Current pod status on Infinity?

[Cachecara]

Again, I can't speak for anyone else, but I try to look at things as objectively as possible. Someone posting a message that says don't or you should or anything in an aggressive way is regarded and weighed as such.

No one can decide for another what is most important when they decide to cruise. Our values are tailored to each of us. What's important is doing as much research as possible and then making an informed decision according to your priorities.

I loved sailing on X in the past and am sure I will sail her and enjoy in the future.

[c-legs]

Infinity does not appear to have a dry dock scheduled through the summer. She appears to finish up the S. America cruises, do the Hawaii and then goes right into Alaska.

:) Good morning,

 

Yep....Victoria 21st-27th May . The initial 7 days I.P. sailings, 20-27 may has been cancelled. She's docking in Vancouver 20th May ex-SFO, debarks, then scheduled out to Victoria at 1330. Should be at the yard mid-evening.

Installation of the '' new / and-or// re-designed thrust bearings, from RollsRoyce, is the main menu. Connie and Millie are getting the same --refitting'' in Europe this spring.

Strangely, Summit has no such scheduled drydock yet.......and, at least statistically, she's ''due'' for a thrust bearing premature wear...

Cheers

;)

[Captain Cosmo]

My goodness.........! It isn't that people shouldn't hear about problems people had on the ship BUT these problems happened last YEAR, how about looking at what problems the ship has had recently?

 

 

 

 

 

Recently? Infinity missed a port and was stuck in Lima for an extra half day for repairs (unsuccessful) on the first leg of its South American tour in late November/early December 2006 and has been cruising with the problem ever since. Keep in mind that she had just come out of drydock at that time and the pods started acting up 10 days into the cruise. We were on Infinity for her December 3rd 2006 sailing and missed cruising the Chilean fjords, cruised through some of the scenic areas of the Magellan Strait in the middle of the night, arrived late in Ushia, and in my view experienced way more "pitching" in heavy seas due to her inability to make her full speed. So, the problem is current and not at all irrelevant to someone making a decision about their cruise.

 

Look, we've cruised Infinity twice, loved the onboard service and the food was actually better in Dec. 2006 than on our first cruise on her in April of 2006. And, I'm holding a deposit for a March 2008 repositioning cruise on Infinity from Valparaiso to Fort Lauderdale. Obviously, I'm aware of the risk but because of the price and specific itineraries we wanted Infinity turned out to be our best option. I'm aware that we could miss a port but since we aren't doing any "once in a lifetime" stuff - like a shore excursion to Machu Pichu - we're taking the risk and hoping it works out. However, we would never even consider Infinity for Alaska as there isn't any part of that itinerary we would be willing to miss and its not likely that we'd cruise there a second time in the near future. After our March 2008 cruise we will look hard at the itineraries for Journey and Quest for two reasons: No pods and about 1/3 the passengers of an M-Class.

[Ma Bell]

I'll tell you what. You and your spouse work hard for 2 years and save for your dream vacation, then miss half of it( 2 ports, inside passage and Hubbard's Glacier). Then they comp you both a total of $250.00 ship board credit, now, tell me how you would feel.

 

Is this the total compensation you received?

[Drew B]

It's a real shame that there seems to be a very small, but vocal and determined number of people that are living in the past. The speed restrictions have been in place on Infinity since January and the only modification to the schedule was announced Jan. 29th. It involved the March sailing and the change delayed the time arriving in a port in Ecuador by 3 hours and delayed the departure by 2 hours. This resulted in an overall reduction of the port time of one hour.

Everyone that was on the May 2006 Infinity sailing needs to get a life and move on. I myself have had a marvelous cruise on Infinity and I know many others that have sailed the Millie class ships with no problems whatsoever. It would be a shame for anyone to miss a wonderful experience on these marvelous ships because of a few nay sayers that refuse to move on with their life.

 

JMHO.

 

Reggie :eek:

 

I object to the use of the term "Everyone". Not "Everyone" who was on that sailing is bitter and angry about it.

