OK...Here's the Rotterdam Sep 14 London to NY UPDATE on what happened

[zackiedawg]

Hi. I am new to this forum, and found it while searching for information about what was happening to the Rotterdam during this cruise which my parents are aboard.

 

Quick info and introduction to me: I am 35, have cruised 18 times to date, on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Dolphin, and Costa. I will be going on my first Celebrity ship this November. My mother has been a cruiser for quite a while, and is currently on her 81st cruise on the Rotterdam, which she boarded in Athens on August 30 and stayed on board at London for the cruise to NY.

 

NOW FOR THE UPDATE ON THE ROTTERDAM!

 

First off - the ship DID lose power while encountering rough seas from the remnants of Hurricane Karl. While traversing 30-40 foot seas in the North Atlantic, the engines lost power and the ship lost ability to steer bow into the waves for 3 - 3 1/2 hours. During this time, the ship was rolling randomly side-to-side and front-to-back, causing some of the glass doors between lounges to break, casino slot machines to fall over, and some of the vertical iron ceiling beams to break loose and fall in several lounges. Passengers were all required to stay in whatever room or lounge they were already in at the time the power was lost, as they didn't want passengers walking the staircases with such severe rolling. Passengers were at first told to sit on the floors as chairs and other furniture would roll over when people sat in them, but several people were unable to hold on and were sliding across the floors...so they worked on relocating everyone to couches and fixed furniture or poles to hold on.

 

Several passengers had told my mother that several cabin windows or sliding doors were broken as waves lashed the ship from the side, however she was unable to verify those claims.

 

After several hours, the ship was able to restore power to at least one propeller, and proceeded to sail through the remainder of the seas to Nova Scotia, which is where my mother finally had the chance to call me and tell me what had happened.

 

She said most of the crew were waiting in line at the phones to call back to the Phillipines and eastern Europe to tell their families about what happened. She was generally calm during much of the initial rolling as she had been on lots of ships and lots of rough seas, but said she got fairly scared when she saw several ships' crew and officers, many with years of sailing experience, looking frightened and wearing their life jackets. Once the one propeller was running and the ship was able to control its direction in the seas, the roll stabilized to a more normal front-to-back hobby-horse mode, and many passengers calmed down. Apparently some were still severely traumatized, and the infirmary dispensed lots of seasickness medicine and sleeping pills!

 

Hope that helps answer any of the questions or confirm or quell any rumours floating around about what happened. I can get the more complete story once they hit New York on the 30th and fly back home. There is some question as to whether or not the Rotterdam can be fixed and cleaned up in time for the next cruise...I'm sure repairs and orders for parts are already underway as they finalize the east coast leg down to NY.

 

Questions or observations welcome!

 

Justin

[Orcrone]

Justin,

 

Thanks for the update. I'm sure that must have been scary. I hope no one was seriously injured with everything flying around.

[localady]

Thanks for giving us an update. I do hope that everything is getting back to normal and no one was seriously hurt. I too would be rather frightened once I saw the Sr. staff and officers donning life vests:eek: Hope there was no permanent damage to the Rotterdam, her passengers or her works of art!!! Hope the Xian warrior is still standing:cool:

[gizmo]

Thank you for taking the time to post this information. That was some ordeal they all went through. Hope everyone is ok.

[zackiedawg]

No problem...I had been reading whatever I could find on it since all I got from my mother over the weekend was a 2-line e-mail saying they had a story to tell (she ran out of online minutes and didn't want to buy more). So that of course made me curious and I had to dig around to find any message boards or info!

 

She sounded fairly calm in Nova Scotia when she called this morning...and apparently the ship is still good enough to complete the cruise to New York. I wouldn't imagine any structural damage or they wouldn't likely finish the cruise...so probably cosmetic damage and decor. My mother mentioned most passengers were on the phones (payphones and cellphones) all around the dock area, so it sounds like msot people were over the severe trauma and fear and just wanted someone to tell the story to to get it off their chests. From the sound of it, most of the infirmary visits were for seasickness...with a few bumps and bruises thrown in for those who fell or slid during the worst of it. I do hope there were no serious injuries.

