Star azipod propulsion problem

Due to leave tonight at 6pm, check in was a mess and ran late so departure pushed back to 8pm. Then at 8.15pm tied back up again and the captain announced propulsion problems. Got updates every 30 minutes with no news 'still working on it'.

If we're not left by 2am we won't make Ko Samui on time. No more updates tonight, if we're still here in the morning we'll get another update then.

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That is so weird. I just disembarked today after 42 days on the Star and there was nothing that would indicate something was going wrong. We docked on time this morning. Hope you will make it on time to Thailand.

Apprently, there will be 2 cruise ships in port tommorrow, which is the Diamond Princess and the Mariner Of THe Seas.

if the problem still persist, Norwegian has to be towed by tugs out of the Pier to give way to Diamond and Mariner.

The NCL STAR has a history of azipod propulsion problems.

The azipods were worked on while in DryDock at Portland Or.

Something did not go right and the cruise thru the PC was cancelled.

The STAR was ferried to Freeport Bahamas for repairs.

Supposedly it was fixed - but apparently NOT !

Apprently, there will be 2 cruise ships in port tommorrow, which is the Diamond Princess and the Mariner Of THe Seas. if the problem still persist, Norwegian has to be towed by tugs out of the Pier to give way to Diamond and Mariner.

Where did you get this information from?

Where did you get this information from?

I can confirm this must be true. I'm on this cruise and we left the dock, I assume towed out and are still close to but not at the pier. I can confirm about 2am they were trying to start the engines (or azipods?) but to this untrained ear it sound like a car that would not turn over with lots of vibrations. There are a surprising number of people from North America and Europe and I'm certain they will not be happy if this cruise cannot continue, including me. It's one thing to cancel a Caribbean cruise when you have traveled within the US, but another thing if you are flying across the world just to catch a cruise. I will keep you posted.

That certainly is a predicament. Hope it all ends up alright!

We moved out at 2am, I think under our own steam to make way at the dock for the other ships. No announcements or letters yet about what's going on. I hope they are working on a solution to let us go ashore today, I will be very unhappy to sit on the ship in Singapore and not have the opportunity to go into the City.

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I can confirm this must be true. I'm on this cruise and we left the dock, I assume towed out and are still close to but not at the pier. I can confirm about 2am they were trying to start the engines (or azipods?) but to this untrained ear it sound like a car that would not turn over with lots of vibrations. There are a surprising number of people from North America and Europe and I'm certain they will not be happy if this cruise cannot continue, including me. It's one thing to cancel a Caribbean cruise when you have traveled within the US, but another thing if you are flying across the world just to catch a cruise. I will keep you posted.

O.K. Azipods are electric motors run off of the ship's electricity. The "engines" are large generators providing power for the ship. Vibrations are normally from the bow thrusters pushing the bow off the dock. The stern is pushed using the azipods.

O.K. Azipods are electric motors run off of the ship's electricity. The "engines" are large generators providing power for the ship. Vibrations are normally from the bow thrusters pushing the bow off the dock. The stern is pushed using the azipods.

Thanks for the clarification and makes sense since the captain said it's an electrical problem.

An electrical problem sounds about right, the air conditioning has been having problems for a few days. Not sure if that's connected or not. Got an update, the news is there is no news.

I get the problem and if we don't sail we don't sail, the same if we have to skip ports. How the information is given and when is crucial I think.

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Ships with azipods do run into issues, NCL's fleet has its share ... Dawn, Gem, Star and others. Don't they need spare parts and divers to go underwater - might be tricky in the busy harbor. Not a good way to kickoff this segment, anchored and going nowhere (it's already Monday, 12th of Dec. - a little after 8:30 local time)

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SEARCH: STAR AZIPOD

Link with pictures:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2270196

A picture is certainly worth a 1k words end of the first page of 9

Won't solve the current problem but will give the folks here a background of exactly what is an Azipod and the dry dock activity.

Apprently, there will be 2 cruise ships in port tommorrow, which is the Diamond Princess and the Mariner Of THe Seas.

 

if the problem still persist, Norwegian has to be towed by tugs out of the Pier to give way to Diamond and Mariner.