 

 

I'll tell you what. You and your spouse work hard for 2 years and save for your dream vacation, then miss half of it( 2 ports, inside passage and Hubbard's Glacier). Then they comp you both a total of $250.00 ship board credit, now, tell me how you would feel.

 

How would I feel? Well, given that I was on that sailing, pretty good. I had an amazing cruise with phenomenal weather, filled with amazing sights and wonderful experiences. Yes, there were parts that we missed (not anywhere near HALF by any means you use to calculate) and that was unfortunate, but it was an amazing trip for the price even based only on the ports and sights we hit. The ONLY thing that was intolerable about the trip was the hostile, angry passengers who were bound and determined to make everybody else as unhappy as they were!

[florisdekort]

I object to the use of the term "Everyone". Not "Everyone" who was on that sailing is bitter and angry about it.

 

How would I feel? Well, given that I was on that sailing, pretty good. I had an amazing cruise with phenomenal weather, filled with amazing sights and wonderful experiences. Yes, there were parts that we missed (not anywhere near HALF by any means you use to calculate) and that was unfortunate, but it was an amazing trip for the price even based only on the ports and sights we hit. The ONLY thing that was intolerable about the trip was the hostile, angry passengers who were bound and determined to make everybody else as unhappy as they were!

 

And apparently they are still determined to make everybody else miserable 12 months later by hijacking every thread on this forum.

[Freewill]

Would someone please clarify the current pod status? Are both pods, as of today, running with original design bearings? Or has one already been replaced?

 

After the upcoming drydock, will one or both be running new bearings?

 

Just curious before planning my 2008 Alaska trip on this ship. Thanks!

 

Roger

[Drew B]

Would someone please clarify the current pod status? Are both pods, as of today, running with original design bearings? Or has one already been replaced?

 

After the upcoming drydock, will one or both be running new bearings?

 

Just curious before planning my 2008 Alaska trip on this ship. Thanks!

 

Roger

 

With all due respect, current pod status would bear no relation to your 2008 Alaska trip. What you should know is that there is a chance of pod failure on any M-Class ship at any time. That can happen shortly after bearings have ben replaced or it might not happen for a year or more after bearings have been replaced. To a certain degree, you are playing Russian roulette, but you have MANY more empty chambers vs. bullets, and if you happen to experience a "pod cruise", it is DEFINITELY not a death sentence.

 

If you can live with the risk of a possible (unlikely) pod problem, then book the cruise. Odds are very, very, VERY good that you will experience no difficulties. If you won't feel comfortable with the risk, even as small as it is, then I would recommend either sailing Mercury in Alaska (C-Class ships don't have pods) or trying a different line.

 

Good luck!

[sasset]

And apparently they are still determined to make everybody else miserable 12 months later by hijacking every thread on this forum.

 

I object to the use of the terms 'everybody', 'every thread' and '12 months later'. Not everybody else is miserable (I'm not), every thread has not been hijacked and it's only been ten months.

 

Regards

[Captain Cosmo]

And apparently they are still determined to make everybody else miserable 12 months later by hijacking every thread on this forum.

 

Well, since the thread was about the status of pods on Infinity and since Infinity has the same pods as the other M-Class ships it seems relevant for people who have been on cruises affected by the pods to post. When people come to these boards for information about the pods they need to understand the effect that a pod failure or any other restriction in speed can have on their itinerary and then make up their minds using that information. And while Infinity's current schedule may not be that impacted by the speed restriction it does not mean that the pods will continue to function at the restricted speed. There is an element of risk that people should be advised about. On some itineraries a speed restriction may require that some ports be skipped. A total pod failure requiring a drydock can cause a cruise to be cancelled all together - not a small risk when you work and have scheduled and planned for months. Of course, the positive side of the pod problem for those who can cruise anytime is that they may win "the pod lottery", where you get your money back and get a free or discounted cruise at a future date. So, it would be fair for someone to post that "positive" (for some, anyway) information on this thread as well. The only time I feel like a thread is hijacked is when someone posts information or a question about a cruise and it turns into the inane discussions about "Was such and such a waiter still on board?" and "Did you see such and so at the CC party?" and "Who's signed up for roll call?"

