Live from the Brilliance - at 3:45 am all H*** broke loose!

[clm84m]

video coverage from abc news

 

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/30-passengers-injured-on-mediterranean-cruise-23478108

[steamboats]

Even if the Dec 17th cruise is to go as planned I guess I'm still a little worried about having so many dollars invested in the cruise and possibly not having a ship that is in tip top shape and may not have all activities and rooms available. And if it does get cancelled I assume I am out airfare.

 

If you have booked your own airfare you might be offered a flat fee to cover cancellation costs or rebooking. If you´ve booked via RCI you get your airfare back.

 

I wouldn´t be worried about the ships condition. Everything will be cleaned up until Dec 17th. I assume that much of the lost stuff will be already replaced in Malta and the rest at turnover. If there are still any missing items (let´s say no TV in your cabin) I´m pretty sure you are offered an OBC as compensation. I doubt that whole areas will be closed.

 

Did you buy travel insurance? If the cruise is cancelled, you could file an insurance claim.

 

Unfortunately this is not valid for German travel insurances.

 

steamboats

[Dan Askin]

For those onboard, did the captain give any time of arrival for Malta?

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[rbell]

thats great that RCI is doing the right thing.

[Aubiecruiser]

As a four-time Brilliance cruiser, I really feel for the staff, crew and guests that went through this experience.

On our last cruise on her, also in the Med., we had one day of rough seas as we went around "the boot" but certainly nothing that could compare to what these souls had to endure. My best thoughts go out to all onboard my favorite ship.

Aubie

[B-52]

Here are some pictures. Not sure if posted yet

 

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/12/5635736-royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-battered-in-eastern-mediterranean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That 3rd one looks like my Son's dorm room!!!

[mcaron]

I wouldn't call it a mistake (and by your quote marks, neither, apparently would you). These ship captains have to skate a knife's edge (or it that sail a storm's edge?) trying to meet their conflicting goals.

 

People who have no knowledge of the seas and sailing (and thank you, USN officer, for your knowledgeable insight) get all huffy and distressed because the captain makes decisions on the basis of years and years of experience and training AND the desires and intentions of the cruise line to meet its schedule and itinerary; trying to balance the safety of the ship, and the desire of the passengers to go (and the cruise line to take them) to various places around the world.

 

Some folks are angry because they missed a port they were counting on; some are angry because the captain tried to MAKE that port in very bad weather. Some are angry because he didn't turn tail and run out to sea where it (might have been) calmer. (Any of y'all have any idea how far he would have had to sail out to sea to get clear of the storm, and how long that would have taken, and if it even could have be done? Thought not.) Some are angry because the captain had to do the seamanship-required thing and slow down in traffic (would y'all would be happier if he went screaming into port and slammed into -- or, more likely, GOT slammed into by -- some other ship?! That would put a crimp in your cruise, eh?) (Can the captain possibly win here?!)

 

Look, the sea is dangerous! There's no way around it. Cruise ships are built at massive cost and with amazing engineering to go into harm's way for the pleasure of their passengers -- who mostly know little or nothing about the dangers of the sea and the requirements of operating a huge ship on a seething, flailing, rogue-wave-bearing 'animal' whose dangers are unknown or ignored or dismissed by folks who know very little about it.

 

That cruise ships manage to so INfrequently get into trouble is an amazing testament to the skill and determination of their captains and crews. That passengers (or worse, onlookers!) who know so little get so bitchy about "insufficient compensation" for being scared -- or knocked around and bruised -- or missing a port (and I don't just mean this cruise, which was certainly terrifying, but it seems to happen on any cruise whenever the sea or the weather interferes with the cruise), is alas unsurprising, but unwarranted.

 

Cruising is NOT a Disneyland ride (even if, yes, the cruiselines often make it sound like it is). The sea will always be dangerous -- and to blame the captain or the cruiseline for skirting the shoals between missing ports and sailing in heavy weather... well, it just doesn't seem reasonable, you know?

 

 

I must down go to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

(from Sea Fever by John Masefield)

 

Please be careful stepping down off of the soapbox-Trains, Planes and Automobiles also experience accidents and mishaps occassionally due to operator error... The Blame will be placed where it belongs once all the facts are known....You Know!

[camofwilliamsburg]

As unfortunate as it is, it is the chance always when cruising. The ship captain handled himself and the ship well and should be commended. As far as compensation, I was shocked to hear full refunds. It is a cruise and passengers know this can happen....it is mother nature. It was no fault of the cruise or RCI. I am surprised that OBC or partial refund for the lost day and scare did not occur.

[erbunny]

I am very glad no serious injuries have been reported. This is truly amazing to me after viewing the pictures and reading the descriptions of the damage. It certainly must have been terrifying.

