Norwegian Sky on IRMA Rescue Mission

Norwegian Sky

Deploying to  

St. Thomas USVI

This base image, courtesy NOAA, shows Hurricane IRMA approaching the U.S. Virgin Islands.  As one of the most popular Caribbean cruise destinations, the devastation is truly saddening.  Our thoughts and prayers go to all impacted by the hurricane, in the USVI, and all along its path.   This update from Norwegian Cruise Line makes me proud to be part of the cruise industry.

We have been updating the ever changing Cruise Ship Impact throughout this storm.   The latest update from Norwegian Cruise Line deserves special mention.

CLICK FOR COMPLETE LIST OF CRUISE CHANGES

Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert (click for latest)


September 9th at 12:30 PM (4:30 PM UTC)

Norwegian Cruise Line is continuing to closely watch the forecasted path of major Hurricane Irma and respond as necessary to ensure the safety of our guests and crew. We have cancelled this week’s scheduled sailings aboard our two ships that depart from Miami, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Escape and both ships are currently navigating a safe course around the path of Hurricane Irma

Norwegian Escape is sailing at full capacity with approximately 4,000 displaced guests from both ships that were unable to secure flights back home. The ship is currently alongside in Cozumel, Mexico and will remain there until 7 a.m. Sunday, September 10. Guests who have secured flights home may disembark the ship in Mexico if they wish.

Due to the devastation in the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Irma, all of Norwegian Escape’s upcoming Eastern Caribbean sailings will be altered to a Western Caribbean itinerary until November. All guests scheduled to sail on any affected cruises will be notified of the change.

Acting as a responsible corporate citizen and supporting the destinations that our ships operate in is a core value of Norwegian Cruise Line. In the wake of this devastating storm, we will be deploying Norwegian Sky from her current position off the coast of Cancun to St. Thomas, USVI to retrieve approximately 2,000 travelers who were unable to evacuate the island prior to the storm.

The ship is departing immediately and will arrive in St. Thomas in the late evening hours on Monday, September 11. Norwegian Cruise Line is working closely with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and the Governor of St. Thomas to execute this rescue mission. When all designated vacation guests have boarded the ship, Norwegian Sky will sail back to her homeport of Miami and is expected to arrive on Thursday, September 14.

Retracing Titanic Cruise

Titanic Memorial Cruise
Southampton
April 08, 2012

The MS Balmoral set sail Sunday from Southampton, England, loaded with 1,039 passengers, the same as the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Relatives of those who lost their lives, relatives of survivors, historians and journalists were among the passengers on this memorial cruise. Miles Morgan Travel offered two cruises, Anniversary Cruise from New York, and this one, Memorial Cruise from Southampton.

The two cruises were marketed with the slogan "Be part of a once in a life time historical event". The Memorial Cruise planned to sail past France and stop in Cobh, Ireland, before continuing it's Atlantic crossing. The captain planned to reach the Titanic's wreck site in the North Atlantic for a memorial ceremony to mark the moment the liner struck an iceberg on April 14, 100 years ago, where a memorial event will take place.

Doomed by Bad Luck?

The Memorial Cruise has had two delays thus far, and there is a feeling that it might be doomed by bad luck.  The first delay was caused by gales and 30ft waves just hours into its voyage as it crossed the Irish Sea after leaving Southampton on Sunday. After stopping in Cobh, Ireland, the MS Balmoral was heading out into the Atlantic when it had to change course back towards Ireland after BBC cameraman Timothy Rex fell 'seriously ill'. He was experiencing chest pains and it was thought he might have suffered a heart attack. Mr Rex, 56, was airlifted by coastguard to hospital when the ship reached the helicopter's range – 130 miles from land.

Passengers in Period Costumes     Courtesy AP

Reliving History

The Titanic hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912 and sank the following morning, claiming the lives of 1,517 passengers and crew.

