The NCL Dream has struck a barge

[cruzegirl]

There are some incredible frame by frame pictures of the actual collision at http://www.montevideo.com.uy/galerianot_54118_1.html

 

Thanks for sharing the link.... wild photos.....

I'm a little naive about barges and we can't see all sides of the barge but where's the tug boat? And some barges you can see a bridge area. I don't see that..... It looks like a platform with containers on it adrift....

[cruzegirl]

oops...double post

[salty dingo]

Others have already responded to this, but it strikes me as arrogantly insensitive.

 

...

 

So it is all well and good for you to crow smugly about how you MIGHT behave under similar circumstances, but it betrays a snide disregard for the very real feelings of others whose viewpoints and attitudes may be a good deal different from yours.

 

Ouch! That's pretty harsh, but everyone's entitled to an opinion, including me.

 

I absoultely do not buy the argument that since the cruise was not a typical Caribbean one, that the compensation should be better.

 

I do agree about the two types of cruisers: those who cruise for the experience of being at sea, and those who cruise primarily for the ports of call. Where I think I disagree is when people don't realize that there is never a guarantee that they will actually get to a specific port.

 

The people who really want to see the ports would be well-advised to plan a land-based vacation where they can be assured of seeing and doing what is important. I think people choose cruises because it is a very affordable way to see many places in a short time. But like everything affordable, there is sometimes a catch.

 

Weather, or other unforeseen events do happen, and when a port is cancelled, "that's the breaks." You knew that (or should have) when you booked the cruise. I don't mean to be insensitive, I'm just pointing out the obvious.

Those folks still got the full amount of room and board, and they missed out on some port time. Some may argue that they should be compensated with a full refund, but I don't think that is fair. Again, just my opinion.

[Markandrews]

So it is all well and good for you to crow smugly about how you MIGHT behave under similar circumstances, but it betrays a snide disregard for the very real feelings of others whose viewpoints and attitudes may be a good deal different from yours. --Last two lines deleted--

 

 

Yes they are missing ports that are somewhat more exotic then an afternoon in Nassau but they are being very well compensated, IMHO.

 

I would bet that the group that wanted to "mutiny" would still be unhappy with a full refund and the 150. OBC.

 

On another thread a poster is upset with NCL's insistence of getting to the final port on the scheduled day, (12-23). It's as if this poster feels the Dream should disregard the schedule and continue to all the ports no matter when the cruise would end. Who would benefit from this?? The passengers currently on board that have flights scheduled for 12-23?? A majority of these pax would probably have a difficult time finding another flight home on a later day. Most passengers on the ship probably want to go home on the 23rd so they can be with there families for Christmas. What are Incoming passengers on the 12-23 sailing supposed to do? Stand at the dock and wait for the ship.

 

While I understand the disappointment of missing ports, I don't understand what more people expect from NCL.

[smeyer418]

No matter what NCL does its a lose lose situation. any time there is an incident there are always some who think the cruise company should do more and faster. Most of the times the Cruise line is doing what it can and making decisions after it has all the facts. People second guess everything. The decisions fall withing the reasoned discretion of the cruise line and Captain- not the passengers.

I do think that this type of long and expensive cruise is more of a trip of a lifetime than the average Carribean cruise. Seems that NCL is being reasonable but you can be sure when the cruise is over we will hear more of this by the passengers who were on board. Remember all the lawsuits against NCL for the rogue wave were ultimately dismissed. Juries generally aren't foolish although sometimes they want to stick it to big corporations for slights they have suffered....

[Amlee]

Thanks for sharing the link.... wild photos.....

 

I'm a little naive about barges and we can't see all sides of the barge but where's the tug boat? And some barges you can see a bridge area. I don't see that..... It looks like a platform with containers on it adrift....

 

 

It's being reported that the rope attaching the tug to the barge broke and set the barge adrift in the channel.

[durangoscots]

It's being reported that the rope attaching the tug to the barge broke and set the barge adrift in the channel.