 

However, I do have somewhat of a concern regarding overall safety. Perhaps it is because being trapped in an overturned vessel, a la Poseidon adventure, is my greatest nightmare... on our recent Allure sailing , the muster station was in the gym, where life jackets would be distributed. From the description of mangled equipment, this doesn't really sound like a totally safe place. Like Lifelong cruiser, I think DH and I would be in our cabin, with our life jackets ON!, not wanting to wait to have them given us. I am not really a fraidy cat, having celebrated my 50th birthday by skydiving, but when Nature is on a rampage, we humans are really at her mercy, and I think I would really like my life jacket at hand, and a straightforward route to the life boats, not a circuitous, many stairwell trip to a muster point that may not be safe, and thence another trip to the life boat. Any thoughts?

[FrankNJ]

Just want to clarify that a boat or ship listing to one side or the other is a matter of degrees . If any of you have an old protractor from school you can set it in front of you and easily understand the degree of list that was experienced . 10 to 15 degrees back and forth would be a tremendous amount of list for one of these modern floating hotel barges .

From the damage noted it might very well have been more , maybe 20 degrees at one point.

 

Navy veterans of WW2 have told me that they routinely saw listing of 30 - 45 degrees on destroyers . But , of course those ships had no disco , not even a lot of glass.

When a ship lists that severely it has more hull surface on the water than when it stands straight up and the more it lists to one side the more it wants to upright itself . This unfortunately is what tosses stuff around but the ship is in no danger.

They all survived although sometimes a little bruised and seasick.

The RC crew and passengers were lucky no one was more seriously injured.

[sierracruisers]

Thanks, Laura. After being up for about 40 hours now (couldn't hardly sleep with the swells last night), I am not sure if it was percent or degrees. But as you said - who needs a math lesson right now? We had the scariest experience of our lives which I wouldn't wish on anybody.:rolleyes:

 

The Captain was great with keeping us informed; coming on the intercom about 4 times in the hour immediately after the event, and having his announcements translated into several languages each time.

 

The staff have been going non-stop to clear the areas. The amount of work they have done to keep us all fed is amazing. The Windjammer was a disaster area this morning. That it was open for limited dinner service was incredible.

 

We have been given $200 obc per cabin. There are people right here in the computer area writing a letter to RCI saying it's not enough. They had to line up for breakfast and lunch. Whatever. I will not comment on the compensation. But I give credit where credit is due.

 

The staff have gone without sleep to clean the ship and keep us fed. Venues are being reopened. The Casino is up, and everyone was in the Schooner Bar tonight having a good time. I am trying to make lemonade out of lemons here. Between the weather in England connecting there, to strikes in Spain, to the storm in the Med - this has been a cruise to remember. But, I am still having a good time, and enjoying meeting my fellow cruisers. We are all safe; no one was seriously injured. I'm not going to write a letter of complaint because I had to line up for breakfast.

 

 

I love your positive spirit Carol. Looking on the bright side is the best way to make the most of a scary experience. I think the complainers are networking to get the most perks from this bad experience, like maybe... another free cruise, which explains the mentality of "cruise fanatics. "Where can I go on my next cruise." :D --not that there's anything wrong with it. lol

But you hit the mark when you said that the crew is working non-stop do get things back to normal asap so kudos to the crew and I hope they get compensated well by passengers for their hard work.

I hope you and Laura have a safe and enjoyabe journey for the rest of the cruise. And Laura, I hope your motion sickness goes away. Just imagine how acclimated you'll be for the rest of your cruises. ;)

[xpcdoojk]

I guess that what we post here gets around!

 

OB, you are viewing this incorrectly. Imagine if NBC gets all of their news from sources like this one! It explains a lot.:D

 

JC

[nrdsb4]

OB, you are viewing this incorrectly. Imagine if NBC gets all of their news from sources like this one! It explains a lot.:D

 

JC

 

 

No kidding.;)

[plumber22]

We have been on many cruises where we have been hit with rogue waves and etc. We have never expected compensation for them. People on this cruise should have been very happy with the 200.00 or 400.00 compensation. But why should they get a free cruise for a 'mistake' that was admittably made. Maybe that was the problem, the captain should have never admitted that a mistake was made!!!!! That is a little extreme. Next thing you know people will want free cruises for not being able to go to a scheduled port because of weather(which has happened to us more than once). People need to suck it up and realize you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean and things happen!!!!

