northerndynasty

...and it looks like She'll be heading out to sea shortly!

I was watching the Port Of Miami web cam when the distress call from the Oriana came into to the United States Coast Guard. The Oriana reported a fire in the engine room and had told the Coast Guard that they had extinguished it. When asked if they needed assistance, Oriana replied "NO" they still had power. The Oriana transmitted a cell phone number back to the Coast Guard so that they could call representatives from P&O because Oriana was beyond cell phone range. I would have to assume that Oriana was ordered back to the POM just to be sure everything is in working order before continuing on her journey!! For those who want to watch, here is the link to the port of Miami webcam:http://portmiamiwebcam.com

...I can see activity on the decks and a good-colored smoke softly billowing out her stack. Seems like a good sight. It is past the "rumored" 8AM departure, but the way things look...She probably is getting read to drop lines...

AND...just as I say that...the lines are being dropped!!!

That is to bad, their on a 32 day, and only half way through.

This morning is presenting a different picture. Things are looking much better. Not much coverage at all on the incident. On other sites and blogs, suggestions that She'll be returning to sea shortly!

...that whatever happened last night (which is being kept very-much on the down-low), was resolved.

Seems optimistic, considering She limped in to Port at about 2.2k and needed tugs on both sides to re-position and set-forth in to berth.

Kind of surprised at the lack of coverage, but we don't need any negative news on our beloved cruising interests!

I haven't heard anything else, but as some of you are suggesting, hopefully She'll be dropping lines in just under 45 minutes and heading back out on Her journey!

We've not had much trouble with our cabins, but haven't been on a really short cruise, either. Our Royal Princess cabin was OK. I will be on the Regal with a group in January 2016 so will pay attention. I know my first time cruiser cabin mate will be paying attention to everything. :) She'll be observing (as a retired police officer) all that she can since it will be a new experience for her. It should be interesting.

 

I'm happy that your experience was mostly positive. Nothing is perfect, as we've all learned. We've never come across a cruise that was completely bad. :)

 

We live 2 1/2 hours from the port so usually go down the day of the cruise. We've had our "fun" with the lines, too. Hubby usually tries to find the "preferred" line as soon as he gets to me after parking the car. We've also had staff give conflicting directions as to where to go or give the health form to--"over there'. This last time, we were held in a line while other preferred folks went ahead. We are Platinum, I will add.

 

I rely on the webcam to see the ships come and go, but the season will be over soon, so I will have the PCD, too. I've been treading water since our last cruise in Sept. 2014.

 

Anyway, thank you for your good reviews. They are appreciated very much.

Hi, Dave!!

 

Lynne

...have an Official Therapy group for us who suffer through PCD. Oy...not going since Sept. 2014 would have me going bonkers!! You definitely need to get back onboard - and soon!

The thing about being first in-line at Embarkation is comical. They're actually recognizing my daughter and I. Sad! LOL...

Have a great time on your upcoming cruise, even though it's a ways off! Get there early to get in line first! :)

The Oriana has made it safely in to Port Miami with was reported to be a possible Engine Room fire.

No other information at this time, but if you have a cruise planned, you should probably check to see if your cruise has been affected.

In case anyone is needing to know...

The Oriana is limping in to Port Miami after a reported Engine Room fire. No other information at this time.

portmiamiwebcam.com

...and add supportive comments to the OP of this thread.

I, too, was rather surprised to find not only our cabin not ready when we got up there, but a completely frazzled Steward who shooed us away BIG time until "1pm". However, he did make up for it for the remainder of the cruise and apologized prophetically to our acceptance. (Disembarkation was no difference to his "stress capacity", and you could tell! Yikes!)

My nickel:

Embarkation: quick and painless for us...but we live in S.FLA and it takes us only about 25 minutes to get from door-to-door. And, my DD and I have this long-standing tradition of being FIRST in-line for the Preferred Line on the outside. Yeah, so what if we have to wait about 2 hours before they let us in; we just sit out at the ropes and take in the sights of disembarking passengers - and their weight-gains! :P

Food: As USUAL...I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no complaints. And even if something wasn't EXACTLY right, if I said something in a polite and reasonable way, it was ALWAYS resolved. I will say this: We tried Alfredo's...but when you're on for such an incredibly (and I won't make this length of cruise a habit!) short period of time, every minute counts! Alfredo's just took entirely too long for "pizza". Princess has, bar-none, the BEST pizza on land and sea, but it's up on Lido - and save yourself the time and...well...calories for Lido-Deck pizza instead!

Staff: Didn't have any problem there. These are complete strangers who always pulled/pushed our chairs at dinner, laid napkins on my lap, never screwed-up a meal, EVERY one of them said "Good Morning"...and I just never felt un-appreciated for being there.

No lines at tendering to Princess Cays, fellow passengers - who for the most part - behaved themselves accordingly. Still saw some pax who were wearing shorts to the Dining Room, which in my opinion - is just WRONG!

As usual, spent most of my time in the Casino, and kicked some serious butt at the BlackJack table! Yay, me! Also saw a few more jackpots on the slots, which is EXTREMELY unusual. I'll see maybe one or two big jackpots during our voyages, but not usually several mid-sized ones.

Shorter cruise, so more of the younger, hip-hopping type of crowd, but it appeared as though most of them were "better-behaved" in Public spaces (ie, Lido deck). Of course, you'll have one or two (or ok, 3 or 4) who may be loud-mouthed and had too many, but it does help to liven-up the crowd - and somewhat skew the perception that Princess is the "Geriatric" cruise line.