 

And I would think the tug boat was beatin' feet out of there. Better to have the barge hit than the tug. You have to remember too that it takes a lot to stop and turn those big cruise ships .... think how long it takes for captains to turn and return for a "man overboard" which fortunately was not the case here.

[Globaliser]

The other group, and it included the vast majority of the people on the Crown when I took the same trip several years ago, probably would not know for several days if every bartender on the ship magically disappeared. They have read extensively about the places they will visit and the animals they will see. Many, as has been mentioned, are not young and have saved a LOT of money for a trip to places that are NOT readily visited any other way. The airfare alone for this trip can cost more than many 5 to 7 day cruises cost. Many, lower cost aside, will NOT have the opportunity to repeat this adventure.

Those who are in this category who are unreasonably upset by what has happened have plainly failed to read extensively about the most important thing in all travel, but especially applicable to more esoteric travel: Things will go wrong.

[Mark]

First let me say thanks for the photos...they are great!

 

As far as I know, when man overboard happens at sea, the person in the sea does not have to wait for the captain to stop the ship or turn around for help...what I was told is that most modern cruise ships have specially trained rescue teams with specially equipped jet boats that are dropped in the water almost immediatley to start the rescue before the captain can stop or turn the ship.

 

I do have a question or observation with NCL...it seems they have a problem with this class of ship running into barges...I know that within the last several years either the Dream or the Wind had run into a cement barge in the English Channel and had sustained body damage...wouldn't it be funny if it was the same ship that ran into both barges...I think they fired the captain the last time it happened!

 

Mark

[JoeCanadian]

..wouldn't it be funny if it was the same ship that ran into both barges...I think they fired the captain the last time it happened!

 

Yes, it was the Dream involved in both collisions!

[Amlee]

And I would think the tug boat was beatin' feet out of there. Better to have the barge hit than the tug. You have to remember too that it takes a lot to stop and turn those big cruise ships .... think how long it takes for captains to turn and return for a "man overboard" which fortunately was not the case here.

 

Even if the ship had stoppped in time, the forward motion (on water none the less) would have been impossible to stop.

[Sunnystone]

Not a slight or blame laying on anyone at all, but it just seems fairly incredible in light of radar, spotters, radios, thrusters and the visibility factors that something like this could occur. Water depth, wind, waves, etc, as well as the ever present "murphy's law" factors no doubt took hold; however, with today's technologies it really makes you wonder what the folks on the bridge, in the tug when the line broke, as well as the port control office were seeing/doing/thinking during the time immediately preceding the impact.

Good news is no loss of life nor heavy enviromental impact.

[ILoveScotland]

I remain fascinated with this thread even though I've never sailed on the Dream.

 

I continue to wonder how anyone could have predicted a tow rope/chain breaking and what could have been done by the captain or whoever was at the helm of the Dream to keep from hitting a drifting barge. I realize none of us knows how much distance there was between the Dream and the barge, but I still wonder if anything could have prevented the accident.

 

Those are questions asked by someone who's curious only as I have no background that would give me any answers.

[ILoveScotland]

Amlee, I'm enjoying your pictures, especially those of Scotland which I do love as my screen name indicates.

[Amlee]

I remain fascinated with this thread even though I've never sailed on the Dream.

 

I continue to wonder how anyone could have predicted a tow rope/chain breaking and what could have been done by the captain or whoever was at the helm of the Dream to keep from hitting a drifting barge. I realize none of us knows how much distance there was between the Dream and the barge, but I still wonder if anything could have prevented the accident.

 

Those are questions asked by someone who's curious only as I have no background that would give me any answers.

 

It's just one of those wild freak things that happen. Until all the reports come out, I don't think any of us will know just what happened in those minutes.

It could have been a split second thing that happened seconds before the Dream got to the barge. Or it could have been something where the crew of the ship wasn't doing their job. At this point we just don't know.

 

Amlee, I'm enjoying your pictures, especially those of Scotland which I do love as my screen name indicates.

 

Glad your enjoying them, that is the soul purpose of them being out like that. Scotland has to be my favorite place in the world. If I could I would move there in a heart beat.

