OK, I know cruises are not supposed to go like this, but.....really?

[kevhed72]

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/kendall...101122269.html

""This is my first and last cruise. So if anyone wants my free cruise, look me up," said Kendall Jenkins, 24, of Houston, referring to compensation offered by Carnival Cruise Line. Bounding off the ship clad in bathrobes, she and her friend Brittany Ferguson immediately kissed the pavement at the Port of Mobile in Alabama."

We get it....but there are people in other countries living in shacks with no running water, toilets, electricity, and HVAC their whole lives....not to mention the violence some of these people endure (many African countries, for example). Get over it and be glad your alive, Kendall and Brittany....

[zingo]

Never been on a cruise and never well between this story, and all the Noro virus stories. It's laughable that your refund for a cruise from hell, is another cruise.

[polrbehr]

Never been on a cruise and never well between this story, and all the Noro virus stories. It's laughable that your refund for a cruise from hell, is another cruise.

LOL , +1 !

If I heard right, the people on that cruise are getting full refunds, a free ticket good for another cruise, and $500 in cash?

An FYI to the CEOs of other major cruise lines (Royal Carib, Norwegian, Princess, etc.) - use this as a PR coup, and honor those free tix to try a cruise on one of YOUR ships! I'd love to see that...

[Erik Tracy]

I'd never book a cruise on a huge cattle car cruise liner.

Me and the wife have done much smaller ship cruises from Expedition Lines - the Inside Passage of Alaska was amazing!

The captain was able to maneuver the bow of the boat under a waterfall in the fjord region - and invited anyone who wanted to get drenched in the glacier cold run off.

The 'crew' is manned with naturalists, geologists, and other local experts so you get to hear more about the area as you cruise or land for off-ship adventures.

If you ever wanted to take a cruise - this is the way to do it.

[rpf65]

Was in the Navy 25 years, and things were always breaking. When we were underway, 12 hour days was normal. A ship is one big machine, with a lot of little machines to make it a little more interesting. I wasn't there, and don't know the full story, but dead in the water is a catastrophic failure. You loose engine power, nothing will work.

From what I've heard, the crew was professional, and as helpful as circumstances allowed. Everybody arrived to port safely, a little ragged and frustrated to be sure, but non the less safe. Seems to me that was a pretty good accomplishment in itself.

I'm not taking sides here, but I think it is a testamont to Carnival of the professionalism that there crews have. I mean lets face it, everybody here has had something break,we all know it will happen. All we ask is that manufacturers stand behind their products, and honor their warrenties. I think in this instance, refunding the cruise cost, giving them another one at a later date, and $500 in compensation is pretty fair.

I've always been a person to give anybody a second chance to correct a mistake. We all make them. Just my personal opinion on the subject.

[Kenneth Swauger]

All good points, rpf65, well-said!

[tonyb]

Agreed ^^^.

Been on alot of cruises, some better than others but all have been pleasurable. Machines break down guys, and when considering it's a boat out in the ocean, not much is going to happen quickly. Since no lives were in immediate danger, towing it in is about the best you can hope for.

[Msabot1]

Rpf...you are so right there... As for doing your bodily functions ...there is always over the rail...no fuss no muss!

[tonyb]

Rpf...you are so right there... As for doing your bodily functions ...there is always over the rail...no fuss no muss!

I can picture that.....guys on one side of the ship, girls on the other.....on the count of three.....

[mrbigbluelight]

5 days and the passengers made out like it was an ordeal to rival that of Hannibal crossing the Alps.

[Kenneth Swauger]

This is where "scuttlebutt" came from, rumors you'd hear while "at the scuttle".

[zingo]

I think the only cruises I would try would be the river cruises that cross Europe, or up the Mississippi. Small boats, lots of fun stops, and never far from help if something goes wrong...

[specd_out]

People being upset is understandable. Any more than that is just uncalled for. Stuff happens. If you consider how many sailings there are vs how many issues similar to this happen. Then you consider that these ships almost never stop running. They are doing a good job on the up keep.

[Msabot1]

Heck....thought all those ships were unisex!! Ken...Scuttlebutt....only one who has been there would know what that slang means!! Cool!

[George Grand]

The scuttle doesn't sound like a desirable place to hang around. It starts out the same as scuzzy, scummy, & scurvy, and never quite redeems itself. Not to me at least.

