of the Crown Princess, forcing water from a swimming pool "like a mini-tsunami," and breaking windows and furniture."

 

 

Karie,

Who doesn't think she wwould have cared for that E ticket ride. Especially if it caused my drink to spill. That's alcohol abuse, spilling a drink!

 

 

 

(Think they gave a way free drinks after that, or closed the bars like Cunard would do?)

[Kindlychap]

IIsn't the Crown Princess the ship that was originally supposed to be the new Cunard ship?

 

That's the P & O Arcadia. Although there are a number to the same basic design of course.

[hardastarboard]

'No doubt, there was something to do with loading, and CG. If Ballast shifted, or the load was not distributed correctly, a shift could cause antyhing not lashed down below decks to shift, creating further roll.'

 

I very much doubt that it was caused by ballast or weights, more likely that it was caused by heel due to turning as the rudder went over. If the rudder goes hard over at 15 kts you'd certainly know about it... On the same subject, do I recall another Princess ship doing this a few months back???:confused: :confused:

[guernseyguy]

Isn't the Crown Princess the ship that was originally supposed to be the new Cunard ship?

 

No, as Kindlychap has pointed out, P&O's ARCADIA was originally the Queen Victoria. The CROWN PRINCESS is a different class of ship - based on the Grand-class design, whereas ARCADIA/QV are based on the HAL Vista class. P&O have a Grand-derivative on order as the VENTURA.

 

Peter

[guernseyguy]

hole ship

 

If there was one, that would be alarming!:)

 

Peter

[travel-to-go]

'No doubt, there was something to do with loading, and CG. If Ballast shifted, or the load was not distributed correctly, a shift could cause antyhing not lashed down below decks to shift, creating further roll.'

 

I very much doubt that it was caused by ballast or weights, more likely that it was caused by heel due to turning as the rudder went over. If the rudder goes hard over at 15 kts you'd certainly know about it... On the same subject, do I recall another Princess ship doing this a few months back???:confused: :confused:

 

Consensus seems to be that it was a bug in the automatic steering computer software- They were apparantly making some sort of a turn, and the captain had also announced that they were headed for some rougher water (although miost reports from passengers said it was dead calm- but I guess they would have been heading further out into the Atlantic, especially with Beryl around the NC coast) and was deploying the automatic stabilizers. Apparently, yes, this IS the second Grand Class ship to have this happen. The other was more fortunate, with fewer injuries. I believe it was in Alaska.

 

I think it's time to check that software problem, and I really do not think that shoebox design is inherently stable. It is too top heavy, and once a roll is started, has to be mighty hard to correct! Some said the list was anywhere from 12 to 18 degrees, though I think 12 was probably more the case. Some passengers reported - I think it was the stern seemed to lift out of the water somewhat. Also heard was that the rudder was stuck. I guess we'll all have to wait and see, but that "bosomy" ship design (imagine a woman overburdened above the waist, and you can picture the tendency to lean somewhat towards the weight), to me, is a problem waiting to happen! "It just ain't natcherul!" Any problem with heeling over would be exacerbated by that top-heavy deisgn, IMHO.

 

Karie,

whose degree in maritime engineering came from the back of a match book! I had to pay Twenty Dollars for it!

[PBrown]

We were on the QM2 headed for South Hampton (June 8, 2005) when the Crown Princess was entering New York Harbor. Beautiful ship, terrible to have something so frightening happen so early in the game.

 

BTW, I have posted my pictures for the trip at http://www.katdomains/com/Gallery/europe.html if anyone is interested. It was a marvelous trip (24 days from NYC to South Hampton, Med and back to South Hampton and NCY). You can also read our adventures at http://www.katablog.com from June 8th through July 3rd, 2006

[Skippyyyy]

I guess we'll never get to learn precisely what caused the Princess roll.

 

However, supposing they were deploying the stabilizers, and only one side extended, and malfunctioned (software problem?) and made a 'downwards' action.... this ?may cause one side of the ship to tilt to starboard and could explain the elevated stern which some have reported.

 

Also, I wonder if the ship slewed to starboard, thereby introducing a twist into the roll - rather like driving your car onto a (very) soft verge.

 

As has been pointed out above, this isn't the first time it's happened. Maybe it's about time they took greater care when making these 'significant alterations' to the ship's bearing/make up.

[travel-to-go]

I guess we'll never get to learn precisely what caused the Princess roll.

 

However, supposing they were deploying the stabilizers, and only one side extended, and malfunctioned (software problem?) and made a 'downwards' action.... this ?may cause one side of the ship to tilt to starboard and could explain the elevated stern which some have reported.

 

Also, I wonder if the ship slewed to starboard, thereby introducing a twist into the roll - rather like driving your car onto a (very) soft verge.

 

As has been pointed out above, this isn't the first time it's happened. Maybe it's about time they took greater care when making these 'significant alterations' to the ship's bearing/make up.

Interesting conjecture. It's possible.

 

Some things are starting to make sense, based on various reports, assuming that any of the reports are accurate.

