They have just returned from a "not great - never again" cruise on POA. No, it wasn't the earthquake, and it wasn't the staff. It was the operation of the ship itself. It seemed that, in departing Honolulu, the ship hit, and detached a major channel buoy! Which it carried, dragging same, to Maui. At Maui divers attempted to detach it, cutting through massive links of chains. The whole operation completely screwed up the cruise and schedules, and the pax were constantly being given erroneous information as to when they would leave. My friends returned from a self-drive excursion at the time they were told to be back, only to be told,"you didn't have to come back this early, we are not leaving until.....". The Big Island was skipped completely, and the schedule was in complete chaos.

I will try to get more soon, as they have departed until next weekend, but apparently the way the problem was handled was utter chaos.

I googled the Honolul paper and came up with more information.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/NEWS09/610180363/1019/TRAFFIC

[ 10-30-2006: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

"Robert Kritzman, executive vice president of Hawaii operations for NCL, said one of the engineers discovered the chain in the starboard propeller at Kahului Harbor on Maui, and divers removed it Tuesday."

So the ship sailed from Honolulu to Maui, with a "chain in the starboard propellor" and no one noticed it? Did it not vibrate...or something? Still sounds weird to me.

[ 10-30-2006: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
OK, I agree. But not knowing about it, being unaware that the whole thing was wrapped around the azipod?

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They dragged a 10 ft tall, 2,800 lb bouy behind the ship for almost 90 miles and nobody onboard notices anything? Seems kind of odd.

I have had the missfortune of snagging a crab pot on the keel of a sailboat while sailing on the Bay and I certainly noticed that....

It doesn't say how much of the chain was caught up, only that it wasn't noticed until Kahului. May have only been a small part?

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Originally posted by Pascal:
At least, the Hotel staff is not blame...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

Poor food and service may have affected the Captain's judgement!

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quote:

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:

I thought that the food was fine but the service in the dining rooms was suppose to be poor??

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But it makes me wonder. Are there a bunch of Captains, gold braid shining, sitting in the outer office of each Cruise Line, sort of like patients in a waiting room, waiting to see the Doctor? Then the receptionist sticks her head into the room and says "Next!"

In a case like this, with the replacement of the Captain taking place in a very short time, where DO they get the replacement officer in short order? What are the supernumeraries doing while they are waiting for a Captain to screw up? Or is it like a football (US-that is) coach, replacing a quarterback in the middle of the game? At least there is a backup quarterback available? " OK Jones, go in for Brown."

Or something?

[ 10-31-2006: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

There is usually a rotation system in effect with existing Captains, as well, with someone always off on vacation, leave, etc. I'm sure there would not be a problem replacing a Captain.

Well, the story will out, eventually. My neighbor also reported that the ship was reportedly "operating on one engine" and was quite slow. As I reported earlier, what really frosted the passengers is that their shore time to go places and do things was very restricted, as there were wildly differing reports as when they were due back on the ship. Anyhow they were not happy passengers, and considered the 100 bucks on the tab as chicken feed. The free drinks touted were just one round! NCL has lost some more pax by this little gambit. Debarkation was monumentally screwed up, and they stopped the elevators to prevent more pax moving to the gangway. The gridlock and delay cost my neighbor an extra 90-buck taxi fare!

The officers (both deck and engine) on the ship are represented by the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, District 1, whose school is your neighbor just up the street in Easton.

I'm not sure on the Hawaii ships, but most ships with that union have two permanent Masters as well as two permanent Chief Mates, each relieving each other on regular rotations. There is always an available and qualified Master available among the ships of the fleet on vacation that can be called to relieve in case of incapacitation, death, incident and or firing.