During this historic voyage, passengers will gather for a memorial ceremony at 11.40 PM, the time the ship hit the iceberg, and again at 2.20 AM the following morning to mark the moment it sank. After visiting the wreck site, it will go to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where some of the Titanic's victims are buried, and then on to New York, the intended destination of RMS Titanic.

The Balmoral is operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, whose parent company, Harland and Wolff, built the Titanic in Belfast.

Course Deviation With Good Outcome

Seabourn Odyssey

Rescues 3 Fishermen

In the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster, there has been much press coverage about the course deviation which the captain made as he approached the island of Giglio.   

Course deviations occur all the time, for various reasons:   

Most often course deviations occur because of sea and weather conditions, in order to provide a safe and comfortable cruise experience for the passengers and crew.  Rarely, a more radical deviation might occur to avoid a port in the wake of a disaster, political unrest, or increase in crime.  Equally rare are deviations in response to a distress call.  Under maritime law, the captain of a vessel is required to provide assistance under those circumstances.

Rescue boat from Odyssey approaches fishing boat

Somewhere in the Pacific

On Sunday, February 19th, Seabourn Odyssey was sailing the Pacific Ocean some 150 miles southwest of Pago Pago, America Samoa during it's World Cruise journey.  Unbeknownst to the Captain and crew at that time, three men had set out to sea in a small fishing boat from Apia in Western Samoa three weeks earlier, with the goal of bringing back a chest full of fresh seafood.  Unfortunately, they ran out of fuel and drifted further and further away, surviving on their catch of fish and rain water.

Feared Lost at Sea

Families of the three fishermen had been preparing funeral services as earlier rescue efforts, led by the New Zealand Air Force and the United States Coast Guard, had been called off.  The men had no distress flares or means of radio communication, so they were literally on their own in the middle of the largest body of water on earth.

Captain Dexter Changes Course

The portside bridge watch alerted Captain Mark Dexter to something in the distance which appeared to be a boat.  Not finding any missing vessel reports, the captain still wondered why this boat would be so far from land. He deviated from his course to investigate further and spotted a small boat adrift some miles away from the ship. As they drew closer, they saw three men jumping and frantically waving their clothing, clearly trying to catch the attention of Seabourn Odyssey.


The Rescue

The ship deployed one of its rescue boats and, after determining that they were no threat, rescued the three fishermen who had been lost at sea for nearly three weeks!  The men were transferred from the rescue craft to the ship and immediately examined by the ship's doctor.  They were in surprisingly good health considering the amount of time they were exposed to the elements in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.   Upon examination, it was found that the men were dehydrated, hungry, and had a few skin sores from the sun.

Returning Home - Good Outcome

After getting examined, changing into fresh clothes, and eating, the fishermen told of their ordeal and provided contact information for their employer. When he was notified, he bust out into joyful tears.  The families changed their funeral plans to welcome home plans.

The Odyssey notified the U.S. Coast Guard who assisted in returning the men home when the ship docked in Pago Pago Monday morning.

The captain had kept the passengers informed throughout the rescue exercise.   The passengers were so moved by the whole experience that they collected funds to give to the fishermen.  When the men disembarked the ship, they each had $800 donated by the guests to help them purchase a new fishing boat.

Bravo Captain Dexter & Crew !! 

Thanks to the watchful eyes of Seabourn Odyssey’s bridge watch, and the curiosity of Captain Dexter, the three fishermen were saved and will live to tell their terrifying tale. This course deviation had a happy ending.

From Seabourn's account of the event:

 

This is the second rescue involving a Seabourn ship in less than a year. 

It is another example of the amazing skills of our seagoing staff and the timeless code of seamen to look out for each other, which does not change from generation to generation. As the Coast Guard captain put it: “the PV Seabourn Odyssey and its crew deserve a Bravo Zulu for securing these fishermen’s lives!”

Photos: Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line Ltd.