[Lasareath]

I've been on 3 so far. Had so much fun on each. Can't wait to go on the next one!

[oldmodman]

I think the only cruises I would try would be the river cruises that cross Europe, or up the Mississippi. Small boats, lots of fun stops, and never far from help if something goes wrong...

Attachment 81490

I have taken a "riverboat" actually a canal boat down from the English midland to the mouth of the Thames.
And another much longer river trip on the Danube. That was the most spectacular one so far. It seemed like at every turn of the river there was an even more incredible Castle to look at. Incredibly relaxing. And every stateroom was outside. expensive though, at least compared to one of the cattle car ocean cruises.

[treitz3]

The passengers should be aware that if they were in a plane when all power went down, they wouldn't be here to complain.

Tom

[ken brydson]

The passengers should be aware that if they were in a plane when all power went down, they wouldn't be here to complain.

Tom

Perfect!

[littlewoodboats]

Was in the Navy 25 years, and things were always breaking. When we were underway, 12 hour days was normal.

I did not do 25 years but I have stood enough six and six engineering watches to hold me for a lifetime. One WestPac cruise in the early eighties found us fighting a ship board fire aboard and Aircraft Carrier.

I am with you rpf65. The failure was catastrophic to be certain but the crew remembered their DC training and put the fire out.

That said it would seem their engineering spaces layouts could use a bit of a review.

[Serendipity]

IMO, modern "cruise ships" are less reliable than the "ocean liners" of yesteryear. There's a reason why they cost less to build compared to a modern ocean liner, such as the Cunard Line's Queen Mary II. It's like comparing a RV for weekend use to a Greyhound bus made to last 1 million miles. How many cruise ships do you see running after 30-40 years vs. an ocean liner which can easily go the distance? There are more redundant systems in ocean liners - better construction, more expensive materials, all of which adds up. Redundancy is key when you are at sea and need close to 100% reliability of critical systems. Having diesel-electric vessels which have electric thrusters and all mission-critical systems powered off the same generators is just a failure waiting to happen. Having electrical, light mechanical, fresh water, sewage, data/control, HVAC, audio/video, and emergency systems all dependent on the same engines is why modern cruise ships may be less reliable than the ocean liners of years past. I read that only one elevator was working on board the Triumph, and that was running off backup power. I guess people want more deck space / better view / larger buffets / bigger swimming pools and that's the reason cruise ships are built this way. From an engineering perspective, this makes NO sense...

[treitz3]

Either did the Titanic.

Tom

[rpf65]

I did not do 25 years but I have stood enough six and six engineering watches to hold me for a lifetime. One WestPac cruise in the early eighties found us fighting a ship board fire aboard and Aircraft Carrier.

I am with you rpf65. The failure was catastrophic to be certain but the crew remembered their DC training and put the fire out.

That said it would seem their engineering spaces layouts could use a bit of a review.

My most memorable fire was loading special weapons at Seal Beach. Aft capstan motor decided to burn itself up. Lot of people got pretty worried, especially with that terrier hanging amidships.

[obieone]

I don't know the details, but, if they could transmit, then they had to have SOME power. I'm sure it was unpleasant, but I suspect that the media is making this out to be way worse than it is. I actually heard some nitwit from CNN try to compare it to Katrina.

[littlewoodboats]

My most memorable fire was loading special weapons at Seal Beach. Aft capstan motor decided to burn itself up. Lot of people got pretty worried, especially with that terrier hanging amidships.

We had a Cargo Drop Reel fail and dropped a missile case onto the deck. Life went into slow motion. I never remembered pulling the handle on the hose nozzle but there was water hitting the case by the time it landed. Everyone did their jobs but things were tense to say the least. Everyone has heard the term "clenched so tight you could not get BB up his butt with a jackhammer". I know what that condition feels like first hand.

The case was empty.

[littlewoodboats]

Looks like the lawsuits have already started.

[BlueFox]

And this is a surprise?

[George Grand]

Perfect!

With Sully driving they would.

[Msabot1]

Another perfect!!

[obieone]

The news blip I heard stated that the cause of the fire was a leaking oil line, which would indicate a Class Bravo fire. Whether it was lube oil, fuel oil, or hydraulic oil, I don't know.
I wonder if the passngers or media realize how lucky they are. That situation could have gotten to 'Lifeboat' real fast!