[Cruiser523]

OB, you are viewing this incorrectly. Imagine if NBC gets all of their news from sources like this one! It explains a lot.:D

 

JC

 

I referred to this back about 8 pages or so, but news media do, on occasion, get their information from "social media". (Anyone remember that the first picture of the "Miracle on the Hudson" was posted to Twitter and was carried by every outlet on the planet?) Note that we've had requests in here from producers from CBS, NBC, and CNN (that I noticed), and it's entirely possible that they have taken content from here (hmm, wonder if they got permission?) and reported it on the air. The fact is that this is a good way to contact those folks who are affected relatively easily, though I'd hope that the media would do some basic fact-checking, just in case.

 

Just as an example, we've seen one report here that Brilliance will be heading to drydock after this cruise, but there have been others reporting that RCI has said that's not the case. I'm sure the person who posted the info about drydock did get that from someone aboard, but without a little digging it's hard to know if they really have the "inside scoop" or if they were reporting what they heard from other crew, who may or may not have been informed.

 

Now, I will say that I sure hope that you are right and that they don't get all of their news this way.

 

Back to the topic, I am glad to hear the RCI did the right thing by offering refunds.

[Leejnd4]

Perhaps it is just me, but what is it with all these "thoughts and prayers?"

 

As unpleasant, uncomfortable and worrying as these type of things can be, they are one of the rare and occaissional hazards of travelling. Fortunetaly nobody was seriously injured and the damage will be repaired. Captains around the world make "mistakes" every day of every year, because they are required to make decisions. With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to classify a decision as a "mistake" if despite being done with the best of intentions and resource available at that time, it doesn't prove effective in the circumstances.

 

It sounds as if the decision to award everybody an onboard credit was a quick decision to provide some redress for the inconvenience suffered generally. No doubt individual claims for quantifiable damage will be considered in due course and on an individual basis where applicable.

 

Everybody is safe and well, so perhaps the "thoughts and prayers" are better directed from some vacationers who endured an uncomfortable and frightening night, to those whose circumstances put them in real jeopardy everyday, protecting our otherwise cossetted way of life.

 

$200 is not enough? Maybe not, but perhaps taking that sum in $1 bills and flicking through the message "In God we trust" two hundred times would be an adequate reminder. However for some the message on the back will be unimportant compared to the number on the front!

 

I wasn't going to comment on this thread - I was just reading it for information, as I don't happen to know anyone on this cruise. But this post really rubbed me the wrong way.

 

I get SERIOUSLY tired of people like Jetdriver who seem to want to attack anyone who has a bad thing happen to them, because their "bad thing" apparently doesn't measure up to what our glorious soldiers fighting for freedom are dealing with. That seems to be the theme: how dare you complain, and how DARE anyone offer you their good wishes, because hey, look at what our soldiers are going through!

 

This just came up in another cruise-related scenario: I had a friend on that Carnival ship that floated off the Mexican coast for several days. Our local paper did a story on my friends, bringing to light how they were making lemons out of lemonade during that trying ordeal. Well, the comments thread after that article was filled with people calling them "spoiled whiners" because they were disappointed their vacation was ruined. Here's an example of the types of comments:

 

With our troops based at small outposts where water is trucked in weekly in a water buffalo for drinking purposes; Showers are taken once a month when the troops are rotated back to the FOB; where toilets are half 55 gallon drums with a board on one side to sit on; where every day is MRE day and on top of all that, there is some skinny, angry guy with a beard who shoots down into camp every day with a Dragunov sniper rifle. It's a good thing he isn't a good shot, but it still is annoying. That's on a good day. On a bad day, the 12 mm machine gun, the AK-47s and the RPGs rain down all day long.

 

Spam and pop tarts might be a real welcome change, especially if the pop tarts were heated and the Spam were cooked with some onions and potatoes.

 

We really need to keep things in perspective.

 

Thanks to all our men and women who are serving in foreign climes for their unselfishness and sacrifice.

 

Comparing either situation to our armed forces is simply illogical and moronic. It reminds me of jerks who think they can make someone feel better about their misfortune by reminding them that others have it worse.

 

“I feel awful, I’ve got the flu.” “Yeah, well, you should be grateful. You could have cancer.”

“I’ve got Cancer.” “Quit complaining – some people get leprosy.”

“My mom just died.” “I know someone whose baby died.”

“My baby just died.” “Well I know someone whose whole family died.”

“My whole family just died.” “Yeah, well, too bad – what about the people in Africa whose entire villages were murdered?”

 

See how stupid that is?

 

And the whole concept that we should "save our thoughts and prayers" only for our armed forces is also stupid. Are we really not allowed to feel bad for people whose vacation was ruined, just because some people in other parts of the world have it worse? Is there a threshold at which point someone deserves good thoughts, prayers and empathy? Perhaps Jetdriver has a limit on the number of thoughts and prayers he/she has. Well, I don't. My ability to feel empathy, and send good thoughts and prayers out to people in difficult circumstances, is unlimited.