 

Meanwhile, for those who don't see the pod issue as a big deal for whatever reason, is there some reason you're reading this thread? When I see a post about "Air transfers in Botswana" I don't read it because I'm not going there, and there's certainly no reason why I would post on such a thread. Seems like there are just as many people who want to hijack this thread and turn it into the "the glass is half-full", "any cruise is a good cruise", and - of course - "I'm better than you because I accept anything that happens to me on a cruise" and the ever-popular "even when its due to the neglience or apathy of the cruiseline I accept it because its in their cruise contract". Now THAT's hijacking!

[Freewill]

With all due respect, current pod status would bear no relation to your 2008 Alaska trip. What you should know is that there is a chance of pod failure on any M-Class ship at any time. That can happen shortly after bearings have ben replaced or it might not happen for a year or more after bearings have been replaced. To a certain degree, you are playing Russian roulette, but you have MANY more empty chambers vs. bullets, and if you happen to experience a "pod cruise", it is DEFINITELY not a death sentence.

 

If you can live with the risk of a possible (unlikely) pod problem, then book the cruise. Odds are very, very, VERY good that you will experience no difficulties. If you won't feel comfortable with the risk, even as small as it is, then I would recommend either sailing Mercury in Alaska (C-Class ships don't have pods) or trying a different line.

 

Good luck!

 

My understanding was that after replacement with re-designed bearings, the current problems were (for the most part) resolved. Is that true or not? If true, then whether the re-designed bearings are in place would seem to affect probability of a failure.

 

Anything can break, I understand.

[LeftcoastBC]

I'm a fan of the Infinity but I also have been negatively affected by the pods. Once on the Summit and once on the Infinity. I know what can happen. It is never pleasant, once was almost dangerous,(conditions ashore) can be expensive, especially if you have booked your own air and can be rewarding if the cruise is cancelled as NOW you get a free cruise.

 

They don't cancel much anymore, just giving out an assortment of monetary adjustments, and struggle on to complete the cruise (a very big negative)

 

I think any info posted here about the pods can only help keep people informed. Thank heavens we are able to do that.

 

Information/knowledge allows one to make an educated decision. Do I take a chance or not. ??? Until they get a "True" fix !!??

 

Love the ship hate the possibilites What ever do I do.???

 

Booked Infinity to Alaska ..again in Aug. Would I book South America on her or M class ?? not very likley.!!

[Drew B]

...and the ever-popular "even when its due to the neglience or apathy of the cruiseline I accept it because its in their cruise contract". Now THAT's hijacking!

 

Well, actually, that's FACT. You're all about WARNING people. Well, people should be warned that the cruise line holds all the cards and they are not OBLIGATED to give any sort of compensation due to the terms included in the cruise contract. You may wish it was otherwise, but that does not make it so...

 

I am all for warning people of the potential pod problems. Frankly, while I'd personally find it a bit tedious if it came up in every thread, I wouldn't want to interfere in people's ability to post what they want. However, I think that passengers should be warned of the following before they are totally freaked out by these boards:

 

1. The chances of pod problems are as exaggerated by the pessimists as they are minimized by the "cheerleaders". Yes, there is a chance of pod problems. You should know that and if you are not willing to take that risk, then M-Class ships aren't for you. However, it is not a great risk, as the vast majority of sailings go off without any negative impact from the historical pod problem (premature wear of the bearings).

 

2. Pod problems do not necessarily equate with a "ruined" cruise. Many things, both positive and negative, can happen on a cruise. The sum total of these things determine whether the cruise was a good experience and whether it was worth the investment of money and time. If you experience pod failure and miss one or more ports but everything else is positive about the cruise, then you may find at the end that it was overall a very positive and worthwhile cruise. On the other hand, you can go on a cruise with NO pod problems where the weather stinks, half the ship comes down with Norovirus, your tablemates are cretins, your luck in the casino is nonexistent, and you get mugged in all of the ports of call. That cruise is going to be a BAD experience despite the fact that the pods functioned just fine. Which cruise would you rather be on?