Love your quote!!!! Hope She gets away soon. We will be taking her back Auckland to Venice so hope all is fixed by then :)

The NCL STAR has a history of azipod propulsion problems.

The azipods were worked on while in DryDock at Portland Or.

Something did not go right and the cruise thru the PC was cancelled.

The STAR was ferried to Freeport Bahamas for repairs.

Supposedly it was fixed - but apparently NOT !

This happened a couple of years ago. NCL was forced to cancel at least one cruise. We were the next one after the transAtlantic, so we were pretty worried.

Aren't we lucky that we just booked Rome to Singapore, we did think about going on to Hong Kong till we found the Jewel cruises next year.

Good luck to all you who are stuck on board.

Will someone pass on our good wishes to Djamel and Messiah to pass on to the rest of their staffs. Thank you

Mike & Pauline

This 2015 CC thread has a pretty lengthy & technical background on the azipods, should be informative for all concerned - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=217956&highlight=azipod

The Pride of America & the Jewel (looking at her schedule for 2017-2018 after the Alaska season) also had issues with the Azipods before; and, I believed even the Breakaway, early on in Spring 2014 just before we sailed her. Other cruiseline ship's azipods also have issues with them so it's not just NCL.

Day 2 is supposed to be a Day At Sea and not inside the harbor ... from the CC Roll Call, they haven't heard anything new or update this morning (yet) - I am sure everyone is eager to have the issues fixed and get underway.

Big problem with Azipods. We've got a full refund, 50% off next cruise and can either leave tonight in Singapore or stay on the ship with a new itinerary and arrive in Hong Kong on time, leaving Singapore at 3pm tomorrow.

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Big problem with Azipods. We've got a full refund, 50% off next cruise and can either leave tonight in Singapore or stay on the ship with a new itinerary and arrive in Hong Kong on time, leaving Singapore at 3pm tomorrow.

Sounds like a good offer but what about airfare change costs and extra hotel bills?

What is the new itinerary?

Good luck to all those on board.

Mike & Pauline

Information on the new itinerary will be given tonight. Anyone who chooses to leave in Singapore will pay their own airfare, hotels etc.

I'm on this cruise and I'm amazed by the offer by NCL. Yes ports will be missed but I'm getting a free cruise to Hong Kong and then 50% credit towards a future cruise, I feel like I won the lotto. I'm glad I booked a DOS and will just enjoy more time at sea. I know maybe some will be disappointed but to me this is very fair compensation by NCL. I'm thinking since that this is their first Asian cruise and many flew in from North America they do not want a lot of negative press related to this.

I'm on this cruise and I'm amazed by the offer by NCL. Yes ports will be missed but I'm getting a free cruise to Hong Kong and then 50% credit towards a future cruise, I feel like I won the lotto. I'm glad I booked a DOS and will just enjoy more time at sea. I know maybe some will be disappointed but to me this is very fair compensation by NCL. I'm thinking since that this is their first Asian cruise and many flew in from North America they do not want a lot of negative press related to this.

Very true

Information on the new itinerary will be given tonight. Anyone who chooses to leave in Singapore will pay their own airfare, hotels etc.

Sorry to hear about an abrupt & unexpected itinerary change but at least, it seemed NCL is fairly, IMO, generous with compensating all - with full refund & 50% off next cruise; and, pax can stay onboard & continue with the ship to HK. Booking last minute one-way air can be expensive as is finding hotel rooms, assuming that many will disembark in HKG with plans to stay for the holidays or perhaps do other land-based tours into mainland China, etc. or - board flights to fly home as originally booked.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they got TA & families onboard as intro to the Joy - agreed on the generous goodwill is marketing excellence ahead. Also, from the Asia sub-forum, there're definitely those flying in from U.S. & Canada as they're planning this & looking forward to doing things post-cruise.

Hopefully, they can start doing the repairs with the parts, get divers under the waterline and do whatever - without needing to do a dry dock immediately. Good luck & thanks again for sharing the updates.

Our new itinerary.

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Our new itinerary.

Thank you; not as good as original but who can complain with a free cruise and 50% off the next one.