Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Royal Princess Taking Shape
Construction is moving along at the Fincantieri yard in Monfalcone (Italy) on Royal Princess. This photo, taken last week, shows additional blocks in place, and the yard is working toward delivery a little more than a year from now in the late spring of 2013.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Silversea's Silver Shadow Involved in Collision
Silversea's Silver Shadow was involved in what the line terms a "minor" collision with a cargo vessel last Friday (March 16, 2012) off Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.
The incident occurred during heavy fog and caused only minor damage to the cruise ship (as seen in the video below, shot by a passenger), but reports say that damage to the cargo vessel was more substantial. There were no injuries aboard Silver Shadow, and its seaworthiness was not compromised. Reports from passengers say Silver Shadow's bow struck the cargo vessel broadside.
Silver Shadow continued to port, and has since continued its cruise. It embarked on its next cruise today (March 19, 2012).
This video, shot by a passenger, shows the damage to Silver Shadow. In the audio, the passenger's assessment of the damage seems to be that it is much more serious than Silversea's assessment does.
The incident occurred during heavy fog and caused only minor damage to the cruise ship (as seen in the video below, shot by a passenger), but reports say that damage to the cargo vessel was more substantial. There were no injuries aboard Silver Shadow, and its seaworthiness was not compromised. Reports from passengers say Silver Shadow's bow struck the cargo vessel broadside.
Silver Shadow continued to port, and has since continued its cruise. It embarked on its next cruise today (March 19, 2012).
This video, shot by a passenger, shows the damage to Silver Shadow. In the audio, the passenger's assessment of the damage seems to be that it is much more serious than Silversea's assessment does.
Reports: Monarch of the Seas to Leave RCI Fleet
Updated March 20, 2012
Sources in Europe are reporting that Monarch of the Seas will leave the Royal Caribbean International fleet at the end of the year. The twenty-one-year-old ship will reportedly be transferred to RCCL's Pullmantur brand in Spain.
The ship will reportedly receive an extensive refurbishment and begin sailing under its new livery in April 2013. It will most likely be renamed MS Monarch.
Monarch of the Seas is currently sailing 3- and 4-day cruises from Port Canaveral. There is no word if RCI will replace the ship in that trade.
We are awaiting confirmation from Royal Caribbean, but it any action concerning Pullmantur would not likely be announced today (Monday) as it is a bank holiday in Spain.
Update March 20, 2012
Royal Caribbean confirms that Monarch of the Seas will leave the RCI fleet, but a bit later. It's last cruise for the Royal Caribbean International brand will be on March 29, 2013, and it will become part of the Pullmantur brand then on April 1, 2013.
Royal Caribbean told CND it will be several months before they announce if they will remain in the short cruise market from Port Canaveral.
Sources in Europe are reporting that Monarch of the Seas will leave the Royal Caribbean International fleet at the end of the year. The twenty-one-year-old ship will reportedly be transferred to RCCL's Pullmantur brand in Spain.
The ship will reportedly receive an extensive refurbishment and begin sailing under its new livery in April 2013. It will most likely be renamed MS Monarch.
Monarch of the Seas is currently sailing 3- and 4-day cruises from Port Canaveral. There is no word if RCI will replace the ship in that trade.
We are awaiting confirmation from Royal Caribbean, but it any action concerning Pullmantur would not likely be announced today (Monday) as it is a bank holiday in Spain.
Update March 20, 2012
Royal Caribbean confirms that Monarch of the Seas will leave the RCI fleet, but a bit later. It's last cruise for the Royal Caribbean International brand will be on March 29, 2013, and it will become part of the Pullmantur brand then on April 1, 2013.
Royal Caribbean told CND it will be several months before they announce if they will remain in the short cruise market from Port Canaveral.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Medevac from Independence of the Seas
A French Navy helicopter airlifted a 60-year-old passenger from Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, on Friday afternoon (March 16, 2012).
The man was hoisted off the ship's bow about 2:00pm when it was about 70 miles off the coast of Brest, France, as shown in the video below.
Video and photos courtesy of Navy of France.
The man was hoisted off the ship's bow about 2:00pm when it was about 70 miles off the coast of Brest, France, as shown in the video below.
Video and photos courtesy of Navy of France.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Locked out on Oasis
Updated March 19, 2012
We came across this interesting video on YouTube earlier this week. It demonstrates a potentially dangerous problem for passengers traveling in balcony staterooms and suites aboard Oasis of the Seas. According to the video, it's very easy to lock yourself out onto the balconies.