 

The one sure thing is that if the moment you begin to experience pod problems, you steadfastly decide to refuse to enjoy a single remaining SECOND of the cruise, then it will turn into a bad experience. In that case, it would be YOUR fault, not the fault of the pod -- you are the one who determined that no positive could possibly come of it. If you're that type of person, I hope you will at least have the decency not to try to ruin the possiblity of enjoyment for everybody else...

[Drew B]

My understanding was that after replacement with re-designed bearings, the current problems were (for the most part) resolved. Is that true or not? If true, then whether the re-designed bearings are in place would seem to affect probability of a failure.

 

 

Sadly, no. There is no solution to this problem at this time that is thought to be permanant. The bearings wear at some point and they slow the ship down and replace them in drydock at their next opportunity. There is no real way to predict the time it takes for the bearings to wear, either. At first, it looked like it was averaging about a year between incidents, but now it seems almost random. It also varies by ship. Constellation has had the fewest problems, and I believe Infinity has had the most. I don't know if Millenium's problems this winter were due to pod wear or something else. I assume it was something else, since they never drydocked her and she seems to be running okay now...

[florisdekort]

Well, actually, that's FACT. You're all about WARNING people. Well, people should be warned that the cruise line holds all the cards and they are not OBLIGATED to give any sort of compensation due to the terms included in the cruise contract. You may wish it was otherwise, but that does not make it so...

 

I am all for warning people of the potential pod problems. Frankly, while I'd personally find it a bit tedious if it came up in every thread, I wouldn't want to interfere in people's ability to post what they want. However, I think that passengers should be warned of the following before they are totally freaked out by these boards:

 

1. The chances of pod problems are as exaggerated by the pessimists as they are minimized by the "cheerleaders". Yes, there is a chance of pod problems. You should know that and if you are not willing to take that risk, then M-Class ships aren't for you. However, it is not a great risk, as the vast majority of sailings go off without any negative impact from the historical pod problem (premature wear of the bearings).

 

2. Pod problems do not necessarily equate with a "ruined" cruise. Many things, both positive and negative, can happen on a cruise. The sum total of these things determine whether the cruise was a good experience and whether it was worth the investment of money and time. If you experience pod failure and miss one or more ports but everything else is positive about the cruise, then you may find at the end that it was overall a very positive and worthwhile cruise. On the other hand, you can go on a cruise with NO pod problems where the weather stinks, half the ship comes down with Norovirus, your tablemates are cretins, your luck in the casino is nonexistent, and you get mugged in all of the ports of call. That cruise is going to be a BAD experience despite the fact that the pods functioned just fine. Which cruise would you rather be on?

 

The one sure thing is that if the moment you begin to experience pod problems, you steadfastly decide to refuse to enjoy a single remaining SECOND of the cruise, then it will turn into a bad experience. In that case, it would be YOUR fault, not the fault of the pod -- you are the one who determined that no positive could possibly come of it. If you're that type of person, I hope you will at least have the decency not to try to ruin the possiblity of enjoyment for everybody else...

 

Excellent post, I couldn't agree more. Thank you!

[Germancruiser]

Hi

I really hope not to get involved with pod problems again on the upcoming infinity cruise. I had one Alaska Cruise shortend by one day in May 2005. As I hate to miss a minute of my cruise it was a real dissapointment. On the other hand I never would have had such a nice day in Vancouver with friends I met on the cruise. So even that I was aware of those pod problems I booked a TA/Millenium and the Infinity/ Hawaii. So I am crossing fingers... !

Greetings

Michael

[cechase]

Well, actually, that's FACT. You're all about WARNING people. Well, people should be warned that the cruise line holds all the cards and they are not OBLIGATED to give any sort of compensation due to the terms included in the cruise contract. You may wish it was otherwise, but that does not make it so...