Passengers reported the Captain afterward stating something about the rudder getting stuck. I tend to be leary of the possibilty of any Captain admitting culpability or cause over the PA, (Tannoy for you Brits) but say this is the case. One passenger claimed the ship almost did a 180, Several on the Princess list guffawed and hooted at this, as it would mean the ship was upside down. But then I listened to the actual passenger interview, and what he said made sense. I believe he was saying that the ship did a 180- as in turning around to go the other way! If the rudder was stuck, and the ship tried to execute a sudden 180 degree turn, it would make sense that it would heel over and lean into the turn, whichever direction it was making. There were also comments about a GPS being wildly wrong. If a GPS suddenly lost a satellite it could show a 180 from where it was, as you need three points (satellites) to triangulate a fix. Think of two points

*>>>>> <<<<<*

Now, if you were trying to find a point North of that (above the arrows)

*s are satellites. O is ship. Sorry about the dots, the system won't take leading spaces. It deletes them so I am just using the dots as spacers.

 

..........*..........

..........O...........

 

*>>>>> ....<<<<<*

but suddenly lost your third satellite, it might point to between the two arrows.

 

*>>>>> ...O... <<<<<*

 

The ship, steering to the north, might suddenly have the navigation program thinking it has to turn around to get to where it is going.

It sets a course 180 degrees from where it was headed and tries to turn around. Do this on a bicycle. You will lean into the turn the sharper you attempt to turn. If too sharp, you will probably fall over, and fall off the bike!

 

Okay, now there is my totally uneducated, matchbook cover maritime engineering eduction, guess. OTOH, it just might have been a giant alien hand reaching out of the sky a la the Twilight Zone episode when the cameras pull back to reveal that the people who had been running around trying to escape a town and ending in huge walls at every direction were actually toy people in a doll house town and the child picked them up to put them away!

Maybe some giant hand reach out of the sky and tipped them over! <G>

 

Karie,

who is not making light of a terrifying experience, but of our own lack of knowledge of the cause. That's why they do inquiries tht take about six months.

[Therapst]

Interesting conjecture. It's possible.

 

Some things are starting to make sense, based on various reports, assuming that any of the reports are accurate.

Passengers reported the Captain afterward stating something about the rudder getting stuck. I tend to be leary of the possibilty of any Captain admitting culpability or cause over the PA, (Tannoy for you Brits) but say this is the case. One passenger claimed the ship almost did a 180, Several on the Princess list guffawed and hooted at this, as it would mean the ship was upside down. But then I listened to the actual passenger interview, and what he said made sense. I believe he was saying that the ship did a 180- as in turning around to go the other way! If the rudder was stuck, and the ship tried to execute a sudden 180 degree turn, it would make sense that it would heel over and lean into the turn, whichever direction it was making. There were also comments about a GPS being wildly wrong. If a GPS suddenly lost a satellite it could show a 180 from where it was, as you need three points (satellites) to triangulate a fix. Think of two points

*>>>>> <<<<<*

Now, if you were trying to find a point North of that (above the arrows)

*s are satellites. O is ship. Sorry about the dots, the system won't take leading spaces. It deletes them so I am just using the dots as spacers.

 

..........*..........

..........O...........

 

*>>>>> ....<<<<<*

but suddenly lost your third satellite, it might point to between the two arrows.

 

*>>>>> ...O... <<<<<*

 

The ship, steering to the north, might suddenly have the navigation program thinking it has to turn around to get to where it is going.

It sets a course 180 degrees from where it was headed and tries to turn around. Do this on a bicycle. You will lean into the turn the sharper you attempt to turn. If too sharp, you will probably fall over, and fall off the bike!

 

Okay, now there is my totally uneducated, matchbook cover maritime engineering eduction, guess. OTOH, it just might have been a giant alien hand reaching out of the sky a la the Twilight Zone episode when the cameras pull back to reveal that the people who had been running around trying to escape a town and ending in huge walls at every direction were actually toy people in a doll house town and the child picked them up to put them away!

Maybe some giant hand reach out of the sky and tipped them over! <G>

 

Karie,

who is not making light of a terrifying experience, but of our own lack of knowledge of the cause. That's why they do inquiries tht take about six months.

 

Most likely the latter. ;)

 

Randy,

who enjoys Karie's posts very much.

[transat_jon]

Strange to get such a roll in calm seas, 15 degrees is being reported, although a rudder hard over would do it although I'd have expected more speed to be needed.

 

I was QE2 at the start of the month and one night for a short while we had wind beam on in a following sea. This gave us a 5 degree list with 5 degree rolls. We swung from upright to 10 degrees over. It made things intresting in the bars and the Queens Room dance floor was kept fairly empty. No real issues.

 

Back in 2002 we had a 14 degree roll on QE2, again another following sea. The pool spilled out over the deck and all the restaurant tables were cleared. Sadly one of the crew got scalded in the Lido.

 

I hear that QE2 hit 20 degrees going into Hong Kong harbour on this years world cruise. I guess the stabilizers would have been in and a strong gust of wind or current.....