There's a heightened probability of a fire or other type of emergency aboard ship when it's in drydock, due to the types of construction work being done and the addition of flammable material aboard. Just like at sea, the crew needs to be ready and have everyone trained. Dealing with an emergency in drydock is much different than doing so at sea. For that reason they need to practice emergency drills not only for the crew, but also for all the contractors aboard who aren't used to being aboard a ship. In this video, Christopher Bean, Chief Safety Office aboard Radiance of the Seas, shows us an emergency drill being run during the drydock in Victoria (BC).
Friday, June 3, 2011
Video from Radiance of the Seas' Drydock Showing New Staterooms Being Added
In this video for Radiance of the Seas' drydock, project manager Brett Vitols, shows us some of the work being done to add 15 staterooms and suites to the ship. The new accommodations will be all types from a Family Suite to staterooms for single travelers.
Video under the Hull During the Drydock of Radiance of the Seas
The main reason for a ship to go into drydock is to do work on the hull under the waterline. In this video, Jim Dixon, the manager of marine operations during Radiance of the Seas' drydock, shows us some of the projects being carried out under the ship while it is in the Victoria Shipyard.
Video of Maintenance on the Azipod Propulsion System aboard Radiance of the Seas
To work on many parts of the Azipod propulsion system, the only way to do it is when the ship is out of the water. During a scheduled drydock, such as this one for Radiance of the Seas, work on the propulsion system is a major item on the "to do" list. It also gives us a chance to see exactly what the units look like. During this drydock they are doing a routine replacement of the thrust bearings, and more unusual, they are also replacing the propellers blades with a new more fuel-efficient design.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Video of Radiance of the Seas Getting New Pool Deck
Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas is still in drydock at Victoria, BC, and the latest video update from the ship shows the pool deck being replaced with a covering called "future teak." Area revitalization manager Denise Pedersen Key-Tielebein says the project is behind schedule due to the weather, but they are working to get back on track by June 9.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Video of Independence of the Seas Moving away from Oil Tank Explosion at Gibraltar
Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas was docked adjacent to an oil tank today (May 31, 2011) when welding on the tank apparently caused it to burst into flames at approximately 3:47pm, injuring 12 passengers on the ship. Independence retracted the gangway and immediately moved a safe distance away.
Amateur video below shows the scene shortly after the explosion.
Earlier photos showed the ship docked immediately adjacent to the tank with its stern well to what would be the left of the tank in this video. As the video progresses you can see the ship moving farther away.
The ship did continue on its itinerary, which was a 14-night cruise which departed Southampton on May 28. At 7:40pm, this evening, local media reported that the flames spread to a second tank, causing evacuation of the port offices.
In the second video, below, there is a short clip that says it was shot approximately 30 seconds after the explosion, before Independence could move, and you can see the close proximity at the time of the blast.
Amateur video below shows the scene shortly after the explosion.
Earlier photos showed the ship docked immediately adjacent to the tank with its stern well to what would be the left of the tank in this video. As the video progresses you can see the ship moving farther away.
The ship did continue on its itinerary, which was a 14-night cruise which departed Southampton on May 28. At 7:40pm, this evening, local media reported that the flames spread to a second tank, causing evacuation of the port offices.
In the second video, below, there is a short clip that says it was shot approximately 30 seconds after the explosion, before Independence could move, and you can see the close proximity at the time of the blast.
Video of Construction of Samba Grill on Radiance of the Seas
The refit of Radiance of the Seas is well under at the Victoria Shipyard in British Columbia. In this video, Jurgen Bailom, Royal Caribbean's Fleet Hotel Director of Revitalizations, show the construction of the new Samba Grill, the Brazilian steakhouse, in space formerly occupied by the Seaview Grill.
Touring Celebrity Silhouette under Construction at Meyer Werft
Celebrity Cruises President Dan Hanrahan toured the almost-complete Celebrity Silhouette at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg (Germany). The ship is being readied for delivery in mid-July. The 122,000-ton vessel is the fourth in the Solstice-class line.
The ship was floated out of Meyer's covered building dock on Sunday, May 29, 2011. We have photos of the float out on the Cruise News Daily website.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Weekly Video Cruise News Summary May 28, 2011
This week's news headlines from the cruise industry, via Cruise News Daily, includes items about MSC Opera returning to service, a crew member overboard from Celebrity Eclipse, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's labor negotiations to ease its financial troubles, Carnival announcing plans to homeport in Boston, refurbishment work on Norwegian Dawn, Maasdam and Radiance of the Seas, interviews with P&O's executives about Adonia, special arrangements Princess makes for passengers traveling with service animals, the Greek government cannot remove the wreckage of Sea Diamond, and Xanterra Hotels closing on their purchase of Windstar Cruises.