Back From Dawn

[Royalco]

This was my fourth cruise on the Dawn and my 42nd lifetime cruise. Although the cruise was a disappointment for my five other family members, we are all safely at home. I think that the captain, his staff and the entire crew make the best of a bad situation. I am completely satisfied with the full refund, $100. per stateroom credit and a credit (based on 25% of the fare paid on this cruise) towards my next cruise (which I have already booked). The trip back from Norfork was rocky with 16 foot waves and very high winds with many passengers getting seasick. But, this is not nearly how bad it would have been like if the captain continued our trip south in the storm with only one azipod working.

I do have a question for the engineers out there. We left Norfork doing 16kts but at 1:30 AM we cut back to 6kts for the rest of the trip back to NYC. The Captain said that it was due to strong headwinds and by going slower it would keep the ship steady. Does this make sense or is it possible that the second azipod blew?

[CTTWIN]

It was the fact they were going into a 50 knot head wind which slows the actual speed of the vessel down considerably. That and 15ft waves made it a rough ride.

[petguy]

I think the captain was being truthful. If the second azipod blew you would have had very large sailboat (with no sail).

 

Not much sense to hurry back to NY and fight heavy seas, and headwinds in the process with the next cruise several days away. Not much sense to hurrying and making the ride rough for it's current passengers either. I am no engineer, this is just my humble opinion.

[electricron]

If the second azipod failed, you would stil be adrift in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere waiting on a ocean going tug to pull you back to port.

 

Ships usually slow down in storms to make the ride smoother on guests, especially when they can't outrun the storm. Going slower also places less stress on the ship. I've seen ships go faster to steer around or avoid storms, but never while in them.