Source: Seabourn Odyssey Rescues Three Men Adrift in the World’s Largest Ocean

Underwater Footage - Images Costa Concordia

Images Tell the Story

You've heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words.   Today, we decided to let some pictures tell the story that is still unfolding in the frigid Mediterranean waters off the coast of Giglio, Italy.

To be honest, we've never even heard of the village of Giglio before the Costa Concordia accident.  Although we've been to the Mediterranean, that wasn't on our tinerary, nor was it for the passengers of the Concordia.  

When the story of 2012 is told in pictures,  these images will undoubtedly be among those.  We'll let them tell their story...


First pictures inside Costa Concordia following the tragic accident .  Several areas of the ship are shown, including before and after pictures of the restaurant, as crews start to explore the ship for survivors and victims.




Here is amazing footage from the search and rescue operations being carried out by the Italian Navy. It is in Italian, but you don't need a translation to understand the effort involved here. We salute the brave crews who are still working to account for all the passengers and crew of the Costa Concordia.

More Photo Galleries

Costa Concordia rescue effort - in pictures

Incredible rescue efforts 

Extraordinary Images and Efforts at Concordia Site

Rescue Divers inside Costa Concordia         Credit Sky News

Spill Guards in Place Giglio, Italy                  Credit Sky News

Haunting Images from Site of Costa Concordia Catastrophe

We continue our coverage of this extraordinary event by bringing you a selection of images that are equally extraordinary.  

Click for DigitalGlobe Image from Space

Click for Sky News Gallery 

USA TODAY Image Gallery

On Friday, 13 January 2012,  over 4,000 passengers and crew set sail from Civitavechia, Italy, on a Mediterranean voyage which would take their ship past the small village of Giglio.  The captain of their vessel decided to salute the town and some of its inhabitants, that had a tie to the cruise line, and sail close by to shore.   There was a rocky coast line, but since they were marked on his charts, he felt that they could safely be avoided.

He wasn't the first captain to do a sail-by like this, but unfortunately, human error or perhaps equipment failure turned a seemingly innocent maneuver into a tragic event. 

MAIN BLOG POST (Updated several times since the accident)

Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Fighting Against Time and the Elements

Since late Friday night, a monumental rescue and recovery effort has been underway just offshore Giglio. Fortunately, the majority of the passengers and crew were safely evacuated, however as of this writing, 6 people have perished and 29 are unaccounted for.   As the hours progress, the chances of finding them alive diminishes. 

For the first day or so, the weather cooperated with the rescue workers and they were able to work non-stop, even in darkness.  Monday, that all changed as the seas picked up and a light drizzle fell.  All work had to stop when the ship shifted slightly.   The rescue efforts have resumed again, but now there is another concern.   A liquid leaked from the ship causing alarm that this could also turn into an environmental disaster.   Barriers are in place to contain any spill that may occur.

There remains 500,000 gallons of fuel onboard the vessel in 17 tanks according to Costa Cruises.  The mayor of Giglio and environmentalists anxiously await the removal of the fuel.   A salvage company has been employed by Costa Cruises to begin the fuel recovery once rescue efforts have been completed.  If the fuel were to be removed during the rescue efforts, the ship could slip again, increasing the danger of the operation.

Many Unanswered Questions

Why was the ship so close to shore?   Was it human error or faulty maps or equipment?   Why was the evacuation delayed?  Why did the captain leave the ship while evacuation was ongoing?  Was the crew adequately trained?  Were procedures ignored or do they need to be improved?

The "black boxes" have revealed some interesting facts already, making many wonder why the captain took various actions he did on that fateful night.   The investigation will provide answers.  Undoubtedly those in the wrong will be held accountable.  The industry will learn from these events and take corrective action, just as it did almost 100 years ago when the Titanic hit a very similarly shaped submerged object.

Please keep everyone impacted by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.  While the ship will ultimately be repaired, some lives will never be the same.   Our hope is that out of tragedy good will emerge.