 

Next time I talk to her, I'll ask about the warrior!

[LizB1]

Thanks so much, Justin, for taking the time to post this information for us. It is basically what had been relayed to me by someone in contact with the HM on the ship by e-mail.

 

I hope and pray everyone is okay and that MY Rotterdam will still be a great ship after they make the repairs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for reporting.

Many of us have been waiting to get news of the Rotterdam's problems.

[zackiedawg]

You're welcome. Glad I was able to provide some info. I was in the same situation when I first heard word and was really looking for more info!

[sail7seas]

Thank you for sharing the info with us. We have all been interested and have been hoping there were no serious injuries and only 'fixable' damage to the gorgeous Rotterdam. Very glad to hear your mother is unhurt.

 

 

........You commented this was your mother's 81st cruise on Rotterdam. Did you actually mean she has sailed on Rotterdam VI 81 times? Or that this was her 81st cruise?

 

Thank you again.

[RuthC]

I, too, want to thank you for the information.

I've been on the Rotterdam through very rough seas and know she can ride well, but without power would have been terrible. I can just imagine how the passengers felt to see the officers nervous.

Glad all is well now. Let's hope the Rotterdam can sail her scheduled cruises with minimal disruption.

[DFD1]

Thanks, Justin. The idea that the Rotterdam lost power and was unable to keep her bow into the waves is a really serious matter. I shudder to think what might have happened if they hand not been able to regain control and the storm had continued or gotten worse.

 

We appreciate your sharing your information with us. Please continue to keep us posted.

[ekerr19]

Justin-

 

Thank you so much for reporting this... I tried to find info this weekend and was unable to do so - hope everyone is ok.

[zackiedawg]

........You commented this was your mother's 81st cruise on Rotterdam. Did you actually mean she has sailed on Rotterdam VI 81 times? Or that this was her 81st cruise?

 

Thank you again.

Sorry for the unclear sentence! I should have used a comma there...she is on her 81st cruise overall, of which this is her 3rd or 4th time on the Rotterdam VI (I can't remember). I believe this will be her 14th HAL cruise.

 

She's been on Carnival, Celebrity (as well as Chandris), Costa, Crystal, Dolphin, Home (the Homeric which later became the Westerdam...she cruised it as both), Holland America, NCL, Premier, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Her first cruise was in the early '70s on the Costa Flavia...she's been addicted ever since!

[Roboat]

Wow, what an ordeal! Thanks for filling us in, and I'm glad your folks are OK. I guess I would have thought long and hard about getting back aboard!

 

And, btw, thank you Oleprof for originally bringing this event to our attention.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=83398&highlight=oleprof

I apologize for the treatment you received, and hope that you will continue to contribute to the board.

[longtimecruiser]

I, too want to thank you for posting about what really happened on the Rotterdam. I have also been on the Rotterdam in very rough seas and thought the ship handled extremely well. This cruise was even worse as we never lost power or had beams falling down. How frightening!!!!!! So glad to hear that your Mother and others are okay. Hope there was not too much damage to "my favorite dam ship" and that it can continue her planned cruises. Keep us posted on any other developments.

[Lovebirds]

My mother mentioned most passengers were on the phones (payphones and cellphones) all around the dock area, so it sounds like msot people were over the severe trauma and fear and just wanted someone to tell the story to to get it off their chests.

Some probably wanted to tell their story... to a good personal injury lawyer! Can you smell a bunch of lawsuits in the making?

[starysacz]

Thank you very much Justin for the updated report. Glad that your mother and others are basically o.k. It is our favorite ship - four cruises on it.

[DFD1]

I agree with Roboat. Thank you Oleprof for first alerting us to this situation. Sometimes I am sad at the way some here seem to treat others with whom they might not agree or with whom they have doubts. I wish it weren't that way.

[Robin7]

:eek:

Apparently some were still severely traumatized, and the infirmary dispensed lots of seasickness medicine and sleeping pills!