[LHT28]

 

Anyhow, it's incomprehensible to me that a cruise ship, no matter who was commanding, could run into a barge as shown in the frame by frame pictures in broad day light. Don't these people practice "defensive driving" like we all learned when we were teenagers?

 

Howard

It is like this... if a car went across in front of you on an icy road .....how fast could you stop??????

 

Even if they killed the engine threw it in reverse the forward momentum on a 50,700 ton ship would go a long way.

If you notice in the 1st photo there is a bouy there ...usually indicating shallow water or a hazard on the other side of it.

I know with our small sailboat we can put the thing in neutral and still go another 100-150 ft before we stop and it is 4.5 tons

[Amlee]

It is like this... if a car went across in front of you on an icy road .....how fast could you stop??????

 

Even if they killed the engine threw it in reverse the forward momentum on a 50,700 ton ship would go a long way.

If you notice in the 1st photo there is a bouy there ...usually indicating shallow water or a hazard on the other side of it.

I know with our small sailboat we can put the thing in neutral and still go another 100-150 ft before we stop and it is 4.5 tons

 

Exactly! Even with my parents 23ft deck boat when it's stopped or tossed in neutral it will drift a good ways. Stopping or turning a boat is a lot different than stopping or turning a land based vehicle.

[FBFLORIDA]

It is just this simple, If you hit a car from behind, who's fault is it?

[ray98]

Exactly! Even with my parents 23ft deck boat when it's stopped or tossed in neutral it will drift a good ways. Stopping or turning a boat is a lot different than stopping or turning a land based vehicle.

 

People get into that thought process from dealing with cars where everything happens fast in a very short distance. They get confused because the slower speeds and longer distances make them "think" it is easily avoided. In all reality when dealing with trains and boats by the time you see something it may be too late.

[Retired not Expired]

It is just this simple, If you hit a car from behind, who's fault is it?

 

 

There have been cases where the car that was hit from behind was deemed totally and sometimes partially at fault due to actions or inactions they did. Even a car accident will undergo an investigation. No officer would immediately arrive on the scene and place blame.

 

Besides, rules of the road and rules of the sea are two different things. If we had to follow what those who control ships do, very few of us would ever get a license and there would be much fewer accidents on the highways.

[Amlee]

It is just this simple, If you hit a car from behind, who's fault is it?

 

I look at it more like this. If I am pulling my camper and it isn't properly secured and comes lose while I'm going down the interstate. Then someone behind me runs into it. Then it's my fault for not making sure that it's hooked up right. Just like if your hauling something and it comes out of the back of your truck and someone hits it. Then it's your fault.

[Retired not Expired]

There have been cases where the car that was hit from behind was deemed totally and sometimes partially at fault due to actions or inactions they did. Even a car accident will undergo an investigation. No officer would immediately arrive on the scene and place blame.

 

Besides, rules of the road and rules of the sea are two different things. If we had to follow what those who control ships do, very few of us would ever get a license and there would be much fewer accidents on the highways.

 

To go a little further with this. A number of years ago, I was driving a school bus loading with children. A driver high on drugs decided to commit suicide. He thought getting hit by the bus would be a good option. I was doing 50 MPH on a highway. Twice I had to take action to keep from hitting him. Both times I would have hit him from the rear. Would I had been at fault for his deliberate actions? Luckily, I missed him and no kids got hurt. I was able to radio in and he was caught and confessed what he was trying to do.

[smeyer418]

It is just this simple, If you hit a car from behind, who's fault is it?

 

was the car backing up? was it in the middle of the road unlit(a violation by the way) on an unlit road at 4 am? You shouldn't generalize. Each accident is different. In the end a trier of fact will decide who was wrong or the NTSB...or some equivalent.

[Globaliser]

It is just this simple, If you hit a car from behind, who's fault is it?

Clearly, you should stick to driving cars and stay well away from ships, about which you know nothing.

[smeyer418]

Clearly, you should stick to driving cars and stay well away from ships, about which you know nothing.

 

 

Good morning or is it afternoon there already....

 

My nomination for such an "award" goes to warburg on this thread.

but both comments are probably unnecessary