Celebrity Eclipse to the Rescue

Celebrity Eclipse Delivered

MEYER WERFT delivered the new passenger cruise vessel Celebrity Eclipse to Celebrity Cruises on April 15th in the Dutch port of Eemshaven. The Celebrity Eclipse is the third ship out of a series of five cruise ships the shipyard is building for Celebrity Cruises.   This Solstice-Class ship weighs in at 122,000 gross tons and has a capacity of 2,852 passengers.

This event was overshadowed by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland.   Celebrity Eclipse was delivered just in time to be put to use in an unplanned rescue voyage.  The first leg of her launch celebrations, scheduled to begin on April 22, was cancelled in order to assist stranded U.K. travelers returning from their Easter break. 

As I write this column, Celebrity Eclipse is sailing from Southampton, where she arrived on Tuesday, April 20, 2010, to Bilbao, Spain, where she is scheduled to arrive in the early hours of  Thursday, April 22. Stranded travelers will join the ship throughout Thursday morning. The ship will return to Southampton, arriving late Friday evening. This sailing replaces the activities planned during the two-night, round-trip launch celebration cruise from Southampton.

On her new operation, Celebrity Eclipse will collect the delayed vacationers - some delayed by up to seven days - who were on package holidays with major U.K. tour operators. Over 2,000 travelers are currently expected to join Celebrity Eclipse in Bilbao.  Read More

We applaud Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for once again quickly reacting to natural disasters and putting the full resources of the line to good use. 

As Earth Day approaches, it is significant to note that Celebrity Eclipse is an extremely eco-friendly ship. A total energy saving of about 30% compared to similar ships is achieved by highly energy-efficient components such as a photovoltaic system, optimized hull design (hydrodynamics), a very efficient underwater coating, and an energy-saving lighting system using LEDs.

For more information about Celebrity Eclipse and itineraries,  click here

April Fools' Prank - No Laughing Matter

April Fools' Day

Traditionally April first is a day marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible.

It is now after 12 noon local time as I write this post. If you haven't been fooled by now, perhaps you are safe. At least you should be in many countries around the world. If someone plays a trick after noon they are called an "April Fool".

If you've been reading the news lately, you've no doubt heard about the Conficker worm that some reports say was scheduled to strike on April 1. Information Technology departments around the world have been scrambling to make sure that all PCs are adequately protected to defend against any attack by this worm. If you think about it, simply the fear of the problem and the amount of work being expended to check computer systems could be the desired effect. Let's hope so anyway. Either way, a computer virus (real or imagined) is no laughing matter.

I mention this only as a lead up to an April Fools' prank that I experienced while on a Carnival Cruise many years ago. Shortly after 5 AM on April 1st we were awoken by an announcement from the bridge. Actually, that coincided with being awoken by the noise created when the ship threw on its thrusters and made a sudden turn.

It seems that someone reported a "man overboard" and the captain had immediately put the ship into rescue mode. The ship "turned on a dime" and went back to the spot where this was to have occurred. The captain also ordered a door by door search of the entire ship to account for all the passengers and crew. There was a knock at the door and a crew member asked that all passengers in the cabin come to the door so he could "count heads". No sooner had we gotten back to sleep, and there was another door knock. My husband stayed in bed, but the crew member insisted that he get up so that they could double check the count.The local navy also joined in the search and rescue mission.

After about an hour, presumably after getting the confirmed passenger and ship count, the rescue mission was called off and the ship changed course back to our original heading. We arrived about an hour late in our next port of call, seriously impacting all the passengers and crew, as well as the local tourism companies that had been awaiting the ship's arrival.The good news is that noone had gone overboard. The crew didn't speak about this event, so I can't say if there were any charges made against someone for what appeared to be an April Fools' prank.

Cruise lines, the captain, and the crew take safety very highly. I know that you hear about incidents from time to time and rarely do we get all the details. When you look at the number of passengers that sail in a year, and the number of real incidents that occur, the safety record is very impressive.If you happen to be on a ship on April 1, please do not consider a prank such as the one I described here. This was no laughing matter.