 

By the way, I have a son in the Army. I send LOTS of thoughts and prayers his way. Doesn't keep me from sending thoughts and prayers to the passengers who went through this nightmare.

 

I wish the best of luck to all of you passengers on that hellish cruise, and I hope you are all able to make it back to Egypt. I'm booked on a cruise next October with an overnight stay in Alexandria. I'm taking my Mom, who is in her 70's and is becoming increasingly medically fragile. This will probably be our last trip together, and certainly her only chance to see the pyramids - the last big place on her bucket list. If this had happened to us, we would be heartbroken.

[Feelin' Nauti']

Carol ~

How are you doing?

 

FYI- You're making headlines everywhere. ;)

 

http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2010/12/12/violent-weather-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-bulk-carrier-adriatic-sinks-and-brilliance-of-the-seas-battered/

[marielco]

However, I do have somewhat of a concern regarding overall safety. Perhaps it is because being trapped in an overturned vessel, a la Poseidon adventure, is my greatest nightmare... on our recent Allure sailing , the muster station was in the gym, where life jackets would be distributed. From the description of mangled equipment, this doesn't really sound like a totally safe place. Like Lifelong cruiser, I think DH and I would be in our cabin, with our life jackets ON!, not wanting to wait to have them given us..... Any thoughts?

 

There were many threads on this board a while back when RCI decided to change their muster drill policy. No longer bothering to have passengers wear their life vests for the muster on the first day and saying in future vests would be handed out at the muster station in case of an emergency.

 

Some of us posted our worries about these changes at the time but the majority seemed delighted they would not have to practice wearing the life vest any more and had no cares about the vests not being available in their cabins any longer, probably visualising nice tidy lines on deck for the life vests in an emergency. Maybe this event will bring these people back to reality and realise that a ship is a ship and things can go wrong on the sea.

 

Having spent a few minutes in the Muster drill becoming familiar with the wearing of a life vest or insisting on life vests being at hand in cabins (so far they seem to have left them there but with no gurantee that will continue) is little effort but could well mean the difference between life and death if a ship gets into the sort of difficulty Brilliance did but does not right itself.

[lovecruisingtoo]

As unfortunate as it is, it is the chance always when cruising. The ship captain handled himself and the ship well and should be commended. As far as compensation, I was shocked to hear full refunds. It is a cruise and passengers know this can happen....it is mother nature. It was no fault of the cruise or RCI. I am surprised that OBC or partial refund for the lost day and scare did not occur.

 

I am not surprised at all. From various reports, the Captain said it was a mistake to slow the ship. When the Captain makes such a large mistake, the people are owed a refund. If he had elected to do the correct thing, and that was to NOT slow down so the stabilizers would still be effective, and just miss a port, then no compensation would be due.

[jad7984]

Aren't you pleasant? Where he He** did I not sympathize with them? Where did I not say it was scary? Show me!!! Really? The point is, what they described, if accurate is very, very, very rare. What do you know about sailing other than relaxing onboard a cruise ship?

 

Nowhere did I point out what was wrong. What I did was question who said they listed the precentages that were posted. Reading comprehension people. Please, please show me where I EVER said they were wrong.

 

Sorry if a professional thought it was unusual.

 

Wait - I don't think you're the professional here. I think you're claiming your husband to be. Just curious...was he on the ship?

 

You didn't point out what was wrong, but the condescending 'holier than thou' tone of your post is nothing short of nasty. But I guess some people think they know everything.

 

Get over yourself.

[CrusinCyndi]

I think RCCL is trying to compete with Carnival for the most damage/unhappy passengers.

[RCCLRULES]

Another Black Eye for Royal Caribbean.

[Shaden1982]

Carol and Laura, I'm glad you guys are ok......as the rest of the passengers and crew. What an expierence!!! Sorry you had to miss Egypt.....I've heard that is the highlight of that cruise.

Good for you Carol, running up and down them stairs!!! You amaze me!!

My thoughts and prayers are with you both and everyone else as you continue on your journey. I can only hope I would have the decency that Carol has shown in a situation like this, I hope I learn from you......

 

CHEERS!!! I miss you guys and hope we sail together again soon!!

[Shanafan]

I read this on the Royal Caribbean Facebook Page:

 

Yesterday, Brillance of the Seas experienced extreme wind and sea conditions which caused the ship severe movement. We're proud of how the captain and crew responded and pleased to report that no one was seriously harmed. We're doing everything possible to ensure a safe journey home as well as providing guests with onboard credit and a FULL REFUND (they did not highlight) for their cruise.

[Cruising89143]

Another Black Eye for Royal Caribbean.

 

 

And how would this be a black eye for RCI?:rolleyes: