That Carnival Cruise ship finally made it to Mobile (1 Viewer)

[Devildog]

i hear you, but i dont even think the main thing is whether Carnival knew the ship had problems (though that is a big deal if they did)-- i think the main issue is their complete and utter lack of aything resembling a backup plan in the case of something like this happening.. just inexcusable IMO.

Yep. You would think with as big a company as they are and as many ships as they own, that they would have a plan in place. It's not like it's never happened before.

 

[coldseat]

"Carnival is like the Walmart of cruise ships."

I heard that on the radio this morning and LOL.

 

[muzzy]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Sugar high: Krispy Kreme delivered 800 DOZEN donuts to <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Triumph">#Triumph</a> passengers. <a href="http://t.co/xCSxbzzR" title="http://ow.ly/hKJnx">ow.ly/hKJnx</a></p>&mdash; Scott Walker (@ScottWalker6) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottWalker6/status/302465661513375746">February 15, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[crosswatt]

I wonder how many of the passengers, after seeing Mobile, asked to return to the ship.

 

[BHM]

what i dont understand is some of the commentators ive seen on CNN and elsewhere who seem to have the opinion that this was simply a 'vacation gone wrong', and not a disaster.. now, im not saying it was a disaster of the proportions of Katrina or anything-- but anytime i am forced to walk around raw sewage, stand in line 3 hours for crappy 'food', pull my mattress out on deck to sleep because the room is swelteringly hot and go to the bathroom in a bag-- i'm sorry, but that is way, way more than an inconvenience..... not to mention the elderly people who were unable to keep their medications refrigerated, pregnant women, etc.. i dont consider myself a reactionary, overly litigious person-- but if i had been on that cruise, you can bet your *** i'd be talking to a lawyer FIRST thing this morning.

Curious as to why you would feel compelled to seek an attorney. If this was honestly an unforeseen incident and the crew did everything possible to make the situation as bearable as possible, why would you talk to a lawyer?

I understand that it would have sucked but if the company manned up and offered suitable compensation... I would be fine.

 

[BHM]

Yep. You would think with as big a company as they are and as many ships as they own, that they would have a plan in place. It's not like it's never happened before.

What plan could they possibly have in place for an engine room fire that disabled all typically required functions? Other than get the ship safely to shore and ensure the passengers are compensated and able to return home as easily as possible.

I am floored that these huge ships are not equipped with a separate genset in another part of the ship that could at least power basic services such as emergency lighting, waste systems and maybe some refrigeration units. This would have at least maid the tow trip bearable.

 

[BHM]

"Carnival is like the Walmart of cruise ships."

I heard that on the radio this morning and LOL.

The only cruise I have ever been on was a Carnival out of NOLA. With nothing to compare it to, I was completely satisfied with the food, the ship and the services. This was on the older ship and not the one currently running out of that port.

Of course I am not one of those that must stay in a five star resort so my expectations/standards might be lower than some.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Curious as to why you would feel compelled to seek an attorney. If this was honestly an unforeseen incident and the crew did everything possible to make the situation as bearable as possible, why would you talk to a lawyer?

not trying to be sarcastic-- but have you even read the thread?? i would seek an attorney in order to look into whether or not the company had red flags that the ship was in dire need of repairs before the incident took place... , and to find out exactly why there was no plan whatsoever in place to get passengers out of what one scientist called a 'floating petri dish' sooner in the event of something like this happening.. and after finding answers to those two main questions, i would then seek appropriate compensation.

I understand that it would have sucked but if the company manned up and offered suitable compensation... I would be fine.

based on what i've read that theyre offering: $500, a refund of the cruise and *most* (not all) expenses and a credit for a future cruise.. i would say that what they consider to be 'suitable compensation' is an insult to the people who had to go through that misery, and for insulting them like that, i would stick it to them even harder.


i've never filed a lawsuit against anyone in my life, nor have i ever collected disablity, workers comp, etc.. but the only way to get some of these big corporations to pay any sort of attention whatsoever and to change their culture of putting off repairs, jacking passengers around, etc. is to hit them in the only place they care about: their bottom line.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Of course I am not one of those that must stay in a five star resort so my expectations/standards might be lower than some.

i usually stay in Courtyard Marriotts when i'm on the road, so i'm definitely not a 5 star guy either.. i just need a place that's clean, fairly quiet and with a functioning A/C.

 

[DavidM]

i dont consider myself a reactionary, overly litigious person-- but if i had been on that cruise, you can bet your *** i'd be talking to a lawyer FIRST thing this morning.

Speaking of, here's some pretty interesting insight from a maritime lawyer about the cruise ship industry.

What cruise lines don't want you to know

By James Walker, Special to CNN
updated 3:21 PM EST, Thu February 14, 2013

(CNN) --

[...]

The cruise industry says cruise ship fires are rare, but they are not rare. They happen with alarming frequency. In the two years between the Splendor and the Triumph fires, more than 10 cruise ship fires were reported in the media. Several cruise ships were completely disabled, including the Costa Allegra, the Bahamas Celebration and the Ocean Star.