The poster of the video claims this happened to him. Luckily, he had his cell phone with him on the balcony, and the ship's connection was up. He called home, and they called Royal Caribbean's reservation office, and that office called the ship. Two-and-a-half hours later, someone came to his stateroom to open the door for him.
As you can see in the demonstration in the video, if you accidentally move the door handle into the locked position before the door closes, it latches, and there's no way back in.
This video was posted in April 2010, so this happened almost two years ago. We assumed Royal Caribbean would have corrected this problem, and they'd be quick to tell us about it. If that had been the case, this would have been just another lead that didn't go anyplace, and there'd be no story. We asked them if the latching mechanism had been modified to prevent this from happening. We also asked if any other ships (such as sister ship Allure of the Seas) use the same latching mechanism. And of course we wanted to know what advice they have for any passenger who may find themselves locked out on their balcony, especially if they don't happen to have their cell phone with them.
We heard back right away, and they asked us to delay the story while they checked, so we did. We've kept asking for an answer to our questions, but all that we are now hearing is the sound of crickets chirping.
If they had fixed the problem, one would think they'd want to be quick to tell us. Otherwise, it seems like maybe they are delaying giving us an answer which could prove embarrassing for them.
So here's our advice if you are going to go out on any balcony. First take a few seconds and test it out. Next just be sure to take your cell phone with you onto the balcony. (Before you leave home, be sure that your phone is set up to make calls from the ship, and that you've put Royal Caribbean's phone number in your phone's address book.) If you get locked out, one thing to try is to call out to see if anyone else is on their balcony and can hear you. DO NOT try to crawl around the divider to another balcony or break the door. Both of these are extremely dangerous. If all else fails, realize that your cabin steward does come in to service your stateroom twice a day, and he can open the door, even though it might be quite a wait for him.
We'll update this item if Royal Caribbean ever figures out what to say.
Update March 19, 2012:
Royal Caribbean tells us that getting locked out is not a common experience, but it does happen, so over the next three weeks they will be considering solutions to the problem. By the end of that time, they will decide on a permanent fix, and implementation will begin as soon as practical after that on both ships.
We came across this interesting video on YouTube earlier this week. It demonstrates a potentially dangerous problem for passengers traveling in balcony staterooms and suites aboard Oasis of the Seas. According to the video, it's very easy to lock yourself out onto the balconies.
The poster of the video claims this happened to him. Luckily, he had his cell phone with him on the balcony, and the ship's connection was up. He called home, and they called Royal Caribbean's reservation office, and that office called the ship. Two-and-a-half hours later, someone came to his stateroom to open the door for him.
As you can see in the demonstration in the video, if you accidentally move the door handle into the locked position before the door closes, it latches, and there's no way back in.
This video was posted in April 2010, so this happened almost two years ago. We assumed Royal Caribbean would have corrected this problem, and they'd be quick to tell us about it. If that had been the case, this would have been just another lead that didn't go anyplace, and there'd be no story. We asked them if the latching mechanism had been modified to prevent this from happening. We also asked if any other ships (such as sister ship Allure of the Seas) use the same latching mechanism. And of course we wanted to know what advice they have for any passenger who may find themselves locked out on their balcony, especially if they don't happen to have their cell phone with them.
We heard back right away, and they asked us to delay the story while they checked, so we did. We've kept asking for an answer to our questions, but all that we are now hearing is the sound of crickets chirping.
If they had fixed the problem, one would think they'd want to be quick to tell us. Otherwise, it seems like maybe they are delaying giving us an answer which could prove embarrassing for them.
So here's our advice if you are going to go out on any balcony. First take a few seconds and test it out. Next just be sure to take your cell phone with you onto the balcony. (Before you leave home, be sure that your phone is set up to make calls from the ship, and that you've put Royal Caribbean's phone number in your phone's address book.) If you get locked out, one thing to try is to call out to see if anyone else is on their balcony and can hear you. DO NOT try to crawl around the divider to another balcony or break the door. Both of these are extremely dangerous. If all else fails, realize that your cabin steward does come in to service your stateroom twice a day, and he can open the door, even though it might be quite a wait for him.
We'll update this item if Royal Caribbean ever figures out what to say.
Update March 19, 2012:
Royal Caribbean tells us that getting locked out is not a common experience, but it does happen, so over the next three weeks they will be considering solutions to the problem. By the end of that time, they will decide on a permanent fix, and implementation will begin as soon as practical after that on both ships.
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