Holy Rolling Decks, Batman! They would have had to sedate me. I'm a HUGE chicken. I hope the rest of your mother's trip is 'smooth sailing.'

 

Robin

[CanSail]

Thank you Justin for your posting of the Rotterdam cruise.

I am so glad to hear your mother is fine.

[Cruiseoften]

Some probably wanted to tell their story... to a good personal injury lawyer! Can you smell a bunch of lawsuits in the making?

 

 

:( a good or otherwise lawyer - who could anybody sue? :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Some probably wanted to tell their story... to a good personal injury lawyer! Can you smell a bunch of lawsuits in the making?

Sue who? Why? Because there was a fierce storm at sea and despite the most severe conditions the Captain and crew of Rotterdam kept the ship and passengers safe? That it appears there were a few minor injuries. That the ship, most hopefully, will be safely docking tomorrow????

 

Sue HAL for What? For having the most competent, able, well-trained, well-educated, very experienced Captains and Senior Officers?

 

What am I missing here?

[Lovebirds]

Some probably wanted to tell their story... to a good personal injury lawyer! Can you smell a bunch of lawsuits in the making?

 

 

 

 

Sue who? Why? Because there was a fierce storm at sea and despite the most severe conditions the Captain and crew of Rotterdam kept the ship and passengers safe? That it appears there were a few minor injuries. That the ship, most hopefully, will be safely docking tomorrow????

 

Sue HAL for What? For having the most competent, able, well-trained, well-educated, very experienced Captains and Senior Officers?

 

What am I missing here?

I did NOT say that there were grounds for suits. But, you must surely realise that people sue for anything. If the facts are as stated on some of the threads, I believe there will be many lawsuits filed.

Did the ship lose power as a result of maintenance procedures as reported? If so, that was not an unforseeable event over which the captain and crew had no control. Any injuries, no matter how minor are the stuff that lawsuits are made of. Even the trauma of being in a fearful situation will bring lawsuits. Don't try to tell me that passengers were not in fear for their lives when they saw the captain and crew in life vests.

 

I, for one, would NOT file a lawsuit if I came through the ordeal without injury. But ours is a litigious society. Anyone can and will sue for any reason.

 

That, dear S7S, is what you are missing!

[Roboat]

Some probably wanted to tell their story... to a good personal injury lawyer! Can you smell a bunch of lawsuits in the making?

 

 

 

 

Sue who? Why? Because there was a fierce storm at sea and despite the most severe conditions the Captain and crew of Rotterdam kept the ship and passengers safe? That it appears there were a few minor injuries. That the ship, most hopefully, will be safely docking tomorrow????

 

Sue HAL for What? For having the most competent, able, well-trained, well-educated, very experienced Captains and Senior Officers?

 

What am I missing here?

Well, I'm kinda curious as to the cause of the engine failure, which left the ship out of control in heavy seas and put the ship and passengers in grave danger. There are many reasons why the ship could have lost power, but not many that don't involve significant human error.

 

Edit: Jerry and Wilda (lovebirds) - We posted at about the same time with similar concerns.

 

Obviously we don't know the facts and probably never will. But this surely will undergo serious investigation. From the description, it appears that the ship - or any ship - could not have withstood that kind of pounding for an indefinite period. Thanks God they were able to restore power after three and half hours. Hats off to the diesel mechanics, who were probably pretty banged up themselves. I will say that they likely saved some lives.

 

No, S7S, no one will sue "because there was a fierce storm at sea." But rest assured they will sue if not provided some answers quickly, because odds are that someone was grossly negligent, possibly even one or more of the "most competent, able, well-trained, well-educated, very experienced Captains and Senior Officers" you mention.

[LizB1]

First of all I doubt very much that anyone saw the Captain in a life jacket!! He would have been on the bridge all the time in a situation like this. Also, I doubt very much there were senior officers with life jackets on...many don't even know what the stripes mean so how do they know they were sr. officers!? Let's not jump to conclusions!