 

I am all for warning people of the potential pod problems. Frankly, while I'd personally find it a bit tedious if it came up in every thread, I wouldn't want to interfere in people's ability to post what they want. However, I think that passengers should be warned of the following before they are totally freaked out by these boards:

 

1. The chances of pod problems are as exaggerated by the pessimists as they are minimized by the "cheerleaders". Yes, there is a chance of pod problems. You should know that and if you are not willing to take that risk, then M-Class ships aren't for you. However, it is not a great risk, as the vast majority of sailings go off without any negative impact from the historical pod problem (premature wear of the bearings).

 

2. Pod problems do not necessarily equate with a "ruined" cruise. Many things, both positive and negative, can happen on a cruise. The sum total of these things determine whether the cruise was a good experience and whether it was worth the investment of money and time. If you experience pod failure and miss one or more ports but everything else is positive about the cruise, then you may find at the end that it was overall a very positive and worthwhile cruise. On the other hand, you can go on a cruise with NO pod problems where the weather stinks, half the ship comes down with Norovirus, your tablemates are cretins, your luck in the casino is nonexistent, and you get mugged in all of the ports of call. That cruise is going to be a BAD experience despite the fact that the pods functioned just fine. Which cruise would you rather be on?

 

The one sure thing is that if the moment you begin to experience pod problems, you steadfastly decide to refuse to enjoy a single remaining SECOND of the cruise, then it will turn into a bad experience. In that case, it would be YOUR fault, not the fault of the pod -- you are the one who determined that no positive could possibly come of it. If you're that type of person, I hope you will at least have the decency not to try to ruin the possiblity of enjoyment for everybody else...

 

Drew this was so well put, that I am envious!!! :D If the devious pod problem arose, we will just sit in our Royal Suite, sip our champagne, and consider when we will go to Rondevous Square for our pre-dinner cocktails, what we will have for dinner, and then anticipate a visit to the casino!

[Bfson]

Until the pod problems get totally resolved, passengers have a choice to make. For example, if you REALLY want to see a specific port or place (Glacier Bay, penguins, whatever) and you don't want to risk missing it, then take a ship without pods. On the other hand if specific ports or places aren't critical to you, then there is no problem in taking one of the liners with pods. For example, we are on a trans canal trip in late Oct from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale. We don't care that much about the ports, and the cruise MUST go through the Panama canal (which is the primary reason we booked this cruise) so we are willing to take the risk of missing a port.

[dkjretired]

Thank you Drew and BFSon for two well thought out posts.

[Drew B]

For example, if you REALLY want to see a specific port or place (Glacier Bay, penguins, whatever) and you don't want to risk missing it, then take a ship without pods.

 

For the record, just because you're on a ship without pods doesn't guarantee that you will make all of your scheduled ports...

[Bfson]

That's certainly true, but the frequency/possibility of missing ports is far greater with a pod ship than a non-pod ship.

[dkjretired]

That's certainly true, but the frequency/possibility of missing ports is far greater with a pod ship than a non-pod ship.

 

I guess I'm unlucky as I have missed various ports three times as a result of Medical Emergencies.

[Bfson]

The issue is not your experiences or mine (no missed ports despite a passenger dying on one cruise) The question is the risk you are willing to take when booking a cruise. We all understand that some ports are more vulnerable than others (ie rough seas in the Falklands) We all understand that medical emergencies may cause a change. BUT, in booking, the question is what level of risk we want to take. As the desire to see a specific port increases, my willingness to take a pod ship decreases. It's a risk analysis each cruiser must decide for himself or herself.

[Cachecara]

Bob, you summarized this perfectly. Each of us needs to make our own assessment according to our own values. I'm just glad that I can find plenty of info on this board! Good or bad.

[Bfson]

Thanks Karen. I've thought a lot about this issue since we hope to go back to Alaska in 08.

 

By the way, here's an interesting article with a photograph of the RR Mermaid pods:

 

http://www.ebearing.com/news2002/032701.htm