Disembarkation (apparently) was pretty crazy and delayed, however, we hung out in our Platinum/Elite lounge (Vista) and stayed onboard until almost 11am. Spent maybe 10 minutes in the Immigration line, and boom...out to the car and headed back south.

I'm so so so SO disappointed that we have to wait an ENTIRE summer before the SeaWitch moors up in Port Everglades yet again. Last year I suppose we were spoiled with Summer cruises. Not so much this year. PCD is a very serious illness my daughter and I share...guess we'll have to walk down to the beach and watch the Ships leave as our "therapy" for the next 195 days...

We just disembarked Her Majesty Regal Princess, and were so sad to see Her leave back to sea on Her way to Europe for the Summer.

Seems someone on-board her our plight and decided - "Come About" - we're heading back to FLL!

Actually, She is...for a medical-evac....

We just disembarked Her Majesty Regal Princess, and were so sad to see Her leave back to sea on Her way to Europe for the Summer.

Seems someone on-board her our plight and decided - "Come About" - we're heading back to FLL!

Actually, She is...for a medical-evac....

What course will she take back to the ocean? Will she go around Dodge Island or turn around by the Bimini Superfast or something else???

 

Always fun to see her after dark all decked out in lights. Thank you to the POM Webcam operator.

 

Hope the remainder of the cruise goes smoothly.

...so we were treated to a night-time turn-around in the basin. Awesome! And out she goes through the channel, minding the dredgers...

Lines dropped...she's moving...

With a $250,000 base price??

 

Mike:)

...or even a paddle-board, come to think of it! ;)

After last summer's bargain basement prices on the Divina - MSC made the decision to move her back to the Mediterranean for Summer 2015.

...thanks for the update.

She's so beautiful when we see her traversing Port Miami at night...

 

 

 

Cruise ship for Chatfield:D

 

and with this I also just learned how to insert a picture!

...I sooooooooo want one of those!!

:)

Hey, I got the tongue in cheek humor and was surprised at some responses. Personally, I felt much the same way when the CB left it's 9 day run out of New York during the summer. So easy to take a taxi to the ship. Sadly, I left my beloved Princess and did several NCL and HAL cruises. For me, nothing can quite compare to Princess. Just a personal preference.

 

Some people should lighten up. Maybe a trip to the sunshine will help those endorphins.

...thanks for your contribution, Lois! :) Nice...

Wow, CB did a 9-dayer out of New York during the summer...now THAT must've been sweet! I miss my "longer" cruises, but this "job" is just not making that possible - even with having lots of available Vacation time. It's time to leave this job... LOL

"...endorphins."...love it! :)

It's all about $$$. Going back to their beginnings Princess has never been committed to the Caribbean in the summer months. They have always moved their ships to areas with higher fares. They have tried to leave a ship in the Caribbean market a few times, but I figure it never really paid off. The Caribbean is an over saturated market which leads to low fares. Also, Carnival Corp, has Carnival brand ships in the summer Caribbean market. Leaving a Princess ship there would be unnecessary self competition for the same passenger base.

...I hear ya, and seriously, in a business-sense, this sounds logical. I'm pretty dedicated to Princess (at this point, without any huge compelling reasons to venture elsewhere...yet...), so we'll just have to accept it and it'll make their return that much more exciting! I have been eyeing the beautiful MSC Divina (which we indulge in her night-time departures right past our balcony), but I'm not certain She stays in the summer, either.

Thanks for your response! :)

...saw the light-hearted style of writing I used when I wrote this. LOL...i think some are using this as an opportunity to ...ehhhhh, never mind. LOL

Of course we can drive/fly to another Port. And of course we were spoiled last year with more-than-the-usual Caribbean-destined cruises. And of course (like any good Company, one would presume) Princess will go where the most money can be achieved.

This was merely an attempt at some light-hearted chatter about how we'll have to "suffer" until October - when we can start-up again. PCD - Post Cruise Depression...sucks...

Anyway, no amount of emoticons will serve this any good at this point...ROFL....

...who responded. Some sympathy notes, others with the suggestions I was really afraid of (checking the "other" cruise lines)...

Darn it!

Wonder if our feedback over the phones or in forums ever reach the Big Wigs....?

Ships go where the money is.

 

 

Another recent thread on the same issue....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2154967

...yikes...that thread got heated there for a bit! LOL...

Just...just what are we going to do?!?!?!

Princess...what have you done to us cruise-fanatics who just LOVE Princess, and, just so happen to have quick-access to Port Everglades all year-round...but now, NOW, you "take the cruising out of the cruiser" by not having ANY shorter (3-9 days) Fort Lauderdale departures from:

APRIL through OCTOBER?!?!

What on EARTH are we to do for 6 months?!?!?! You know, seriously, what you're doing is almost "forcing" loyal Princess cruisers, but die-hard cruise fans, to even 'consider' other Cruise Lines during that much off-time. I don't want to think we would do it, but just what if we had to just be on a Ship...and some of the "others" were doing the 3-9 day cruises while you're off in Europe somewhere?!

(During non-holiday times, we can only do shorter cruises...)

Mikayla .... It is not a thing to worry about .... :D Don`t worry be happy.

...just looks "silly".

But I will relaxxxxxxx about it!

:0)

Today starts jam cruise for the divina. Then it will be back to do a short two day cruise, followed by a few more short cruises.

...thank you, as well, for responding.

If only I could edit the Title and not look like such a dork! :)