LCHIEN
It was quite a news item for several days - spectacularized, sensationalized by the news media.
My take:
one, as one departing passenger put it, it was not a nightmare, it was inconvenient, and maybe a bit uncomfortable, yes, but not a nightmare. Nobody died. Now 9/11 was a nightmare. 33 guys underground trapped 2000 ft underground in a mine collapse, that's a real problem.
two, there's reported 230 cruise ships active. assuming each one sails an average cruise of a week then that's 12,000 cruises per year. So one or two cruise incidents, that's only about .01% chance that it'll happen to you if you take one cruise per year.
Three, This cruise was lucky in that it was close to a US port, and close to the US coast guard, and close to a navy carrier that could land heavy supply aircraft and then transfer to helicopters that could deliver to the cruise ship - normally if they were far offshore it would be too far for helicopters and cargo planes could not deliver to a cruise ship. Normally a carrier would not be close enough to be within helo range in a day. Had they been further down the coast to mexico or transatlantic or transpacific the weather would have been worse and the food delivery options much leaner.
On the other hand, it's been reported that experts think there was a serious design flaw in the Splendor, that with six engines and six main generators, one fire should not have taken out all engines - the ship should have had partial power and partial propulsion and would not have needed food and towing and been in dire distress. The experts claimed most ships would have been partially crippled but not totally disabled.
Finally, fire at sea is a serious hazard, the one most mariners take most seriously. In my travels, both on industrial oil/gas exploration vessels and on cruise ships, there are international standards SOLAS that govern safety at sea, and fire drills are a mainstay of such safety - all crews are all assigned duties in case of fire and marine crews are specially trained for firefighting. Passengers and guests are instructed in fire evacuation procedures within a short time of arriving on board. I am always impressed by the preparations. But still life is unpredictable and you take your chances.
One more note: the passengers may have had it tough. But the international crew - mostly cabin, dining and service personnel - probably were unsung heroes. they had the same tough conditions (maybe worse, they were in lower decks with no light and air and toilets at all) and they still carried out their duties to the best that conditions allowed serving drinks and albeit cold food.
I heard Carnival plans to pay them wages, lost tip value and put them up at hotels while the ship is repaired. Kudos to Carnival.
My take:
one, as one departing passenger put it, it was not a nightmare, it was inconvenient, and maybe a bit uncomfortable, yes, but not a nightmare. Nobody died. Now 9/11 was a nightmare. 33 guys underground trapped 2000 ft underground in a mine collapse, that's a real problem.
two, there's reported 230 cruise ships active. assuming each one sails an average cruise of a week then that's 12,000 cruises per year. So one or two cruise incidents, that's only about .01% chance that it'll happen to you if you take one cruise per year.
Three, This cruise was lucky in that it was close to a US port, and close to the US coast guard, and close to a navy carrier that could land heavy supply aircraft and then transfer to helicopters that could deliver to the cruise ship - normally if they were far offshore it would be too far for helicopters and cargo planes could not deliver to a cruise ship. Normally a carrier would not be close enough to be within helo range in a day. Had they been further down the coast to mexico or transatlantic or transpacific the weather would have been worse and the food delivery options much leaner.
On the other hand, it's been reported that experts think there was a serious design flaw in the Splendor, that with six engines and six main generators, one fire should not have taken out all engines - the ship should have had partial power and partial propulsion and would not have needed food and towing and been in dire distress. The experts claimed most ships would have been partially crippled but not totally disabled.
Finally, fire at sea is a serious hazard, the one most mariners take most seriously. In my travels, both on industrial oil/gas exploration vessels and on cruise ships, there are international standards SOLAS that govern safety at sea, and fire drills are a mainstay of such safety - all crews are all assigned duties in case of fire and marine crews are specially trained for firefighting. Passengers and guests are instructed in fire evacuation procedures within a short time of arriving on board. I am always impressed by the preparations. But still life is unpredictable and you take your chances.
One more note: the passengers may have had it tough. But the international crew - mostly cabin, dining and service personnel - probably were unsung heroes. they had the same tough conditions (maybe worse, they were in lower decks with no light and air and toilets at all) and they still carried out their duties to the best that conditions allowed serving drinks and albeit cold food.
I heard Carnival plans to pay them wages, lost tip value and put them up at hotels while the ship is repaired. Kudos to Carnival.
Loring in Katy, TX USA
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