[...]

I have attended seven congressional hearings since 2005 regarding issues of cruise ship passenger safety. At the last hearing, before Sen. Jay Rockefeller, cruise expert and author Ross Klein said fires broke out in 79 cruise ships from 1990 to 2011. Most of these fires received little coverage in the U.S. press. It is a topic that the travel publications avoid and travel agents do not like to hear.

The cruise industry does a remarkable job advertising that cruising is a safe and affordable family vacation. It certainly is affordable, in large part because major cruise lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean are incorporated in foreign countries like Panama, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Liberia. Their ships fly the flags of foreign nations and thus avoid all U.S. federal taxes, labor laws and safety regulations.

What cruise lines don't want you to know - CNN.com

 

[BHM]

i usually stay in Courtyard Marriotts when i'm on the road, so i'm definitely not a 5 star guy either.. i just need a place that's clean, fairly quiet and with a functioning A/C.

Went to an LSU versus Mississippi State game at the last minute a few years ago. Only room we could book was at a roach hotel out there. Ended up getting there lat that night to find out they rented our room out thinking we were not going to make. Of course nothing else 100 miles around that God forsaken place.

After moaning and groaning, they offered us a free room that had flooded that day. Four of us stayed in a room with soaking wet carpet that smelled like an old strip club. Of course sleeping on that carpet probably would have been better than sleeping on the beds. I actually slept fully clothed, shoes on and all. Anything better than that is a 5 star to me now.

 

[blupony]

based on what i've read that theyre offering: $500, a refund of the cruise and *most* (not all) expenses and a credit for a future cruise.. i would say that what they consider to be 'suitable compensation' is an insult to the people who had to go through that misery, and for insulting them like that, i would stick it to them even harder.


i've never filed a lawsuit against anyone in my life, nor have i ever collected disablity, workers comp, etc.. but the only way to get some of these big corporations to pay any sort of attention whatsoever and to change their culture of putting off repairs, jacking passengers around, etc. is to hit them in the only place they care about: their bottom line.

I am wondering if their $500 payment isn't going to have fine print on it that says "by cashing this check you agree not to sue Carnival...."

 

[whodatjoe]

I am wondering if their $500 payment isn't going to have fine print on it that says "by cashing this check you agree not to sue Carnival...."

Their tickets already say that. It is almost impossible to sue/win against cruise company's. I've taken my last cruise (a few years ago). I can't imagine what those poor people went through.

 

[BHM]

not trying to be sarcastic-- but have you even read the thread?? i would seek an attorney in order to look into whether or not the company had red flags that the ship was in dire need of repairs before the incident took place... , and to find out exactly why there was no plan whatsoever in place to get passengers out of what one scientist called a 'floating petri dish' sooner in the event of something like this happening.. and after finding answers to those two main questions, i would then seek appropriate compensation.


based on what i've read that theyre offering: $500, a refund of the cruise and *most* (not all) expenses and a credit for a future cruise.. i would say that what they consider to be 'suitable compensation' is an insult to the people who had to go through that misery, and for insulting them like that, i would stick it to them even harder.


i've never filed a lawsuit against anyone in my life, nor have i ever collected disablity, workers comp, etc.. but the only way to get some of these big corporations to pay any sort of attention whatsoever and to change their culture of putting off repairs, jacking passengers around, etc. is to hit them in the only place they care about: their bottom line.

Not knocking you for wanting to talk to a lawyer. I was just asking. There has been no official reports of them failing to ensure the ship was up to its task of sailing so I am not sure why you would be so eager to get an attorney to look into if they were neglecting the ship. They own several ships that pretty much stay out to sea and from what I could find, issues as serious as this rarely happen. I think that speaks fairly well about their sea worthiness record.


As for not having a plan, I am on the side of there just not being much that could have been done. I know people always want a magical backup plan for every thing but sometimes, it just is what it is and you have to make the best of it. Even under the best maintenance practices, things happen. They could have tried transferring the passengers to another vessel but that is a very very risky operation.

With the compensation they have offered, I have mixed reviews. Is it enough? What is enough? Short of giving every person a million dollars and a vacation home for life, there will always be people that expect more. Yeah, I get that their vacation was ruined and conditions were bad but how do you put a value on fair compensation. It is kind of like a fair tax plan that everyone can agree on.

Is it fair that a passenger that booked a low interior room should receive the same as a passenger that paid top dollar for a balcony room? Is it fair that a young man receive the same compensation as the elderly couple that had to climb stairs all day to get around? Fair is a tough thing to agree on.


The ship did have a propulsion problem in January that was fixed and tested on February 2nd. It is not know if the two incidents are related. One thing for sure is that these are very large and complex machines. There will always be problems.

For the 4th quarter 2012, their profit margin was less than 4% so I not sure where you get that all these big corporations are just rolling in dough while screwing the world. After several years of a world wide recession, some of these cruise companies are barely staying afloat. If they actually had to pay US taxes, the cost of cruising would skyrocket.